I think I can understand why Brian might not wanna write much with Mike...

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Mike has spent decades trying to live up to the success of "endless summer". In the process, he has turned himself in a hack and forgotten what made the BBs popular. It was the production and the emotional weight behind the songs, not surfing, the beach, and cars.

Actually, it WAS surfing, the beach, and cars that made them popular. In the first place, anyway.

Well, sort of. But lots of people jumped on the bandwagon of making surfing, beach and car songs during that period and were nowhere near as successful as The Beach Boys. Part of what set The Beach Boys apart was the caliber of the songs.

[ontor pertawst]

No, it was carburetors, man! That's what life is all about!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8q2ejKAsHg

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Mike has spent decades trying to live up to the success of "endless summer". In the process, he has turned himself in a hack and forgotten what made the BBs popular. It was the production and the emotional weight behind the songs, not surfing, the beach, and cars.

Actually, it WAS surfing, the beach, and cars that made them popular. In the first place, anyway.

What's wrong with Mike/Bruce holding down THAT aspect of The beach Boys legacy? Brian, Al, and Dave can hold down the "high art" end, so all is well really... Is Mike really to blame for the lack of balance?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Mike has spent decades trying to live up to the success of "endless summer". In the process, he has turned himself in a hack and forgotten what made the BBs popular. It was the production and the emotional weight behind the songs, not surfing, the beach, and cars.

Actually, it WAS surfing, the beach, and cars that made them popular. In the first place, anyway.

Well, sort of. But lots of people jumped on the bandwagon of making surfing, beach and car songs during that period and were nowhere near as successful as The Beach Boys. Part of what set The Beach Boys apart was the caliber of the songs.

And the harmonies, likable and distinct voices, and likeable and distinct personalities..... and Dennis

[EgoHanger1966]

Mike has spent decades trying to live up to the success of "endless summer". In the process, he has turned himself in a hack and forgotten what made the BBs popular. It was the production and the emotional weight behind the songs, not surfing, the beach, and cars.

Actually, it WAS surfing, the beach, and cars that made them popular. In the first place, anyway.

What's wrong with Mike/Bruce holding down THAT aspect of The beach Boys legacy? Brian, Al, and Dave can hold down the "high art" end, so all is well really... Is Mike really to blame for the lack of balance?

There's nothing wrong with it. SMiLE Brian seems to have an intense dislike for Mike, though - which is fine, but it's foolish to think The Beach Boys would have gotten to Pet Sounds without Surfin.

[mikeddonn]

It all has a place in the legacy. It's a bit like the crawl before walking analogy.  Brian took those steps very quickly but Surfin' and the early stuff were still the first steps.  I love something about every era of the Beach Boys career.  Even the much maligned SIP has it's moments!  The thing that made/make them stand out are the quality of the music, harmonies and production.  Lyrically they could make any topic sound good, even a song about root beer or a shift!

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Mike has spent decades trying to live up to the success of "endless summer". In the process, he has turned himself in a hack and forgotten what made the BBs popular. It was the production and the emotional weight behind the songs, not surfing, the beach, and cars.

Actually, it WAS surfing, the beach, and cars that made them popular. In the first place, anyway.

What's wrong with Mike/Bruce holding down THAT aspect of The beach Boys legacy? Brian, Al, and Dave can hold down the "high art" end, so all is well really... Is Mike really to blame for the lack of balance?

There's nothing wrong with it. SMiLE Brian seems to have an intense dislike for Mike, though - which is fine, but it's foolish to think The Beach Boys would have gotten to Pet Sounds without Surfin.

Agreed..... But look at it this way: if you are a hater of Mike, he's the definition of a gift that keeps on giving...

[Cam Mott]

Mike has spent decades trying to live up to the success of "endless summer". In the process, he has turned himself in a hack and forgotten what made the BBs popular. It was the production and the emotional weight behind the songs, not surfing, the beach, and cars.

Actually, it WAS surfing, the beach, and cars that made them popular. In the first place, anyway.

Exactly, the stuff on ES is what made them popular.

[mikeddonn]

The only time I met Mike I was worried he was going to have me escorted away from the side of the backstage area based on the impression I had of him from reading stuff. He was with Bruce whom I had already met (and he was a cool guy the whole time) a few years earlier.  So I asked them to sign my Beach Boys cap.  Mike asked where I had got it and posed for a photo with Bruce.  Turned out to be a really nice encounter.  In a lot of people's eyes just when he seems to be turning opinion in his favour he does something and becomes the villain again!

[Cam Mott]

I think those preconceived notions we all have/had about Mike are mostly the problem and color everything about Mike.

[Cabinessenceking]

Mike has spent decades trying to live up to the success of "endless summer". In the process, he has turned himself in a hack and forgotten what made the BBs popular. It was the production and the emotional weight behind the songs, not surfing, the beach, and cars.

Actually, it WAS surfing, the beach, and cars that made them popular. In the first place, anyway.

What's wrong with Mike/Bruce holding down THAT aspect of The beach Boys legacy? Brian, Al, and Dave can hold down the "high art" end, so all is well really... Is Mike really to blame for the lack of balance?

There's nothing wrong with it. SMiLE Brian seems to have an intense dislike for Mike, though - which is fine, but it's foolish to think The Beach Boys would have gotten to Pet Sounds without Surfin.

Agreed..... But look at it this way: if you are a hater of Mike, he's the definition of a gift that keeps on giving...

I don't hate Mike for what he's done. I just hate Mike.

[Gertie J.]

lame.

[Jim V.]

I think those preconceived notions we all have/had about Mike are mostly the problem and color everything about Mike.

Everybody has preconceived notions about anybody and everything Cam. Ultimately it is Mike's fault people think he's a jackass. Nobody forced him to talk sh*t about the SMiLE material in that early '90s interview. Nobody forced him to declare it "Brian's ego music". Nobody forced him to act like he did at the Rock 'N Roll Hall. Nobody has forced him to take issue with Van Dyke Parks (just as nobody is forcing Van Dyke to still pout about Mike). He also admitted in late 2012 and early 2013 that he did his part with C50 but that he'd went his separate way now. So I think that can be held against him too. He also was the driving force behind Summer In Paradise and Stars & Stripes. So people have quite a bit of reason to be skeptical of the guy. Sorry.

Now if people are holding him guilty for the end of SMiLE, well maybe that's unfair. Or holding him guilty for Brian not participating as much, that's probably a bit of a stretch too. But as I just wrote above, Mike has done quite a few things to upset both Beach Boys fanatics and just rock 'n roll fans in general. So yeah.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I think those preconceived notions we all have/had about Mike are mostly the problem and color everything about Mike.

Everybody has preconceived notions about anybody and everything Cam. Ultimately it is Mike's fault people think he's a jackass. Nobody forced him to talk sh*t about the SMiLE material in that early '90s interview. Nobody forced him to declare it "Brian's ego music". Nobody forced him to act like he did at the Rock 'N Roll Hall. Nobody has forced him to take issue with Van Dyke Parks (just as nobody is forcing Van Dyke to still pout about Mike). He also admitted in late 2012 and early 2013 that he did his part with C50 but that he'd went his separate way now. So I think that can be held against him too. He also was the driving force behind Summer In Paradise and Stars & Stripes. So people have quite a bit of reason to be skeptical of the guy. Sorry.

Now if people are holding him guilty for the end of SMiLE, well maybe that's unfair. Or holding him guilty for Brian not participating as much, that's probably a bit of a stretch too. But as I just wrote above, Mike has done quite a few things to upset both Beach Boys fanatics and just rock 'n roll fans in general. So

Mike stands out as an asshole for about 5 minutes until you begin to examine the behavior of a lot of our rock n roll "heroes" ......

[ontor pertawst]

"Hi, I'm Mike Love. Summer's here, and that means fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun for all the California girls who like to 'get around,' as they say. That's why it pains me so much to still see all the misinformation and bad vibrations going around after the end of our 50th Anniversary tour. It was always a temporary one-time event only to be one-time replicated 73 or 75 times. We're back to doing what we love best, I'm touring with Bruce and Cousin Brian is off doing his thing and Al Jardine I never mention in interviews because I hate him so much... David Marks never even comes up in conversation so I don't have to explain why they were politely rejected from my band, The Beach Boys.  I mean, it's easier to blame Cousin Brian because of all the stories about him not being all there. But I'd still love to write with him in a room on my terms in some hazy hypothetical future without him being in his comfort zone and all of his collaborators around because I like him off-balance and uncomfortable while I fix him with my soulless Mike Love death stare... that the Maharishi taught me while I was in India with THE BEATLES."



"Everything is good and I'm looking forward to the future, que sera shall be whatever is the whole of it's sum and parts, sera. Surf's up! Be sure to look for my new album, Mike Love Not War soon on iTunes and Amazon and Facetwitter. Christian Love sounds just like Carl Wilson and Scott Totten sounds exactly, and I mean exactly just like everybody else. See you in Biloxi this weekend, which we love because the spirit of endless summer lives on there in the casinos and inside the slot machines."

[pixletwin]

[Rocky Raccoon]

While I've never been the biggest fan of Mike Love's behind the scenes antics, I think that Brian feeds off of Mike's approval as much as Mike feeds off of Brian's creativity.  I think that may have been a big factor in the success of the C50 tour.

[Cabinessenceking]

The thing about Mike is, all his history aside, he comes across as an asshole whenever he opens his mouth. I mean, would this guy enjoy the company of others if he wasn't the cousing of Brian Wilson? Would he be ignored as the shameless selfpromoter and narcissict he really is? I think so. If Mike was not a part of rock legendry, he would quite possibly be the disliked neighbour or difficult colleague to work with. He just strikes me as someone I would never want to have anything to do with on a personal level. Maybe that's why even his family can't stand him and he's now with wife no.4 or 5. Clearly this guy has social issues and people should be aware of it as much as being aware of Brian's mental illness. But Brian is the 'damaged genius' and Mike is just his asshole cousin. I feel sorry for him being such a prat when he has every reason not to.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

The thing about Mike is, all his history aside, he comes across as an asshole whenever he opens his mouth. I mean, would this guy enjoy the company of others if he wasn't the cousing of Brian Wilson? Would he be ignored as the shameless selfpromoter and narcissict he really is? I think so. If Mike was not a part of rock legendry, he would quite possibly be the disliked neighbour or difficult colleague to work with. He just strikes me as someone I would never want to have anything to do with on a personal level. Maybe that's why even his family can't stand him and he's now with wife no.4 or 5. Clearly this guy has social issues and people should be aware of it as much as being aware of Brian's mental illness. But Brian is the 'damaged genius' and Mike is just his asshole cousin. I feel sorry for him being such a prat when he has every reason not to.

And you'd want Lou Reed or GG Allen as your neighbor?

[Jim V.]

I think those preconceived notions we all have/had about Mike are mostly the problem and color everything about Mike.

Everybody has preconceived notions about anybody and everything Cam. Ultimately it is Mike's fault people think he's a jackass. Nobody forced him to talk sh*t about the SMiLE material in that early '90s interview. Nobody forced him to declare it "Brian's ego music". Nobody forced him to act like he did at the Rock 'N Roll Hall. Nobody has forced him to take issue with Van Dyke Parks (just as nobody is forcing Van Dyke to still pout about Mike). He also admitted in late 2012 and early 2013 that he did his part with C50 but that he'd went his separate way now. So I think that can be held against him too. He also was the driving force behind Summer In Paradise and Stars & Stripes. So people have quite a bit of reason to be skeptical of the guy. Sorry.

Now if people are holding him guilty for the end of SMiLE, well maybe that's unfair. Or holding him guilty for Brian not participating as much, that's probably a bit of a stretch too. But as I just wrote above, Mike has done quite a few things to upset both Beach Boys fanatics and just rock 'n roll fans in general. So

Mike stands out as an asshole for about 5 minutes until you begin to examine the behavior of a lot of our rock n roll "heroes" ......

It's not really that he's an asshole.

It's as I said earlier, he's not content that he was the frontman of The Beach Boys. He has to try to exaggerate his importance, like comparing himself to Paul McCartney. I mean, come on. He's nowhere close, and it's embarrassing for fans of him and The Beach Boys that he even does that To keep with my Who thing, even though John Entwistle wrote the second most in the who, he never said he was their "Paul McCartney". Keith Richards never says, "oh man, me and Mick are like tougher version of Lennon and McCartney". Why does Mike always have to try to exaggerate his importance? He should be extremely proud that he wrote a decent amount of classic songs and that he sung on some of the most cherished material of the twentieth century.

[Cam Mott]

I think those preconceived notions we all have/had about Mike are mostly the problem and color everything about Mike.

Everybody has preconceived notions about anybody and everything Cam. Ultimately it is Mike's fault people think he's a jackass. Nobody forced him to talk sh*t about the SMiLE material in that early '90s interview. Nobody forced him to declare it "Brian's ego music". Nobody forced him to act like he did at the Rock 'N Roll Hall. Nobody has forced him to take issue with Van Dyke Parks (just as nobody is forcing Van Dyke to still pout about Mike). He also admitted in late 2012 and early 2013 that he did his part with C50 but that he'd went his separate way now. So I think that can be held against him too. He also was the driving force behind Summer In Paradise and Stars & Stripes. So people have quite a bit of reason to be skeptical of the guy. Sorry.

Now if people are holding him guilty for the end of SMiLE, well maybe that's unfair. Or holding him guilty for Brian not participating as much, that's probably a bit of a stretch too. But as I just wrote above, Mike has done quite a few things to upset both Beach Boys fanatics and just rock 'n roll fans in general. So yeah.

Brian said before the 90s that SMiLE had been his selfish, self centered music which he ended up not liking which is why he shelved it. Mike was just paraphrasing Brian's earlier statements. Not everybody considers Mike's Hall of Fame speech an embarrassment. Take issue with VDP? He has always said he likes VDP, thinks he is brilliant. He did want to understand VDP's lyrics since he was singing them in his band on their album. That is an asshole move? To want to understand the lyrics you are supposed to interpret? Would Sinatra be a dick for wanting to understand a lyric? Again not everybody thinks SIP or S&S reflects a character defect. To my mind they all sort of reflect misplaced sentiment. We disagree.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I think those preconceived notions we all have/had about Mike are mostly the problem and color everything about Mike.

Everybody has preconceived notions about anybody and everything Cam. Ultimately it is Mike's fault people think he's a jackass. Nobody forced him to talk sh*t about the SMiLE material in that early '90s interview. Nobody forced him to declare it "Brian's ego music". Nobody forced him to act like he did at the Rock 'N Roll Hall. Nobody has forced him to take issue with Van Dyke Parks (just as nobody is forcing Van Dyke to still pout about Mike). He also admitted in late 2012 and early 2013 that he did his part with C50 but that he'd went his separate way now. So I think that can be held against him too. He also was the driving force behind Summer In Paradise and Stars & Stripes. So people have quite a bit of reason to be skeptical of the guy. Sorry.

Now if people are holding him guilty for the end of SMiLE, well maybe that's unfair. Or holding him guilty for Brian not participating as much, that's probably a bit of a stretch too. But as I just wrote above, Mike has done quite a few things to upset both Beach Boys fanatics and just rock 'n roll fans in general. So

Mike stands out as an asshole for about 5 minutes until you begin to examine the behavior of a lot of our rock n roll "heroes" ......

It's not really that he's an asshole.

It's as I said earlier, he's not content that he was the frontman of The Beach Boys. He has to try to exaggerate his importance, like comparing himself to Paul McCartney. I mean, come on. He's nowhere close, and it's embarrassing for fans of him and The Beach Boys that he even does that To keep with my Who thing, even though John Entwistle wrote the second most in the who, he never said he was their "Paul McCartney". Keith Richards never says, "oh man, me and Mick are like tougher version of Lennon and McCartney". Why does Mike always have to try to exaggerate his importance? He should be extremely proud that he wrote a decent amount of classic songs and that he sung on some of the most cherished material of the twentieth century.

He says it because of 20+ years (at least) of people bashing him..... I think we can all trace it back to when/where it started.... Entwisle got praised to high heaven even through we know Townsend annoyed him for not bringing on more of his songs etc etc.... There are Mike worthy quotes from the man that are easy to find. Yet it wouldn't make a difference because he could say anything and still be considered cool.

[SMiLE Brian]

Mike has spent decades trying to live up to the success of "endless summer". In the process, he has turned himself in a hack and forgotten what made the BBs popular. It was the production and the emotional weight behind the songs, not surfing, the beach, and cars.

Actually, it WAS surfing, the beach, and cars that made them popular. In the first place, anyway.

What's wrong with Mike/Bruce holding down THAT aspect of The beach Boys legacy? Brian, Al, and Dave can hold down the "high art" end, so all is well really... Is Mike really to blame for the lack of balance?

There's nothing wrong with it. SMiLE Brian seems to have an intense dislike for Mike, though - which is fine, but it's foolish to think The Beach Boys would have gotten to Pet Sounds without Surfin.

I like all the music from 1961-1973, its just Mike's one dimensional portrait of that era that annoys me.

[filledeplage]

Well put.
And Sweetdudejim, sorry to get annoying, but I just want to reiterate that there are some genuine Mike fans out there. That's all. Maybe we have awful taste or maybe we just find the yin/yang fascinating. Sorta like if Stanley Kubrick and Ed Wood had to direct movies together or something....

As an aside: I went on a date a few weeks ago with a rather charming woman who was Landy's personal assistant during his Brian years...... Should I go out with her again to get some good dirt?  

I'm sure the charming woman is very nice, and you aren't specific as to whether Landy's personal assistant was in Brian's presence, but Brian was "in the course of treatment" and that time and information should be privileged and confidential.
Notwithstanding Landy reportedly unscrupulous practices.  Please don't press her for info.  It would fall under doctor-patient relationship.  

yeah, that's what I was thinking and why I didn't press for THOSE kinds of details.... All I really got was that some guy almost ran her off the road during a lunch run once and Landy would not let it go that she should "sue the blankety-blank guy"! .... And that Carl was a sweetheart.

Hell, yeah, another date is in order ! Get all the dirt and report back. As the "good doctor" is no longer with us, he can't sue for any breach of confidentiality....

The stuff is private "as to Brian," and, generally protected. Landy was not the patient.  Generally, it extends to the staff, as well.  Courts get involved when there is a compelling reason for disclosure. I'll go on a limb and suggest, "dates" aren't privileged to obtain treatment info.   

Pinder is correct. 

[Jim V.]

Funny that you guys still won't touch the fact that Mike compares himself to Paul McCartney. Probably cuz even Cam Mott knows that that is either the sign of a hugely overinflated ego or somebody who is just so unsure of their place in history that they have to pump themselves up. Pretty sad.

And Cam and Pinder, please let us know which are your favorite tunes from Stars & Stripes! And how great "Summer Of Love" is! Not embarrassing at all.