Mike Love Sets The Record Straight.

[HeyJude]

Well, what is Mike supposed to say if he or the other members have no idea yet whether they are going to again next year. We have to be realistic here. Let him and the band address one issue at a time.

It does indeed sound like things are up in the air. But we may not be looking at a 50/50 situation here in terms of whether the reunion will continue. I think perhaps part of the disconnect among the band members may have stemmed from Brian and/or Al feeling it was kind of 50/50 at least during the tour, or "let's wait and see", while Mike's statement doesn't read like a "maybe/maybe not", it basically reads as though things are going back to the way they were, period. The only way in which his statement was not totally unequivocal in terms of his permanently going back to his own band is if you feel that not specifically stating "the reunion lineup will never come together again" constitutes any sort of 50/50, "we're just not sure" situation. I don't read it that way, and it sounds like Al and Brian didn't read it that way.

[bossaroo]

Quote from: bossaroo on Today at 02:07:45 PM
Beach Boys' Mike Love explains that he didn't fire Brian Wilson, still sucks

By Sean O'Neal October 5, 2012

Sensing that the news of founding members Brian Wilson and Al Jardine being dumped in favor of returning Beach Boys to its more recently established, more easily dominated by Mike Love lineup had inspired more Mike Love hate than usual, Mike Love put on his explainer cap—fitting it over his nested stack of other caps—and addressed the controversy in a typically longwinded letter to the L.A. Times. Not surprisingly, Love insists he did nothing wrong by breaking off from Wilson and Jardine again, saying that the decision was made only because "it is not feasible, both logistically and economically" for the reunited original Beach Boys lineup to play many of the smaller-market dates that Love insists are "vitally important" for keeping the Beach Boys' name alive by allowing Mike Love to play under it and collect all of its associated money and attention for himself. Also, he said a lot of stuff like this:

I did not fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I cannot fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I am not his employer. I do not have such authority. And even if I did, I would never fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I love Brian Wilson. We are partners. He’s my cousin by birth and my brother in music. We grew up together. We sang Everly Brothers’ songs together at Aunt Audrey’s piano. We played football together. We formed a band together. We wrote songs together that have been woven into the fabric of this nation. Our songs are in the DNA of America. Our imagery of the coast, surfing, cars and teenage freedom helped make our country the envy of the world.

Ugh, stop it. Anyway, the rest of the letter goes on and on like that and is just as awful. Keep it under your hats, Mike Love.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/beach-boys-mike-love-explains-that-he-didnt-fire-b,86302/


Oh! So a smarmy, bearded, hipster writer for A.V club doesn't like Mike Love?

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!!!

you gotta admit the "nested stack of other caps" line is pretty funny. he's just calling Mike on his bullsh!t is all. more than can be said for a lot of folks up in here.

Mike's piece is self-congratulatory, weeks late, and full of crap. He wrote songs for Pet Sounds? The early songs were his? REALLY?!!

he can't even spell his Aunt Audree's name right.

I cannot fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I am not his employer. I do not have such authority. And even if I did, I would never fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I love Brian Wilson. We are partners. He’s my cousin by birth and my brother in music.

But Brian still wants to be in the touring band. And you issued a press release saying that he's no longer a touring member and continue to book more shows without him. That's a funny partnership.

Writing songs with Brian and performing them with Al Jardine, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, David Marks, Bruce Johnston and many other brilliant musicians over the years is my legacy, and something of which I am very proud and protective.

the fact is that Brian, Al, and Dave still want to be in the touring band and Mike is denying them that right. Nobody wants to see the Mike & Bruce band when they could be seeing the entire surviving lineup. Mike is trying really hard to say the right things here and not look like a jerk, but it's what he's not saying that is most telling.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

This was a fantastic read.  Good for Mike for writing that.  It needed to be said.  It would've been a little easier to swallow if the first press release announcing the end of the reunion was delivered in this same tone---then we wouldn't have had such a firestorm of crap rain on him.  But anyway, hopefully the storms have passed and we can move on.

Great pic of the Loves:

As we learned from the Howard Stern interview, Mike is an ass man..

Looking at that he must be a very happy man  

Yes, I can attest to that.

Mike is NEVER happy enough so the Mike and Bruce show goes on.....

Ok Surfirder. If you are going to continue to bring that up without telling us exactly what the hell happened that day, I feel it is my duty to tell you that... it is really annoying.  

Wish I could. Maybe Mikeʻs wife should give me a call.

Gosh, if you canʻt  figure it out with all my little hints, I donʻt know what to say.

[HeyJude]

So Brian did vote originally without pressure or leverage to give Mike an exclusive license? But it took pressure/leverage to make Brian vote the same way again after Al had threatened to sue BRI and tried to renegoiate the terms and operate without a license? I must not be following.

As I said, my assumption is that Brian may well have voted in Mike's favor even without any leverage being used. But the leverage, in this reported/alleged scenario, may have precluded any chance swaying the vote a different way.

In any event, I also feel that the situation is not the same now, so it doesn't matter much. Al and Mike are no longer on the outs the way they were in 1998. It's frustrating now, because back in 1998 it at least functionally made some sense for Al and Mike to not tour together since there was some sort of falling out at that time. That Al was not in Mike's band may have been a self-fulfilling sort of thing (by that, I mean that Al is edged out, then they have a falling out, and then of course it's even less feasible for them to play together), but it made sense in 1998 or 1999 that these guys had to be apart. Same thing with Brian, he seemed to have next to zero interest in playing with Mike and the Beach Boys in general at that time.

But now there is even less reason for them to be apart, because they established that they can play together and do it well, and have a desire to continue. That's why this "this is how it's been for 14 years business" doesn't make any sense.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Look for it to be a bombshell footnote in Heroes & Villains 2: Heroes & Villains-ier

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Good one ^_^

[MBE]

Great article that makes a lot of sense. Mike has done some dumb things over the years to be sure, he did nothing wrong here whatsoever.

[NHC]

I'm a member of the Mike Love fan club. You get a membership card, and, up until a year or two ago, they would send out a newletter every few months with tour dates and Mike Love news items and the like. But the internet sort of made the newsletter worthless, the information would be months out of date and therefore "old news" by the time it arrived in the mail.

And all that for 14,50 $ ? 

$17.50

[Nicko]

In any event, I also feel that the situation is not the same now, so it doesn't matter much. Al and Mike are no longer on the outs the way they were in 1998. It's frustrating now, because back in 1998 it at least functionally made some sense for Al and Mike to not tour together since there was some sort of falling out at that time. That Al was not in Mike's band may have been a self-fulfilling sort of thing (by that, I mean that Al is edged out, then they have a falling out, and then of course it's even less feasible for them to play together), but it made sense in 1998 or 1999 that these guys had to be apart. Same thing with Brian, he seemed to have next to zero interest in playing with Mike and the Beach Boys in general at that time.
But now there is even less reason for them to be apart, because they established that they can play together and do it well, and have a desire to continue. That's why this "this is how it's been for 14 years business" doesn't make any sense.

Honestly I'm genuinely not sure how you can possibly believe that the last 14years isn't relevant.  Over that time Mike has developed a very successful business out of the touring band and has played with band members who he seems to get on well with. It's clear that Mike enjoys that lifestyle.

It's nice that Mike complimented Al's singing but he did that in the Goldmine interview way back.  It doesn't mean that suddenly all of their issues have disappeared. The band members agreed to put their differences aside for 1 tour but. I think recent events have shown that those differences haven't disappeared.

The reunion was a business decision( as Mike says partly down to the record company). Bringing Al back into the touring band wouldn't make much business sense for Mike as for 14 years they have sold tickets without him. I think it's fairly obvious why Mike would prefer to have Christian on rhythm guitar. Do we honestly believe that Al could tour with Mike in the 'keep the costs down ' mode and not complain?

[HeyJude]

In any event, I also feel that the situation is not the same now, so it doesn't matter much. Al and Mike are no longer on the outs the way they were in 1998. It's frustrating now, because back in 1998 it at least functionally made some sense for Al and Mike to not tour together since there was some sort of falling out at that time. That Al was not in Mike's band may have been a self-fulfilling sort of thing (by that, I mean that Al is edged out, then they have a falling out, and then of course it's even less feasible for them to play together), but it made sense in 1998 or 1999 that these guys had to be apart. Same thing with Brian, he seemed to have next to zero interest in playing with Mike and the Beach Boys in general at that time.
But now there is even less reason for them to be apart, because they established that they can play together and do it well, and have a desire to continue. That's why this "this is how it's been for 14 years business" doesn't make any sense.

Honestly I'm genuinely not sure how you can possibly believe that the last 14years isn't relevant.  Over that time Mike has developed a very successful business out of the touring band and has played with band members who he seems to get on well with. It's clear that Mike enjoys that lifestyle.

It's nice that Mike complimented Al's singing but he did that in the Goldmine interview way back.  It doesn't mean that suddenly all of their issues have disappeared. The band members agreed to put their differences aside for 1 tour but. I think recent events have shown that those differences haven't disappeared.

The reunion was a business decision( as Mike says partly down to the record company). Bringing Al back into the touring band wouldn't make much business sense for Mike as for 14 years they have sold tickets without him. I think it's fairly obvious why Mike would prefer to have Christian on rhythm guitar. Do we honestly believe that Al could tour with Mike in the 'keep the costs down ' mode and not complain?

Oh believe me, I know adding Al to his band would not make any business sense for Mike whatsoever. That's not disputed. I think what some fail to acknowledge is that in a possible scenario where Al would want to join, and Mike was not interested in sharing profits, that would make Mike, in some fans eyes, as a total d**k.

I would also disagree with the idea that Mike "developed" a successful business out of the touring band in the last 14 years. He certainly maintained it, and exploited it, but it was an already-successful, already-established touring enterprise many, many years ago. That enterprise was developed by not only Mike, but also Carl, Al, and during their tenures Dennis and Bruce as well, and to some extend David and Brian as well.

Mike pays for the right to use the name, because the name is what sells the band. I would imagine even Mike would agree with this. His new statement, while eloquent, has a slight tone as if to say he's still there fronting the band because nobody else will step up to do it. That may have been partially or largely correct at various points in the past, but now all the guys are willing to work together with Mike.

[Shady]

Great article that makes a lot of sense. Mike has done some dumb things over the years to be sure, he did nothing wrong here whatsoever.

Come on, the initial press release was wrong in every way possible

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Great article that makes a lot of sense. Mike has done some dumb things over the years to be sure, he did nothing wrong here whatsoever.

I was there with Mike in July and his next Mike/Bruce tour was booked.  Still donʻt like the guy.

[oldsurferdude]

This was a fantastic read.  Good for Mike for writing that.  It needed to be said.  It would've been a little easier to swallow if the first press release announcing the end of the reunion was delivered in this same tone---then we wouldn't have had such a firestorm of crap rain on him.  But anyway, hopefully the storms have passed and we can move on.

Great pic of the Loves:

Yup-great pic of the Luhvs with all the money. Him, he can't get enough and her waitin' for him to check out  so the real fun, fun, fun can begin. Looks like she's standing there posing with her sugar daddy or her pop-pop. I'm so convinced, though, that she really luhvs him for the wonderful person he is and not the muhney. For sure.

[Nicko]

Oh believe me, I know adding Al to his band would not make any business sense for Mike whatsoever. That's not disputed. I think what some fail to acknowledge is that in a possible scenario where Al would want to join, and Mike was not interested in sharing profits, that would make Mike, in some fans eyes, as a total d**k
I would also disagree with the idea that Mike "developed" a successful business out of the touring band in the last 14 years. He certainly maintained it, and exploited it, but it was an already-successful, already-established touring enterprise many, many y
Mike pays for the right to use the name, because the name is what sells the band. I would imagine even Mike would agree with this. His new statement, while eloquent, has a slight tone as if to say he's still there fronting the band because nobody else will step up to do it. That may have been partially or largely correct at various points in the past, but now all the guys are willing to work together with Mike.

I don't think that Al joining the M& B band was ever a realistic option. Mike spent most of the 90s trying to kick Al out of the band which is why David Marks was hired. Al has understandably said insulting things about Mike (and Jackie) since and I've never heard him say that he wants to play 100 shows on the county fair circuit with M&B. Again, I can't see Al being happy with the 'keeping the costs down ' or the setlists. It would be a completely different proposition to the reunion tour.  As it would probably make touring less pleasurable for Mike  and Bruce and it would be a bad business move it is naive to think it could happen.

[runnersdialzero]

For the people who just plain dislike Mike Love, there is nothing he could ever say or do that will ever change their view. I think for most reasonable people, they will take it in the spirit it was given. Myself, I don't expect to hear anything of any consequence until after the new year.

So, so perfectly stated. You nailed it.

wavesoflove.org/keepitcleanwithaljardinemessageboard

lolololol, if only it really existed 

[pixletwin]

This was a fantastic read.  Good for Mike for writing that.  It needed to be said.  It would've been a little easier to swallow if the first press release announcing the end of the reunion was delivered in this same tone---then we wouldn't have had such a firestorm of crap rain on him.  But anyway, hopefully the storms have passed and we can move on.

Great pic of the Loves:

As we learned from the Howard Stern interview, Mike is an ass man..

Looking at that he must be a very happy man  

Yes, I can attest to that.

Mike is NEVER happy enough so the Mike and Bruce show goes on.....

Ok Surfirder. If you are going to continue to bring that up without telling us exactly what the hell happened that day, I feel it is my duty to tell you that... it is really annoying.  

Wish I could. Maybe Mikeʻs wife should give me a call.

Gosh, if you figure it out with all my little hints, I donʻt know what to say.

Hmm.. He must have groped her.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Myself, I don't expect to hear anything of any consequence until after the new year.

That is certainly within reason

[Pretty Funky]

The C50 was announced Dec 16. This gave M&B all 2011 to do their gigs so I would expect the similar this time but later. Perhaps they can go for it until early 2013 before an announcement that Brian is ready to record in the spring and perhaps tour in the summer.

Also it does not distract for any live album to come, and the DVD Nov 20.

Guess we will see.

[Ziggy Stardust]

That was quite classy, but i still don't understand why there has to be such rules and all about the line up and all.

Also i don't get it when he says how much it is important for him to be able to take the Beach Boys around the world at any places possible so that any kind of people, rich or not, could get to see them.. but then, didn't he said that he didn't want the band to end up like Eagles, selling tickets for just 5 dollars? i know he was talking about the "reunion tour" when he said that, but.. what's the difference? why can't he keep the guys and keep on touring and making albums, and let anyone make solo albums when they feel like? and i'm no Mike Love hater, i can understand what he means and it is well said, and i'm sure his show with Bruce is a great performance and some good setlists, but really, isn't it better for everyone, including the band to stick together, especially after all the beautiful people that we've lost? (Yes, Carl and Dennis..) look at Kiss, aren't they doing great? i heard they have like a giant book (really, it's freaking big) coming out, another new album, kiss cruise, and all.. so yeah, aren't The Beach Boys the most popular american band? i'm not asking them to do such things (tho there is a special SMiLE boxset edition with a surfboard that is like, around 2000? i don't know) just keep on touring and making music together really, everyone would be just happy i guess,i don't see the big issue about it.

[BB Universe]

Comments after reading the last 5 plus pages since the afternoon:
 - Being in a smaller (but not small) market, I do appreciate that M&B perform in or near our locale every year (or at least every other year). A summer without seeing a BB related performance (we were fortunate to have the Reunion Tour stop) is almost depressing. Brian's group when touring does not stop close by (normally we have to travel somewht to see him). So I appreciate M&B playing the smaller venues.
 - Regarding Mike's article, it is true that those who are "anti Mike" won't be impressed and continue to be cynical; those more open minded will at least appreciate the effort.
 - I appreciate the insight and commentary and balanced perspective that AGD offers. As for OSD's posts...well I'll just go by the saying that "if you don't have anything good to say about someone, just don't say anything" , so I won't say anything here but also understand that we do have freedom of speech, even on message boards.
 - In today's world, business requires contracts and agreements - and whether we like it or not, R&R is a business. So, the agreements, contracts, amendments etc. are a necessity.
 - Notwithstanding all the commentary here, on the Bloo and elsewhere, I do think that there is more to follow after the success of the Tour - by way of more new music and perhaps another tour down the road.

[KittyKat]

This was a fantastic read.  Good for Mike for writing that.  It needed to be said.  It would've been a little easier to swallow if the first press release announcing the end of the reunion was delivered in this same tone---then we wouldn't have had such a firestorm of crap rain on him.  But anyway, hopefully the storms have passed and we can move on.

Great pic of the Loves:

Yup-great pic of the Luhvs with all the money. Him, he can't get enough and her waitin' for him to check out  so the real fun, fun, fun can begin. Looks like she's standing there posing with her sugar daddy or her pop-pop. I'm so convinced, though, that she really luhvs him for the wonderful person he is and not the muhney. For sure.

You don't know Jacqui Love and you're nothing but a d eye cee kay for what you wrote.  What are you, eight years old?  Get over your Brian Wilson crush.  It's making you mean.
 

[startBBtoday]

I really enjoyed Mike's statements. Made me get a bit misty at the end.

I know that the BB-camp is an impatient one, but do we really want the C50 lineup going on tour again next summer? I'm not saying it's going to dilute the name, but the shows already weren't selling out 100%, and going on tour seven months after this one ended isn't good business. "Old" bands don't tour that way, oldies bands do.

Personally, I think it makes perfect sense what is happening. Mike gets to keep making money, Brian gets to keep doing what he does, Al gets to keep living in Big Sur and David gets left out... again. Why did Brian and Al say what they did before the London shows? Because half the stuff Brian says doesn't make any sense and he answers in whatever way is easiest at the time. He's been doing that for years. Why did Al say that? Because Al doesn't know how to flush airplane toilets and he forgets the first verse to Then I Kissed Her and because he's 70 years old... oh and because he doesn't like Mike Love.

There's no way that Brian or Al would actually WANT to do the tour the Mike and Bruce had planned. They're not going to want to do 100 dates a year, they're not going to want to borrow amps and drums and tour as a 10 piece group. So is it selfish for Mike to carry on HIS version of the Beach Boys when that's not what all 2, 3, 4, 5 members want? Sure, but he's also been doing this for 50 years and it's his source of spending income. And yeah, sure, Mike could probably live off what he has for the rest of his life without any problems, but he might also have to sell a couple houses or cars, or not save as much money for his children. Mike wasn't very good at pumping gas, not sure if he can go back to that gig.

Would it be nice for David to join the M+B shows? Sure, but maybe David doesn't want to tour 100 times a year. Would it be nice to have the ONLY Beach Boys group be the C50 group? Yes, but there's 20+ people that have to travel along and they all have lives that aren't "The Beach Boys."

This way, Mike gets to keep doing what he does, which does not dilute the reunited Beach Boys group name and maybe, they can all reform again in a year and a half if they're all still willing.

Obviously we would all want this group to get together again in April and do this all over again, but Brian and Al aren't built like Mike and Bruce and frankly, I'm not sure the Brian band members are either. I've never been the biggest Mike Love fan, but I at least understand where he's coming from.

[The Shift]

Isn't it sad that this cool, joyful reunion tour and album ends with this terrible discussions? The boys had a great time touring and certainly healing some wounds and now they are faced with this crap. Do people really think Mike would wanna do another Beach Boys tour when he gets slagged off even for that?

The shame is that Mike's statement should have put paid to most of this crap but some are turning it on its head and flogging more mud at the guy. Seems that's the way it goes in Beach Boysville.

 For all the amazing press and reviews it got, it probably made him less money, and it appears that part of the way his brain is wired tells him that that is not as successful.

Suspect that short term the M&B show might brig in the dough but longer term the C50 shows will ignite a healthy revitalisation of catalogue sales that will have Mike's royalty cheques pumped up to the max again. Already two compilations and 12 remasters on the street, and a Blu-ray/DVD.that should ease the pressure of the need to tour but hey, maybe he enjoys the touring.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Salient point arising from the LA Times piece: Mike has made several unequivocal statements concerning the current farrago that Brian, Alan and/or BRI can deny or challenge if they're not true. We'll see, but 24 hours later, I hear only silence. Mike is undeniably a litigious individual, and I cannot believe he'd make such a mistake, just as I cannot believe that BRI shareholders Brian Wilson and Alan Jardine were not informed of Mike's intention to tour post-C50 by the company that handles these gigs. That would be Brother Records Inc. I strongly suspect some behind-the-scenes shenanigans.

[EthanJames]

People are just taking this whole situation out of hand, with a reputation that Mike Love has, you know it's going to be hell. The media were probably just looking for a way to just make his reputation even worse and a lot of the fans brought it, even though a lot of them knew already he was going to tour with Bruce as a duo, I think the reason there doing it this early is because there was so much hype with this 50th tour it might have gotten out of hand and Mike just wanted to play in small venues, who knows? I'm just guessing lol