Why do you hate Mike Love?

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

There is actually a Facebook page called " Mike Love Is A Douche." It has over a thousand members. It is very mean spirited. I joined for a week just to see what it was about. Just awful. I left after a week. I'd be ashamed to be a regular member there.

Hey, dude, don't be slammin' one of my favorite sites on the internet. It should be required reading for everyone including fuckwits, shitweasles and last but certainly not least by any stretch of the imagination, trolls.   

Do you have anything resembling an actual life?

My, oh my, it's so much damn fun watching the myKe luHv apologists getting their panties in an uproar!!  

[SMiLE Brian]

 

[drbeachboy]

Just blame David Leaf is the easy way out.

Leaf is the builder of myths and you perpetuate those myths, flawlessly.

[CenturyDeprived]

I think the oldest and original "trend" doesn't have to do with Mike's answers in recent interviews, or his Rich and Famous appearance and such... It has to do with a certain story-telling, propelled by David Leaf and others in the 70s, which wrongfully divided the BBs saga into a heroes and villains saga: Brian was the hero, the sweet, misunderstood genius; Mike was the villain, the greedy square that kept his cousin from realizing his artistic vision and somewhat guilty for his demise. The more recent crap, all of it, originates there.

There are a great many nuances and elements of the story (in Mike's favor) that of course are completely absent from the above description; still, what is described above isn't wholly, 100% outright false either.

There's *some* truth to some of it.  

I'd venture to say that multiple BB bandmates and relatives, living and deceased, would agree.

That doesn't mean the man should be hated. He shouldn't. But on the other side of the coin, he shouldn't be defended to the point of absurdity.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

I've been wanting to start buying some Beach Boys related books.  So I take it I shouldn't buy Leaf's book?  Or at least start with other books?

[Autotune]

It's a good book if you read through the bias. Thankfully, the bias is clear enough.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

It's a good book if you read through the bias. Thankfully, the bias is clear enough.

Ok, cool.  I'm still not very familiar with their history away from the music, so I'd hate to start off with a book full of bias and inaccuracies. 

[HeyJude]

How much David Leaf impacted the perception of the rest of the BB's is a potentially interesting topic. But I've talked to novice fans, more simply spectators than active fans, who have never read Leaf's work or any other BB literature, who don't know anything about my opinion, who have picked up on Mike's personality, to put it politely.

[Kurosawa]

I think Mike's RnR HOF speech was awesome. I mean, it was embarrassing and terrible, but it was awesome.  He just got up there are talked straight trash. It's one of the most rock and roll things to ever happen at that place.

For just that hilarious speech, the lyrics to Good Vibrations and Big Sur alone, Mike rules. Who cares how corny he is?

[Cam Mott]

 I'll bet a donut that if Dennis had given that same speech this board would be falling all over itself praising Dennis for the balls to give it.

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

I'll bet a donut that if Dennis had given that same speech this board would be falling all over itself praising Dennis for the balls to give it.

No balls. Just lots of booze. The speech was shamefully meandering, incomprehensible, thinly-veiled contemptuous drivel. Nothing badass or rock and roll about it, just your drunk uncle hitting on your mom while your dad's in the room, telling your grandpa he's a coward and then snatching up baby cousin Eddy's lollipop level douchebaggery. There was nothing funny or respectable or redeemable about that speech. Just sheer second-hand cringe and embarrassment.

If it were Dennis, maybe some others would give him some slack about it, considering his alcoholism and other various troubles. But I don't think it'd be a celebrated moment. And it's more scandelous coming from Mike precisely because he always shits on Dennis and Brian for their alcohol/drug abuse and frames himself as the centered, clean, Mr Positivity. And then at their crowning achievement with all eyes on them he does...that. Perfectly sums up his hypocrisy and bullshit, I'd say. That's Mike Love unplugged, for better or worse. Tacky, mismatched baseball cap/tuxedo combo and all. The very definition of little man syndrome.  

[CenturyDeprived]

I'll bet a donut that if Dennis had given that same speech this board would be falling all over itself praising Dennis for the balls to give it.

No balls. Just lots of booze. The speech was shamefully meandering, incomprehensible, thinly-veiled contemptuous drivel. Nothing badass or rock and roll about it, just your drunk uncle hitting on your mom while your dad's in the room, telling your grandpa he's a coward and then snatching up baby cousin Eddy's lollipop level douchebaggery. There was nothing funny or respectable or redeemable about that speech. Just sheer second-hand cringe and embarrassment.

If it were Dennis, maybe some others would give him some slack about it, considering his alcoholism and other various troubles. But I don't think it'd be a celebrated moment. And it's more scandelous coming from Mike precisely because he always shits on Dennis and Brian for their alcohol/drug abuse and frames himself as the centered, clean, Mr Positivity. And then at their crowning achievement with all eyes on them he does...that. Perfectly sums up his hypocrisy and bullshit, I'd say. That's Mike Love unplugged, for better or worse. Tacky, mismatched baseball cap/tuxedo combo and all. The very definition of little man syndrome.  

What Mujan just said +1.

And if by a miracle, Denny lived and got sober, but then got preachy and judgmental about sobriety... and then said the same speech instead of Mike? I think people would think he had lost his marbles.  

It's all about context. Kind of how when Carl embarrassed the band onstage, he held a press conference the next day to do damage control and to admit to screwing up.

Denny doesn't magically get a free pass. If he is judged less harshly than Mike is for a number of things, there are reasons for that, many of which have nothing to do with the person's last name. The fact that all Wilson brothers seem/seemed to be among the most selfless, generous and ego-less people in rock music is a large reason why people are more sympathetic to them over others. There is not some inexplicable conspiracy.

[Mike's Beard]

There is actually a Facebook page called " Mike Love Is A Douche." It has over a thousand members. It is very mean spirited. I joined for a week just to see what it was about. Just awful. I left after a week. I'd be ashamed to be a regular member there.

Hey, dude, don't be slammin' one of my favorite sites on the internet. It should be required reading for everyone including fuckwits, shitweasles and last but certainly not least by any stretch of the imagination, trolls.  

Do you have anything resembling an actual life?

My, oh my, it's so much damn fun watching the myKe luHv apologists getting their panties in an uproar!!  

  My underwear is fine thanks. Just genuinely wondering why you waste so much time banging on about how much you hate the dude?
Did he
(a) run over your dog
(b) stick it to your wife
(c) refuse to sign an autograph one time
(d) fleece you in a pyramid scheme?

Honestly, what's the deal?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I'm half tempted to move this sh*t to the Sandbox.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Kind of how when Carl embarrassed the band onstage, he held a press conference the next day to do damage control and to admit to screwing up.

I don't recall Carl admitting he was off his face on smack in that particular interview. I do recall him being decidedly economical with the truth.

[CenturyDeprived]

Kind of how when Carl embarrassed the band onstage, he held a press conference the next day to do damage control and to admit to screwing up.

I don't recall Carl admitting he was off his face on smack in that particular interview. I do recall him being decidedly economical with the truth.

Good point, but the bottom line was that he recognized he screwed up and took actions to correct it, and IIRC apologized for letting everyone down. I applaud that intention, even if the smack talk specifically was avoided.

[Pacific Ocean Blue]

I'll bet a donut that if Dennis had given that same speech this board would be falling all over itself praising Dennis for the balls to give it.

Yep there it is, the token "compare Mike to Dennis" or vice versa in a Mike love thread!

[Andrew G. Doe]

I don't recall Carl admitting he was off his face on smack in that particular interview. I do recall him being decidedly economical with the truth.

Good point, but the bottom line was that he recognized he screwed up and took actions to correct it, and IIRC apologized for letting everyone down.

Ummm... I think being royally chewed out by David Frost, whose company was promoting the tour, had a lot to do with the apology. 

[Ang Jones]

I'll bet a donut that if Dennis had given that same speech this board would be falling all over itself praising Dennis for the balls to give it.

If so, those praising Dennis' remarks would be wrong. When Dennis  behaved badly in public it usually came across as either mischievous or irresponsible and lacking in self control rather than bitter and envious.

In fact, the part of Mike's R&R Hall of Fame behaviour that annoyed me most was his continued interruption of Brian which seemed like immature attention seeking behaviour motivated by jealousy.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

A whole bunch of people here seem to really despise the man, including his brother Steve:

https://manvsclown.wordpress.com/2006/07/21/why-i-hate-mike-love/

This writer really doesn't like Mike:

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/mike-love-is-kind-of-an-asshole

This guy says Mike is a monster:

http://alexcastle.net/2012/09/28/the-beach-boys-mike-love-is-an-awful-human-being/

[Autotune]

How much David Leaf impacted the perception of the rest of the BB's is a potentially interesting topic. But I've talked to novice fans, more simply spectators than active fans, who have never read Leaf's work or any other BB literature, who don't know anything about my opinion, who have picked up on Mike's personality, to put it politely.

I think a lot of what happened in the last 30+ years has to do with that conception propelled (not necessarily created by) David Leaf. And this includes Mike's urge to defend his role, for instance, which some people find unbearable. He needs to do so because someone spread the voice that he was against Pet Sounds-- which is bullshit.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Houston, the clusterfuck has landed. 

[CarlTheVoice]

Are you Iain Lee the comedian? Why write an article on why people hate Mike Love?! There are so many other topics on the Beach Boys you could write about! Perhaps an article like this would get you more readers but it would be nice for someone to write something that encouraged non-BB readers to delve into their music a bit more.

[filledeplage]

A whole bunch of people here seem to really despise the man, including his brother Steve:

https://manvsclown.wordpress.com/2006/07/21/why-i-hate-mike-love/

This writer really doesn't like Mike:

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/mike-love-is-kind-of-an-asshole

This guy says Mike is a monster:

http://alexcastle.net/2012/09/28/the-beach-boys-mike-love-is-an-awful-human-being/

Why would anyone post outdated and already discredited links? One is from 2006!  Seriously!

[filledeplage]

I'll bet a donut that if Dennis had given that same speech this board would be falling all over itself praising Dennis for the balls to give it.

If so, those praising Dennis' remarks would be wrong. When Dennis  behaved badly in public it usually came across as either mischievous or irresponsible and lacking in self control rather than bitter and envious.

In fact, the part of Mike's R&R Hall of Fame behaviour that annoyed me most was his continued interruption of Brian which seemed like immature attention seeking behaviour motivated by jealousy.

Sorry an event that happened the year my youngest kid was born ( and who has a few gray hairs!) still bothers you. Talk about carrying a grudge.  

Mike was right calling Mick out on touring.  I agreed then, and do, now. Plus, it looked intended as a joke. Maybe ill- advised, but true. The BB's out-toured all those prima donnas.

Seems after nearly 30 years one might, as the song suggests, "let it go."  Grudges only hurt the people who carry them around.  This forum is for music and not personality analysis.

How can one hate an individual whom one doesn't know?