Mike Love - Unleash the Love - Due November 17 - w/ 2nd Disc of BB Remakes

[jeremylr]

Mike will be interviewed live on SiriusXM's Elvis channel across the street from Graceland in Memphis in a few minutes.....just saw the news on deejay Big Jim Sykes' Facebook page.

[HeyJude]

Strange Things Happen" (although it sounds like it was unfinished),"

They attempted to remedy this on the 1993 UK remix by simply lopping off like a full minute or two from the end of the song. I'm not even sure that particular track was "remixed"; it may have simply been edited.

[HeyJude]

Mike will be interviewed live on SiriusXM's Elvis channel across the street from Graceland in Memphis in a few minutes.....just saw the news on deejay Big Jim Sykes' Facebook page.

Mike has an hour long Google Talk up on YouTube. I haven't had the time to watch it yet, but I'd *love* for someone else to watch it and give us some CliffsNotes in the meantime. I'm curious if he only trots out the same stories from his book and other recent interviews:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xglrwVdqUes

Addendum: I was just able to watch several minutes, starting around the 35-ish minute mark, and surprisingly the interviewer actually gives Mike a huge opening to allow him to explain how mental illness rather than solely drugs was a major factor with Brian, and Mike mentions something randomly about ADD, acknowledges people self-medicate, but clearly isn't prepared to cut Brian any slack due to having pre-existing mental health issues.

I also wish he'd actually explain *how* the Wilsons taking drugs was the "worst" thing that ever happened to the group. I'm not saying it wasn't awful for a hundred reasons, but I'd be curious to hear him actually describe how the drug use impacted the group, rather than simply pointing out their drug use so that he can mention that he *didn't* do drugs.

[Tony S]

Clearly I'm no fan of Mike love but it's very obvious what drug usage did to the band and the impact it had on the Wilsons and the boys in general. Brian is clear.... LSD blew his mind. Carl and his heroin Addiction in the late 70s really impacted his singing and his touring performances on stage. Dennis of course was the worst when it came to drug abuse and its impact on him and on his performances live was clear. Again no fan of Mike love but drugs did have a negative impact on the band

[CenturyDeprived]

Clearly I'm no fan of Mike love but it's very obvious what drug usage did to the band and the impact it had on the Wilsons and the boys in general. Brian is clear.... LSD blew his mind. Carl and his heroin Addiction in the late 70s really impacted his singing and his touring performances on stage. Dennis of course was the worst when it came to drug abuse and its impact on him and on his performances live was clear. Again no fan of Mike love but drugs did have a negative impact on the band

A severe addiction to total control + power is also absolutely a drug.

[Lonely Summer]

After "Kokomo" was #1, I thought maybe the BB's could get a record company to back them on an album of all new material. Instead, Capitol wanted another compilation - a few new tracks mixed in with the old stuff. 1990 came around, just one single that was incredibly hard to find - "Problem Child"; 1991 - "Crocodile Rock" on the Elton tribute cd. I was beginning to think there would never be another album of all new BB's recordings. I remember the day I saw SIP in the store. Picked up the longbox, looked at the backside for song titles, and noticed that it was nearly all Melcher/Love songs. One song from Bruce, nothing from Al or Carl. I put the cd back in the rack, wasn't interested in a Mike Love album masquerading as a Beach Boys disc. No, I didn't expect Brian to be on it, I knew he'd been on the outs with the guys for awhile, especially since the release of his autobiography.
I finally did pick up a copy of SIP many years later in a used record store - for less than a dollar. I don't hate it as much as I used to, but it's definitely the worst BB's studio album. Completely soulless production, and most of the songs just sound like Kokomo Part 10.
I think, at the time, Carl was more focused on the Beckley/Lamm/Wilson stuff. Mike wanted total control on SIP and he got it. He was convinced he was the only one who could write a hit song. "I wrote a worldwide #1 hit called Kokomo, that proves that I am the one in touch with what our fans want."
I hope Mike's not gonna be crushed if Unleash the Love isn't a big seller.

[Tony S]

I'll say one thing for Mike Love......he is at least using social media to promote his new CD. Some pretty good ideas too, using the "new song each day" snippet on Facebook, as well as the Sirius and Google radio promotions. More than Al or Brian ever did with their releases.....I don't like Mike Love, and don't care for the snippets that I heard on Facebook. But at least he's trying to promote it through contemporary social media.

[HeyJude]

Clearly I'm no fan of Mike love but it's very obvious what drug usage did to the band and the impact it had on the Wilsons and the boys in general. Brian is clear.... LSD blew his mind. Carl and his heroin Addiction in the late 70s really impacted his singing and his touring performances on stage. Dennis of course was the worst when it came to drug abuse and its impact on him and on his performances live was clear. Again no fan of Mike love but drugs did have a negative impact on the band

I mentioned in my previous post that I wasn't denying that drugs have vastly negatively impacted the band and its members. No question. But Mike never elaborates on it at all. It always comes across, when he brings it up, as a way to simply say something negative about the Wilsons (they did drugs) and something positive about himself (I didn't do drugs). He rarely goes into any more detail than that.

It also gives him a convenient way to not go into any detail about the *other* reasons the band faced problems over the years, which would mean *Mike* would be one of those problems. He never mentions that litigiousness, ego, or questionable artistic decisions like SIP also impacted the band. Remember, when he talks about drugs, he's being asked about how it impacted *the band*, not how it impacted their personal lives (how drugs impacted their personal lives would be painfully obvious of course).

The "LSD blew his mind" bit is always problematic, because Mike (and at times maybe even Brian) have too strongly emphasized Brian's 60s recreational drug abuse when talking about Brian is *now.* Mike rarely mentions how Brian pre-existing mental issues, and very rarely if ever points out that Landy's prescribed drugs in the late 80s and early 90s f-ed Brian up arguably more than LSD did in the 60s.

Mike never says "You know what, Brian did drugs in the 60s and 70s, but it maybe wasn't all his fault because he was self-medicating due to mental illness. Also, I certainly can't blame Brian for the drugs given to him by Landy in the 80s and 90s which took a huge toll on him."

[HeyJude]

I'll say one thing for Mike Love......he is at least using social media to promote his new CD. Some pretty good ideas too, using the "new song each day" snippet on Facebook, as well as the Sirius and Google radio promotions. More than Al or Brian ever did with their releases.....I don't like Mike Love, and don't care for the snippets that I heard on Facebook. But at least he's trying to promote it through contemporary social media.

Brian and Al are both hugely active on social media. Brian regularly promotes his tours and album projects there. They both regularly post and push BB and Brian/solo projects, and other things as well. Brian pushed numerous "exclusive" full previews of NPP songs back in 2015, and did the same with the new songs from "Playback."

Brian regularly does TV appearances as well.

Al's solo album was seven years ago (and then five years ago when he reissued it); the social media climate and how they were using it was different even back then. As I recall, Mike seemed to not even understand how Facebook worked in 2012 when he wrongly claimed there was "negative" stuff about him on "Al's website."

I'm not criticizing Mike using social media, but releasing clips of his songs every day isn't exactly a mind-blowing, creative idea. He's essentially slowly doling out what you'd fine on the "song previews" section on Amazon or iTunes.

Separately, I'd have to say whoever is picking which 30 seconds of Mike's songs to preview is doing a bad job. I tried "Ram Raj" and they clearly picked some sort of interlude or basic chorus or something that just repeats the title refrain over and over. There's literally no evidence of Mike lead in the 30 second sound sample. Is some underling really just randomly grabbing 30 seconds?

[Bicyclerider]

The issue of drugs and their effect on the BAND and on their OUTPUT is interesting and not addressed by Mike or just about anyone associated with the band.  For instance, an argument can be made that drugs (along with mental illness) was a major factor in the collapse of the Smile project - yet Smiley Smile was apparently a "drug" ALBUM that was heavily influenced by hash and marijuana use by the entire band (with the exception of Al), including Mike.  Mike DID inhale despite his anti-drug stance now.

What other albums were almost derailed, or songs left unfinished or in a rough state but still released, because of drugs?  What songs feature vocals by someone clearly impaired by drugs or alcohol (Love You's Carl leads come to mind).  What tours were disasters because of drugs (the Australia tour with Carl out of it in what 77 or 78?).  Was the Maharishi tour decision disaster influenced by drugs or solely by Mike and the band's love of T.M.?  What role did drugs play in the cancellation of the Monterey appearance?

[Jim V.]

Separately, I'd have to say whoever is picking which 30 seconds of Mike's songs to preview is doing a bad job. I tried "Ram Raj" and they clearly picked some sort of interlude or basic chorus or something that just repeats the title refrain over and over. There's literally no evidence of Mike lead in the 30 second sound sample. Is some underling really just randomly grabbing 30 seconds?

I've actually found most of the preview clips pretty decent as far as getting a feel for the songs, but on "Ram Raj" or whatever I have to be honest it gave me no clue about the song at this point. Is it just some kind of ambient interlude or an actual song with a Mike lead?

[guitarfool2002]

After "Kokomo" was #1, I thought maybe the BB's could get a record company to back them on an album of all new material. Instead, Capitol wanted another compilation - a few new tracks mixed in with the old stuff.

Just to correct this because I've written a lot about this exact topic in the last 5 years - Capitol did not want another compilation after Kokomo, they wanted a new album of new Beach Boys material and even had a contract for them where they wanted three new singles. There is an LA Times article which outlines this to a "t" including comments from a Capitol label exec and from the band members as well, including Bruce who said he wanted to make new original music and not become a traveling jukebox type of oldies revue.

Capitol was very, very hot for a follow up from the band if not demanding it as part of a contract, and the band blew it. They simply could not and did not deliver, so what Capitol did was put out a watered-down compilation so they could have an album for fans to buy Kokomo and at least recoup some profits from that since Kokomo was originally not on Capitol and instead on the label which released the Cocktail soundtrack...because when Cocktail came out, the band was not signed to a label.

After Kokomo and the Still Cruisin compromise, the band was without a label again. They blew it with Capitol and despite having *four* songwriters in the band not named Brian, including a Grammy winning writer in Bruce, a Wilson, a Jardine, and a frontman who has people saying he's a genius too, they blew it.

[KDS]

In their history, The Beach Boys didn't see many open doors that they didn't emphatically slam shut. 

[guitarfool2002]

It's important to correct the notion that Capitol did not want another compilation, they wanted specifically a new original album and three singles to follow up Kokomo, and the band dropped the ball. Capitol dropped them, then for the next 20 years or so was OK with doing archival stuff and compilations (since the band blew it and the well was dry without Brian)  until Brian came back with all surviving members for the 50th anniversary. Capitol got a top-5 album which Mike then proceeded to badmouth in interviews because he was bitter about his role in making it. Maybe it's not exactly "the band" blowing these opportunities or slamming the doors shut en masse as much as some individuals in the band.

[HeyJude]

Separately, I'd have to say whoever is picking which 30 seconds of Mike's songs to preview is doing a bad job. I tried "Ram Raj" and they clearly picked some sort of interlude or basic chorus or something that just repeats the title refrain over and over. There's literally no evidence of Mike lead in the 30 second sound sample. Is some underling really just randomly grabbing 30 seconds?

I've actually found most of the preview clips pretty decent as far as getting a feel for the songs, but on "Ram Raj" or whatever I have to be honest it gave me no clue about the song at this point. Is it just some kind of ambient interlude or an actual song with a Mike lead?

At first, I almost thought it was the "10,000 Years" backing track with different "vocals." But then I remembered that "10,000 Years" is still a separate track.

Speaking of "10,000 Years", can anybody (Jon Stebbins?) speak any more to what Dennis and Mike's different versions/contributions were. I recall years ago someone (perhaps Jon?) mentioning that the best working theory was that it may have been a collaboration at some point, but that at some point both Dennis and Mike separately took the song and did their own things to it.

Long story short, is there any chance "10,000 Years" would retain a Dennis songwriting credit? I'm not even saying it *should*; the song it a bit murky in that area. I'm not even 100% sure if it was ever determine which of Dennis or Mike was attached to the one backing track from the 70s for the song that circulates. It has often been attached to compilations of Dennis tracks, but I don't know.

[HeyJude]

After "Kokomo" was #1, I thought maybe the BB's could get a record company to back them on an album of all new material. Instead, Capitol wanted another compilation - a few new tracks mixed in with the old stuff.

Just to correct this because I've written a lot about this exact topic in the last 5 years - Capitol did not want another compilation after Kokomo, they wanted a new album of new Beach Boys material and even had a contract for them where they wanted three new singles. There is an LA Times article which outlines this to a "t" including comments from a Capitol label exec and from the band members as well, including Bruce who said he wanted to make new original music and not become a traveling jukebox type of oldies revue.

Capitol was very, very hot for a follow up from the band if not demanding it as part of a contract, and the band blew it. They simply could not and did not deliver, so what Capitol did was put out a watered-down compilation so they could have an album for fans to buy Kokomo and at least recoup some profits from that since Kokomo was originally not on Capitol and instead on the label which released the Cocktail soundtrack...because when Cocktail came out, the band was not signed to a label.

After Kokomo and the Still Cruisin compromise, the band was without a label again. They blew it with Capitol and despite having *four* songwriters in the band not named Brian, including a Grammy winning writer in Bruce, a Wilson, a Jardine, and a frontman who has people saying he's a genius too, they blew it.

Not only did Capitol want a *new* album of *new* songs (and that exec in that article mind-blowingly actually seemed excited and hopeful about the BBs doing some *good new* music), Mike in later comments/interviews clearly indicated he felt the opposite, that it should have had *less* new songs and had *more* of the "movie soundtrack" themed stuff.

Here are his comments from his 1992 Goldmine interview:

But the problem with a major is that just as recently as the Still Cruisin' album, the same week that we went to radio with a song called "Somewhere Near Japan," which was getting really good airplay, Capitol Records went to CHR radio stations with eight singles. That was just one label in the same week. They'd also just done a deal with Duran Duran. They had paid a lot of money for Duran Duran, whereas we did an album of half new and half older songs. The theme of that album was to have been songs that have been in movies. It was basically a repackage.

But then in got watered down with politics, meaning Brian's Dr. Landy forcing a song called "In My Car," which was never in a movie, and a song by Jardine, which ultimately ended up on the album, called "Island Girl," which was never in a movie either. So to me the concept was a little bit diluted there politically.

So what happened in this instance was I was not happy that the album was half repackage and half politics. What happens when you do things politically just to accommodate the fact that if you're in a group and you divide it by five members, and you got two songs each, it may be a nice thing to do but everybody has their own point of view that isn't taken into consideration objectively.



On the one hand, he agrees with many fans that the album was diluted a bit. But he feels it was diluted by the "non movie" songs, like Brian's and Al's songs. But then, at the same time, he seems to trumpet "Somewhere Near Japan" a bit, even though it was also one of the "non movie" songs (perhaps not coincidentally, one *he* co-wrote).

He doesn't seem to include himself in any of the criticism, but it is interesting that he did note that the album came across as sort of half-baked and a bit schizophrenic. It was indeed about "half repackage" and "half politics." It just sounds like he may have been more into a firm decision to go with "repackage", essentially a "Beach Boys Greatest Movie Songs", more than "politics" even if the "politics" at least resulted in more *new* music.

What you get from the interview above, in addition to countless other interviews, is that Mike firmly saw BB product at that point as *product* first and foremost. He doesn't say a word about workshopping new, good music ideas, or picking the best songs. He talks about how to "package" and "market" stuff, how to "theme" it.

He seems a bit disenfranchised in that interview about how "Still Cruisin'" went down. Yet, when left seemingly 100% in charge of everything to do with the band's next album, his ideas and sensibilities were 100% wrong (and wrong based on *Mike's* own standards, which is sales/chart position/profit). He seemed annoyed having to bow to "politics" and give Brian and Al each a song on "Still Cruisin'." So on SIP, Brian was nowhere to be seen and Al was absent for most of the sessions and wasn't given any songs on the album. The result? It tanked hard. I'm not saying one Al song on SIP would have vastly changed things. But it's emblematic of what happens when Mike is in charge of the "art" side of things.

What's the last non-touring, recording-based thing that was vastly successful that Mike can take the lion's share of credit for? Naming "Endless Summer" in 1974 and then co-writing "Kokomo" in 1988?

Meanwhile, years later as Mike has led the charge to morph the band into an AARP brand, Brian and Joe Thomas crank out a *Top 3* album, with generally decent reviews to boot, and help morph the band *back* into a relevant *recording* act despite 20 years away from the album business and even longer since their last decent *hit* album. And Mike has nothing but scorn for the album.

[NateRuvin]

There are some people on this board who are really looking forward to this album, although most of the people probably could care less. But it dawned on me that we should be thankful. Beach Boys-related music is still being recorded and released. I'll take anything I can get.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

There are some people on this board who are really looking forward to this album, although most of the people probably could care less. But it dawned on me that we should be thankful. Beach Boys-related music is still being recorded and released. I'll take anything I can get.

And what you want is just what myKe luHv is counting on. 

[kreen]

[/quote]
 Brian and Joe Thomas crank out a *Top 3* album,
[/quote]

You say earlier that TWGMTR was a Top 5 album, and now you bring up this chart placement. You realize that it means nothing commercially these days, right? TWGMTR and NPP sold to the remaining BB fans, then dropped like stones. These days, you can sell like 30 000 copies and get to number one. It's entirely possible that the record company made no money from either of those albums.

[Lonely Summer]

After "Kokomo" was #1, I thought maybe the BB's could get a record company to back them on an album of all new material. Instead, Capitol wanted another compilation - a few new tracks mixed in with the old stuff.

Just to correct this because I've written a lot about this exact topic in the last 5 years - Capitol did not want another compilation after Kokomo, they wanted a new album of new Beach Boys material and even had a contract for them where they wanted three new singles. There is an LA Times article which outlines this to a "t" including comments from a Capitol label exec and from the band members as well, including Bruce who said he wanted to make new original music and not become a traveling jukebox type of oldies revue.

Capitol was very, very hot for a follow up from the band if not demanding it as part of a contract, and the band blew it. They simply could not and did not deliver, so what Capitol did was put out a watered-down compilation so they could have an album for fans to buy Kokomo and at least recoup some profits from that since Kokomo was originally not on Capitol and instead on the label which released the Cocktail soundtrack...because when Cocktail came out, the band was not signed to a label.

After Kokomo and the Still Cruisin compromise, the band was without a label again. They blew it with Capitol and despite having *four* songwriters in the band not named Brian, including a Grammy winning writer in Bruce, a Wilson, a Jardine, and a frontman who has people saying he's a genius too, they blew it.

I hate to disagree with an expert, but there was an interview with Carl from this period where he was asked if he had any songs on the new album, and he said no, he had one he'd been working on, but wasn't satisfied with it. He said the record company asked for 3 new songs, and the band gave them 5, so it was a compromise. I'm confident the band could have given Capitol an all new album if it was wanted - even if that meant Mike and Terry doing a SIP-style album a few years early. In fact, if SIP had come out in 1989, it probably would have done a lot better commercially, riding on the success of Kokomo. And the style of production heard on SIP would have fit in a lot better radio-wise than it did in 1992.

[Lonely Summer]

Brian and Joe Thomas crank out a *Top 3* album,
[/quote]

You say earlier that TWGMTR was a Top 5 album, and now you bring up this chart placement. You realize that it means nothing commercially these days, right? TWGMTR and NPP sold to the remaining BB fans, then dropped like stones. These days, you can sell like 30 000 copies and get to number one. It's entirely possible that the record company made no money from either of those albums.
[/quote] Kreen, thank you for pointing this out. I have seen the chart placement of TWGMTR repeatedly cited on this board as some kind of great success. Sure, it was nice to see a BB's album high in the charts again, but it didn't last. TWGMTR had nowhere the staying power of Sounds of Summer. I'll bet that Mike believed a really strong new album from the group would hang around a lot longer than it did. Now the album is pretty much forgotten. Are Mike and Bruce doing any of the songs now in there shows? How about Brian and Al?

[HeyJude]

You say earlier that TWGMTR was a Top 5 album, and now you bring up this chart placement. You realize that it means nothing commercially these days, right? TWGMTR and NPP sold to the remaining BB fans, then dropped like stones. These days, you can sell like 30 000 copies and get to number one. It's entirely possible that the record company made no money from either of those albums.

I'm well aware of the current state of the industry and what it takes to get high up on the charts now compared to the past.

SIP didn't crack the *TOP 200* in  1992. It sold a few thousand copies at the most. That TWGMTR sold MORE units in 2012 than SIP did in 1992 even though  WAY more units were moving for bands in 1992 proves how dire the SIP situation was.

I *guarantee* you if Mike's new solo album hit the Top 10 Mike would trumpet that endlessly.

[guitarfool2002]

After "Kokomo" was #1, I thought maybe the BB's could get a record company to back them on an album of all new material. Instead, Capitol wanted another compilation - a few new tracks mixed in with the old stuff.

Just to correct this because I've written a lot about this exact topic in the last 5 years - Capitol did not want another compilation after Kokomo, they wanted a new album of new Beach Boys material and even had a contract for them where they wanted three new singles. There is an LA Times article which outlines this to a "t" including comments from a Capitol label exec and from the band members as well, including Bruce who said he wanted to make new original music and not become a traveling jukebox type of oldies revue.

Capitol was very, very hot for a follow up from the band if not demanding it as part of a contract, and the band blew it. They simply could not and did not deliver, so what Capitol did was put out a watered-down compilation so they could have an album for fans to buy Kokomo and at least recoup some profits from that since Kokomo was originally not on Capitol and instead on the label which released the Cocktail soundtrack...because when Cocktail came out, the band was not signed to a label.

After Kokomo and the Still Cruisin compromise, the band was without a label again. They blew it with Capitol and despite having *four* songwriters in the band not named Brian, including a Grammy winning writer in Bruce, a Wilson, a Jardine, and a frontman who has people saying he's a genius too, they blew it.

I hate to disagree with an expert, but there was an interview with Carl from this period where he was asked if he had any songs on the new album, and he said no, he had one he'd been working on, but wasn't satisfied with it. He said the record company asked for 3 new songs, and the band gave them 5, so it was a compromise. I'm confident the band could have given Capitol an all new album if it was wanted - even if that meant Mike and Terry doing a SIP-style album a few years early. In fact, if SIP had come out in 1989, it probably would have done a lot better commercially, riding on the success of Kokomo. And the style of production heard on SIP would have fit in a lot better radio-wise than it did in 1992.

http://articles.latimes.com/1989-05-26/entertainment/ca-869_1_fat-boys-brian-wilson-endless-summer

>>>>>
The Beach Boys' New Splash
May 26, 1989|STEVE HOCHMAN


The Beach Boys are riding their biggest wave in two decades. They're coming off their first No. 1 single in 22 years ("Kokomo"), "genius" Brian Wilson is back in the fold, they've re-turned to Capitol Records and are on the road with Chicago for a hot-ticket summer tour.

You'd think these purveyors of good vibrations and endless summer fun, fun, fun would be coasting along quite comfortably. But the mood at a Culver City sound stage during the band's final rehearsal for the Chicago tour was anything but light.

The tension seemed to mirror the band's determination to take advantage of the current resurgence and re-establish itself as a contemporary hit-maker--or be doomed to a life as nostalgia merchants.

Carl Wilson, who had spent much of the night before working on new songs in a recording studio, declined to be interviewed. And Wilson, Bruce Johnston, Mike Love and Al Jardine seemed pretty businesslike as they worked out choreography steps to "Barbara Ann" with the six bikinied surfer girls who are decorating the stage on this tour (which includes shows Saturday at the Pacific Amphitheatre and Sunday at the Hollywood Bowl).

Explained Johnston, who joined the Beach Boys in 1965 after Brian Wilson gave up full-time touring: "I don't want the Beach Boys to be the futile endless road show of 'The King and I' or 'I Love Lucy' reruns. I live, eat and breathe getting on the radio. I just think, 'How can we get back on the radio?' "

Johnston didn't pause before answering himself: "With great songs, that's how!"

An odd question, coming not long after the band's "Kokomo," a song from the "Cocktail" movie score, became the Beach Boys first No. 1 single since 1966's "Good Vibrations."

And that was only one highlight from what was the group's best year in eons. It began with its induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, built through the attention focused on the solo album debut of Brian Wilson--the architect of the Beach Boys' often-imitated sound--and crested with "Kokomo."

The new Capitol release will be the band's first album in four years. Titled "Still Cruisin' " and due this summer, the record will be a combination of movie-related tracks including "Kokomo" and "Wipe Out" (a pairing with the rapping Fat Boys) and several new songs. After that, the contract contains an option for an album of all new material. Johnston calls it "the album of doom."

"Just because you've had a No. 1 doesn't mean you're automatic," Johnston said during a rehearsal break, acknowledging that the Beach Boys could go on forever recreating the endless summer with its stockpile of old hits. But that isn't good enough for him.

"It's records that matter," he said. "There's no point in touring without new records. It's just huge payments to me. We've got to be better than that."

David Berman, president of Capitol Records, was pleased to hear that the Beach Boys are going into their new arrangement with the label with that attitude.

"I think it's a pivotal point in their career," he said. "I hesitate to say with them that it's ever make or break. As a touring entity so continually successful, I wouldn't say that if this record doesn't happen it's the end of them as a recording entity. They're too good and represent too much so that they won't ever be dated. But on the other hand, I'm glad they feel that way because it bodes well for the record."

It's clear to the Beach Boys what Capitol expects from them.

"Three hit singles, to tell you the truth," Jardine said. "That's what they told us."

"That's fair," Berman said. "That's what I would hope for."

But even one hit, coming on the heels of "Kokomo," would pay double dividends for Capitol, which still owns the Beach Boys' '60s catalogue, some of which is now on CD, with the much-anticipated and much-delayed CD release of the hailed "Pet Sounds" 1966 album still to come.

Said Berman: "We do anticipate that a new hit Beach Boys record will help us exploit the catalogue, including but not limited to a 'Pet Sounds' CD."

Much is being made of Brian Wilson's role with the group. He will play only selected dates on this tour, including the Southland shows, with a four-song solo set included. But he will be working throughout the summer in the studio creating new songs for the band, which is essentially the role he has played for the past 25 years.

"We're going back to the original formula," said Dr. Eugene Landy, Brian's controversial therapist, guide and co-writer who hovered around while Brian was being interviewed. "Brian is most valuable to the Beach Boys using his time in the studio."

Still, many are perceiving this as a return to the fold for Brian, given his solo activities and the fact that he was not involved with "Kokomo." That impression was heightened last year when Love said in interviews that "Kokomo's" commercial superiority over Brian's solo album might prove to Brian that he needed the Beach Boys.

And Brian himself spoke of being accepted back into the Beach Boys.

"I'm very happy about it," he said. "And Mike seems to be happy for me being in the Beach Boys."

In any case, Brian's presence is paramount to Capitol. "Brian's involvement on this record is extremely important," Berman said. "But the fact that Mike Love and (producer) Terry Melcher came up with 'Kokomo' on their own without Brian means you've got a tremendous amount of talent there. I'm confident we can have quality material from all the Beach Boys."
<<<<<

Three hit singles according to Al Jardine in May 1989.

Capitol put the option in the new contract for a new album dependent on new material. Still Cruisin was in the works as of May '89 when this article appeared, the president of Capitol wanted new material which was part of the band's deal, including three hit singles which Capitol hoped would boost the profile and sales of the back catalog in the process. The band delivered none of that. They dropped the ball. Capitol eventually dropped them and this new album contract stipulation.

I don't know how much more clear that could be as it's described in the article including direct quotes.

If anything, the GV box set which had as its main calling card 40+ minutes of unreleased Smile audio did more for the band's profile and legacy than anything Mike cooked up, including more touring complete with dancing girls and the SIP debacle. So it kind of worked opposite of how Capitol envisioned it...the archival material bailed them out when the band couldn't follow up a #1 smash hit with...anything.

The most surreal part of that article will always be Bruce saying he doesn't want the band to become..."I don't want the Beach Boys to be the futile endless road show of 'The King and I' or 'I Love Lucy' reruns. I live, eat and breathe getting on the radio. I just think, 'How can we get back on the radio?'"..."With great songs, that's how!"...."It's records that matter," he said. "There's no point in touring without new records. It's just huge payments to me. We've got to be better than that."

...obviously Mike disagreed with Bruce on that. Yet look what happened to Bruce and Mike. They became the endless Beach Boys road show.

[phirnis]

Three hit singles? No wonder they were churning out desperate bs material like Wipe Out.

[guitarfool2002]

Three hit singles? No wonder they were churning out desperate bs material like Wipe Out.

Wipe Out was released as a Fat Boys single in 1987, before Kokomo, on the Fat Boys' record label (not Capitol), and got considerable airplay on MTV - mostly because the Fat Boys were very popular at that time. So it wasn't a case of the BBs churning out Wipe Out, they were guest artists on a Fat Boys record that sold. Like Kokomo showing up on Still Cruisin, Capitol wanted BB's fans to be able to have all these scattered singles and soundtrack hits on a *Capitol* label compilation so they could make some bank on it too...after the fact.

Ironic or not, Wipe Out was on a Fat Boys album called "Crushin'", and two years later on the BB's comp "Still Cruisin'" after it ran its course.

Maybe Mike could have named his album "Endless Cruisin'".