"Beach Boys' Mike Love talks Good Life Fest"

[Rocker]

Hope this wasn't posted before. I didn't see it.

By Ed Masley
The Republic | azcentral.com
Sat Apr 20, 2013 1:53 PM
Last year, the Beach Boys staged their highest-profile tour in ages, reuniting all surviving members who played on their earliest hits for a 50th anniversary celebration that even included the recording of a new album, “That’s Why God Made the Radio.” Of special note was the return of Brian Wilson, the musical genius behind those hits, who prior to that tour had made very few appearances with the band since 1989.

In June, “That’s Why God Made the Radio” debuted at No. 3, their highest-charting studio release since 1965. Rolling Stone did a seven-page spread declaring it “rock’s unlikeliest, uneasiest — and most joyful — reunion.” Life was good.

A year later, the Beach Boys are back playing smaller venues without Wilson, Al Jardine or David Marks. And Mike Love, who’s kept some version of the Beach Boys on the road through the years, is fine with that.

Checking in from his home overlooking the lake in Lake Tahoe, he says of last year’s tour, “It was pretty spectacular, I guess. I think a lot of people enjoyed seeing us in that configuration. We were originally going to do 50 shows for 50 years, but it expanded to 73. Now, we’re back to how we’ve been doing it for many years now.”

Question: Did you give any thought to continuing with that configuration as you called it?

Answer: Actually, a couple of different major promoters said, “You know, guys, this is great. But what if you give it a year rest and maybe we’ll see you in 2014?” At that level, with the amount of people and production costs, it’s not the kind of thing you can do every year. We had a limited time where we were gonna do these shows and then we’d go back to the way we do things ordinarily. So the answer is “No” (laughs). Except for whatever the future may bring. Doris Day said it best. “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).”

Q: But is the door open to that?

A: There’s nothing closed. It’s just that we’re doing our shows how we’ve done them for many years now. My cousin Carl (Wilson) passed away in I think it was 1998 of lung cancer. And ever since that time, we’ve been touring with this configuration with Bruce (Johnston) and myself, John Cowsill being the drummer. My son Christian sings Carl’s lead parts on “Good Vibrations” and “Kokomo,” and he sounds remarkably similar.

And, of course, me being the lead singer on a ton of songs of ours helps (laughs). My obsession is to replicate those songs so you can close your eyes and it could be 1965 (laughs). And we see a lot of people with caps and T-shirts that say Beach Boys 50th on them. So people like it either way. I think they just want to hear the songs and have a fun night out.

Q: What do you think of the album that came out last year?

A: Well, I wasn’t consulted very much with that album. Brian and I had spoken about a year before we even got started with that album. He wanted to do some re-records of some of our favorite songs. And I was up for that. We mentioned a couple of songs to each other. But that never happened. Nor was I able to actually get in a room and write with Brian like I did back in the ’60s. So that was, to me, unfortunate.

On the other hand, he had some songs he had been working on for several years. Brian has done a lot of things as a solo artist over the past 10 or 15 years, but it was nice to get together and do something in the studio together for the first time in many years. It sounded great, reminded me of 1965 again. And Brian said that, too.

Q: So you would like to get together with Brian and work on new material?

A: If that could be done. Just Brian. Yeah. I would be open to that.

Q: “That’s Why God Made the Radio” sounds more like a Beach Boys album than a Brian solo album.

A: That’s because Alan is singing and I’m singing, and Bruce came up with his parts. So yeah, it does. Because it is (laughs). Anyway, it sounds like you’re hung up on that album. Or that tour.

Q: Well, it’s recent history.

A: Well, it debuted at No. 3. That’s not bad. But it didn’t stay up there very long. To have sustained success, like we’ve been known to do, you need a single that will chart and stay in the Top 20 or the Top 10 for three months. And that didn’t happen with this album.

Q: Do you have a favorite era of the Beach Boys?

A: Well, yeah. I mean, “California Girls,” I wrote the words in the hallway while Brian was working on the track with the Wrecking Crew, this really great group of musicians in LA. I wrote the words to “Good Vibrations” on the way to the studio when he finally decided what was going to be the track for the single. So, yeah, I had a really good time back in the ’60s co-writing a bunch of great songs.



Source: http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/music/articles/20130415beach-boys-mike-love-interview-arizona.html?nclick_check=1

[ontor pertawst]

So to recap, his obsession is to replicate those songs so you can close your eyes and it could be 1965. But the studio work is unfortunate because he wasn't more closely involved in the songwriting, despite it sounding like 1965 with Brian in charge putting the tracks together while he was touring. Like 1965. Glad that's sorted out.

[Cabinessenceking]

Poor Mike, wakes up every morning and each day is a new stuggle to establish some glory for him as the lyricist for Beach Boys songs.

[Rocker]

My heart stopped for a while when I read this:

He wanted to do some re-records of some of our favorite songs. And I was up for that.


The more one gets to know about the road leading to C50 the more it's a wonder just how great it turned out and what a great album we got. Looks like they were well on their way to blew it once again.

[Lowbacca]

Anyway, it sounds like you’re hung up on that album. Or that tour.

Your hear that, people of this board?

[Rocky Raccoon]

Well, it debuted at No. 3. That’s not bad. But it didn’t stay up there very long. To have sustained success, like we’ve been known to do, you need a single that will chart and stay in the Top 20 or the Top 10 for three months. And that didn’t happen with this album.

Those are ridiculously unrealistic expectations for a band like the Beach Boys at this point in time.  YOU DON'T GET IT, MIKE.

[Shady]

He seems bitter

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

The more one gets to know about the road leading to C50 the more it's a wonder just how great it turned out and what a great album we got. Looks like they were well on their way to blew it once again.

They sort of did blow it...I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds the album unlistenable due to the awful production

[AndrewHickey]

The more one gets to know about the road leading to C50 the more it's a wonder just how great it turned out and what a great album we got. Looks like they were well on their way to blew it once again.

They sort of did blow it...I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds the album unlistenable due to the awful production

You're not, but... when was the last time there was a competently-produced Beach Boys album? I'd say Keeping The Summer Alive, at the absolute latest. Everything since has sounded horrible as they've chased production trends that were already dated before they started recording.

At least this time, the material itself was competent (the first time that's been the case since LA) and the arrangements were for the most part pretty good. It's 'only' the actual sound of the recordings that's horrible.

[Nicko1234]

You're not, but... when was the last time there was a competently-produced Beach Boys album? I'd say Keeping The Summer Alive, at the absolute latest. Everything since has sounded horrible as they've chased production trends that were already dated before they started recording.

At least this time, the material itself was competent (the first time that's been the case since LA) and the arrangements were for the most part pretty good. It's 'only' the actual sound of the recordings that's horrible.

Keeping the Summer Alive? I think you are being a little kind to Bruce there. Paul Fauerso (or many other producers) would have been a better choice for the album. Bruce's efforts weren't good enough, although admittedly the material didn't help him.

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

You're not, but... when was the last time there was a competently-produced Beach Boys album? I'd say Keeping The Summer Alive, at the absolute latest. Everything since has sounded horrible as they've chased production trends that were already dated before they started recording.

At least this time, the material itself was competent (the first time that's been the case since LA) and the arrangements were for the most part pretty good. It's 'only' the actual sound of the recordings that's horrible.

Yeah, I agree with all of this...in a way, the fact the material was good makes it tougher to swallow though. Such a lot of wasted potential

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Anyway, it sounds like you’re hung up on that album. Or that tour.

Your hear that, people of this board?

Yeah, but why should people be made to feel defensive about it, espsecially in an interview? I really hate when interviewees get pissy with the type of questions they are asked in an interview - just do press releases if you only want to respond to certain things.

[Justin]

Poor Mike...has to still answer C50 related questions--must be tiresome.  Glad he's still willing to talk about it.

Mike definitely knows the recipe for a chart topping hit single but is that recipe out dated?  Could Mike and Brian honestly write a top charting single in 2013 that could be #1 for for 3 months?   

[Lowbacca]

Could Mike and Brian honestly write a top charting single in 2013 that could be #1 for for 3 months?   

No.

[Sheriff John Stone]

My heart stopped for a while when I read this:

He wanted to do some re-records of some of our favorite songs. And I was up for that.


The more one gets to know about the road leading to C50 the more it's a wonder just how great it turned out and what a great album we got. Looks like they were well on their way to blew it once again.

Oh dear God....Thank you, Capitol Records. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Shady]

My heart stopped for a while when I read this:

He wanted to do some re-records of some of our favorite songs. And I was up for that.


The more one gets to know about the road leading to C50 the more it's a wonder just how great it turned out and what a great album we got. Looks like they were well on their way to blew it once again.

Oh dear God....Thank you, Capitol Records. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Jesus Christ..

These guys have a few screws loose don't they

[Nicko1234]

Yeah, but why should people be made to feel defensive about it, especially in an interview? I really hate when interviewees get pissy with the type of questions they are asked in an interview - just do press releases if you only want to respond to certain things.

I kind of see what you mean but I actually think it's surprising with Mike that he doesn't seem to issue interviewees with a list of questions he won't answer (as so many famous people do). I presume he did this interview to publicize the touring group a little and the questions about last year's tour must already be tiresome to him.

[Mike's Beard]

Look at the context in which it was spoken. He laughed right before he said it. I think this was an example of the (in)famous Love humor at work

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Funny how Mr. Positivity always seems to finds his way to the negative.

Fun analysis here of the latest interview:

http://beachboysopinion.blogspot.com/

[SMiLE Brian]

It honestly seems on a personal level Mike can't let go of the glory years of 1961-1965. He thinks its never his fault that tracks aren't hits and if he can convince Brian to do things his way, another number one hit is just around the corner.

[Don Malcolm]

Does anyone today ever dominate any form of the newfangled musical charts for three months? Not that Mike actually mentioned that length of time, mind you. Andrew's US chart data shows Beach Boys Today! in the top 10 from May 24-July 17, 1965 and SDSN from August 7-October 9, but those are top 10, not #1.

It looks like Beach Boys Concert was the all-time top chart performer for the BBs, in the Top Ten for 20 weeks (November 21, 1964-April 3, 1965), including four consecutive weeks at #1. All Summer Long was next, in the Top Ten from August 15-November 28, 1964 (16 weeks).
--
(Data, of course, courtesy of Mr. Doe's fabulous treasure trove of BB information.)

[Rocker]

Does anyone today ever dominate any form of the newfangled musical charts for three months? Not that Mike actually mentioned that length of time, mind you. Andrew's US chart data shows Beach Boys Today! in the top 10 from May 24-July 17, 1965 and SDSN from August 7-October 9, but those are top 10, not #1.

It looks like Beach Boys Concert was the all-time top chart performer for the BBs, in the Top Ten for 20 weeks (November 21, 1964-April 3, 1965), including four consecutive weeks at #1. All Summer Long was next, in the Top Ten from August 15-November 28, 1964 (16 weeks).
--
(Data, of course, courtesy of Mr. Doe's fabulous treasure trove of BB information.)

What about "Endless summer"?

[Cabinessenceking]

It honestly seems on a personal level Mike can't let go of the glory years of 1961-1965. He thinks its never his fault that tracks aren't hits and if he can convince Brian to do things his way, another number one hit is just around the corner.

can't blame him for believing that after Kokomo went to #1. That song is crucial in understanding the mindset of ML (something I can't claim I do) as it certainly proved to everyone he was capable of writing 'hits' without BW and thus removed him from that huge shadow. He can forever point to that song in the same way BJ can point to 'I Write The Songs' as pathetic excuse for an otherwise rather fruitless musical career. [Yikes that was ugly and came across as horribly rude but I'm not changing and after all I'm just another moron/troll of the internet].

[Nicko1234]

can't blame him for believing that after Kokomo went to #1. That song is crucial in understanding the mindset of ML (something I can't claim I do) as it certainly proved to everyone he was capable of writing 'hits' without BW and thus removed him from that huge shadow. He can forever point to that song in the same way BJ can point to 'I Write The Songs' as pathetic excuse for an otherwise rather fruitless musical career. [Yikes that was ugly and came across as horribly rude but I'm not changing and after all I'm just another moron/troll of the internet].

I'm sure most musicians would kill to have Bruce's musical career. Even if he had only written I Write the Songs then that would be achievement enough for most people. Not just a multi-million seller but also a song recorded by Frank Sinatra. Even Brian must have been jealous...

If you add on all of his other work with Sandy Nelson, The Ripchords, Bruce and Terry and another band whose name escapes me now then he has not done too bad.

[Rocker]

Could Mike and Brian honestly write a top charting single in 2013 that could be #1 for for 3 months?   

No.

I don't know. Songs don't stay that long up there anymore. But I think they could have had another hit with all the promotion and publicity last year. TWGMTR definitely deserved a Top 30 chart placement imo but the song with the most potential is/was "Isn't it time". That one could've made it big I think. But there was no promotion whatsoever. Nothing. Zero. Plus the single version was too much over the top, but it had the better bridge than the album version.