Sax with Mike Love

[Quzi]

Now I'm not a sax player, so I could be wrong, but Mike's sax playing on the January '64 "What'd I Say?" cover suggests the dude may have got a little better following "Shut Down". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuqhvy_VcH4

Are there any other live recordings/studio recordings which support this notion? I was wondering if there ever was a chance for Mike's sax playing to transcend beyond being a punchline for many.

Also, while we're on the topic: Sax on the Little Deuce Couple album - do we know who's responsible? Steve? Is it unknown due to those missing/non-existent AFM sheets?

Ta!

[Pretty Funky]

Whew!

I had to re-read that title.

[Cabinessenceking]

Now I'm not a sax player, so I could be wrong, but Mike's sax playing on the January '64 "What'd I Say?" cover suggests the dude may have got a little better following "Shut Down". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuqhvy_VcH4

Are there any other live recordings/studio recordings which support this notion? I was wondering if there ever was a chance for Mike's sax playing to transcend beyond being a punchline for many.

Also, while we're on the topic: Sax on the Little Deuce Couple album - do we know who's responsible? Steve? Is it unknown due to those missing/non-existent AFM sheets?

Ta!

Can this really be Mike? That sax rocks hard!

[Lowbacca]

If he had lessons as a kid (did he?) he could surely play more than just the 2-3 notes on "Shut Down".

[MBE]

I always thought it was Mike. Brian and I talked about What'd I Say, but I just wanted to know if that was him or Carl singing. It was Carl.

[Lowbacca]

There's some more answers and bad jokes in this old thread: http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,2215.0.html 

[Quzi]

I can't help but wonder if Brian's palette for session musicians was responsible for quashing the drive of the other guys to become more proficient instrumentalists. If given the chance to do the sax work from Little Deuce Coupe to Summer Days, I wonder if Mike would've developed the skills to give us stuff like that great sax solo in "I Know There's an Answer" for example. That would've been insane.

[MBE]

I can't help but wonder if Brian's palette for session musicians was responsible for quashing the drive of the other guys to become more proficient instrumentalists. If given the chance to do the sax work from Little Deuce Coupe to Summer Days, I wonder if Mike would've developed the skills to give us stuff like that great sax solo in "I Know There's an Answer" for example. That would've been insane.

I think had it not been stolen it may have continued at least a year or two longer.

[mathen_]

I can't help but wonder if Brian's palette for session musicians was responsible for quashing the drive of the other guys to become more proficient instrumentalists. If given the chance to do the sax work from Little Deuce Coupe to Summer Days, I wonder if Mike would've developed the skills to give us stuff like that great sax solo in "I Know There's an Answer" for example. That would've been insane.

That's not a sax. http://youtu.be/X3f6ZKQ_ffo?t=5m

[Lowbacca]

I can't help but wonder if Brian's palette for session musicians was responsible for quashing the drive of the other guys to become more proficient instrumentalists. If given the chance to do the sax work from Little Deuce Coupe to Summer Days, I wonder if Mike would've developed the skills to give us stuff like that great sax solo in "I Know There's an Answer" for example. That would've been insane.

I think had it not been stolen it may have continued at least a year or two longer.

I always thought it was funny that the sax was something Mike gave up so willingly after it was stolen (or he forgot it at some venue?). Mike was like "My saxophone is gone? ... Ah, what the heck...", and the other BBs seemingly didn't mind either. I mean, they got their guitars and stuff stolen basically all the time in the early-to-mid-60s and they had to replace that equipment each time. But when Mike's sax got lost, it was like "Well, that's that with Mike's sax, then."

[Quzi]

I can't help but wonder if Brian's palette for session musicians was responsible for quashing the drive of the other guys to become more proficient instrumentalists. If given the chance to do the sax work from Little Deuce Coupe to Summer Days, I wonder if Mike would've developed the skills to give us stuff like that great sax solo in "I Know There's an Answer" for example. That would've been insane.

That's not a sax. http://youtu.be/X3f6ZKQ_ffo?t=5m

No kidding, I could hear it sounded different from a conventional sax, but I just thought it was a weird offshoot... never thought it was a bass harmonica. As the first post says, I'm not a sax player (and neither am I a bass harmonica aficionado)! 

I think had it not been stolen it may have continued at least a year or two longer.

I always thought it was funny that the sax was something Mike gave up so willingly after it was stolen (or he forgot it at some venue?). Mike was like "My saxophone is gone? ... Ah, what the heck...", and the other BBs seemingly didn't mind either. I mean, they got their guitars and stuff stolen basically all the time in the early-to-mid-60s and they had to replace that equipment each time. But when Mike's sax got lost, it was like "Well, that's that with Mike's sax, then."

It's kinda funny, but by the time Mike'd lost his sax, Brian had already started relying on guys like Steve in the studio and I can imagine that would be kinda discouraging for the guy. I know the same could be said for the other guys, but for Brian, Dennis, Carl and Al you practically had no choice but to replace stolen equipment for the show to go on, but the Beach Boys didn't need a sax to pull off a live performance.