Mike Love and Terry Melcher

[Cristian Kiper]

There are several stories about how Brian met and started working with his non-BB collaborators (from Gary Usher to Joe Thomas and everyone in between), but how did Mike start working with Terry Melcher? I know they knew each other since the 60s, but it seems like they didn't do anything together until the 80s. Were they always good friends? If Mike was looking for a new collaborator, how come he didn't turn to Bruce? By then he was a Grammy award winning songwriter, he was the other half of Bruce and Terry (if that's the sound that Mike was drawn to), and they seem to get along just fine. I hope Mike devotes a chapter or two to his relationship with Melcher in his upcoming book. Until then, what do you guys know?

[c-man]

Bruce got Mike and Terry together in the hopes they could write songs, and the rest is history.

[Smilin Ed H]

Didn't he writes some lyrics for Don't Run Away?

[Please delete my account]

People sometimes bring up the question of why didn't/doesn't Mike write with Bruce like it's one of the Great Beach Boys Mysteries. The most likely answer is they tried but it didn't work. You can't necessarily get two songwriters to jell together.

[c-man]

Terry once described his songwriting partnership with Mike as something akin to karate: apparently meaning there was a lot of dynamic back-and-forth, give-and-take.

[Moon Dawg]

People sometimes bring up the question of why didn't/doesn't Mike write with Bruce like it's one of the Great Beach Boys Mysteries. The most likely answer is they tried but it didn't work. You can't necessarily get two songwriters to jell together.

  Bruce has generally written solo.

[bgas]

People sometimes bring up the question of why didn't/doesn't Mike write with Bruce like it's one of the Great Beach Boys Mysteries. The most likely answer is they tried but it didn't work. You can't necessarily get two songwriters to jell together.

  Bruce has generally written solo.

Maybe starting in the late 60's/early 70's; before that he seems to have mostly had co-writers. 

[Howie Edelson]

I asked David Crosby (an admitted fan of neither men) about the Love/Melcher partnership and he told me that it made perfect sense to him, and that they were more similar to each other than not.

[Robbie Mac]

I asked David Crosby (an admitted fan of neither men) about the Love/Melcher partnership and he told me that it made perfect sense to him, and that they were more similar to each other than not.

What is Cros' beef with Terry Melcher? I thought he worked very well with the Byrds.

[Pacific Ocean Blue]

Was Dennis and Terry also friends?

[Steve Latshaw]

<<I asked David Crosby (an admitted fan of neither men) about the Love/Melcher partnership and he told me that it made perfect sense to him, and that they were more similar to each other than not.>>

Fascinating, especially as Crosby had a rep as being an absolute asshat in those days... with an out of control ego.  More evidence of same can be found during bonus recording session highlights included on the CD re-issue of Notorious Byrd Brothers, wherein he humiliates drummer Michael Clarke almost to the point of a fist fight.   His rants on the Byrds section of the Monterey Pop Festival are also a treat.

[guitarfool2002]

<<I asked David Crosby (an admitted fan of neither men) about the Love/Melcher partnership and he told me that it made perfect sense to him, and that they were more similar to each other than not.>>

Fascinating, especially as Crosby had a rep as being an absolute asshat in those days... with an out of control ego.  More evidence of same can be found during bonus recording session highlights included on the CD re-issue of Notorious Byrd Brothers, wherein he humiliates drummer Michael Clarke almost to the point of a fist fight.   His rants on the Byrds section of the Monterey Pop Festival are also a treat.

That may have been the case and the examples are noted, but depending on who you're talking too David was also sort of the unofficial, underground "mayor" of the LA music scene for a period of time in the 60's...he knew everyone, or seemed to, at least around 65-67. Like a "Zelig" character, he turns up everywhere. Consider that somewhat lesser-known newsreel of the Beatles at an LA press conference when they hit town on tour, Crosby is seen standing in the shadows to the point where a reporter even asks the Beatles who he was. Consider who had access like *that*.

And he was also involved in the first time Van Dyke Parks met Brian

[Mike's Beard]

I asked David Crosby (an admitted fan of neither men) about the Love/Melcher partnership and he told me that it made perfect sense to him, and that they were more similar to each other than not.

What is Cros' beef with Terry Melcher? I thought he worked very well with the Byrds.

Terry and Crosby did not get on at all during the making of the first two Byrds albums. I also read somewhere once that Croz talked Roger Mcguinn into dumping Melcher as his producer halfway through the making of his solo debut.

[guitarfool2002]

Terry and David were like two heads on the same coin, David had the "political" influence on the streets and Terry had the influence and power with Columbia, aka "in the business" of music and meetings and all of that. They could make things happen in different ways at least for the times we're talking about, 65-67 especially.

[Juice Brohnston]

Was Rock n Roll to the Rescue written during the 85 sessions or done specifically for Made in the USA ?

[donald]

Was Rock n Roll to the Rescue written during the 85 sessions or done specifically for Made in the USA ?

I like Brian's voice BETTER on 85 Album than on R&R to the rescue.   His voice sounds very weird on that song,an otherwise potentially good BB song.    Terry Melcher had a very interesting career and was around or involved in the making of some classic music.  I wonder sometimes how much his mother's connections were involved in getting him his break into the business.    Also, I don't recall ever reading how he and Bruce met and how their partnership  developed.

[chaki]

here's the croz/clarke fight mentioned earlier https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAxCQX_oDbg

[clack]

People sometimes bring up the question of why didn't/doesn't Mike write with Bruce like it's one of the Great Beach Boys Mysteries. The most likely answer is they tried but it didn't work. You can't necessarily get two songwriters to jell together.

Bruce in fact co-wrote 'Somewhere Near Japan' with Terry, Mike, and John Phillips. Don't know why it was just a one-shot.

Mike and Terry could have used the help on their SIP songs, and it wasn't like Bruce was generating songs his own. Maybe a Love/Johnston pairing wouldn't jell, but I would have expected some Love/Johnston/Melcher credits --and it is a minor mystery why we never got them.

[c-man]

Was Dennis and Terry also friends?

Yep! Along with Gregg Jakobson, charter members of the Golden Penetrators.

[Aum Bop Diddit]

Worth mentioning that Melcher was also  a big part of some awesome Paul Revere and the Raiders singles.

[CenturyDeprived]

Was Dennis and Terry also friends?

Yep! Along with Gregg Jakobson, charter members of the Golden Penetrators.

Our Car Club, to the next level 

I wonder if they had any custom G.P. t-shirts printed up… "Keep it clean with Al Jardine" style.

[Lonely Summer]

Worth mentioning that Melcher was also  a big part of some awesome Paul Revere and the Raiders singles.

Yes. Before they met Melcher, they were an awesome live band, but hadn't really translated that to vinyl. The combination of their energized playing, Mark Lindsay's impressive vocals and Melcher's studio know-how made for some great records.

[chaki]

you know The Melch was buying everyone the best coke in Laurel Canyon with that Doris Day money

[rogerlancelot]

you know The Melch was buying everyone the best coke in Laurel Canyon with that Doris Day money

This might possibly be the dumbest question I have ever asked but is there a source for this information?

[Mike's Beard]

you know The Melch was buying everyone the best coke in Laurel Canyon with that Doris Day money

This might possibly be the dumbest question I have ever asked but is there a source for this information?

Charlie Manson?