John Lennon 'Mike Love is a jerk'

[Shady]

So a friend of mine told me that john lennon once said that Mike Love was a 'jerk'.

I was just wondering if this was true 

[Old Rake]

No.

[Shady]

Done a little research and it's true

He created a TV miniseries full of revisionist history to glorify his own contributions to the band and take credit for a lot of things he never actually did. He also used it to give the impression that John Lennon wanted to jam with him, although Lennon is quoted as calling him a "jerk'

[b.dfzo]

Actually, it is from a quote by Van Dyke Parks, regarding the made-for-TV movie about The Beach Boys (Mike Love was involved in it):

"What I saw on that show about Brian Wilson was false, and that's all I really need to say," he concludes. "I guarantee you it was a pack of lies.  And I'll tell you something -- I'll give you one final clean piece of evidence. The audience was led to believe by that movie that John Lennon wanted to jam with Mike Love.  Well, I was with John Lennon one time, and he told me that he and Paul thought that Mike Love was - and these are the words John Lennon used - 'a jerk.'  The Beatles thought Mike Love was a jerk.  So there are obviously two different impressions of that meeting.  Mike Love has one and John Lennon had another.  So, I'm submitting John Lennon's recollection to you since he's no longer here to do it himself."

So, I say, believe it or not.

On a non-serious note, here is a apt blog link: http://mikesabigjerk.blogspot.com/.

EDIT: The above mentioned blog is making me double over.  Direct quote: "Mike has a pet giraffe he keeps in his apartment. His name is Crouchy."  It's absurd, but I can't help laughing.

ANOTHER EDIT: Quote: "Mike's best friend is a pencil. He named it Kyle, and he has it write out, "You're cool, Mike" over and over again."

[Dancing Bear]

"Van Dyke Parks is the biggest butthole in the world".

[endofposts]

There's an account of the Beatles time in India in "Many Years From Now," the Paul McCartney biography by his pal, Barry Miles.  Paul actually seemed rather amused by Mike, saying he was a Sgt. Bilko at the Maharishi camp, always ready with spare film, batteries, or whatever people needed, as long as they paid him for it.    No mention at all of Mike being a jerk.

[Rocker]

There's an account of the Beatles time in India in "Many Years From Now," the Paul McCartney biography by his pal, Barry Miles.  Paul actually seemed rather amused by Mike, saying he was a Sgt. Bilko at the Maharishi camp, always ready with spare film, batteries, or whatever people needed, as long as they paid him for it.    No mention at all of Mike being a jerk.

The "jerk" is from John lennon as quoted by Van dyke Parks. It's not from Macca.

[Daniel S.]

I wouldn't believe everything Van Dyke says.

[Rocker]

I wouldn't believe everything Van Dyke says.

Probably right but on the other hand it's not very unlikely that Mike is declared a "jerk".

[endofposts]

Yeah, but John told Van Dyke that Paul also thought Mike was a jerk.  My point was, maybe John was just speaking for himself, not Paul.  Van Dyke was also hanging out with John when he was in the lost weekend period (Van was at the table the night of the infamous nightclub incident), and John didn't have the happiest view of anything at that time in his life.  In any case, I don't think Mike Love loomed as large in his psyche as Van Dyke's, so it's more of a dismissive thing than a condemnation.  John never had to deal with Mike other than meeting him in India.  Van, on the other hand, had extensive experience.

There's an account of the Beatles time in India in "Many Years From Now," the Paul McCartney biography by his pal, Barry Miles.  Paul actually seemed rather amused by Mike, saying he was a Sgt. Bilko at the Maharishi camp, always ready with spare film, batteries, or whatever people needed, as long as they paid him for it.    No mention at all of Mike being a jerk.

The "jerk" is from John lennon as quoted by Van dyke Parks. It's not from Macca.

[Dancing Bear]

Wife beater, jealous of more acomplished bandmembers, manipulative...











John could be a jerk but he was a good musician. 

[b.dfzo]

Did anyone visit the Mike Love is a Jerk blog?

[Jonas]

I did, I didnt really get it...

[b.dfzo]

It's tongue in cheek.  It basically creates imagined scenarios involving Mike, and accenting his 'jerkiness'.  It's a one note joke, but some of the stuff made me fall off my chair:

'Mike ran into some Japanese tourists who wanted directions to McDonald's. "McDonald's? Where is?" they asked.

Mike decided to have some fun with them. "It's up that way three blocks, then make a right, then two lefts, then it's on your right."

He was lying. In fact, the McDonald's was down the other way two blocks, then make a left, then two rights, then it's on your left.

What Mike didn't realize is that his bogus directions led instead to the local chamber of commerce, where the Japanese tourists got coupons for buy-one-get-one-free McFlurrys with the purchase of a Big Mac. And there was another McDonald's right next door. So he actually led them where they wanted to go and saved them $1.29 each in the process.

It would've been a happy ending, except that, as they walked next door to the McDonald's, one of the tourists got bitten by a squirrel.

They vowed never to visit America again.'

[Cam Mott]

Did anyone visit the Mike Love is a Jerk blog?

Where does it say it is about Mike Love?

[b.dfzo]

Hmm...this is where we all find out a deep, dark secret...

...I never learned how to read. 

[Jason]

What a stupid thread.

[b.dfzo]

I would acknowledge your post, Jason, but, as you know...

...I never learned how to read.

How sad.  I'm losing my mind, as well.

[runalot]

Here's one: Was Dennis Wilson really a racist who hated black people?

Frank Stallone thought so.

j/k

But seriously? Was he really a racist?

[MBE]

Lennon could be a "jerk" too, but I don't think he felt that way. I have read two books on the Beatles in India and Mike comes off fairly well in both. Paul has never said a harsh world about Love. Van Dyke is someone who I used to consider a gentleman. The 2000 movie does not make Van Dyke look bad at all to me. I thought his character was one of the few really good parts. Very funny and witty. I don't like the 2000 movie much but Parks came out ok. His interviews after the movie and after Mike's Mojo interview sounded like bitter ramblings. He lost my respect becvause he damn well knows his conflicts with Brian helped kill Smile as much as anything with Mike. Mike has ALWAYS said nice things about Parks. So what if they had a disagreement in 1966 let it go. Van Dyke played on Kokomo and SIP so he must have had some kind of rapport with Mike at one point. I think Mike has done some dumb things but I consider Van Dyke to be someone who is vindictive and he let Brian down by not toughing it out with him.  Mike didn't write the damn movie either and in fact said outright that a few elements bothered him. Van Dyke is very talented, so is Love, but without Brian getting them where they are would they have made it on their own.

[Dancing Bear]

Once upon a time Van Dyke was 24 years old and had a promising solo career waiting to happen. 40 years later he doesn't even release albums anymore - I guess all the buddies he had in Warner already left the building.  And he's only remembered nowadays for the lyrics he wrote for someone else in 1966. His bitterness is understandable.

[MBE]

Perhaps understandable to a degree but he has had nothing but praise for his work with and without Brian. I guess it may be the sad but true fact that getting close to fame is worse then staying a semi professinal.

[jazzfascist]

Here's one: Was Dennis Wilson really a racist who hated black people?

Frank Stallone thought so.

j/k

But seriously? Was he really a racist?

I've read that was one of the reasons, why he bonded with Manson, who didn't like blacks either. He once said that Aretha Franklin looked like bad, even though he acknowledged, that she was a good singer. Funny because I think she's quite beautiful

Yeah, but John told Van Dyke that Paul also thought Mike was a jerk.  My point was, maybe John was just speaking for himself, not Paul.  Van Dyke was also hanging out with John when he was in the lost weekend period (Van was at the table the night of the infamous nightclub incident), and John didn't have the happiest view of anything at that time in his life.  In any case, I don't think Mike Love loomed as large in his psyche as Van Dyke's, so it's more of a dismissive thing than a condemnation.  John never had to deal with Mike other than meeting him in India.  Van, on the other hand, had extensive experience.

Why is it such a problem if Lennon thought Mike was a jerk, a lot of other people have said so too. Is it because it's a sign that Beatles didn't totally adore Beach Boys?

Søren

[Rocker]

Here's one: Was Dennis Wilson really a racist who hated black people?

Frank Stallone thought so.

j/k

But seriously? Was he really a racist?

I've read that was one of the reasons, why he bonded with Manson, who didn't like blacks either. He once said that Aretha Franklin looked like bad, even though he acknowledged, that she was a good singer. Funny because I think she's quite beautiful

In that same interview he said that Brian also doesn't look good. It was all about how people who don't look very good can make music, that is very beautiful

[jazzfascist]

Here's one: Was Dennis Wilson really a racist who hated black people?

Frank Stallone thought so.

j/k

But seriously? Was he really a racist?

I've read that was one of the reasons, why he bonded with Manson, who didn't like blacks either. He once said that Aretha Franklin looked like bad, even though he acknowledged, that she was a good singer. Funny because I think she's quite beautiful

In that same interview he said that Brian also doesn't look good. It was all about how people who don't look very good can make music, that is very beautiful

Yeah that's the one, something about Aretha Franklin being someone you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley and Nat King Cole looking like a piece of sh*t.

Søren