The Smiley Smile Message Board

This thread is ONLY for Mike appreciation. If one of you even THINKS about bringing the negativity that's crowded practically every other thread on this forum, I will forceably take over the Internet and ban you from Smileysmile and every other forum imagineable and give you a pistol whipping worthy of being dealt by Bruce Johnson himself.

He wrote the words to Warmth of the Sun, the single most beautiful BB song and the most divinely inspired song that Mike and Brian wrote together. The song brings me to my knees every time I hear it. Mike also wrote "told my folks I  would be alright," one of the single most humane and sensitive depictions of young love and parental relations and support (in Kiss me Baby).  Let me put it better: it's a real young man's moment emotionally, vulnerable, with his caring mom and dad.  The Professor could go on listing how many moving, genuine lyrics Mike wrote. I am on record as praising him widely. I want him back with the others Boys.

Well thank god there's no negativity in this thread.  ;D

Anyways, Mike Love seems like a chill dude.  Out of touch, sure, but I think his intentions are good and I think he's a great singer and frontman.  His daughter, Ambha is also really sweet, I've talked to her on Tumblr a few times and the relationship between the two is truly something to admire.

I dig Mike Love.

Lest we forget, he did sing on Pet Sounds and SMiLE.

Every time you add a Y to Mike's first name, he eats a baby to prove how horrible he really is.

Some of my favourite vocal performances by the Lovester:

1. Kiss Me, Baby
2. Aren't You Glad
3. All I Wanna Do
4. Surfin' U.S.A.
5. That's Not Me
6. 409
7. All I Want to Do
8. Here Today
9. Big Sur
10. Meant for You

One thing I think that is overlooked sometimes about Mike is the fact that he never seems to phone it in onstage even though he has performed those songs thousands of times. Most groups who started decades ago become greatest hits acts and some get sick of performing because of it (eg. Daryl Dragon said in an interview years ago that that's why Captain and Tenille quit touring). It is pretty rare I think to have a frontman who will give the crowd what they want and won't resent them for it.

Aside from that, Mike obviously deserves praise for his vocal and lyrical contributions from the band's beginning up to 1973. And some (only some) of his solo work is worth a listen too.

Mike got heckled a few times on the C50 tour when he began talking about TM before playing "All This is That". I appreciate how despite it being ammunition his detractors use against him and it falling out of vogue 40 years ago, he hasn't surrendered his beliefs to peer pressure, remaining a devoted practitioner of TM amidst all of the adversity.

(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/87881139/Mike+Love.png)

Massive respect was gained when I saw the album this photo was sourced from posted on his facebook.

.

His lyrics on Today ("Kiss Me, Baby" has been mentioned. "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)" and "Please Let Me Wonder" are really strong material as well.)
A high count of excellent vocal performances.

CONTROVERSIAL OPINION TIME WARNING


In a manner of speaking, he was kind of right when it came to Van Dyke Parks' Smile lyrics. Now before you sharpen those axes let me state: I love Van Dyke's lyrics and had Smile been completed I would have wanted it done with his lyrics as intended.
But Mike's right about it not being quite 'commercial' material. The H&V single 'bombing' the way it did I think could be mainly blamed on the lyrics. And hey, the lyrics to H&V, from my personal view, are some of the best written but if you try to see it from your average feller's or lady's view point the lyrics are a bit inaccessible.

True story.

I think when Mike says "commercial", it really feels as though he means not only what will sell to the public, but what their core fanbase would expect of them based on a few things he's said in the past. Like, their real, honest to goodness Beach Boys fans. He talked about this on one of the Smile Sessions videos - how he wondered how so and so from wherever who loved the band would take Van Dyke's lyrics. Agreed that I wouldn't have Smile any other way, but I can understand his side of things, too. The guy wanted himself and his group to do well and wasn't specifically put off by change or growth, just concerned about Van Dyke's specific imagery in the context of "Does it make sense for the Beach Boys? Will our fans love it or hate it?"

Regardless, Mike still sang the specific line of Van Dyke's that seemed to irk him the most and did so really well. The tag of "Cabin Essence" and his vocal on that part is a huge key moment from the "completed" 2011 album (or fanmix of your choice). He was a team player and ultimately trusted Brian's creative vision. He was never the ultra-nostalgic super regressive writer and performer he's consistently accused of being in the Pet Sounds/Smile era until at least 1974 or 1975 when Endless Summer happened - that's evident in stuff like "Big Sur", "All I Wanna Do", "Let The Wind Blow" etc. Those are really interesting, well-done lyrics, a huge leap forward from his early work and not at all solely "Surf sun summer hurr durr."

And we appreciate that.

I've been banging my head on the Hoffman board lately on a thread which relates to Mike's songwriting abilites. It's shocking how many people out there genuinely believe Mike had no part in writing all the classic hits - that it was all Brian. There are also people who won't budge an inch on giving him any credit simply because they don't like him as a person.

It's either that or you present them with the facts that the basis of a song was written by Mike and suddenly, "That song isn't very good anyway." Okey doke.

I also like the "He just wrote lyrics" argument (if they're even willing to give him credit, there). Writing even decent, fitting lyrics can be really fucking hard for some people. Not to take anything away from Brian, but you do wonder if things would've played out in a drastically different manner if not for Mike and Brian teaming up on so many of their early hits.

The one thing that I really don't get is how if you say anything vaguely positive about Mike's contribution some people seem to think that it threatens Brian in some way. Clearly everybody know that Brian was a genius and saying that Mike wrote some good hooks and lyrics doesn't change that.

He and Brian are my Lennon/McCartney, my Jagger/Richards..

Needless to say I do appreciate him

Mike Love is not chicken sh*t

Yep i've been hit with that doozy. Guess someone better tell Jagger, Plant, Tauplin etc that they are talentess fucks who caught a lucky break too.

i like my glove..

Hammerstein, David, Hart...

 Mike's ATLANTIS RISING is a lost masterpiece.

Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to dismiss the art of lyricists. Like the story about Oscar Hammerstein's widow at a dinner party when someone mentioned that Jerome Kern wrote Old Man River. She replied "No, Jerome Kern wrote dum dum dum-dum. *My husband* wrote Old Man River".
Or when, after Ira Gershwin testified to Congress, he was thanked and told "how much we all admire those great songs written by your brother George."

For some reason everyone seems to think that writing music is some sort of arcane magic, while anyone could dash off a lyric in a few seconds.

The 'First Love' album is brilliant! Stylistically diverse and full of great tunes. Ok it's not all great - 'Daybreak' manages to be even more mundane than on the released version, which is saying something, and the lyrics to 'Brian's Back' are truely cringeworthy - but elsewhere the album really is excellent. 'Viggie' is one of his very finest (the 'flowers for another man' line gets me every time); 'Glow Crescent Glow' meanwhile is even better - it really is such a superb arrangement. A very moving song. 'Little Darlin' has a great melody and some really fun, interesting production (it almost sounds like Midnite Vultures-era Beck). 'Tricia' is another winner (wasn't this later passed up for inclusion on Beach Boys '85? Big mistake).

Sad that Mike (and Dennis) had all this incredible unreleased music in the late '70's and yet the band only saw fit to include a few scraps of it on L.A. Light Album (and none of it on Keepin' The Summer Alive). The inclusion of Glow Crescent Glow or I Don't Wanna Know or Viggie on any of the later albums would've massively improved 'em.

Hope we get some choice First Love cuts on MIC. These songs deserve to be heard by a wider audience.

As diligent as he's been to try to fill Clarabelle's shoes, he knows down deep, it ain't gonna happen  in his lifetime. It will be interesting to see just what he does with with his "study while on the road" clown school diploma. By the looks of this picture, he's not getting the makeup part of it done real well. ;)

Stop being such a racist, culturally insensitive pig. To insult the hundreds of millions of people who wear this traditional religious attire because of some petty, obsessive and irrational dislike you have towards Mike is beyond childish, it's sickening. Grow up and get off my thread.

not at all. the chorus slows the song much down. it's an artistic wonder but was never to be a commerical success on par with GV since it deals with a completely different topic. not only that, but had H&V been called 'Beaches and Babes' and been more aligned with GV in lyrical content I seriously doubt it would've suceeded anywhere near what GV did.

That's a joke, right? Where's the smiley face?

If it's not a joke, well, let me remind you that you don't own this thread. It's public domain and the attitudes expressed here so far could turn on a dime within one post. I don't care what the title of the thread is - this board is the very best at countering with alternate viewpoints. It's a free country here. Free speech and First Ammendment and all that. Remember?

An underrated phase of Mike's career was the inventive, witty way his 1964 lyrics transitioned the BBs from being mainly a surf and hot-rod band into being a band that could thrive in the midst of the British Invasion.

I'm thinking especially of 'Fun Fun Fun' and 'I Get Around'. These were segue songs -- yes they were (partly) car songs, but car songs expanded to take in teenage life in general in a way that was freshly observed. Mike wasn't writing songs about other songs (as most pop music does), he was writing songs about the life he saw around him, in ways that were original, instantly memorable, and entertaining.

Mike Love shits on the Stones live

No he doesn't.

I made the intention of this thread expressly clear in the original post and he has intentionally derailed the discourse which goes against board rules. He's free to bitch about Mike anywhere else on this board, and if he in all of his delusion wishes to create a "Mike Love is the Hugest Poophead IN THE WORLD" thread, he's well within his rights to and I'm not going to pretend he's not.

Is my reaction a bit histrionic and melodramatic? Perhaps, but largely, I don't think so. Oldsurferdude has already been called out on the cultural insensitivity of his remarks in regards to his comments of Mike's attire in those photos and yet he continues to throw around slander like the bigoted privileged brute he is and I have no qualms with telling him to shove it.

I am not going to lie, it really speaks to the odd character of the 1960s that a white working class guy from California is heavy into Indian religions.

Yes he does
There's a speech that proves it right

Where the hell do you think Mike got his stage moves? Watch him dance and prance around the stage starting in the 70's. The spittin' image of Jagger. Even did "Jumpin' Jack Flash" during the encore for awhile. Mike couldn't (and still can't) hold Mick's jock.

:h5 :woot :tm :woot :thumbsup :woot :happydance :woot

They have both toned it down over the years. They can't be having a heart attack and dying on stage, can they? Mikie you are right, Mike definitely used many of Mick's moves one stage throughout much of the 70s.

Very true, Doc!

One other thing I would say for Mike is that his voice has actually become less nasal over the past several years. Obviously it is thinner than in the 1960s as you would expect but he actually does a good job of singing the hits. While, like everyone else, I would have loved it if the C50 tour could have continued forever, the touring band are still doing a good job as evidenced here:

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

Mike had the good sense to wear a pith helmet in the hot  Indian sun while visiting the  Maharishi  with the Beatles  in 1968.

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dCVZ3U_lipU/SM32TKN774I/AAAAAAAAG90/cplrLeZd_mM/s1600/alltogethernow.jpg)

I'm not sure (could be wrong) Glow Crescent Glow or Tricia were ever intended for the First Love album even though they are included as bonus tracks on the bootlegs. Glow Crescent Glow was first recorded during the 15 Big Ones era I think and is better than most songs on that album. I agree it would be a good choice for the box set.

First Amendment doesn't apply on private property.

Hell it barely applies in the US these days.

In any case I'm with Quzi on this.

You're with "get off my thread??" Does this fall under some provision on board rules? I want to make sure this is the way things are gonna go around here from this point on-don't want to get my sorry ass banned again. ;)

 

Great, just what we need, another Stones Fan; fairly certain tho, it's: "Get off My Cloud" ( TM probably puts  ML on a cloud) Now go ahead and try to take over the internet and do your worst. 



      I'm usually as unappreciative as anyone for OSD, but the outfit  in question is religuious garb?  Really?  Have to go on record as being on the side of Clown suit. If someone takes offense at that( opinion) they can always not wear it when I'm around...  See, I suppose I just don't see TM as a religion as much as  a way of life practice,  so for me, at least from the way I view ML/TM he's not wearing religious Garb, only some flashy gold threads in another lame attempt to become JJF.   

Yes, it's an outfit worn by millions of Hindus and is an integral part of the religious celebration of one's birthday. To say it's akin to a clown suit is being oppressive towards an already marginalised group and it's highly out of line. Also, why must it be "they can always not wear it when I'm around" and not "I can tolerate and respect their cultural traditions when they're around"? Oh right, because all other cultures must submit to assimilating to fit the profile demanded by the white man, right?  ::)

Also, I was clearly kidding about the "take over the Internet" comment, I'm just sick and tired of the bashing and thought it'd be good to have a place of respite here in this thread. In fact, truth be told, had oldsurferdude just come in here and rationally countered a few of the points raised in this thread, I'd be annoyed, sure, but I wouldn't have been as directly angered as I am. What really grinded my gears is that he was informed of his cultural insensitivity a few weeks ago, when he likened the vibhuti
(the white lines on his head) to scars from a lobotomy, yet he continues to be knowingly racist and intolerant, acting like swine. I'm not a dog for calling him out for this, I'm just doing what I know is right.

Well, this is turning into a revealing thread.

http://youtu.be/p7ZnApTRYGQ

Are we to assume that from your childhood that you have enjoyed laughing at 'those funny foreign people' and their cultures and customs?

Yes, it is traditional Hindu religious dress. And whatever your opinion of TM (and I am no fan of the Maharishi at all) Mike is a devout, very religious Hindu. And mocking him for that -- and for sharing fairly intimate photos of himself and his family on Facebook, rather than just sticking to the normal pictures of him in a baseball cap with an American flag in the background or whatever -- is *at best* incredibly ignorant and, frankly, nasty. At worst it is, as Quzi says, racist, because after all it's perfectly OK to make fun of a religion with a billion adherents so long as those people are mostly brown.

This kind of thing is absolutely sickening,

I'm sure OSD won't mind me saying, but he is a one trick pony, albeit a very funny one. Mocking Mike is his thing, and to start a thread the way this one was started was a red rag to a bull. I find it hilarious people actually get wound up over what is obviously a joke

If I started a thread about Brian appreciation in such a fashion, I would expect to be greeted with cries and heckles of "Brianista!" (Which I am and proud of) Sorry Quzi but you were asking for trouble

And I don't think anyone is mocking Hindu culture, they're mocking Mike who does look a bit silly in that picture. (Much as he did in his 70's robes) Childish maybe, but guess what. Do you think Mike gives a toss what OSD or anyone thinks? He's always loved getting a reaction. Conversely Quzi, I equally don't think he'd care much about you wanting to  protect his good name.

Mike is a complex character, and also a highly controversial one. No one can doubt he's a very intelligent man, but equally, you'd be hard pressed to say he hasn't done some pretty indefensible things. Yes, I know Dennis and Brian weren't saints, but there is something cold and calculating about Mike. Simply put, I don't think he's a particularly pleasant individual.

Saying that though, how glad I am that my private family politics and rows haven't been played out in public for 50 years. There are many times I don't think I'd have come across as all that nice.

Certainly, although it doesn't speak badly of his character at all. Even Mike Love couldn't escape the 60's!

Very well put Stephen!

I think we can all at least agree that Mike rocked one of the best beards in the group.

He did indeed, and I think his early 70's look was so ridiculous it was cool, as were his gold suits later in the decade.

Regarding the latest pictures though, unfortunately if a celebrity posts private pics of themselves, laying themselves open so to speak, then they're going to be ridiculed. Law of the playground I afraid. Most wouldn't do it, but again, let me reiterate, Mike doesn't give a sh*t what anyone thinks of him. That is one thing I do admire him for

I'm with Quzi too and I think it is totally disrespectful towards her by the Mikehaters to ruin her thread which was meant to get some positivity and less hatred here. Why don't all the Mikehaters get their own board where they can tap on each other's shoulder until they have an orgasm?

I would prefer a rational and balanced point of view on the band members here and a grown up way to treat each other. True, Mike Love is not an angel and has his egotistical side, but so has Brian.

And does Mikehating go with dyslexia? I mean I'm not English and even I know how to spell "amendment".

OSD made one post. Where are all these "Mikehaters"?. I made a few balanced posts. You're paranoid my friend.

As far as I'm concerned, it's chucking the word "hater" around every time you encounter an opinion you don't like that really brings this board down.


They have, it's called "The rest of the Internet"

I think you missed the poster who described what Mike was wearing as, 'a clown suit'. If they'd said they thought he looked like a clown then fair enough but it is pretty ignorant to just dismiss the clothing itself simply because it is from another country and culture.

 :thumbsup

I agree, but I think the dig was towards Mike, not Hindu religious garb.

And you're right, it was more than one post, I just have a knee-jerk reaction when I see the word "hater". Like accusing someone of racism or sexism, it's a quick and dirty way to win an argument.

Anyway, before this erupts, I fully respect that people like Mike and value his contribution to the band, but trying to ban negative views from a thread is just ridiculous. I'm going to jump on OSD's side on principle!

The best way to deal with oldsurferdude's tired and immature banter is to ignore him. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "don't feed the troll."

Thanks for wasting five minutes of my life looking up to see if Abe Lincoln actually said that.

I think this was the first time ever I used the word "hater", and I don't think you're right by claiming it came up "every time you encounter an opinion you don't like". That's just an easy excuse from your side. There's lots of opinions here that aren't mine and I'm fine with that. But this childish way of putting down anybody who dares to see something good in Mike Love has reached an annoying amount of overabundance. Once in a while, ok, it can even be funny then. And I still think it is disrespectful towards Quzi to ruin his thread. If there was a "The Private Life of Bill And Sue appreciation thread", I would leave it alone and not go in there and post how much I hate it.

Yeah, don't feed the troll.

It wasn't right next to this one?

"The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot confirm their validity."

A former member of this board (one I took great pleasure in banning) would consider folks like us to be "Kokomaoists".

That's cool, I didn't mean you personally. like I said, I just have a knee-jerk reaction to the word. Personally I agree it was distasteful, sorry OSD, but I find this notion of trying to ban people from posting negative opinions on a thread you  started, to be more distasteful. (Again, I don't mean you Micha, I mean "You" in the universal sense)

And I also  agree with you (now I mean you Micha) it's best to ignore threads you have no interest in, but that can't really be made a rule can it?

I may be a dumb Limey, but even I know that's in the Gettysburg adress

And how...yet many of the butthurt folks on here cry for bans when someone hurts their feewings with a differing opinion. Not you personally, but it's been a trend on this board as of late.

I completely agree. I've had to go through a sharp learning curve when it comes to "My Feelings" / The Internet. I feel I'm at the point now where I can let most things go over my head. Its pointless taking stuff too personally on here. You're going to encounter all sorts.

I think your Noam Chomsky signature sums it up perfectly.

Mike Love LOVES what he does, and he's good at it. Most people can't say that. He has also performed live more than just about anyone else, an amazing feat. Even though he has had his share of missteps, and done some stupid things, (doesn't everyone) his contribution to the Beach Boys and the genius of Brian Wilson, will always keep him in an OK place with me.

Well, I'm sorry, I had taken it personally first. Maybe it was in part a language thing, in my native language there is another word for "You in the universal sense", so I was inclined to take it personally. Thank you for clarifying in your post.

What put me so off was mainly OSD's disrespectfulness, not his sheer opinion. Maybe I went over the top with writing "all those Mikehaters", but lately more than just one thread turned into Mikebashing. I'm not paranoid though, thank you. And what also bugs me about OSD is that he doesn't accept differing opinions to an extend that for instance he reproached Cam that he constantly kisses Mike's ass. That's childish and rude.

I like the word "Kokomaoists", even if I don't like the song. :)

No apology necessary Micha.

I'm beginning to hate all you alls. Just kidding.

The differing opinions is what makes the board fun. But the personal attacks are simply childish and don't belong on the board. When words such as idiot, dweeb, pig, dick, etc start to be hurled in attack mode by someone who doesn't like how the debate is going, they have entered the realm of the juvenile mindset. No big deal if it happens once in a while. But certain people make it a regular habit and those we would be better off without.

Agreed but coming on to the board and crying to the admin because somebody called you a dweeb in a PM is surely childish as well.  :lol

First of all, your kind of comment is exactly what I just posted about. Ss the saying goes, if the shoe fits, ......

Secondly, you are making a wild assumotion with the only purpose being to be combative.

Third, certain people on the board use words liie dweeb as as warm up. When you have to resort to insults all the time, you really show the kind of person you are.

Lastly, as a person who was banned for posting PMs and who has a long history of insulting comments on the board, I guess my post hit home?

Not in the least and if you'd like to pick out some of these insulting comments that you believe I have a long history of posting then I'd be interested to see them.

I agree with what you say about personal attacks and childish behaviour being unnecessary on the board. Absolutely. I'm sure everybody posts nonsense at times (myself included) but if you are going to lecture others about their posts then it would make sense to look at what you are posting yourself too.

That's all.

Anyway, let's get back on topic shall we as the board admin have enough to do...

I'm not offended in the least (most of time) by OSD's approach..... He's like Mike. He is who/what he is and isn't going to change for anyone... I get way more offended by all the academic and pompous "serious and informed" University Of David Leaf School graduates who sit there and pontificate about how evil and awful Mike is... when it's really just the same immature and irrational hatred as OSD spreads. At least OSD just hates Mike with an honest passion and doesn't need to dress up his opinion.

Good lord, I hope nobody paid too much to get that diploma.

Since my original post was not directed at you, I wonder why you had to respond in such a way?

This is a great example of what I am talking about. In your response, you lecture me. When I respond back, you are unhappy I am lecturing you. Really makes me wonder about........ If you want an example, let's start right now. You insult me by calling me childish. I didn't call you any names. This is a great example of how this stuff escalates.  

Obviously, you didn't learn much during your ban.

The latest matter at hand was exactly this. OSD was called a racist and a pig, among other things. Human beings have the ability to debate and argue using their god given intelligence. When you get personal, like calling them a dick, a dweeb, childish...., that is unnessary and does nothing to further your argument.  I would have PMd you but you have posted you don't do PMs.

As I said, the admin have better things to do than monitor this stuff so this will be my last post about this and then let's get back on topic. Your above post is exactly what I'm talking about so try to read this as constructive criticism because that's what it is.

Earlier in the thread I stated that the post you made yesterday complaining to the admin that AGD called you a dweeb in a PM was childish. Sorry but that is not an example of me calling you childish. It is me calling that specific piece of behaviour childish. A very different thing and certainly not an example of me, 'calling you names' (jeez!).

You're right that this stuff can escalate but you seem to want to deny that you play a role in that.

Anyway, that's it and thank you for not sending me a PM because I genuinely don't get why anyone on the board would send PMs to people they've never met and don't know unless there was a tangible reason such as sharing the music.

I am still trying to get where you got the idea my post was directed at only the board admin? It's twice you have stated this. I say it to you now and before.

When you direct a derogatory comment to someone in the first person, it's an insult. To speak generally, in the third person, not really. OSD goes off on ML and then people personally attack him, then tit for tat.

If I say, Nickos, your statements are childish, I am insulting you. You are not a child and your opinions are as important as anyone elses.

Do you mean the 'dweeb' post? You quoted one of the admin's posts and replied to it. You also said the admin should be banning people for things like that.

That's the point isn't it. If I were to say that your statements (plural and implying all of them) are childish then it would be an insult to you. I didn't and haven't though. I'm sure everyone on the board (again myself included) has posted drivel and then they have to expect someone to say, 'that's a stupid comment', 'that's insane', 'that's childish' etc. Not personal insults at all.

Anyway, let's get back on topic shall we...

Where is it, I never said that. I said I went to PM with said individual and that person, instead of responding back via PM, posted insults. Please stop misquoting me and get it correct.

I totally disagree with your definition of insults. Make a comment like that and it's just going to escalate.  If the party feels offended, it's on. My point is you could choose your words more carefully, in my opinion.

And if you didn't have this aversion for PMs, we could save the bosrd from this mundane, tedious and probably boring discussion.

Wow this is some appreciation thread for Mike love :lol

I appreciate Mike's bass vocals a lot. He also had some good lead vocals. I don't really care for lyrics, not saying I don't care for his, just lyrics in general. I prefer the music over the words.

Really, that's about all I can say.

Continue your regularly scheduled arguments. ;D

Despite my one appreciative post about ML, insults against him were bound to happen. As usual, civility was lost and personal attacks have hijacked the thread.

What would you expects to happen on a "Why I dislike Mike Love thread"? Same thing only a lot worse.

Mike is a lengendary front man. Really knows how to work the audience. I think his voice still sounds pretty darn good.

Yep, lasted all of about 7 posts.  :)

Back on topic...

It will be interesting to see which rare Mike songs if any make the new box set. Obviously I would like plenty of unreleased Dennis stuff and any good Brian songs that are in the vaults but hopefully there might be some interesting Mike and Al tunes too. The early version of Big Sur would be a good inclusion and it will be interesting to see what 70s and 80s rarities can be unearthed. If solo recordings are considered then some from First Love and Unleash the Love (or the Adrian Baker stuff if they are feeling sadistic) might be included. Mike has written some pretty decent stuff when breaking away from the fun in the sun themes.

(http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6447/6282424590e4caa0f24dz.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/29/6282424590e4caa0f24dz.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

.

Amen, brother!  ;)

I think it's pretty fitting for an appreciation thread for any Beach Boy. They more than any other band were the masters of drama, and these threads have plenty of drama.

I've said my share of negative things about ML but man the guy is the best nasal singer I've ever heard and his bass vocals are tops. And he's distinctive, very very distinctive. I also think he has or had some real potential as a songwriter had he got into it more. Everyone's in Love with You is a really pretty song if you ask me, and one of the highlights of 15 BO. I sometimes wonder why Mike and Bruce don't write some new songs together, Bruce is Brian lite and Mike could add more punch and some real soul to his tunes.

I also don't really mind Mike breaking up the C50 Beach Boys because I just don't think him and Brian are good for each other anymore. And I don't care if he tours with the BB name, I'm just not interested in them without new music.

Arguably the hardest working man in show business. Lives on the road. Relentlessly. Brings it every night and works the crowd like a ring master. That road warrior experience manifested itself during C50, when his between song monologues and leads were impeccably delivered - no doubt given gravitas by the assembled wall-of-sound behind him. How sad that he seemingly fails to understand how richly he shined in its reflection. A five-piece 'lets rock' lineup doesn't do him justice, me thinks.

There. I do not come to bury Lovester but to praise him. Sorta.

(http://i36.tinypic.com/313hq4p.jpg)

I still think it is wrong to say that every time an opinion is posted someone posts "You're a hater".

Then I apologize. I didn't literally mean every single time.

IT IS NOT THE MIKE LOVE AMERICA WANTS

BUT THE MIKE LOVE AMERICA NEEDS

 :lol, I need to ask Mike Love for fashion tips. Hell, have Mike write a book on the subject "Love to be cool"

Cue James Brown's "Living In America"

See, a normal man would be all like 'I can buy the white trousers, blue jacket, white pumps, and find a white baseball cap (and even a white belt, a purchase I thought ostentatious at the time, which in time has proved it's worth) - but I lack the sparkling stars and stripes waistcoat that would really set this ensemble off! How else can I add a subtle reminder that I, _____, love America to my outfit that is a minor addition and yet instantly draws the eye? O, I shall have to cancel Mrs Reagans annual beer pong championship this year!'

Not Mike. He probably has six of those.

I wonder if Mike has a "batcave" of all his different outfits over the years.

FUCK WORDS, "OOGA-CHOCKA-OOGA-CHOCKA-OOGA-CHOCKA" FOREVER

WORDS, MAN.

FUCK 'EM!

How rude!

(http://v013o.popscreen.com/RE9aNWRFaVpZQ28x_o_full-house-music---kokomobarbara-ann-beach-boys.jpg)

Didn't you say you are also not a fan of melody in another thread?

Come on now, let's don't be petty, this is a Mike Appreciation  thread!

Interesting thread.

Ive noticed how a lot ML Appreciation posts have a um... tarnished lining  ;)

will the next thread be...

"Why is it difficult to say nice things about Mike Love?"  ;D

Mike Love inspires me to not be like Mike Love.

http://youtu.be/svlHCKDS4L0

See 2:07 for some explosive Ooga Chaka Action

Mike is good singer.

(http://i39.tinypic.com/123xi6w.jpg)
this is for some comic relief on this thread lol since it' seems to become more of a bashing than a appreciation thread

Funny! :)