The Smiley Smile Message Board

What would happen if Bruce announced that he was leaving Mike's band to join Brian's??

Would Mike continue touring as "The Beach Boys" even though 4 other other members of the BEACH BOYS are touring as Brian's band?


Just a hypothetical "alternate universe'' type question...

I think that the day Bruce leaves will be the day Mike joins him. And the result will still be called The Beach Boys, like last time.

That's agood name for the Band also. " the Beach Boys Like Last Time"
 or maybe it's a description of their last tour?  " The Beach Boys, like,  for the last time, Man"

I may be wrong, and somebody please correct me if I am, but doesn't Mike's license require him to have at least one other "real" Beach Boy in the lineup?

  Bruce has the power to destroy Mike's band, more or less. >:D

Based on myKe's outrageously overwhelming ego, not much would change. He'd still call himself The Beach Boys primarily due to the fact that Bruce could come and go due to his low profile status in the touring band and the average ticket holder could care less. If he joined Brian's stellar band, it would absolutely be on the understanding that he curtail his clapping and myKe adjusting.

Bruce leaving Mike's band (retiring, or being asked to leave), however likely that is, is much, much more likely than him joining Brian's band.  I'm sure someone will point to the 1998 Imagination gig, but my guess is that Brian has no burning desire to have Bruce in his band.

I could envision Bruce "retiring" and Mike continuing. I don't think a Bruce departure would impact Mike's touring decisions.

Mike/ BRI would probably make a little more, not paying Bruce's $$

Everyone's head on the Smiley Smile board would 'slode.

Nah, Mike would probably just invite David to join up full-time to "replace" Bruce.

In that scenario, Brian & Al & Bruce (& Blondie?) could perhaps convince Carl's estate to vote in their favor, revoking the BRI license to "The Beach Boys" name from Mike & Co. and (rightfully) granting it to Brian & Co.

You obviously are not familiar with how this stuff works. 

Everybody from Lynrd skynrd to The Temptations, to the Platters, to the Four Seasons, to .... well tons of bands.... tour as the original group even though there may not be even ONE original member in the group!   


It's horrible but it's business.  If Bruce left, YES, Mike will tour as the Beach Boys.

As a matter of fact, after Mike dies, a band will still tour as the Beach Boys with no original members. 

Hell for that point, as you know, Bruce isn't an original member anyways.  It's already just 1 original member. 

Bruce had heart surgery in 2004 and the show went on with just Mike until he was better. Did people ask for refunds? Highly unlikely.

I saw the Guess Who in the late 1980's and there wasn't one original member at the time. It turned out to be a very ironic and appropriate band name.

What would happen if...



you used a less obscure thread title?

If Bruce moved in with Brian, Mike could always invite Stamos.  It'd be almost the same thing.

What about Ricki? I'd like him to join Brian's band at some point...

Weird as it might seem, I personally doubt Brian would want to tour as the BBs in that context. What's the point in the same band touring under a different name?

to sell more tickets?

As an erstwhile member of a weddings and events band in the Netherlands, I accompanied two entirely different groups calllng themselves The Platters. One set (from Capelle aan den IJssel!) had obviously been born long after The Platters stopped having hits. The other set was older but had no original members either. As their lead singer said, "That's showbizz!" ;D  

This is just one example, but have the Four Seasons ever toured under that name without Frankie Valli? I recall that he and Bob Gaudio own the name and the whole enterprise (kind of like a two-man version of BRI), and the name has been used for various lineups with Valli being the one constant.

I recall reading there was a period of time in the mid-late 70s (the "Who Loves You"' era) when they considered "spinning off" a newer, younger lineup of the band as a separate entity from Valli (essentially kind of trying to franchise their name), but I don't think it ever happened.

Bruce adds little to Mikes band. It would not be a big deal if he left. Heck, Mike could hire me to stand there and adjust my mic. After much practicing I could probably also learn the above the head hand clap.

 :lol

Smiley Smile is king of obscure thread titles. "John Stamos Accused," anybody?

 :lol

It's my understanding that the Guess Who always has one original member - bassist Jim Kale. No one from the band had bothered to register the name, so Kale registered it himself sometime in the late 70's, and he's had his Guess Who on the road ever since. The exception being in the early 2000's, when a core group of original members reunited for a tour. Oddly, Kale was not one of them - they said he was in poor health. But as soon as the reunion was over, Kale's Klones were back on the road.

I'm surprised no one has used the form of the band name that appeared on their early singles, simply "Guess Who?"  Legally they could probably pull it off.