The Smiley Smile Message Board

Mike Love Statement:


While in Paris participating in a UNICEF benefit show, the Beach Boys were introduced to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.  That was in December of 1967.  Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Alan Jardine and myself along with several family members learned the TM technique from Maharishi himself.  Two months later, I made the journey to Rishi Kesh , India , where Donovan and the Beatles also attended a teacher’s training course.  Alan and I both became teachers of TM a couple years later.

To say that what I have learned from Maharishi has been of great benefit to me is an understatement to be sure. Maharishi has designed a pathway of development of human potential, which includes transcendental mediation, the TM-Sidhi program, Maharishi Ayurveda, Jyotish, and Yagyas,--all derived directly from the Earth’s most ancient text, The Vedas.

No less a goal than that of world peace was Maharishi’s life’s work.  For those of us who were fortunate enough to have been in his presence, his passing is profoundly sad.  But I for one, am among the millions who are grateful for what he shared with us on this, “The dawn of the Age of Enlightenment” on the way to the goal which Maharishi called “Heaven on Earth.”  We will miss you, but your great light will shine on.

Jai Guru Dev

Michael E. Love

Very nicely said.

You know, one thing I have to give credit to Mike for would be his writing abilities.  Not songwriting, but as in like essays and things like this.  A glance at the back cover of a BB album that has "letters" from the guys goes a long way to show that Mike was the most articulate writer in the group.

Well I would extend it to songwriting too myself. I think his hooks did draw people in and the best of them remain memorable. Even the end of Wouldn't It Be Nice IS better for his invovlment.

I agree, his "round, round, I get around" is simple but yet very catchy. I think he knew what to do with a musical hook

Let's not forget 'all i wanna do' everyone

Mike is a good lyricist, nobody can deny that. Some of my favourite lyrics he ever wrote include the song you named, The Warmth of the Sun, Please Let Me Wonder, She Knows Me Too Well & In The Back of My Mind... there's probably more but that's just off the top of my head.

As good of a writer he is, its a big shame that he didn't have more appreciation for VDP's work w/Brian.

Just as is the case in any art, there is such a variety of what makes "good," someone who's good doesn't necessarily appreciate or understand everyone else who is good.

Think about how many fiction writers have criticized others for being too abstract, too difficult, too imitative, etc. (I'm thinking Capote calling Kerouac's "On the Road" "typing, not writing.") And in the past generation of pop stars we've seen almost incalculable (mostly older generation) artists criticize the emerging (and now fully dominant) artists in hip hop. Love and Parks are differently good, and one doesn't always necessarily appreciate the other.

Love has said he does like Parks' work, but I think the sessions bring back bad memories so he can't enjoy the period too much. That's what I got out of the 2006 interview posted here and others.

Even more than the sessions, I think Mike's problem with Van Dyke's lyrics was very specific to the Beach Boys.  He thought they were good, just not right for a group known for "fun in the sun" surfing songs.  Although he has also said that he likes lyrics that make sense and that people can relate to, so that probably didn't help either.

As I posted elsewhere, I just think Mike was annoyed that he wasn't working with Brian as much anymore. There was Pet Sounds with Tony Asher and now SMiLE with VDP... I think Mike honestly thought "gee, is Brian ever going to write with me anymore". Of course this is just my take on it and I guess we'll never know for sure but I think that is the most logical explanation as to why he wasn't the biggest fan of VDP's words. I think Brian was over all that "fun in the sun" stuff. And even if Mike could write good lyrics that weren't about girls, surf etc.. I think Brian mostly associated Mike with Fun Fun Fun, I Get Around and all the other early car and surf songs.

I think these days Mike says that he likes Parks' work but to be honest I'm not so sure he does. And of course I'm not basing this on fact, just my opinion, but I think Mike just gets sick to death of the same old questions regarding "columnated ruins domino" and "over and over the crow cries uncover the cornfield" etc.. that he just finds it easier now to just say "I can appreciate VDP's lyrics, blah blah blah" just so that people stop asking him in every second interview about why he doesn't like Van Dyke's lyrics.

Yeah. Mike is very honest in Endless Harmony about not being objective about the material, which is his perogative. More to the point, he hated the SMiLE era because (and I don't think he would feel confortable admitting this) "he lost his best friend" Brian Wilson. And he never got over that.

You all make very good points. If Brian didn't think Mike could write mature lyrics, he obviously had forgotten about their work on Today. Mike probably did feel he was losing his friend, and writing partner, and yes a good deal of income. He was probably very uncertain of his role at that point.

I don't understand, then, why Mike didn't get upset when Brian collaborated with Gary Usher or Roger Christian. How many writing credits does Mike have on Surfin' Safari? Two?

Pet Sounds has the same amount of Mike Love credits on it as Surfin' USA and Surfer Girl.

There's only a few pre-Pet Sounds albums that have a majority of Mike Love credits on them, one of them being Today.

Well he didn't like the other writers being there much either, but I recall him saying that in the case of Roger Christian that he welcomed his car knowledge. The 62-64 inter-group relations were probably a lot more relaxed in general

another interview I found of mike probably in  80's talking about TM and other subjects. I have no problem with Mike He contributed a lot to the group and I was listning to LA album today and sumahama is a great song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ318QInrUg

Yeah those are good points but that was when the band was just starting out. And from the first album to Pet Sounds Mike had by FAR the most writing credits besides Brian. So to go from writing a couple of songs per album to basically nothing would be a bit of a shock!!

Out of the 12 songs on Surfin' Safari he co-wrote 5 songs and there were 3 cover songs.

On Surfin' USA out of the twelve songs he co-wrote 3, there is 3 cover songs (4 if you include Surfin' USA) and out of the rest of the songs there is 2 instrumentals.

Surfer Girl (12 Songs): 4 songs written by Mike and 3 cover songs (which is including South Bay Surfer).