Mike Love = Hip
In one of the first posts I ever read on some Beach Boys' message board (don't remember which one), a fan who was around during the 1963-1965 period, posted that during the striped-shirt, hit-making, surf & turf years, Mike Love was considered cool and hip, right up there with any band's lead singer/frontman. The poster also said that many fans who saw the group in concert thought that Mike Love was Brian Wilson.
In 1965 the striped-shirt, hit-making, surf & turf stuff was hip. The problem is that by 1967 it was passe.
You did hit on something else. The Beach Boys are a super group devoid of a individual personas - really faceless. It is interesting that the key member of the group could stop touring at the height of their power and they wouldn't miss a beat. Imagine the Beatles touring without Lennon or McCartney or the Who touring without Pete Townshend. There would be huge outcry.
It is interesting that Mike Love can put so much money in the pockets of BRI by touring as the Beach Boys instead of whatever name he was using even though the product is the same. I wonder if Brian had obtained the license instead if how much more he would draw?
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