The Smiley Smile Message Board

http://tucson.com/entertainment/blogs/caliente-tuned-in/another-beach-boys-reunion-love-not-ruling-it-out/article_d6cdcb0c-cf1f-5924-b2c3-a81ddfc699dd.html

According to this article from an Arizona publication which otherwise just says things we already knew (the Beach Boys aren't getting back together, Mike was disappointed with the reunion, he wanted to write new songs with Brian alone, etc.), the book will be released in 2016 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Good Vibrations.

Reasonable choice.  Positive too. :hat

Pretty sure 'Kokomo...Life As Seen From Under the Bar Table' wasn't even going to be the 2nd choice. ;)

Honestly, I can't see Mike calling it anything else. Even considering how proud he is of Kokomo, Good Vibrations is still probably his biggest success as a lyricist and commands a lot more respect/name recognition.

I'm not the biggest Mike fan, but I'd be interested to read this. I haven't heard he was working on such a project before; I wonder if he'll really go in-depth, warts and all, willing to delve into his own shortcomings...or not? I would love to hear his complete, unbiased perspective on the Pet Sounds-SMiLE-Smiley Eras, and his feuds with Dennis in the '70s. Much as I love those three albums, I have a lot of sympathy for how Mike must have felt. I know how bad it stings when you think you're close to someone and suddenly get cut out of the inner circle. If he were to express that kind of vulnerability it would really up my respect for him. And with Dennis, it seems people take his (Dennis') side because he was "cool" and Mike isn't, but I can only imagine how frustrating it must have been at times. I don't mean go all out and defame a dead man, but again, some honest insight from "the other side" would be nice. Just dismissing both incidents as "Yeah, my cousins were on lots of drugs--but *I* never did that stuff. I'm Mr. Positivity" would be greatly disappointing. With Smiley in particular, Mike could really do a lot to redeem his reputation in the eyes of a lot of fans if he just spilled it all--ANYTHING he remembers--about the Summer of Love. This Era in Beach Boys history has been so woefully underrepresented and not talked about. I feel like recently, a more nuanced view on the SMiLE-Smiley transition has become popular though. People realize now that the latter was a more natural progression of the former than previously thought. Similarly, the old "Mike killed SMiLE" mantra has been proven wrong considering Mike willingly went along with recording his parts, and was fine with Smiley. Mike really has a chance to shed some light on this vague period and emphasize that he was a willing collaborator for the far more far out Smiley.

It all comes down to whether Mike's willing to delve into the unsavory (GASP! they did drugs! in the 60s!!) aspects of the group or continue pushing the squeaky clean image with himself as the golden boy who wrote the lyrics of Good Vibrations and Kokomo, and sequenced Endless Summer.

  I'm betting it will be:  >>continue pushing the squeaky clean image with himself as the golden boy who wrote the lyrics of Good Vibrations and Kokomo, and sequenced Endless Summer.<<

Agreed, it's a given its going to be a lovely puff piece about how he saved the BBs from BW's wacky ways. ::)

The longest chapter and the bulk of the book will focus on how, without him in the group, they  would never have existed or made it big. ::) ::)

Now has a title ?  Said style has been known since November 20th...

I would find an autobiography of Bruce Johnston more accurate and exciting...

considering not only the Beach Boys, but as far back as his late 50's work with artists....

and of course Bruce sides with Mike, but you never him say a bad word about Brian....

and we know he loves Brian also.....

it would be a more unbiased story of the Beach Boys too me thinks..

RickB

Well I didn't know about it.  And it hasn't been posted here.

I thought it was going to be called "I didn't f*ck with the formula".... :lol

It was in the original thread.  :p

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,18555.75.html (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,18555.75.html)

second post down.
might have been in the orignal article first linked to as well (but I can't say as the link to that is now broken)

Still think the title should be, "I wrote the words to Good Vibrations"

Look, we already know Mike's MO.  He's only going to be around awhile longer with us, I want him to go full-on Mike Love these last few years.  I hope in this book he pulls out all the stops, and just tells us what he thinks.

Mike filters himself.  People think he doesn't, but he obviously holds back.  I want him to just be honest and tell us what he really, really thinks.  Lets see if the world can handle all that Love. 

That's what I'm saying. Just drop the annoying, "yeah my cousins were really f***ed up on drugs" and just tell us how he really felt. If he came out about how badly Brian shopping around for other lyricists hurt him, how annoying it must have been putting up with Denny in the 70s, and really, just talk about the SMiLE to Endless Summer period in general, I'd be happy. For better or worse, the dialogue has been very anti-Mike for a long time now. I'd genuinely love to hear his side in his own words. I just dont want the whole book to be one big rambling about how many hit lyrics he wrote, how he wrote the hook to Kokomo and saved the world, and how Brian did lots of drugs. 

Even if he does that - and I hope he does - it won't make the least scintilla of difference to a percentage of posters on this forum, and others. Because, y'know, it's Mike Love. The biggest problem these people have with Mike is that, simply, he's not Brian.

Yeah; Mike's a Jerk. 

....except some of those lyrics were Brian's.

Eh. I try to hold a nuanced view of him, but I'd be lying if I said it wasnt hard. He really doesnt do himself any favors by taking cheap shots at Brian/Dennis every chance he gets, basically kicking Al out of his own band, his treatment of some of his kids, and just his general mannerisms in every interview I've ever seen or read of his. He gets a lot of flak for things that arent his fault, granted. His role in the demise of SMiLE was probably very minimal, so it's not fair that as far as the general public is concerned, he's the bad guy who killed it. Brian was out of line pinning it all on him in Beautiful Dreamer. Even if that is how he sees it, the evidence shows that it wasnt so, and Brian ought to take responsibility for abandoning his own record. Given how much he was suffering at the time, no one would think any less of him for it. Also, I think he was justified in suing Brian the first time. That's another instance of Brian being clearly in the wrong. The second time was just sheer pettiness, trying to piss on his cousin's long-overdue creative triumph tho.

There's a reason Mike gets so much vitriol. Some of it isn't deserved as I said, but nobody bad-mouths Al or Bruce for being not Brian. That's because they are comfortable in their place in the band's history, they come off as likeable guys, and they don't go out of their way to list their achievements or remind everyone that Brian/Dennis did drugs at every opportunity.

Since I didn't mention it, the Hall of Fame speech...I'm willing to give Mike the benefit of the doubt even on that one and suggest that maybe he was kidding or just being gauche (and not malicious). But what really ticked me off watching that was how he kept adjusting the microphone while Brian was speaking, thus throwing him off and making him nervous. You could hear the poor guys voice start to tremble as that was going on, and there was absolutely no reason for Mike to do that except sheer carelessness or deliberate aggression. You can really tell a lot about a man's character through little things like that over the years.

All that aside, he seems completely unwilling to show any kind of regret or vulnerability or self-awareness at all and it's very off-putting. I'd hope he would be willing to discuss the failure of SIP as well as the success of the early stuff in this book too, but im willing to bet money he wont. Of course, we all know the flash in the pan success of Kokomo will probably be given an entire chapter at least, and made to seem like the second coming of Christ. It's things like this that are why people hate Mike.

Good point.  I'll forget it then.

You shouldn't have edited your original post, even if you did change your mind. That was a very deep and thought provoking analysis. I enjoyed reading it, and it summed up how complicated Brian and Mike's relationship really is these days. So what if Brian wrote some of those lyrics? That means that Mike's misguided gesture didnt happen now?

Agree that was one of the finest posts in the thread. Can you restore it? Please???? :)

I have seen moment of a Mike saying exactly how he feels. He has gotten emotional on multiple occasions when talking about his post Landy relationship with Brian. He truly believes that Brian doesn't or is unable make his own decisions any more, but those around him tell him what to do. It totally breaks Mike's heart, because he cherished the working relationship he once had with Brian. I believe that he is bitter to what drugs did to the band and that it destroyed 2 of the Wilsons and the third for a few years. He always says that he liked the musical changes, but I think he was offended that Brian started using other collaborators more.

Personally, I can understand everything from his perspective above and I don't think that makes him evil. It makes him human. And for the most part, he's right! As mr T would say: "I pity the fool!"

If Brian's book comes out with 'Murry f*cked Mike over with some great song credits, me and my brothers were a handful at times, Mike has kept the heart beating for the group for over 50 years.......and I really dug Kokomo', Mikes book will probably tank!

 :lol

.

The book will tank regardless of what the lovester writes. Won't even have to place a bet with my Mike Love signed "Surf's Up" poster on that. :happydance

so I suppose Smiley Smile, Wild Honey and Friends were big hits

I'm not so sure. If it was Al or Bruce writing a book, maybe. But Mike Love, unpopular as he is, is controversial enough that I could see it selling at least decently well. More so if he drops his favorite talking points and either lets loose all he's been holding in, or surprises everyone and shows some humility, apologizes for his faults and praises his cousins.

I seem to remember Mike praising his cousins...all 3 of them... plenty of times.  And I mean for decades.  He also held them accountable for their drug and booze-related 'issues'.  I may not be anywhere near being considered Mike's biggest fan...but I don't think he's as bad as some make hime out to be.  Nor, on the other hand, do I think he's he nearly as wonderful...or talented...as some make him out to be.  He sure as shootin' ain't prolific.

He's just a hard working guy...'cause he is...with a burning desire to make his payments and keep the ball rolling for as long as he can find a hill to roll it down.  For a certain girl singer..."it's all about that bass."  For a certain bass singer 'it's all about the dough.

You know what I mean. And you can see from my other posts I'm no blind Mike hater, though I do think he's a significantly flawed and insecure man. When I said that, I didn't mean to imply that he's never said anything nice about the other guys. I just meant it'd be a shock and promote sales if he did it on a bigger scale than before.

You're talking about Meghan Trainor  and Warren G. here?

I doubt that'll happen Mujan...  I saw him 'deliver' at a live in person speaking engagement about 8 weeks ago.  He has an age-old script...in his head...which he seldom deviates from.  He perpetuates both myths and truths alike.

Now my old chum Mr Doe points out that *I* have absolutely NO idea what's going to be included in the book or what twists and turns it'll take.  100% true.  But if Mike has much say regarding it's actual content...I'd be shocked to see any earth shattering moments.

You know what Mike needs...desperately?  A smart PR guy.  He's needed one for a LONG time...but now more than ever he should dig into his pocket and hire some help.

---------------

Yes bgas...You read me...like a book.

I agree 100%. He gets a lot of flak for things he shouldn't and wouldn't, if he would just deviate from that script as you said. His plight at being sidelined after penning so many hits is very sympathetic, as is being forced to work alongside a nonfunctional alcoholic who's banging his daughter. If he just told all, I think he'd help win at least a few people over.

Here's an interesting question -- has Mike ever, in any interview, taken responsibility for a single mistake regarding the Beach Boys? His own musical career? Or his own personal life?

If so, I am curious to read it. Not because I want to blame him for not being Brian (about the most nonsensical motivation for those of us who don't care for Mike as can be imagined), but because I'd love him to be a less irritating version of himself.

And I'm sure he has some regrets, and feels as though he has made some mistakes. But the fact that he cannot publicly (to my knowledge) take responsibility for any of them is quite odd.

Off the top of my head...I can't think of ANY occaision...at any point...anywhere along the 52 year [or is it 53 now that we're into 2015] path where M.E. has ever suggested that he made an error of any kind.

Oh wait...maybe popping Murry one right on the beak?  No...I think he sees that as a positive.  Maybe one of the marriages?  Cassius vs Sonny?

Anyway...it is what it is.  An ongoing and ever increasing litany of effed-up-edness.  [with a fantastic soundtrack]

I couldn't find the quote, bur Mike once said - I'm sure AGD has the exact quote - paraphrasing: "We wouldn't have said or done many things we did to each other if we weren't related". That basically nails it in so many ways. Bring on more of that you have a winner.

Now if people are expecting that Mike apologizes for killing Smile... oh well, I don't expect this kind of thing in his book or Brian's, and that's alright.

I don't think Mike killed Smile.  He didn't have that kind of power.  [or influence by that point]  [Mike wouldn't rise back to the top and seem to be in control, as far as I'm concerned, until 15 Big Ones.]  I don't know that he did everything he could to help it along though.  He was openly critical of the 'words' and we've all heard him 'chat' about it.  Condescending?  Oh ya.  Really in a position to EVER be that way?  Oh NO.