Mike Love: 'There are a lot of fallacies about me'

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

 BTW- Can you imagine how badly Bruce must treat the hired help on a bad day?

Yikes, that must be scary...

is this where the pistol whipping comes in?

[hypehat]

This may seem odd in isolation, but then you could argue that outside of Do It Again Brian's conception of songwriting for 'The Beach Boys' has barely relied on Mike. Mike and Mike alone pervades the image of Brian & Mike being some unstoppable duo. Not really the case?

This is a guy who has spent most of his active years avoiding performing live.

He has spent the last 15 years performing live? Some might call that a statement of intent.

[hypehat]

Donny, IDK about yr wider point in that post? That kind of logic would mean that Mike would welcome the extremely negative press all the LA Times articles afforded him. Doesn't sound like him.

[Jonathan Blum]

Bravo! That is the difference! The Touring Band "regulars" (concert goers) almost always see Brian, Al and David, but the "exclusive Brian fans" don't/won't see the Touring Band, as though it was "beneath their (pseudo) artistic dignity."

Speaking as a regular attendee at Brian Wilson shows down here in Oz, who's seen Mike & Bruce on their own once?  The difference has nothing to do with "artistic dignity" (pseudo or otherwise), and everything to do with the fact that, for many years, Mike & Bruce's shows were routinely reviewed as being, frankly, crap.

That began to turn around in the post-Kowalski era, and as the reputation of Totten, Cowsill, et al gradually spread my willingness to go see them improved too.  Once I finally caught them at the Opera House, I'd be entirely happy to go see them again -- I'm looking forward to their next show in town.

But the difference actually is about the music, as well as the man in front.  A mediocre Beach Boys cover band (or these days, a very good Beach Boys cover band) with the original lead singer, or a damaged Brian backed by *one of the best damn bands I've seen anywhere*?

If Brian is supposedly being carried creatively by the other band members on his recent albums, then from where I'm standing, that just underlines what gorgeous work the band around him is doing.

And that's before we get into the fact that, despite lots of people attempting to claim that the shows are basically the same, the last two Brian Wilson shows I saw included a complete performance of "That Lucky Old Sun" and a Gershwin mini-set.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[Jonathan Blum]

Sumahama's 10 times better than anything Brian's belched out since 1979.  And I highly doubt I'm really in the minority.

Well I do.

Folks at basement Brianista meetings will no doubt never admit it, but I'll bet top $$ most fans will take MIU, KTSA, LA, BBS85, SIP (well, maybe not SIP) 15 Big Ones any day of the week over any Brian solo stuff.....

I don't think you can actually find a single survey of opinions anywhere -- whether here, or on Metacritic, or the old Cabinessence site, or AllMusic, or anything like that -- in which any of the albums you named got a better reception overall than TLOS, Gershwin, Smile, or even Disney.  Or Radio, for that matter, which (as has been noted) got better reviews than any Beach Boys album since Love You.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[Shady]

I kinda wish all these Beach Boys guys would just shut up.....

I love how amusingly stupid and weird they all are.

I hope they never shut up

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Sumahama's 10 times better than anything Brian's belched out since 1979.  And I highly doubt I'm really in the minority.

Well I do.

Folks at basement Brianista meetings will no doubt never admit it, but I'll bet top $$ most fans will take MIU, KTSA, LA, BBS85, SIP (well, maybe not SIP) 15 Big Ones any day of the week over any Brian solo stuff.....

I don't think you can actually find a single survey of opinions anywhere -- whether here, or on Metacritic, or the old Cabinessence site, or AllMusic, or anything like that -- in which any of the albums you named got a better reception overall than TLOS, Gershwin, Smile, or even Disney.  Or Radio, for that matter, which (as has been noted) got better reviews than any Beach Boys album since Love You.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

You think I could give a single F what Matacritic or any other review entity think about music I hold near and dear to my heart? If that's what helps you decide what you like, cheers indeed, but it's different strokes, ya know? I'm supposed to think Sumahama sucks because some guy at AllMusic or something tells me so? That might work for you, but hey, like I said..... I don't know how old you are, but I can remember when basically every critical source out there slagged and savaged each Beach Boys album post Pet Sounds, so, nope: pointing to critical opinion (even if it's kudos) doesn't work with long-time Beach Boy freaks. This goes all the way back to the Gains book. Hell, even before...

And other than Nelson, and Darian and the core guys for their inspiration to Brian, I don't really see what's so amazing about Brian's band that puts Mike and Bruce's to shame? Oh, well, Cowsill does blow away pretty much any other drummer who's gone near this material aside from Ricky Fattar, and Dennis, for pure Beach Boys feel, of course. This is nothing small, BTW. The better drummer makes the better band, I'd say, but whatever: It's the music itself that makes the judgment. Any number of skilled musicians can play this stuff and play it well. If you are a Brianista, you think his band is the best in the universe: if you are a Mike/Bruce fan, or just an open-minded fan in general, you see that it's not so black and white.....

But go listen to your critics and read them reviews.

Cheers

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I agree with you about Cowsill. Also, Scott Totten is pretty ace. Other than that I think Brian's band is better. One of the things that made the C50 shows so awesome, besides the obvious, was the fact that the best of both touring bands were utilized.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I agree with you about Cowsill. Also, Scott Totten is pretty ace. Other than that I think Brian's band is better. One of the things that made the C50 shows so awesome, besides the obvious, was the fact that the best of both touring bands were utilized.

I think which band is better changes with the wind and the mood of the moment ..... Sometimes Mike's band just sounds better because it's Mike singing the damn song. Same with Brian's..... But yes, the two bands somewhat/sorta merged was pure musical heaven.

[Jonathan Blum]

You think I could give a single F what Matacritic or any other review entity think about music I hold near and dear to my heart?

Yes, because you were the one making the claim that you weren't in the minority.

And all the evidence of what the majority of people think says otherwise.

You love "Sumahama" and dismiss Brian's solo work?  That's perfectly fine as your own tastes.  But enlisting an imaginary nation of millions to back you up just isn't on.

Regards,
Jon Blum

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

If anything, Sumahama AND BW solo are criminally underrated!

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

You think I could give a single F what Matacritic or any other review entity think about music I hold near and dear to my heart?

Yes, because you were the one making the claim that you weren't in the minority.

And all the evidence of what the majority of people think says otherwise.

You love "Sumahama" and dismiss Brian's solo work?  That's perfectly fine as your own tastes.  But enlisting an imaginary nation of millions to back you up just isn't on.

Regards,
Jon Blum

You're assuming that people are honest and upfront

And I'm not dismissing Brian's solo work, just professing my opinion that it pales in comparison to what is routinely slagged as being The Beach Boys worst work...

[Doo Dah]

I think that we can agree that both bands propelled each other to up their game. You wouldn't have had the amazing combination we witnessed in 2012 without all those years of wood-shedding. You could have had karaoke singers come out of the crowd, and they would've sounded good with that mega-band providing the musical backdrop. This is of course, the real drag c/o C50 - they've never sounded as studioesque as they did last summer. The classic lineups of the 70's could RAWK out of course, but there was an attention to detail that rivaled the records.

Off topic, but fascinating to me...here's an interview with David Spero, former manager of Joe Walsh (and Harry Nilsson, btw) who speaks of his tenure with Joe during the Eagles 1994 "Hell Freezes Over" reunion tour. The behind-the-scenes with Frey and Henley is pure drama (and I couldn't help but see a correlation with the heavy lifting that went into C50).

Apparently, Azoff and Eagles HQ is none too happy with Spero's commentary - he plans upon writing a book about the whole experience.

When these mega dinosaur bands get back together, it isn't a matter of let's get the fellahs back together. It's about as problematic as parallel parking an old Buick.

http://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/index.ssf/2013/07/david_spero_artist-manager_tal.html#comments

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I think that we can agree that both bands propelled each other to up their game. You wouldn't have had the amazing combination we witnessed in 2012 without all those years of wood-shedding. You could have had karaoke singers come out of the crowd, and they would've sounded good with that mega-band providing the musical backdrop. This is of course, the real drag c/o C50 - they've never sounded as studioesque as they did last summer. The classic lineups of the 70's could RAWK out of course, but there was an attention to detail that rivaled the records.

Off topic, but fascinating to me...here's an interview with David Spero, former manager of Joe Walsh (and Harry Nilsson, btw) who speaks of his tenure with Joe during the Eagles 1994 "Hell Freezes Over" reunion tour. The behind-the-scenes with Frey and Henley is pure drama (and I couldn't help but see a correlation with the heavy lifting that went into C50).

Apparently, Azoff and Eagles HQ is none too happy with Spero's commentary - he plans upon writing a book about the whole experience.

When these mega dinosaur bands get back together, it isn't a matter of let's get the fellahs back together. It's about as problematic as parallel parking an old Buick.

http://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/index.ssf/2013/07/david_spero_artist-manager_tal.html#comments

Oh man! This is pure gold! THANK YOU!

[Jonathan Blum]

And other than Nelson, and Darian and the core guys for their inspiration to Brian, I don't really see what's so amazing about Brian's band that puts Mike and Bruce's to shame?

Thanks to Brian's band, I've heard Pet Sounds played, beginning to end, with every bass harmonica, banjo, baritone sax, French horn and bicycle horn faithfully represented, played with feeling and skill.  I've heard Smile, live -- let me repeat that in case people forget how astonishing that is:  I've heard SMILE, live -- a bunch of fragments and feels that became a musical whole onstage, like watching the Mona Lisa get up and dance.  I've heard a wall of guitars on "Marcella", I've heard an exuberant "All Summer Long" with proper mallets plonking along.  I've heard a "Please Let Me Wonder" which sounds not like a rock band but like a Wall Of Sound session.  I've heard tracks like "Your Imagination" and "Melt Away" come to life in a way the records never did.  I've heard this band pull off everything from an off-the-cuff "Ruby Baby" before a small crowd in Canberra, to "Pinball Wizard" at a soundcheck, to an acapella "Rhapsody In Blue".

Now, no disrespect to Scott, John, and the rest of the current touring Beach Boys, but they don't even have enough hands to cover all those parts.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[Nicko1234]

Now, no disrespect to Scott, John, and the rest of the current touring Beach Boys, but they don't even have enough hands to cover all those parts.

That`s the key thing I think. Brian`s band have obviously done a great job but the size of the band (sometimes with the strings and horns) plays a big part in that. It`s reflected in the ticket prices too.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Someone should compile a list with position of BB's Top 40 or 100 charting songs with authorships.

You rang ?

* denotes a song where Mike was awarded co-credit in the 1994 lawsuit.
Top 40 in yellow
#1s in bold yellow

75 - Surfin' (Wilson/Love)
14 - Surfin' Safari (Wilson/Love)
76 - 409 (Wilson/Usher)*
49 - Ten Little Indians (Wilson/Usher)
 3 - Surfin' USA (Berry/Wilson/Bowlles)
23 - Shut Down (Wilson/Christian)*
  7 - Surfer Girl (Wilson)
15 - Little Deuce Coupe (Wilson/Christian)
  6 - Be True To Your School (Wilson)*
23 - In My Room (Wilson/Usher)
x3 - Little St. Nick (Wilson)*
  5 - Fun, Fun, Fun (Wilson/Love)
  1 - I Get Around (Wilson)*
24 - Don't Worry, Baby (Wilson/Christian)
  9 - When I Grow Up... (Wilson)*
44 - Wendy (Wilson)*
65 - Little Honda (Wilson/Love)
  8 - Dance, Dance, Dance (Wilson/C Wilson)
x3 - The Man With All The Toys (Wilson)*
12 - Do You Wanna Dance (Freeman)
52 - Please Let Me Wonder (Wilson/Love)
  1 - Help Me, Rhonda (Wilson)*
 3 - California Girls (Wilson/Love)
20 - The Little Girl I Once Knew (Wilson)
  2 - Barbara-fucking-Ann (Fassert)
  3 - Sloop John B (trad)
  8 - Wouldn't It Be Nice (Wilson/Asher)*
39 - God Only Knows (Wilson/Asher)
  1 - Good Vibrations (Wilson/Love/Asher)
12 - Heroes And Villains (Wilson/Parks)
31 - Wild Honey (Wilson/Love)
19 - Darlin (Wilson/Love)
47 - Friends (Wilson/C. Wilson/D. Wilson/Love/Jardine)
20 - Do It Again (Wilson/Love)
61 - Bluebirds Over The Mountain (Hickey)
24 - I Can Hear Music (Barry/Spector/Greenwich)
63 - Break Away (Wilson/Dunbar)

64 - Add Some Music... (Wilson/Knott/Love)
89 - Long Promised Road (C. Wilson/Rieley)
79 - Sail On, Sailor (Wilson/Rieley/Almer/Parks/Kennedy)
84 - California Saga: California (Jardine)
36 - Surfin' USA (Berry/Wilson/Bowlles)
49 - Sail On, Sailor (Wilson/Rieley/Almer/Parks/Kennedy)
  5 - Rock & Roll Music (Berry)
29 - It's OK (Wilson/Love)
59 - Peggy Sue (Allison/Petty/Holly)
44 - Here Comes The Night (Wilson/Love)
40 - Good Timin' (Wilson/C. Wilson)

83 - Goin' On (Wilson/Love)
12 - The Beach Boys Medley (Wilson/Love/Christian and others)
18 - Come Go With Me (Quick)
26 - Getcha Back (Melcher/Love)
82 - It's Gettin' Late (C. Wilson/Smith-Schilling/Albin-Johnson))
68 - Rock & Roll To The Rescue (Melcher/Love)
57 - California Dreamin' (Phillips)
   1 - Kokomo (Phillips/Mackenzie/Melcher/Love)
93 - Still Cruisin' (Melcher/Love)

[Quzi]

* denotes a song where Mike was awarded co-credit in the 1994 lawsuit.
Top 40 in yellow
#1s in bold yellow

  3 - California Girls (Wilson/Love)

? ? ? ? ? ?

[AndrewHickey]

And other than Nelson, and Darian and the core guys for their inspiration to Brian, I don't really see what's so amazing about Brian's band that puts Mike and Bruce's to shame?

Thanks to Brian's band, I've heard Pet Sounds played, beginning to end, with every bass harmonica, banjo, baritone sax, French horn and bicycle horn faithfully represented, played with feeling and skill.  I've heard Smile, live -- let me repeat that in case people forget how astonishing that is:  I've heard SMILE, live -- a bunch of fragments and feels that became a musical whole onstage, like watching the Mona Lisa get up and dance.  I've heard a wall of guitars on "Marcella", I've heard an exuberant "All Summer Long" with proper mallets plonking along.  I've heard a "Please Let Me Wonder" which sounds not like a rock band but like a Wall Of Sound session.  I've heard tracks like "Your Imagination" and "Melt Away" come to life in a way the records never did.  I've heard this band pull off everything from an off-the-cuff "Ruby Baby" before a small crowd in Canberra, to "Pinball Wizard" at a soundcheck, to an acapella "Rhapsody In Blue".

Now, no disrespect to Scott, John, and the rest of the current touring Beach Boys, but they don't even have enough hands to cover all those parts.

Absolutely. What I would say is this:
Scott T is as good at his job as it's possible to be. John Cowsill is the best live drummer I've ever seen and has a wonderful singing voice. Randell Kirsch is easily as good a falsettist as Jeff Foskett. And Tim Bonhomme and Christian Love are both perfectly competent.

This means that Mike's band sounds as good as it's possible to sound on the surf and car songs, and when they're doing a deliberately stripped-down arrangement (like their acoustic mini-sets in 1998). For Pet Sounds material, for example, they do the best they can with the limited instrumentation their line-up has.

Brian's band, on the other hand, have Probyn Gregory -- the best multi-instrumentalist I've ever seen, Darian -- who helped Brian finish Smile, Scott Bennett -- the collaborator who got the most interesting work out of Brian in twenty years... Mike's band are very, very, very good at what they do, but Brian's band are truly *great* at what they do.

But the reunion line-up last year was really the best of both worlds. I was upset when it ended not because I'll never see Brian and Mike on stage together, but because I'll never see Darian and Probyn on stage with Scott Totten and John Cowsill again...

[Andrew G. Doe]

* denotes a song where Mike was awarded co-credit in the 1994 lawsuit.
Top 40 in yellow
#1s in bold yellow

  3 - California Girls (Wilson/Love)

? ? ? ? ? ?

Brian has stated for decades that Mike wrote the lyric, but wasn't credited.

[MBE]

* denotes a song where Mike was awarded co-credit in the 1994 lawsuit.
Top 40 in yellow
#1s in bold yellow

  3 - California Girls (Wilson/Love)

? ? ? ? ? ?

Brian has stated for decades that Mike wrote the lyric, but wasn't credited.

OSD will even give Mike California Girls!

[Cam Mott]

* denotes a song where Mike was awarded co-credit in the 1994 lawsuit.
Top 40 in yellow
#1s in bold yellow

  3 - California Girls (Wilson/Love)

? ? ? ? ? ?

Thanks Quzi. So Mike has like 25 of those 60 or so with 16 in the Top 40. Usher, Christian, Asher have 3 each with 7 between them in the Top 40. Mike is hands down Brian's most successful and frequent co-author.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Er... 'scuse me, but I compiled that list. 

[Quzi]

Er... 'scuse me, but I compiled that list. 

I crafted each of those question marks, pixel by pixel for Cam Mott, I can't believe you're trying to take this away from me 

Also, since we're playing the credit game this way, hasn't the big man said "Surfin' U.S.A." had a little bit of Love in it? Berry/Wilson/Bowles/Love?

[Cam Mott]

Er... 'scuse me, but I compiled that list. 

A thousand apologies and ten thousand thank yous, ol' pal o' mine.

Is Tony Asher listed on the copyright of the GV single?