Mike Love on the LA Light Album

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Mike is prominent on every album since 15 Big Ones with the exception of LA Light. There was a similar case with Friends because I know he spent a lot of time with the Maharishi (correct?). Anyway, if I am correct in my time line, wasn't this album released after Brian sold his vote to Mike Love? I believe at the same time Carl Wilson was getting off drugs so he may have had an influence and maybe Al started voting with Carl (??). So was this album an odd case of 2 Love votes vs Al, Carl and Dennis? It just seems odd to be after MIU and before the Love dominant 80s. Any thoughts or knowledge as to the politics of the band in 79 that lead to this very serious album and why Mike was relatively not involved much?

[Pretty Funky]

Sorry, what vote did Brian sell to Mike?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Sorry, what vote did Brian sell to Mike?

Maybe it wasn't his vote. But it was something like that. Do you know at all what I am referring to?

[MikestheGreatest!!]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Brian felt caught in the middle between the meditators (Mike and Al) and the other Wilsons.  As a result of feeling such strain, he usually just sided with the Mike-Al Axis at some point.  Now whether that (pressure from Mike and Al) was his actual motivation or not, I don't know, but apparently he did start voting with Mike and Al against his brothers....as for actually selling his vote, I don't think even Brian would do that....

[DonnyL]

Mike is prominent on every album since 15 Big Ones with the exception of LA Light. There was a similar case with Friends because I know he spent a lot of time with the Maharishi (correct?). Anyway, if I am correct in my time line, wasn't this album released after Brian sold his vote to Mike Love? I believe at the same time Carl Wilson was getting off drugs so he may have had an influence and maybe Al started voting with Carl (??). So was this album an odd case of 2 Love votes vs Al, Carl and Dennis? It just seems odd to be after MIU and before the Love dominant 80s. Any thoughts or knowledge as to the politics of the band in 79 that lead to this very serious album and why Mike was relatively not involved much?

If I remember correctly, the story goes something like the group was split into two factions (Carl and Dennis vs. Mike and Al), and Brian just “gave” his vote to Mike because he didn’t want to deal with any decisions. But I think that was fall ’77/MIU-era, which partially explains why Dennis and Carl were mostly absent on that record, yet Mike/Al/Brian were heavily involved.

With the exception of Summer in Paradise, Mike has never really been super influential on any of the albums. The records where he did “dominate” are either lead vocals (early surf material), or as co-songwriter (e.g., Wild Honey). It’s surprising that Shut Down Volume 2 only has two standard “Mike Love”-type leads on it (“Fun Fun Fun” and “In the Parkin’ Lot”).

My take on LA (Light Album) is that it is was supposed to be a “democratic”-type album, where every member had his moment to shine. Maybe CBS felt that the group’s best shot at contemporary success were tracks with Carl vocals. This seemed to continue through to the 1985 album … let’s face it, Carl was the strongest vocalist in the group; you can’t blame them for going that route.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Mike is prominent on every album since 15 Big Ones with the exception of LA Light. There was a similar case with Friends because I know he spent a lot of time with the Maharishi (correct?). Anyway, if I am correct in my time line, wasn't this album released after Brian sold his vote to Mike Love? I believe at the same time Carl Wilson was getting off drugs so he may have had an influence and maybe Al started voting with Carl (??). So was this album an odd case of 2 Love votes vs Al, Carl and Dennis? It just seems odd to be after MIU and before the Love dominant 80s. Any thoughts or knowledge as to the politics of the band in 79 that lead to this very serious album and why Mike was relatively not involved much?

If I remember correctly, the story goes something like the group was split into two factions (Carl and Dennis vs. Mike and Al), and Brian just “gave” his vote to Mike because he didn’t want to deal with any decisions. But I think that was fall ’77/MIU-era, which partially explains why Dennis and Carl were mostly absent on that record, yet Mike/Al/Brian were heavily involved.

With the exception of Summer in Paradise, Mike has never really been super influential on any of the albums. The records where he did “dominate” are either lead vocals (early surf material), or as co-songwriter (e.g., Wild Honey). It’s surprising that Shut Down Volume 2 only has two standard “Mike Love”-type leads on it (“Fun Fun Fun” and “In the Parkin’ Lot”).

My take on LA (Light Album) is that it is was supposed to be a “democratic”-type album, where every member had his moment to shine. Maybe CBS felt that the group’s best shot at contemporary success were tracks with Carl vocals. This seemed to continue through to the 1985 album … let’s face it, Carl was the strongest vocalist in the group; you can’t blame them for going that route.

Mike Loves involvement can be more than just a lead vocal. In LA Light, he only wrote one song. Well two including Here Comes the Night. His name is on several tracks from 15 Big Ones to That's Why God Made the Radio with the exception of LA Light. He was definitely more in the background in the Jack Reiley era too. But for this one album he post Endless Summer it is unique. I think the least Mike albums would be Smile Sessions, Friends, So Tough and LA Light. Even on Pet Sounds he has 3 lead vocals and 3??? writing credits.

[Steve Latshaw]

<<My take on LA (Light Album) is that it is was supposed to be a “democratic”-type album, where every member had his moment to shine. Maybe CBS felt that the group’s best shot at contemporary success were tracks with Carl vocals. This seemed to continue through to the 1985 album … let’s face it, Carl was the strongest vocalist in the group; you can’t blame them for going that route.>>

Between the Bruce interview/profile/news bits in the final issue of David Leaf's Pet Sounds, and Dave Beard's excellent historical breakdown of LA Light in ESQ, it seems pretty apparent that Bruce had final say on the album contents.  Bruce vetoed Constant Companion as the lead off single in favor of Here Comes the Night, Santa Ana Winds, California Feelin', Brian's Back (written by Mike), and his own production of Brian's arrangement of Calendar Girl, which featured a Mike lead vocal.  As much as I like the LA Light album, I think it suffers by only having one lead vocal each from Mike and Al, although, in my view, the tracks that remain are all very strong.  The album itself has a polish consistent with the best of the yacht rock stuff very popular at that time.

[William Bowe]

Under the leadership/direction of Bruce/Guercio/CBS, the band was going for an adult contemporary sound that stood well clear of Mike's trademark cheesy nostalgia. The (younger) Wilsons were a better bet for material that fit the commercial strategy, as it was they who represented the band's "progressive" tendency - which by 1979 meant yacht rock and coked-out funk ballads.
Now I think of it, I'd suggest that BBs albums in this period alternated between "nostalgic" (15 Big Ones, MIU Album, KTSA) and "contemporary" (Love You, LA, BB 85), partly because the band was switching between strategies in response to successive commercial failures. It's the latter albums that are more rewarding for those of us who are primarily fans of the Wilsons.

[CenturyDeprived]

Bruce vetoed Constant Companion as the lead off single in favor of Here Comes the Night

Does anyone know how close Constant Companion came to being released as a BB song?

Did the fact that it was vetoed as being the single lead directly to it being pulled entirely from the album? That would seem to be similar to the fate of Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again), which was pulled entirely from Surf's Up when it didn't get the closing track slot.

[Steve Latshaw]

<<Does anyone know how close Constant Companion came to being released as a BB song?
Did the fact that it was vetoed as being the single lead directly to it being pulled entirely from the album? That would seem to be similar to the fate of Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again), which was pulled entirely from Surf's Up when it didn't get the closing track slot.>>

In the 1978 David Leaf interview, Bruce seemed very enamored with all of Dennis' submissions, as well as Carl's Angel Come Home, which Bruce thought (and I agreed), could have been a 1979 hit single for the band had it been pushed.  A Beach Boys classic, it had a similar commercial vibe to Exile's "Kiss You All Over" and the stuff Eddie Money was releasing.  A missed opportunity.

As for Constant Companion, according to the ESQ interview with Carli Munoz, Carl specifically told him outside the studio that Constant Companion would be the lead-off single from the album.  I think, with full Beach Boys harmpony and production, Companion would landed the same kind of chart success in 1979 that Paul McCartney & Wings garnered for "Goodnight Tonight"

[Jay]

I strongly believe that "Constant Companion" could have been a huge hit, either by Dennis or The Beach Boys. If it had been released by the group it could have possibly saved their career.

[urbanite]

L.A. Light album suffers from poor writing and nothing-special production.  It was a real disappointment.

[Jay]

I've always thought that "Under The Moonlight" would have made a great opening track for L.A. Light Album.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Under the leadership/direction of Bruce/Guercio/CBS, the band was going for an adult contemporary sound that stood well clear of Mike's trademark cheesy nostalgia. The (younger) Wilsons were a better bet for material that fit the commercial strategy, as it was they who represented the band's "progressive" tendency - which by 1979 meant yacht rock and coked-out funk ballads.
Now I think of it, I'd suggest that BBs albums in this period alternated between "nostalgic" (15 Big Ones, MIU Album, KTSA) and "contemporary" (Love You, LA, BB 85), partly because the band was switching between strategies in response to successive commercial failures. It's the latter albums that are more rewarding for those of us who are primarily fans of the Wilsons.

Interesting. I never thought about the band alternating between nostalgic and contemporary. Still, Mike does seem more involved in Love You and BB 85 than on LA Light. Perhaps most of his songwriting was nostalgic at the time. Getche Back was nostalgic too but the music was contemporary I guess. It's interesting that Brian was the only one using Mike for lyrics at the time. Dennis, Carl and Al looked elsewhere.

[Mr Fulton]

It's a real shame that Constant Companion was pulled from the LA Light Album because that's such a good song   Would love to find more info on it

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

L.A. Light album suffers from poor writing and nothing-special production.  It was a real disappointment.

Agreed.  There are a few decent songs, but the production is sterile as hell and many of the songs are flat out boring (looking at YOU, "Full Sail". You too, "Going South")

[Jay]

The one and only time I put on Full Sail, I fell asleep. Honest to god. 

[You Kane, You Commanded, You Conquered]

The one and only time I put on Full Sail, I fell asleep. Honest to god.  

That song is probably the softest soft rock song to ever exist.

[Lonely Summer]

The one and only time I put on Full Sail, I fell asleep. Honest to god.  

That song is probably the softest soft rock song to ever exist.

I love it. Everything about it. I could listen to that song everyday for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. In fact, I think I will.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

My thoughts on Here Comes the Night. I don't hate it, but maybe as a single only. It takes up space where 3 more songs could have been added. I thought about this though. What if they released a disco album called Wild Honey Disco. It wouldn't be the entire Wild Honey album but a few that could be turned are

1. Wild Honey
2. Aren't You Glad
3. How She Boogalooed It
4. Here Comes the Night

Maybe include Can't Wait Too Long and Good Vibrations. I can't help but think of the 80s Orange Crush commercial which is sort of a disco ized version of GV.

Also on the album cover, a disco ball that has the design of the window on the Wild Honey cover.

Anyway, I know everyone hates the disco, but as its own project would have been interesting. Though I was born in 77 so I may hate it if I had to live through it. Like I hate the boy band thing that was big 10-15 years ago

[urbanite]

And a disco version of "Dance Dance Dance."

[Magic Transistor Radio]

And a disco version of "Dance Dance Dance."

I never thought of that. Would be interesting.

[Steve Latshaw]

"...and a disco version of Dance Dance Dance..."

Maybe not.  A lot of ill-advised disco covers in those days...

Frank Sinatra... Disco Night & Day... 1977

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VSkEoW-yig

[Emdeeh]

Sorry, Magic Transistor Radio, but the mere idea of a disco WH makes me feel nauseous, in the same way the idea of a disco Pet Sounds would many others, I suspect. YMMV

For the record, I've never been a fan of disco.

[RangeRoverA1]

For the record, I've never been a fan of disco.

Me too! I think it's unpopular opinion, many people seem to like it.