The Smiley Smile Message Board

I thought appropiate to create a thread about his. There seems to be a growing request among forum members, triggered by the recent and successful experience with Brian, to have such a session with Mike. It would be beyond great if it can be worked out. And there's nothing to fear in the PR department as the moderators have shown recently. It is a win-win situation.

hey Mike! have you seen Return of the Jedi yet?

Yeah, would be great! His status on the board should read "Second-most honored guest", by the way. ;D

Mike, is it OK to wear a white turban after Labor Day?

A Mike Q&A would be a magnificent touch now Brian's done one. You never know.

I'd love to see a Mike Love Q&A. I don't think there's been anything quite like it on the internet. I'd love to ask him about the writing process for the Wild Honey album, his memories of the '70s recording sessions, etc. I think that most interviews with Mike skip out on some of the deeper stuff that the Smiley Smile member would be more inclined toward.

That said, I would hope that all posters would treat the man with respect.

Mike would give us fuller answers, too. He's not shy.

In looking through my dad's appointment book from 1967, there are mentions of Mike Love recording sessions with the Rivingtons on the 8th, 9th and 11th of March (there was a Beach Boys session on the 10th). I hadn't heard of those sessions before and couldn't find any information about them. I would definitely love to know more about that.

Jonathan -

Now THAT must be a fascinating document - David Anderle's appointment book, circa 1967...wow.

I just finished reading Jac Holzman's (very interesting, highly recommended) book entitled Follow the Music, and your father is well represented and well spoken about his time at Elektra. Every word one hears about your dad speaks to his great integrity and brilliance. When I met him at the Smile taping, he could not have been kinder and more forthcoming. Brian was indeed very lucky to have him on his side.

Will he tell us what his favorite pizza is?

Your Dad's appointment book. That is fascinating. A wonderful family heirloom.

Thank you for the kind words, PS.  I was the tall, bald guy hanging with my pop and Van Dyke at the Smile taping not quite believing what was happening.

My pop kept all his appointment books from 1967 on. It's all incredibly meaningful, but yeah, the late '60s to early '70s ones are a bit out of control.

Now back to Mr. Love...

I'd absolutely love this. I think it'd be even better than Brian's.

Which would of course also mean fewer answers in the same amount of time. I hope the posters that don't get their question answered would keep that in mind and not get upset.

A ML Q&A would certainly be a much bigger challenge for the mods, I'm afraid.

The time limit was imposed by Brian. With Mike, it'd be a non-issue. I'm sure he'd be more inclined to stay and set things straight, while for Brian even answering food questions is probably a chore.

Would he do a Q&A on the blueboard immediately afterwards?

If he was asked to, why not? :-D

Someone would need to filter out the aggressive and rude questions. I'd imagine the opportunity for some to heckle would be too great...

If it could be kept civil, i think Mike would be a great Q&A. He's certainly had an exciting life, and he probably remembers a lot of it.

I'd like someone to ask him what he thinks of the movie Norbit.

Why limit this? Sure have a Mike Q&A, then invite Al, Dave, Blondie, Bruce, Ricky… let's not be selective folks!

I think Mike's answers would be way more complete and well done.

Brian's QAs are nice but we all know it's almost a waste to ask any question that would require a thought out answer.

Typical good question:  "Brian, what are your memories from the Wild Honey sessions?"

Answer: "Great songs. Carl sings 'Wild Honey' great!"

Mike's Answer:  "We decided to go with an R&B record in BB style.  We recorded out of Brian's house and I can remember having such a good time on 'A Thing or Two'. . ."

I say have Mike answer the questions that Brian didn't answer.

Bruce would be a good possibility as he answered questions on Steve Hoffman's board (including mine on his original lyrics for Tears in the morning) a few years ago. He also was quite candid about the deficiencies of Going Public, his solo album.

He couldn't answer mine, nor many others there. I say we tailor our questions to him.

Exactly. Brian is my favorite musician, a beautiful soul, and one of my personal idols. But he's also a lousy interview, and I'm sure he doesn't enjoy it either, so I feel like it's kind of a waste.

I'm sure Mike would love to set the record straight on a lot of things anyway. This would be a win-win.

A Mike Q&A would be fun. If it happens, hopefully we won't get questions about his pizza preferences or his favorite flavor of ice cream.

Even if we did, I strongly suspect Mike would have little interest in answering them. Or at least would answer the big stuff too.

Personally, I want to hear about Smiley Smile. I'd like to hear Mike's interpretation of it in particular.

Mike would set the record straight?? Really? Only by seeing that his responses were tailored to portray himself as the most accomplished member who was far more essential to the group than Brian Wilson.  :tm

I mean according to his point of view. Either way, he'd give more insightful, interesting answers than Brian.

Really? Have you ever read an interview with the guy? He repeats the same couple of talking points every time.

This would be great, undoubtedly more interesting and fulfilling than a Brian Q&A, which is a joke. A Q&A on here with Mike would be an amazing, rare opportunity to throw questions at him that no one else would except for the occasional one on one meeting backstage with a particular kind of fan. It's such a waste that his interviews only ever touch on '61-'67, the hits, the Wilsons' drug problems, Kokomo, and the touring band. We could ask him about All I Wanna Do, Big Sur, All This Is That, Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, Love You, dumpster diving dinner parties with the Manson family (he talked about it on Howard Stern), Uncle Murry, his bass vocals, his sax, visions of being in a room with Cousin Brian, SUMMER IN PARADISE, WRINKLES. And you know his answers would be good and candid. I think his memory is pretty solid, too.

You know what sucks guy? That we have nobody on this board who could probably arrange this with Mike.



Oh wait....


We do. Andrew G. Doe, would you mind throwing a request Mike's way? I know he's got a book that's coming out next year (?) but I figure we would probably ask quite a few questions that wouldn't be covered in there. I think it would be very interesting. Hopefully he'd be willing to stay a bit longer then Brian was, and maybe take on some tougher (but not necessarily meaner) questions then Brian did.

Yes. Brian did drugs and he didn't. He wrote the lyrics to all the hits. He wrote Kokomo and Brian didn't. I know.

Maybe with actual fans, asking directed questions about stuff interviewers almost never actually bring up, he'd give better answers? It's worth a shot.

I'm not usually one to think this way, but the double standard between Mike and Brian is really showing right now. So, Brian's Q&A where he answers each Q with a sentence fragment, and mostly answers softball questions, is treated as the second coming. Anyone not 100% enthusiastic about it is an ungrateful jerk for not appreciating the "wonderful gift*" but asking Mike to come is out of the question because he might bring up a few talking points? C'mon. We could at least try it. Give him a chance. I'm not the biggest Mike fan, but I'd like to hear what he'd have to say.

*I love Brian, I appreciate the work the mods did for it. I understand he doesn't like answering tough questions and is a busy man. I still thought it was kinda of a wasted opportunity. Sorry.

I would like to have Mike on the board. I think that he would answer the questions with candor. I have never met the man. I cannot form an opinion of him. Some of you have met him. Those that have seem to have differing opinions. I would like us to put our opinions aside and invite the man to answer our questions.
I think that we should invite them all but seperately.
Zeppo

How about starting by trying to make this board what some have been complaining it was not? It's fine to disagree, to voice opinions, to say what you liked or didn't like about something, but at least try to do it with some level of respect and tact! Seriously, in the past months we had people saying they didn't like the tone of negativity that was associated with the board, the impression others were getting by the actions and words of a few posters versus the majority, and now the board is hit with the kind of mean and totally unnecessary comments as have been made here and in other threads about what happened this week? What is the deal with some of you?

Look, if you didn't like or care to participate in this or any recent or future event, at least show some class and respect in voicing those opinions. The only joke is the inability of some to think before they post, and to think about the effect some words can have on not just other people, but on the board in general.

A lot is tolerated on this board, maybe too much in the name of an open forum. But when reactions and posts aren't just bordering on disrespectful but go straight for the jugular, what possible good do you who are posting this stuff think will come as a result?

Do we want the community here in general to have an image or reputation based on a few comments posted by a small number of individuals who haven't stopped posting negativity for a week solid? The majority of members here post occasionally, a lot of people come here to read and choose not to post, and this week the board saw its biggest viewership *ever* on Monday for the first live event to be featured here. Now it's funny or even essential for some to start posting insults?

The majority does not agree, the majority does not choose to voice opinions that way, and the majority thought what happened this week was a pretty cool thing. The people who did a lot of work to make it happen and put a lot of effort into making it happen *for the board* don't deserve this kind of crap to be hurled at them. Even if it's not intended as such, when something that has a lot of effort, energy, and care put into it gets called a joke, it's not only unnecessary but it's also showing no class or respect at all for everyone who enjoyed the moment. Take me out of it, consider all of the work that was done to set it up last weekend, and none of those people who did this *for you* deserve to read that in return for their efforts.

At some point some sense of tact has to be considered, if that can be considered. If you weren't into it, if you didn't like it, that's fine. Maybe consider voicing that opinion in a less hostile or mean way, or simply not repeating how much something sucked ad nauseum for everyone to read the negativity.

This does NOT speak for the majority of people here, nor does it represent what this board is all about. We want a board that is welcoming, friendly, less hostile, thought of better...etc. We hear complaints in another thread about how things are said and how people are treated, at the same time we see comments posted here and in a few other topics that suggest more than hypocrisy. Start with your own choices, consider how words do have weight and may have implications beyond feeling like you've successfully shared your anger or bitterness with everyone.

This is not what the board is, it is not what the people are about, it is not the correct impression to be sending out if there is any concern at all for this place and the people who enjoy coming here.

You want other guests to drop in? Perhaps more Beach Boys themselves to stop in and chat? Start by helping to make it a welcome place, a place where disagreements can be made respectfully and not brought down into the mud. Make it a place where Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce, David, and whomever else would feel welcome and would feel like it would be a fun thing to do. The saddest part...the board *is* that overall respectful and grateful and welcoming place thanks to the majority of people who are members. It's a shame that the way the small minority of a few conduct themselves and choose to express themselves might get misinterpreted as the way things are. And that is simply not true, as can be proven by most of the people we consider friends and fellow fans. At least show some respect for them, too, even if you don't like something or whatever other gripes may be involved.

If we want good things to happen and continue happening for everyone here to enjoy and experience, consider all of that before posting the insults and swipes. And consider even if you're not grateful, if you're not overjoyed, if you're not sharing in a positive moment...respect those who are. That's how good things happen and will continue to happen.

Well stated.
Z

I'm sorry guitarfool. I know I've been kind of a downer lately. I hope I'm not one of the posters you're referring to, but I think I probably am. I was never trying to make you or the other mods feel bad about the Q&A. I appreciate that a lot of work went into it on your end, and you guys do seem like, well...good guys, for lack of a better word. I just can't help but express my opinions honestly, and perhaps repetitively. It's just my style, and sometimes I realize after the fact I went too far. I hope I didn't make you guys feel bad, I just can't help but feel like Q&As with Brian...well, maybe they're just not his strong suite. He doesn't seem to like to answer "interesting" questions. I guess taken as a lighthearted conversation it's a fun thing. It's probably my fault for expecting that at least one "heavy" question get answered.

In any event, I think everyone appreciated what you guys did to make it happen even if they were maybe not 100% satisfied with the results. And I think a Q&A with a more talkative Beach Boy would be even better received.

I disagree.



I absolutely agree! :)

Well said, Guitarfool, well said.  There was a time when this board was more civil.  Sure, there were disagreements (:cough: Cam and Dan Lega), but it wasn't just sh*t slinging.  I'm an old guy.  I was brought up to treat people with respect, and if there was someone who you just couldn't get along with, just steer clear of them.  It seems the attitude now is "if you can't handle a few words on the internet, maybe you shouldn't be on the internet".  That's really a terrible way to live your life...hostility and confrontation.  That's probably why I only post a couple times a month.  As has been said a gazillion times, please think about the feelings of the people who are reading your words.  I shouldn't have been made to feel that I had to defend my question for Brian simply because he chose to answer that instead of the 'deeper', more 'profound' questions.  Bah.  Enough old man rant.  It ain't gonna change the way people behave in a medium such as the internet, where you don't have to look a guy in the eyes when you say something to him.

I think it would be great to have Mike here!  Seriously it would probably be very informative.. as long as there are no inflammatory questions.

I would like to get his thoughts on the vocal blend in the mid 70s and whether or not he was dismayed by the changes in Brian's and Dennis' singing voices.

I'm one of the posters who enjoys reading more than posting since I learn something new/interesting every day.

Anyways, I very much appreciate Brian's having come and of course admire him.

With that being said, I think it's still fair to say that his answering style is not receptive to particular questions so you must tailor appropriately.

I have a feeling that Mike would be a bit more chatty and willing to get into interesting details he never gets asked in normal interviews.

N.B. I've always had the feeling that Mike couldn't care less about "setting the record straight."  I have a feeling that infinite fame, a string of #1s, and a bank account to boot really overshadows his need. I bet he'd really enjoy talking and would take a lot of it in stride and have fun with it.

Great idea to publicly sh*t all over the guy if you want him to come in and answer some questions.  Brilliant.

I for one would love to read a Q&A with him.  And yes, his answers would definitely be more compelling than Brian's, no matter the perspective.

There are ways to ask a challenging question without sounding like a jerk.  Even if we question some of his choices in the past, that doesn't mean we're trying to defame him.

Who said anything about publically sh!tting on him? I just want his honest recollection of making Smiley, and how he feels about it today, and if he felt it was the right move for the time. Im sure I could think of other things to ask too.

That interests me too. Because if he wasn't thrilled with Smile (as we have been led to believe), I'd love to know his views on Smiley Smile.

The whole year of 1967 is pretty murky in terms of information regarding the band. I'd love to know why Brian switched gears so dramatically from SMiLE to singles in the beginning of the year. Why VDP came back, if it was an awkward situation, and if he contributed any more at all before leaving yet again. How rocky or smooth the transition from SMiLE to Smiley really was. If they had fun making it, if Brian was in good spirits or crestfallen during those sessions, if the band liked it or thought they were making a mistake at the time and how much if any resistance they had to this second new direction. Why Gettin Hungry is credited to Brian + Mike. If they knew then how bad they screwed up by turning down Monterey. If there was still hopes of returning to work on some of the SMiLE songs at the time. If Mike knows anything about Cant Wait Too Long...

We need to know this stuff. It was the pivotal turning point for the band, but it gets so overshadowed by SMiLE itself and all the mysteries associated with that, that nobody talks about Smiley and what was going on post-May.

If a Mike Q&A were to be limited to one question/topic per person, I'd also appreciate it if someone asked what he thinks of SIP nowadays. Not in a nasty, defeating way, just honestly. And what the plan for the follow-up, "Masterpiece" was.

Really well put.  1967 was kind of a letdown in some senses because of the SMiLE collapse, Monterrey, etc.  However, it ended up being quite productive with the Smiley Smile and Wild Honey releases being among some of their best works.

You'd kind of think that a major project's "collapse" (shelving) would lead to another Greatest Hits LP or Beach Boys Party (Again!!) type product to meet the quota.

Well, it kind of did. The Best of The Beach Boys Vol. 2 was released in 1967 in between Smiley Smile & Wild Honey.

That was all Capitol though, and not the group's desire.

Who else would release a Greatest Hits Compilation?

My point is that much of this thread and this entire forum is devoted to shitting on Mike.

Well, that's their problem. I'm not too fond of his general mannerisms and some of what he's done either, but I'd still trust him to be able to answer questions well and honestly (tho, with a bias, of course.)

There was at least one person who attempted to troll the Brian Q&A and the mods handled it. I trust they'd make sure no abuse got through and ruined it for the rest of us.

Nonsense. This board, and the vast majority of posters on it, have given Mike an incredibly fair shot, many times over.

It is, of course, open to interpretation whether he has continued to deserve such a fair shot.

Is there anybody on the planet who doesn`t deserve a fair shot? Surely that`s the whole point of fairness...

I don't think anyone can deny that there are at least two posters here who are entirely arrogant/stupid enough to try to derail any such Q&A.

Missed that… dare I ask who?

If it were to happen, how about we're all allowed to PM one question to a mod who then asks them to Mike in a locked thread?

Another BB Q&A would be awesome and if love to get an honest view from Mike, especially in response to trickier/revealing questions. I for one would like to ask a question or two and would be genuinely interested in his view. It's a view that very often gets dismissed just because of who he is and the character he appears to be.

:kiss :kiss :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :wave :wave :wave :-* :-* :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :woot :bow :bow :bow :bow :bow :bow :happydance :happydance :happydance :love :love :love :love :love :love :rock :rock :h5 :shrug :shrug :hug :hug :drunks :drunks :serenade :tm :tm

So basically, you're a massive hypocrite* and proud of it. Way to go.

*If I recall, you were one of the ones sucking up to Daro and giving me a hard time for voicing my disdain of him.

Diet Pepsi uh huh!

Oh my, we DO need to get our facts straight on this, don't we Mujan. Directed 2 posts to Daro-sucking up? Try again. I made 10 comments on a 28 page thread. None, I repeat for your sake only, none were directed toward you. You can have all the disdain you can stuff in your trousers-I could care less.

Whoopsies.

But still...why is it ok to get info from one less savory person and not another?

Whether you like him or not, Mike was present for their entire career and could say a lot about the less known aspects of it that Brian won't answer. I'm sure he'll present his usual biases and talking points, but wwe could still learn a lot.

Frankly, I think we'd have the most luck getting the truth from Al.

Except that Al's memory is probably the worst of them all.

Dream Interview: Get Brian, Mike and Bruce together ( with some incentive) to answer the real tough questions

That would be the same Alan who was convinced that not only was "Honkin'" never released, but also that he didn't sing the lead vocal ? Works for me.  ;D

Dang.

I just meant he seems to have little ego. Brian doesn't like to talk about the past, Mike does but is sure to accentuate his own contributions, I figured Als got nothing to hide to misdirect about.

Who's left? Bruce?

http://www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?user=Bellagio

Of course everyone deserves it. But with Mike, I keep giving him the benefit of the doubt (after the songwriting lawsuit-credit grab, after the Al lawsuit, after the BWPS lawsuit, for the C50 shows), and he continually behaves in ways that would make Snidely Whiplash cringe. Doesn't mean he's a bad or untalented person. But the actions ... those actions speak of their own accord.

And what's the incentive? Cheese pizza? Meditation sessions with cheerleaders? The shortest of short-shorts?

Aye I got there in the end, with help… didn't help that the thread I'd asked a related question on had been moved.

But hey ho. Hope that ban is a temporary one and that the appearance of our Lord Brian here is an opportunity for all sins to be forgiven, and slates wiped clean.

For several years (1963-65), Mike ranked with people like Eddie Holland and Gerry Goffin as one of the best lyricists in teen-oriented pop. That's a legacy that he is rightly proud of, and a legacy that I should think Beach Boy fans would appreciate.

A Mike Love Q&A would be very cool, and an honor for the board.

admittedly, finding the incentive is going to be difficult.
Of course , after the release of the the books from Brian and Mike, probably the only questions yet to be answered will be those which only Bruce knows the answers

I agree.  Sometimes It seems like the board can honor any other lyricist's contribution except Mike's. Maybe it is just me.

At least for the LONG-time fans Cam I think no matter HOW MUCH they/we dump on Mike...they/we wouldn't BE HERE if it wasn't for THOSE songs...the music, THE LYRICS and the performances.  So no matter what I...or anyone else...SAY about Michael Edward we're here because of him not in spite of him.

Hence...at least to some degree..."I'm with stupid"...NO...I am."

He is an odd duck though. ;)

That's probably largely because he keeps very specifically asking to be acknowledged, or implying such. Time and time again. I GET that he would have a chip on his shoulder from being screwed out of songwriting credits from the early days. That's human nature.

But it's human nature just the same, even internally from within a band, to want to roll your eyes at somebody else who continually reminds the world of THEIR OWN accomplishments. Another case in point: Billy Corgan. He too is a laughingstock because he keeps asking for praise and interviews. Both men fail to realize that one only gets praise when one is modest and, to be frank, shuts up about it. That's simply just how it works.

:rock :h5 :thumbsup :thumbsup :woot :woot :bow :happydance :happydance

So he deserves credit but he won't get it because he thinks he deserves it, which he does.  I'm not going to mention that he went some 30 years without asking for credit on many songs. Whoops. (blush)

Mike deserves credit. Absolutely. It's not that he won't get it because he *thinks* he deserves it, but because he has made it obvious for a long while via things he's said in interviews that he thinks he deserves it. He has outwardly expressed it, repeatedly. That's specifically what breaks the rules, so to speak. There's an unspoken rule, and I can't tell you who made the rule, but it's essentially a rule of common sense that it doesn't go over well with others (self-defeats the goal of the person) for the person who wants praise for an artistic work to continually make that known themselves. And humans, due to human nature, largely, generally abide by this rule. People who violate this don't do themselves any favors. Like it or not, that's how it works.

Cam, I defy you to show me an example of an ALREADY successful and rich artist who has continually, repeatedly themselves voiced publicly, either specifically or in a vaguely roundabout way, that they want more credit/praise than they have been given... and how that situation has manifested into anything magically good, and righted historical "wrongs", so to speak. Maybe some fans are newly educated, but ultimately it creates more disdain for the artist. It just doesn't work. Amiright or Amiright?

Human nature has repeatedly shown that other people DON'T respond well to hearing that, most especially from someone who has already had success beyond 99.999% of everyone's wildest dreams. It just rubs people the wrong way, regardless of if there's an element of truth to the underlying sentiment. And regarding the 30 years without asking credit - no denying that it was grossly unfair. Absolutely.  I'm sure the resentment leaked out though, in untold ways, during those 30 years, as well as beyond...and I can totally understand and empathize with that too, but let's not deny that surely many regrettable actions from the wronged party himself may have manifested as a result. But please know - I want Mike to have the credit he deserves too.

What do you mean?? It took him 30 years to find a lawyer who would look at the case :lol. Remember too that he was tied up getting hitched and unhitched every couple of years which  contributed to burning through the money-oops! As usual, Brian was myKe's only cash cow and went after him being the greedy soul he was/is with even greedier lawyers. Hey myKe! When is your next lawsuit with Brian gonna be, huh???   :o not.

I don't think anyone will deny that Mike wrote good lyrics to some of the band's most successful songs. And, I think everyone would agree that he should get the credit he deserves for his contributions, as a lyricist, as the lead singer of many of those hits, and as the guy who kept the touring band running for the last 15 plus years.

The problem comes in when Mike makes that the main point of his interviews and when he repeats the same talking points that are designed to build himself up, even at the expense of others: The Wilson's did drugs, I didn't. I wrote Kokomo without Brian (but with about 3 other people, who rarely get mentioned),  Brian's "controlled," I didn't get the credit I deserved,  The Beatles and "Back in the USSR", set end date, etc, etc, etc…

Unfortunately, when someone spends that much time tooting their own horn, people dismiss the whole message, including the things that should legitimately be considered in his favor. Mike would actually improve his credibility if he didn't try so hard.

On topic, though. I don't see a Q & A with Mike yielding any more tantalizing information than the Brian session. It's just not the format for deep revelations.  It could be fun, sure. And Mike's answers will certainly be a bit longer. But, we'll probably get the same bits about the "cumulus nimbus," "Positivity," "alliteration,"  and the importance of meditation. I would be shocked if Mike chose this format to give us a well thought out analysis of what went wrong during the SMiLE sessions.  He'll be saving that bit for his book.

I could be wrong, though. Stranger things have happened.

So far...Mike has stuck to a kind of set of talking points...whether it be back 15 years ago...or this past November when I saw him deliver a guest speaker presentation for the Rotary Club in Chatham Ontario.  2 of us from one of the 'local' radio stations 'manned' the mics and later led the Q and A session when the formal 'speech' was done.  [Yes...He gives speeches. ;)]  I think, and I've said it here before, that Mike really needs a PR firm to sit down with him, go over the FACTS, devise a 'way' of telling his TRUTHFUL story, and drop the perceived swagger, the misinformation and the recreated myths and mistruths.  It could and likely would quickly enhance his image.  It would make him a REAL 'go-to' guy for Q and A's and it would set him up for speaking engagements long after the original [versioned] Beach Boys have ceased to tour.  I see that time approaching.  I think he'd still enjoy getting out on the road, still be an appreciated centre of attention, still make some decent extra income and stiil be a Beach Boy.

The whole presentation needs to be up-graded though.  It's just not done well...or presented professionally.  It's a bit of a disappointment.  No wait.  It's a LOT of a disappointment.  REAL fans would come away feeling that they'd attended a half-assed representation.  Mike is capable of SO much more but he needs someone with some KNOW-HOW to set it up...starting with the PR people.  As it stands now?  I doubt he'd be able to deliver anywhere near what the expectations would be here at SS  for a Mike Love Q and A.  He's NOT prepped properly to do it.  [And we all know that the 'Party' album wasn't really what they 'said' it was...geez Mike...why would you keep THAT myth afloat?  Credibility man.  Credibility.  It's important.]

Brian's visit was pretty much predictable.  He delivered exactly as he has in the past...dating back at least a dozen years.  It's how he rolls.

Mike's book?  [checking to see where Andrew is...] The content better be entirely different than what it is he delivers in person at THIS point in time [November 9, 2014]  or it'll be REALLY boring to read.  Like...I couldn't put it down.  Why?  Because it kept putting itself down...everytime it slipped out of my hands as I passed out while trying to read it.  

Mike just needs some assistance.  He's a veteran showman.  Put together a show.

Mike does a lot of local press to push the shows, and I'm betting he's asked the same old questions over and over and over again. Here, he'd be challenged: he reads this place, he knows what we do and (unfortunately, sometimes) how we do it and he knows we know our stuff. I think it would be an interesting exercise. Lot of folk here might not like the answers he could give. Let's hope we get the chance.

Huh, Mike ?  ;D

I would love to see Mike Love give a meaty interview but can't see it happening before the book comes out.  Isn't that what the publisher has paid the advance for, the juicy, interesting things that people haven't heard before?

Good points; but given the op, would he choose the tough questions or slide off into lalaland ala Brian and let us know his favorite pizza?

I think if he was asked about topics like his spriitual beliefs, his love of touring, his love for his family - including cousins - his take on the band's legacy, etc, rather than potential downers we might get some good stuff back in return. Alt, fire questions about royalties, acceptance of Pet Sounds and Smile, C50 blame and other old chestnuts and we'd get long-practised, oft-repeated answers.

Interesting take on it Add Some,  I think you might be spot on in regards to PR and how he comes across.  Get your point of view across effectively, honestly and professionally before father time catches up with you! ;)

I agree with Add Some and CenturyDeprived. Mike has much to be proud of. But he really does himself no favors constantly praising himself and getting in (often irrelevant/unasked-for) jabs at Brian.

I understand completely why people don't like him. All the same, it'd be worth it to at least hear him out. At the very least, I'm positive it'd be way more interesting than Brian's Q&A.

I would say if one has a problem with another taking due credit the problem is their own.

It does sound like we all agree that Mike deserves his status of as among the very best lyricist of Popular Music. Even if he hadn't co-written so many iconic hits,  his authorship of the almost universally  revered Good Vibrations alone earns him that surely.

You're missing the point. It's not that he doesn't deserve credit. He absolutely does. But like Century and Add Some said, it's a very big turn off to people when someone constantly sings their own praises. It just rubs people the wrong way. That's a fact. Yes, he deserves praise for writing some good songs on his own and the lyrics to all the hits. But...if he just stopped reminding us of that all the time, it'd give someone else a chance to say it about him. Y'know?

After all that's been written, I'm not surprised in some ways but why the need to continue to post cheap shots and criticisms of last week's Q&A? Read this thread, the whole thing: What possible purpose do any of the attempts to knock something down serve? I'm sick of reading it. If someone didn't like it, fine - No reason at this point to keep hammering the point into the ground. I can't understand in any way the need to take these kind of cheap and unnecessary shots, they're not convincing the majority who participated and enjoyed it that they should not have enjoyed or appreciated it, or whatever the need to post this stuff might still be a week later.

We know, we get it, there was a small group who posted how lame it would be before before a single answer actually got posted, so their enjoyment of it wasn't going to happen no matter what actually happened.

Great way to keep the doors open, great way to try to keep things positive for a change around here. End it, please, a week of this stuff from some of the same minority of posters who were critical before it even happened is too much. Unreal.  ::)

And that small group of you think posting and repeating this negative and critical vibe before, during, and after the only event we've hosted so far is the best way to create a welcoming vibe to inspire more honored guests to drop in to chat?

I'm saying I think taking issue with someone taking due credit is just a personal prejudice.

Anyway, I hope all of the Boys take a crack at the Q&A. I hope the Mods are actively pursuing it and bless them for all of their hard work.

David (and Carrie) would be good place to start imo.

Mike is 73. How long does he have to wait before the music press, critics, and fans notice that during 1963-65 his lyric-writing was as inventive and as memorable as the more celebrated "Brill Building" lyricists of the period -- people like Gerry Goffin, Cynthia Weil, Jeff Barry?

And I for one found Brian's Q&A plenty interesting for what it was intended to be -- an informative if brief chat with some knowledgable fans. It's an exciting time to be a smiley smile board member, not to be taken for granted.

He probably wouldn't have had to wait so long if he didn't keep pushing it on people. I think you're laboring under the delusion that life is fair--it's not. Most great artists aren't appreciated until after they're dead. It took a long time for even Pet Sounds to reach its legendary status. Probably would have taken longer if Brian spent every interview bragging about it. At least, he'd be perceived much more negatively if he did so. That's really just the way it is. IIt'some reason why so many dislike Mike. Not sure why this is so hard to acknowledge.

Cool. I respectfully disagree, but also concede I probably expected too much.

Guitarfool, respectfully, I have to disagree with you. I'm not trying to change the minds of people who really enjoyed the Q&A. I went out of my way to express how grateful I was for what you mods must have done to make it happen on numerous occasions and conceded I was probably too overzealous in expressing my not-completely-positive opinion about it before. But I don't see how saying a Mike Q&A would probably be more interesting/revealing than the Brian one was should be taken as such an affront. It's just my opinion. While I was a bit disappointed with the Brian Q&A, I'm not trying to sh!t on it by expressing that opinion. And for the record, I was actually really excited about the Brian Q&A. If you're not addressing me, then my apologies. But I get the feeling you are, so I want to clear the air if that's the case.

Agreed on all points.

Still, modesty is widely appreciated. I'm not that bothered by Mike's boasting either, but I can see that it's not helpful for his public image.

It's easy to demand modesty from the others and uncompromisingly pass judgement on people like we do. We're constantly behaving like moral judges of the attitudes of others, affecting outrage at other people's actions as if we never did the things we chastize (or worse). I've been around long enough to realize that this anti-Mike Love thing will not fade. Even some of the most thoughtful fans, when it comes to him, go "great lyrics and vocals, but let us not forget he did this and this". Or "he brings it upon his own", as if we were helpless about our own shitty judgement!!!! Can't there be a more sympathetic view, at least among knowledgeable fans like us? He's our friend through music; we don't have to remind him or us, constantly about his sins-- or what we percieve as such. That constant relativization, when on moral grounds, is useless and tiresome.

To remind all of us of Mike's wit and charm, let us watch this video:

http://youtu.be/0ZFuEh02tFw

Brian Wilson is well known as the creative brains behind the Beach Boys.  He's got the reputation and doesn't need to worry.  Mike's probably concerned that, in the eyes of the public, he's still perceived as just one of the performing monkeys, the ones who didn't write the tunes in their heyday.  He wants to make sure folk know that he's more than that.  I can see his point, because I'm not sure how many of the non-hardcore fans, many of whom go to see the touring act, are really aware of what he did and probably think of him solely as a performer.  Besides, the rest of the world probably isn't noting how many times he mentions all this.  We're the only ones who actively look for his articles.  Someone might see him in a magazine, note what he did and assume he just said it once.  But yeah, he could go about wising people up in a different, more effective way and, like Add Some says, get some PR professionals to help him out.