Mike and Bruce plus Stamos on Dancing with the Stars next week.

[Jason]

As a Michael apologist (point your spears someplace else, please), that clip was painful. Lip-synced or poor engineering or bronchitis, it doesn't matter. I do notice that from about 2005 onward, Michael sometimes has a few effects on his microphone when he's in concert to cushion him a bit as his voice is prone to fizzle out if he's singing bass. Certainly understandable considering he doesn't have as many voices behind him to cover him as Brian does. But this is hardly a "typical" show for touring Beach Boys. Even in regular shows with a basic setlist in recent years Michael's been in good voice for his age. Bruce's voice is the one that's shot...he's had bronchitis since 1991!

[Dave in KC]

Whoa, that could get you in trouble man. He could answer you and say that he could warble at your funeral. Bruce is tight man.

[Jason]

Whoa, that could get you in trouble man. He could answer you and say that he could warble at your funeral. Bruce is tight man.

His voice just didn't age well, man. The bronchitis thing was a joke on my part, obviously. Bruce can't really do the fast-paced songs as well anymore. Like Do You Wanna Dance; he sounds like he has some trouble with that one, like he's hoarse. When he does ballads he sounds pretty good.

Hey, we're lucky they're even still touring. Well, maybe I'm the one who's lucky since the cool people here don't like the Mike and Bruce band.

[Awesoman]

Mike sounded older, but this is hardly the worst performance I've seen him give.  Give it a rest.

[Jason]

Michael in 1981 was a LOT worse than he is nowadays.

[Smilin Ed H]

"Michael in 1981 was a LOT worse than he is nowadays"

Last time I saw Mike, he sounded great. Listening to live stuff from the 80s (and earlier), his nasal whine ruins song after song.

[Ed Roach]

Wow, this is interesting!  I've lifted it from the Hoffman board:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=212422&page=8

klaatuhf
Junior Member
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 90
The truth is both Mike Love and Bruce are alc..... Lets just say they like to drink... and drink ...and drink. Watching them stagger to a gig (yes to a gig!) in Australia recently was a huge shock. Watching them crawl out of the venue 2 hours after the gig ended was.. well worth the photos that were taken lol. And this happened every day of the tour! They are well past their prime and should retire before they embarass themselves and even kill themselves.
Long Live Brian!

[smile-holland]

Reading the whole topic (on the Hoffman board), it looks like another excuse for some people to immediatley give the current Beach Boys line-up some negative critics. Says more about the posters than the BB though...  

O, and I'm not saying that because I'm a huge fan of Mike's BB's. It's just that reading this particular post - describing them as alcoholics and ending with "Long Live Brian!" - can't be taken too seriously.

[Shady]

Screw Steve Hoffman

[smile-holland]

Screw Steve Hoffman

... well, we have had similar discussions on this board as well... and there are quite a few posters on that board that do know how to keep a discussion civil... so what's the problem with Hoffman?

[urbanite]

I was under the impression that Mike Love didn't drink at all, based on comments he's made in the past.

[PongHit]

From film.com:

"Killing time is a true art on the DACING WITH THE STARS results show. ... the Beach Boys, who are old enough to have played Buzz Aldrin's senior prom, emerged from their crypts to perform."  

http://www.film.com/tv/dancing-with-the-stars/story/dancing-stars-results-witching-hour/32921002

[Shady]

Screw Steve Hoffman

... well, we have had similar discussions on this board as well... and there are quite a few posters on that board that do know how to keep a discussion civil... so what's the problem with Hoffman?

Well his comment seemed out of line, I'm against all Mike hate, even on this board.

Only to be honest don't think I've come across a comment as venomous on here, Anti Mike comments on here are usually laced with really fine humor 

[Pretty Funky]

Just had a look at a few clips on youtube from the Mike and Bruce Australian Tour this year and a few points. They sound fine. Shows were done with a symphony orchestra, a lot of people they won't tour with again so whats wrong with a few drinks after a gig? Whats the writers definition of 'crawling' BTW. On all fours? Somehow I doubt it.

[smile-holland]

Screw Steve Hoffman

... well, we have had similar discussions on this board as well... and there are quite a few posters on that board that do know how to keep a discussion civil... so what's the problem with Hoffman?

Well his comment seemed out of line, I'm against all Mike hate, even on this board.

Only to be honest don't think I've come across a comment as venomous on here, Anti Mike comments on here are usually laced with really fine humor 

the comment was out of line, but it wasn't "Steve Hoffman" 's comment, just one member of that board.

[PongHit]

This performance has left quite an impression. From Ryan Cormier:

"The so-called Beach Boys are lip-synching on Dancing with the Stars. So glad Brian Wilson stays away from Mike Love & that craptastic band."

http://twitter.com/ryancormier/statuses/11337438865

[PongHit]

... & this from the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS:

Did you see The Beach Boys perform on "Dancing With The Stars" earlier this week? It was painful to watch 69-year-old singer Mike Love try to croak out the melody to "Kokomo."

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_14805497?nclick_check=1

[Rocker]

This performance has left quite an impression. From Ryan Cormier:

"The so-called Beach Boys are lip-synching on Dancing with the Stars. So glad Brian Wilson stays away from Mike Love & that craptastic band."

http://twitter.com/ryancormier/statuses/11337438865

The vocals seemed to be live (the leadvocals for sure, I'd have to watch it again to listen to the background, but Bruce mentioned they were live) and it's the usual way in TV to pre-record the soundtrack. The Beach Boys did that ever since the 60s. Brian used a pre-recorded song when he promoted his christmas-album. IIRC it was "God rest ye..."

[Ron]

Here is said performance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFRYgYJXiZc

Thanks for the link.  I missed this.  Personally, I wish they would have just done the full version of Kokomo.  Would have fit the show better.

[tpesky]

If Mike was that sick, they should have come up with a Plan B before then. Having him try to struggle through was not the solution. In talking to non BB fans, they couldn't believe how awful he sounded. I tried to explain he had bronchitis. Either switch songs or give someone else the lead for the night.

[PongHit]

From DelawareOnline.com:

The Beach Boys, the California rock band with Mike Love as its only original member, performed on this week’s “Dancing with the Stars,” which got plenty of low scores from critics. The Chicago Sun Times didn’t hold anything back, writing, “Their off-key solos and off-pitch harmonies were an embarrassment.”

[Peter Reum]

This was my first contact with the Mike Love Beach Boys, and the band itself sounded good....but Mike sounded rough. Hope he feels better.

[Ron]

I think a lot of it is Mike's become a much more gentle person as he's gotten older, he's trying to be serious about his spirituality I gander, and it leaves him sounding slightly neutered.  That song he did for the Beach Boys Hallmark disc a few years ago sounded pretty good, even with his gentle, peaceful vocals.  "Cool Head, Warm Heart"

[Shady]

Screw Steve Hoffman

... well, we have had similar discussions on this board as well... and there are quite a few posters on that board that do know how to keep a discussion civil... so what's the problem with Hoffman?

Well his comment seemed out of line, I'm against all Mike hate, even on this board.

Only to be honest don't think I've come across a comment as venomous on here, Anti Mike comments on here are usually laced with really fine humor  

the comment was out of line, but it wasn't "Steve Hoffman" 's comment, just one member of that board.

Oh right, nothing against the Steve Hoffman board then, just the ignorant poster