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

[SMiLE Brian]

The plague was the was the worst- SMiLE brian esq. 2017-2018.

[Lonely Summer]

Also... 

“Alone together, we’re fine,” he says, “but there’s a lot of … I don’t know what to say about that. ‘Do you see a time when you might get together?’ Well, yeah. Maybe Christmas. And we’re booked to do the national Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in D.C. on the 30th of November. Something like that could be conducive to us being together, but that would depend on whether they would want to accept doing it with us.”

Is Mike suggesting the BBs might reunite for this whole Christmas thing?

I don't think so. I think he's using that as an example of something they could reunite for, but he clearly describes it as the other guys (Brian and Al specifically) "accepting" doing it with Mike, meaning just joining Mike's band.

It's funny how Mike quitting the reunion has morphed into "we're all just doing our own thing", followed by putting the onus on Brian and Al to join whatever Mike's doing. How about Mike and Bruce join Brian and Al? Has Mike called and asked Brian if that might be possible?

Mike is the one with the license to use the Beach Boys name. If Mike Bruce were to sit in with Brian's band, that would just be "Mike and Bruce sitting in with Brian, Al and Blondie." and Joe Public would be wondering who Blondie is. "You mean Deborah Harry is singing with the ex Beach Boys?"

[HeyJude]

Also... 

“Alone together, we’re fine,” he says, “but there’s a lot of … I don’t know what to say about that. ‘Do you see a time when you might get together?’ Well, yeah. Maybe Christmas. And we’re booked to do the national Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in D.C. on the 30th of November. Something like that could be conducive to us being together, but that would depend on whether they would want to accept doing it with us.”

Is Mike suggesting the BBs might reunite for this whole Christmas thing?

I don't think so. I think he's using that as an example of something they could reunite for, but he clearly describes it as the other guys (Brian and Al specifically) "accepting" doing it with Mike, meaning just joining Mike's band.

It's funny how Mike quitting the reunion has morphed into "we're all just doing our own thing", followed by putting the onus on Brian and Al to join whatever Mike's doing. How about Mike and Bruce join Brian and Al? Has Mike called and asked Brian if that might be possible?

Mike is the one with the license to use the Beach Boys name. If Mike Bruce were to sit in with Brian's band, that would just be "Mike and Bruce sitting in with Brian, Al and Blondie." and Joe Public would be wondering who Blondie is. "You mean Deborah Harry is singing with the ex Beach Boys?"

They were together in 2012 and it was called "The Beach Boys" and it wasn't Brian and Al just joining Mike's band. In other words, it can be done. Indeed, 2012 was pretty close to the other four BBs sitting in with Brian's band.

[Rick5150]

Just thinking that it is unfortunate that all the bad feelings from the last few pages are in a topic with 'Unleash the Love' in the subject line.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Just thinking that it is unfortunate that all the bad feelings from the last few pages are in a topic with 'Unleash the Love' in the subject line.

Yeah, the irony is palpable

[Jim V.]

Just thinking that it is unfortunate that all the bad feelings from the last few pages are in a topic with 'Unleash the Love' in the subject line.

Yeah, the irony is palpable

Yeah, cuz the guy releasing the album is just all about "unleashing the love" himself too.

[send me a picture and i'll tell you]

I miss ghost.

[“Big Daddy”]

Carl Wilson will be making a vocal appearance on the album… https://twitter.com/MikeLoveOFCL/status/929855756857430017

[SMiLE Brian]

What the hell?

[B.E.]

Carl Wilson will be making a vocal appearance on the album… https://twitter.com/MikeLoveOFCL/status/929855756857430017

Is that photo of Mike and Brian shooting hoops published elsewhere? I don't remember seeing it before. It appears near the end of the preview.

Unfortunately, Mike sounds like a robot on most of his lines. I can't imagine it being necessary to process Mike's vocals like that. It's especially jarring alongside Carl's non-robotic vocals.

[Custom Machine]

... Should this place be more positive oriented? Yes. ...

Agreed.

[NateRuvin]

I wonder why Brian's Back doesn't say "(feat. Carl Wilson")? I feel like that would draw a lot of attention, because it's Carl singing on "new" music, especially for those who don't realize the song was written/recorded in the 70's, and released in the late 90's.

[tpesky]

It's so weird to choose Brian's Back at this point. I mean Brian has had a solo career for nearly 20 years now.

IGA sounds good. That's a good tempo, much faster than either Mike or Brian play it live.

[CenturyDeprived]

I wonder why Brian's Back doesn't say "(feat. Carl Wilson")? I feel like that would draw a lot of attention, because it's Carl singing on "new" music, especially for those who don't realize the song was written/recorded in the 70's, and released in the late 90's.

I know I can't be alone in saying this, but I completely, utterly do not understand the logic or the psychology behind Mike Love, in 2017, while acutely estranged from Brian for half a decade (at Mike's own hand, due to his personal actions in imploding C50... followed by Brian issuing an LA Times statement saying it felt like being fired), re-releasing this particular song.

It makes zero sense. Of the list of songs that Mike wrote, it's literally dead last in terms of logical sense for songs on that list, compared to any other song, for it to make *any* sort of sense in re-recording and re-releasing now, during this estrangement where Mike effectively took actions that made Brian anything but "back" in the Beach Boys. On the list of Mike's and the band's WTF moments, it's pretty high up there.

The only thing that I can think of:

- Is it possible that Mike somehow is doing this as attempt at a passive aggressive olive branch at Brian? Instead of actually reaching out to Brian to talk to him, this is some sort of bizarro poor communication substitute for actual communication with his cousin? Sort of like... "hey Brian, and hey world... I actually love my cousin (nevermind C50 or my actual actions, just focus on this)"

- Is this another type of thing like Pisces Brother, where it's a super awkward, yet somehow well-intended namedrop to get people to associate Mike with other beloved musicians, reminding the world yet again that Mike Knows Famous People?

Anyway, I just think it's in super odd taste, considering Mike's actions are the singular reason that Brian is Not Back. Someone around him MUST have said to Mike that this is in odd taste, right? I don't doubt Mike loves Brian, but I don't know how this is anything but a really twisted way of showing it. Brian's gone from The Beach Boys, Brian complains about how sad Mike's actions effectively kicking him out made him, and in response, Mike decides to sing a song with the lyric "I never knew that he was gone?" As in, when Mike now tours with Bruce, he doesn't even notice that Brian's gone? Is that because Mike regards Brian as someone who is worthless to the band now or something? What conclusion can one draw from this? It weirds me out. Carl being on it (the only real saving grace of the original recording) also is odd, since I cannot imagine a living Carl would actually sing on this song in 2017 given the current circumstances between Mike and Brian.

And yeah, even Mike's biggest defenders I'm SURE privately raised an eyebrow when they saw this song on the tracklist. It's just very, very weird. I'd love to sit back and eat popcorn while a Mike defender explains how this is Definitely Not Weird.

[B.E.]

CD, I'd be more inclined to agree with you (and indeed I would) if Mike had written the song in 2017. THAT would be weird! Personally, I'd prefer Mike release new, original material and not previously released Beach Boys songs (we have two versions of Brian's Back already), but I get it...it's Mike's song, it was well-intended, he's fond of it, it's probably one of his best...so he's including it on his solo album (he only has so many songs to choose from). Not that far-fetched. I was reading an old thread and it was mentioned that Brian played piano on one of the sessions (MIU) and attempted to produce another (LA), so I don't think Brian had a problem with the song. He probably liked it (has he ever commented on it?). I realize that circumstances have changed but when I think of (or listen to) the song 'Brian's Back', I'm thinking circa-1976, not 2012. That makes sense, right? That doesn't seem weird to me. And it's not like circumstances weren't troubling then, either. A lot of sh*t went down in the '70s (and ever since)! But, the song was the song.

And now I will go back to not thinking about 'Brian's Back' for a long, long time.

[Wata]

Wow. The covers are quite pointless.

Al and Brian's cover songs on their solo albums have been criticized to be pointless very often. But most of them had something to make it worth listening to.

But, as far as I listened to the samples, there was no such thing in Mike's covers. Too similar to the original, in other words, Obviously very little efforts were made for the recordings of the covers.

I'd rather have a full live album of The current Beach Boys.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Mike doing Brian's back is a bad idea and is akin to Brian doing that Thank You song from Sweet Insanity

[phirnis]

Carl Wilson will be making a vocal appearance on the album… https://twitter.com/MikeLoveOFCL/status/929855756857430017

Horrible mixing/production/arrangement.

[NateRuvin]

Watamushi(Polly Poller)- ME TOO! I would love a proper live of album of the currrent BBs band. And no autotune!

[KDS]

Watamushi(Polly Poller)- ME TOO! I would love a proper live of album of the currrent BBs band. And no autotune!

As cool as that would be (especially one of their recent UK shows), under the licensing agreement, I don't think they can release any new product as The Beach Boys, including live albums.

[HeyJude]

Watamushi(Polly Poller)- ME TOO! I would love a proper live of album of the currrent BBs band. And no autotune!

As cool as that would be (especially one of their recent UK shows), under the licensing agreement, I don't think they can release any new product as The Beach Boys, including live albums.

And as it should be. It's the only thing, even if sort of by accident, that is forward-thinking about BRI's "Wild West" set up for their licensing agreements.

It's also more a case of semantics I suppose, but there's probably nothing *in* the licensing agreement that even addresses recordings. Rather, the licensing agreement pertains solely to touring. The easiest way to look at it is that BRI owns the name, not Mike, and he pays for the right to use the name for one single purpose. As opposed to Mike having any broad-reaching rights to the name with only specific exceptions (e.g. recordings).

[Wata]

Watamushi(Polly Poller)- ME TOO! I would love a proper live of album of the currrent BBs band. And no autotune!

That'd be pretty great!

[KDS]

Watamushi(Polly Poller)- ME TOO! I would love a proper live of album of the currrent BBs band. And no autotune!

As cool as that would be (especially one of their recent UK shows), under the licensing agreement, I don't think they can release any new product as The Beach Boys, including live albums.

And as it should be. It's the only thing, even if sort of my accident, that is forward-thinking about BRI's "Wild West" set up for their licensing agreements.

It's also more a case of semantics I suppose, but there's probably nothing *in* the licensing agreement that even addresses recordings. Rather, the licensing agreement pertains solely to touring. The easiest way to look at it is that BRI owns the name, not Mike, and he pays for the right to use the name for one single purpose. As opposed to Mike having any broad-reaching rights to the name with only specific exceptions (e.g. recordings).

I wonder if the BRI agreement would allow Mike and Bruce to offer free downloads of their concerts.  Since it doesn't constitute actual product on the shelves with "The Beach Boys" on the label, I think it would be cool if they offered that.  In fact, I'd love to see both Mike and Brian offer soundboard downloads of recent shows. 

[HeyJude]

As for "Brian's Back" and its weird continued push by Mike since 1998 and "Endless Harmony Soundtrack", I think it ceased being much about Brian to Mike eons ago.

That is, I think the song represents an idealized version of what Mike *thinks* Brian should have or could have been or done. It's Mike reminding himself that, in his mind, he was always supportive of Brian in the ways that matter.

The tonedeaf (no pun intended) continued use of the song is really just a variation on his idealized, fantasy scenario where he and Brian are "just fine" and could go write an album in a room no problem, and it's just other "around" that hinder that.

With "Brian's Back", it's Mike remembering how "others" (including Brian himself) got in the way of Brian truly being "back."

More than anything, I think it's Mike's personal, Wilson-family version of "We Are the World", where now he's patting himself on the back for the charitable song he wrote all those years ago.

The difference here is that the song was never originally released, is 40 years old, has been recorded and mixed numerous times over the years, has already been released in two different mixes on BB compilations, and I guess Mike is missing the irony that even the "Endless Harmony" documentary points out right after using the very song in the doc, which is that Brian kinda wasn't "back", and within a few years *certainly* wasn't back. Double extra super duper irony points are also awarded for the fact that Brian has actually *had* a career resurgence in the last 20 years while being mostly estranged from Mike, with Mike *walking away* from one of the only times they did work together.

On top of all of that, I think Mike has also been a bit lazy and uninspired with his new album, so that's probably part of why "Brian's Back" is being resuscitated again. A lot of artists reuse old songs here and there. But his new 2-CD album, with 25 tracks, has about *three* actual songs that we've never heard of, and only around *eight* actual songs that haven't already been released by Mike and/or the BBs in the past.

[HeyJude]

Watamushi(Polly Poller)- ME TOO! I would love a proper live of album of the currrent BBs band. And no autotune!

As cool as that would be (especially one of their recent UK shows), under the licensing agreement, I don't think they can release any new product as The Beach Boys, including live albums.

And as it should be. It's the only thing, even if sort of my accident, that is forward-thinking about BRI's "Wild West" set up for their licensing agreements.

It's also more a case of semantics I suppose, but there's probably nothing *in* the licensing agreement that even addresses recordings. Rather, the licensing agreement pertains solely to touring. The easiest way to look at it is that BRI owns the name, not Mike, and he pays for the right to use the name for one single purpose. As opposed to Mike having any broad-reaching rights to the name with only specific exceptions (e.g. recordings).

I wonder if the BRI agreement would allow Mike and Bruce to offer free downloads of their concerts.  Since it doesn't constitute actual product on the shelves with "The Beach Boys" on the label, I think it would be cool if they offered that.  In fact, I'd love to see both Mike and Brian offer soundboard downloads of recent shows. 

Mike could release recordings of his live shows anytime he wants, on any format he wants. He could have done this at any point since 1998. He just can't use the "Beach Boys" name for it. That would certainly include free items, and downloads.

Heck, Al did shows as "Beach Boys Family & Friends" in late 1999 and recorded them, but by the time he was able to release it he had to rename the band "Al Jardine Family & Friends."

It's possibly Mike wouldn't want to draw attention to his limited-scope usage of the BB name by performing a show as "The Beach Boys" and then releasing that exact recording under a different name. More likely, I just don't think Mike has ever had strong feelings about recordings, especially in the last 25 or so years, whether we're talking new BB recordings, archival BB recordings, archival solo recordings, or new solo recordings.