New Mike interview Part 1 of 2

[Pretty Funky]

http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2015/09/09/mike-love-of-the-beach-boys-one-on-one-the-interview-part-1/#sthash.KrcPylSa.IUItY6gc.dpbs

[bgas]

Nice interview. 
What do you suppose this means? 
>>In fact, Michael Lloyd who is producing this Christmas single for us and who is in Southern California while we’re in a studio in Somerville, Massachusetts... <<

[Kurosawa]

That's one of the best interviews I've read from Mike, even with the astrology stuff, but hey, at least that's the real him.

[Cool Cool Water]

http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2015/09/09/mike-love-of-the-beach-boys-one-on-one-the-interview-part-1/#sthash.KrcPylSa.IUItY6gc.dpbs

Great interview. Thanks for sharing, PF.

[KDS]

I like the fact that Mike acknowledges the greatness that is All I Wanna Do, possibly his finest moment from the 1970s. 

And he also gives Brian credit for Til I Die!!! 

Looking at the concert setlists this year (more than the usual 33 song sets), and reading this interview, it seems like our Mike is growing up.   

[The Shift]

Haven't A-B'd them but does his early history account concur with the info in the book Becoming the Beach Boys?  Wonder if he's read it?

[Mike's Beard]

When is part 2?

[Rob Dean]

Very good interview - Many thanks for sharing, and here's to Part 2

[drbeachboy]

Great interview and also great questions to give thoughtful answers. I'm wondering about this new Christmas song. Will it be a Beach Boys single with Brian & Al or another solo release?

[kermit27]

If part 2 doesn't mention "positivity," "Kokomo was#1," or "drugs," it may be Mike's best interview in years.

If he was like this more often, his reputation would be very different.

[Lee Marshall]

   THAT'S how it's done.

Nice.

[the professor]

will listen now, but tell me, is there any mention of reunion, working together again, etc?  (You know what I care about),

thanks

Update: I agree--one of the very best interviews with no sign of tension or resentment. I don't like "it kills my soul" much either. No Hindu nor Christian could accept that statement literally.

I hope this indicates that some BB reunion work, album, show, individual song, is in the works.

The Professor.

PS: thanks for the link!

[CenturyDeprived]

If part 2 doesn't mention "positivity," "Kokomo was#1," or "drugs," it may be Mike's best interview in years.

If he was like this more often, his reputation would be very different.

+1. It's a great interview since it doesn't get into all that stuff. It's almost as though someone who cares about him kindly advised him to speak wisely. And great about being proud of All I Wanna Do, as Mike should be.

If he keeps it up with interviews like these, it will certainly not be a bad thing. Drugs really, really don't need to be brought up by Mike anymore. I am crossing my fingers.

[drbeachboy]

If part 2 doesn't mention "positivity," "Kokomo was#1," or "drugs," it may be Mike's best interview in years.

If he was like this more often, his reputation would be very different.

+1. It's a great interview since it doesn't get into all that stuff. It's almost as though someone who cares about him kindly advised him to speak wisely. And great about being proud of All I Wanna Do, as Mike should be.

If he keeps it up with interviews like these, it will certainly not be a bad thing. Drugs really, really don't need to be brought up by Mike anymore. I am crossing my fingers.

With drug references it too depends on the type of questions asked. This interviewer asked meaningful, thoughtful questions that received the same meaningful, thoughtful answers. I don't want to get too far ahead here, we haven't read part 2, yet.

[HeyJude]

I would tend to doubt the “new Christmas” single is a Beach Boys track with Brian and Al. Would be lovely if that was true of course. I would assume he has the touring band helping him cut what can only be released as a solo single. Hopefully, they’re not just doing new overdubs for “Santa’s Goin’ to Kokomo.”

[CenturyDeprived]

If part 2 doesn't mention "positivity," "Kokomo was#1," or "drugs," it may be Mike's best interview in years.

If he was like this more often, his reputation would be very different.

+1. It's a great interview since it doesn't get into all that stuff. It's almost as though someone who cares about him kindly advised him to speak wisely. And great about being proud of All I Wanna Do, as Mike should be.

If he keeps it up with interviews like these, it will certainly not be a bad thing. Drugs really, really don't need to be brought up by Mike anymore. I am crossing my fingers.

With drug references it too depends on the type of questions asked. This interviewer asked meaningful, thoughtful questions that received the same meaningful, thoughtful answers. I don't want to get too far ahead here, we haven't read part 2, yet.

If he gets asked about drugs, he could always frame things in a somewhat positive context, and talk about how Brian overcame some major obstacles, and has remained productive (even if not always writing with Mike). Point is, it doesn't have to go down a negative route, even if he's baited with a question like that.  Here's to hoping.

[rab2591]

Man that was a fantastic interview. Especially liked the question/answer about when Mike knew he had finally made it as a musician.

Can't wait for part 2.

[HeyJude]

Update: I agree--one of the very best interviews with no sign of tension or resentment. I don't like "it kills my soul" much either. No Hindu nor Christian could accept that statement literally.

I would say we don’t have to take the lyrics literally. I don’t think Brian is *literally* saying he’s a cork or a rock either.

I think “it kills my soul” is one of the most profound parts of the lyrics, it’s so cutting and direct.

I appreciate that Mike appreciates the lyrics, and hearing him actually pick apart a song in such detail is precisely the sort of thing I’d definitely like to see more of, as opposed to talking about “Cousin Brian’s drug problems.” I’d be curious to know *why* he doesn’t like that line, especially when he acknowledges that he understands what Brian was saying.

[Emdeeh]

I would tend to doubt the “new Christmas” single is a Beach Boys track with Brian and Al. Would be lovely if that was true of course. I would assume he has the touring band helping him cut what can only be released as a solo single.

That was exactly my take.

[drbeachboy]

I would tend to doubt the “new Christmas” single is a Beach Boys track with Brian and Al. Would be lovely if that was true of course. I would assume he has the touring band helping him cut what can only be released as a solo single.

That was exactly my take.

Well, I was kind of thinking that he might do something similar to what Al did on Don't Fight The Sea. One can only hope.

[the professor]

Jude, I agree with you; the function of pure metaphor ("cork, etc.) is to be distinguished from the metaphor of death of the soul. The death of the soul is a stunning and bracing , confrontational image, though, as you intimate, it can also simply mean "it gets me down!".

So good to think about this wonderful song and to hear Mike on it. Thanks Jude; you are right and wise.

Update: I agree--one of the very best interviews with no sign of tension or resentment. I don't like "it kills my soul" much either. No Hindu nor Christian could accept that statement literally.

I would say we don’t have to take the lyrics literally. I don’t think Brian is *literally* saying he’s a cork or a rock either.

I think “it kills my soul” is one of the most profound parts of the lyrics, it’s so cutting and direct.

I appreciate that Mike appreciates the lyrics, and hearing him actually pick apart a song in such detail is precisely the sort of thing I’d definitely like to see more of, as opposed to talking about “Cousin Brian’s drug problems.” I’d be curious to know *why* he doesn’t like that line, especially when he acknowledges that he understands what Brian was saying.

[HeyJude]

It appears the guys are in a kind of weird sort of state in terms of relations. There aren’t any lawsuits flying, but I think there are definitely still some politics at play. But it doesn’t *feel* like they’re in a place in terms of relations where Mike would ask Brian and Al to sing on a solo single and they’d jump at the chance. Regardless of whose fault such a weird sort of lukewarm relationship presently might be, I just don’t see that happening.

This new Mike interview is refreshingly interesting. But I don’t see a warm, budding relationship between his camp and the other.

These guys are always capable of anything, and they’ve literally been known to follow up lawsuits with collaborations, so anything is possible. But given recent interviews and the recent “Love & Mercy” soundtrack CD backroom politics, my best guess is we’re not at a stage of seeing Brian or Al sing on a Mike record.

A good BRI manager would of course point out that, if Brian and Al did sing on a Mike record, that a much stronger idea would then be to actually do a “Beach Boys” project at that stage.  

[kermit27]

It was also nice to hear Mike not make a dig at Brian's band when he mentioned that Ike played with Brian a few shows before joining Mike's band.  That was the sort of place Mike usually throws an unwarranted dig.  Didn't happen this time.

I also was happy to hear him be proud of All I Wanna Do rather than only being proud of Fun Fun Fun, Good Vibrations and Kokomo.

[bgas]

Update: I agree--one of the very best interviews with no sign of tension or resentment. I don't like "it kills my soul" much either. No Hindu nor Christian could accept that statement literally.

I would say we don’t have to take the lyrics literally. I don’t think Brian is *literally* saying he’s a cork or a rock either.

I think “it kills my soul” is one of the most profound parts of the lyrics, it’s so cutting and direct.

I appreciate that Mike appreciates the lyrics, and hearing him actually pick apart a song in such detail is precisely the sort of thing I’d definitely like to see more of, as opposed to talking about “Cousin Brian’s drug problems.” I’d be curious to know *why* he doesn’t like that line, especially when he acknowledges that he understands what Brian was saying.

the interviewer, Ken Sharp, is definitely a BBs guy and knows his stuff! Has good sense on what not to ask. Hope his ( Ken's) book sees daylight soon. 

[SMiLE Brian]

I want a bgas book with the collection organized with pictures!