The Smiley Smile Message Board

Brian had his run as a solo artist, recorded, toured, and been feted by devoted fans.  Why is his wife, with little to no connection to the golden era, opposed to one last time with the guys from Hawthorne?

What's the story behind this? (I know nothing about it).

I don't understand why Brian can't do whatever the hell he wants. Is he his own person or a puppet?

Well, I think the last time Brian was asked about it, he said he didn't have any interest in a reunion.

Because any time he does reunite with them, it always ends badly.

Because the last time he offered new songs to the BB, Carl bailed.  After having his new material rejected, one can't blame Brian and his people for not wanting anything to do with the BB. Personally, I can see how the Brian camp might find it galling to see some in the BB camp wanting Brian to make a record with them for V2 Records shortly after a BB bailed on the Don Was/Andy Paley sessons.

Personally I think it's ego and power, and she has been poisoned by Leaf. She controlls his career but she wouldn't be able to dictate what the Beach Boys do. Brian seems to have had a great time at the Hawthrone dedication and the rooftop award ceremony. I keep thinking of the last few moments of the BBC doc from 2004 where Al states that he is not "allowed" to see his best friend and Brian when asked says (and I paraphrase) "No I don't want to do a reunion."  He looks off camera and says "Do we?" It sums it up for me. I mean we can't be sure who he was talking to but I bet it was Melinda or Leaf.

I was at the Hawthorne ceremony and it was nice to see them together. But the next day when I saw the actual pictures, I thought "Brian really doesn't look like he wants to be with these people". Indeed, Peter Carlin's account of the event (Peter was also in Hawthorne that day) in Catch A Wave matches my own recollection of the event.

He hasn't wanted to be in the BB for a long time and it's easy (too easy) for him to manipulate the scene and make it look like others (Landy, Melinda) are holding him back. Think of it as "good cop, bad cop".

I was at both the Capitol Rooftop and the Landmark. At the Landmark in 2005 Brian had some genuinely warm moments behind the scenes with Dave, and a respectful moment or two with Al during the ceremony. It was a good day for Brian but it was nothing like the Capitol rooftop reunion in 2006. On that day Brian and Mike were in great spirits, and shared much laughter together. I watched the two of them share some hilarious moments with David as well. This was genuine fun they were having, Brian was clearly the dominant personality out of the five of them...there was no disguising it. This was a glimpse of the real Brian, not the scripted or remote controlled Brian, but the leader, the funniest one, and the one with the biggest and most outgoing presence. The rooftop gathering was a much more intimate affair than the landmark thing, 50 people... it didn't last as long, and Brian didn't have the kind of pressure to behave a certain way because there were basically no fans up there...just family, capitol employees, some press and a few insiders. It was less than an hour of his time. And during that time Brian was up, making tons of jokes...Mike was friendly and positive towards him. They all seemed to be having fun...slightly silly fun...nothing heavy that's for sure. But that's the most comfortable I've seen Brian in a public setting since the '70's. Lots of hugs for his band mates, lots of laughter between them, and Brian was in control...no one was telling him where to go or what to say.

I think, after this point, with roughly 15 years of Melinda and David advising Brian on his career, the results should be obvious. Brian has recorded a half-dozen studio albums and several lives discs, not to mention a handful of DVDs. He's made many successful tours and found friends and collaborators in his current band. We've seen Brian's limitations, too. He's somewhat lazy, less willing to engage with journalists, etc., and not always a font of new songs. But his reputation is arguably at its highest point since the 1960s. He's secured his legacy -- with a lot of help from his wife, friends and band.

He has nothing to gain from a reunion with Mike and Bruce. He seems to have patched things up with Al. But why would he want or need to be a Beach Boy? He didn't want to be one in the 70s -- American Spring was his group then -- and why would the past 15 years convince him that he has to become a Beach Boy again? If anything, the time has proved that he needs them less than ever before.

It's simply possible that Melinda loves Brian and doesn't think it's what he wants...or that it ISN'T what he wants, and she as his de facto manager has to play bad cop. 

I mean, it's cool that folks want the BBs reunion to happen, but every time it starts to edge towards the idea that we fans know what's better for Brian than he or his wife, I get a little irked at that.  There doesn't have to be a deep dark conspiracy to every decision we disagree with.  There could simply be factors we are not aware of.

When Brian had most of his difficult moments with the Beach Boys, he was under the influence of drugs, either illegal or ill-prescribed. I don't think it's a coincidence that Brian has been "better" since he has been off of those drugs, and receiving appropriate treatment. I would like to see Brian enjoy the Beach Boys again now that he is clean from all of the "bad" drugs. He's never really had that opportunity, at least on a long-term (a year?) basis.

I want to see Brian record and perform again with The Beach Boys because I think he did his best work with them, and because, personally, I enjoy EVERYTHING he did with them. I really like all of the Beach Boys' songs he's written and recorded.

I agree with you, Sheriff, and that's an interesting point.

Any speculation on my part seems more arrogant than even I'm comfortable with: I don't know these people and it feels weird second-guessing their motives, all of which I'm supposed to divine from, what?, albums and interviews and personal musical taste? Honestly, I figure if Brian and the guys all want to do a reunion, they'll do one in some form and for some duration or another. If they don't, they won't. Maybe not quite so simple as that ... but maybe not much more complicated than that, either.

Perhaps this isn't correct, but from reading interviews + reports from that time around the Capitol gathering/"Warmth Of The Sun" comp. release, I understood that all parties were open for some kind of reunion and Mike put the biggest stones on that possibility.
Regarding Al claiming that he's not allowed to call Brian, I think that was just the usual Landy-era inspired promo-talk. And soon after that, Al did a couple of gigs with Brian and they also recorded together.
When Brian tells in public repeatedly that someone is egoistic, even an ashole, and that after the rooftop fun, then I don't think it's 'manipulation'.

Because, he IS a Beach Boy.

What's the point of a Beach Boys reunion? None of them can sing anymore accept for Al Jardine. They've all lost their voices, so that means no Beach Boy harmonies. Just a bunch of old men croaking.

Yet he just as often says great things about Mike. I recently read or heard an interview where he said they had a visit and that Mike was supportive of Brian doing his own thing.

Let's face it, Brian is very mercurial when it comes to who or what he likes. One day he loves Good Vibrations the next day he hates it. Go back to the sixties he was like that even then, one day Dennis is cool, the next day he's the most messed up person he knows. He got close to people like Usher and Christian, and dropped them all pretty suddenly. On the spring 1970 he had a panic attack but later that year called it the best three days of his life. He just is a moody guy.

As far as Jardine and Brian I do hope things have improved. Regardless of how we individually interpret the matter, he was dropped from the show fairly hastily. Frankly Al was being very sincere in the 2003 interview. It was about as far away from PR as anything I have ever seen. Landy was out of the picture ten years by that point.

Well, it would just be a nostalgia-thing. No one should expect great new things happening. And I think that's ok, the Beach Boys have been about nostalgia for more than twenty years now...

 
From MBE:

I think the original quote says even more. Brian says earlier that he can't be around Mike for more than 5 minutes. And later he was asked if he thinks the original memebrs would play together again (or something to that effect). Brian goes "Again?" Turns his head and asks "What do you think?" So he doesn't answer the question himself in that moment...



The whole Melinda-thing is something I don't understand. I don't really think that she is an evil person or influence on Brian. If she was, I think Brian is intelligent enough to realize. I mean the Carlin-book showed us how well Brian can manipulate people and the surroundings in his life. He even did that with Landy! If there's something Brian really doesn't wanna do, he's not gonna do it. If he wants it, he does it. Maybe (!) the Beach Boys are just not important enough for him....

I know I'm an eternal optimist when it comes to this subject, but, I believe that given one last chance or opportunity to do something great - in the studio or on the stage - that the guys, all of them, would rise to the occasion. I know the voice is a physical thing, but, desire, effort, and emotion can help also.

One quick thing about Melinda and her feelings toward Mike Love....I believe Mike's big lawsuit about the lyrics/credits and getting his due was NOT personal against Brian. But, I don't think Melinda feels that way; I think she resents Mike because of it. I keep remembering that  Larry King interview. Again, Melinda was upset over money....

I wouldn't agree that they 'can't sing', Brian still can sing not just the way he used to, same with Mike and Bruce.

But I see no need for a reunion, they all seem to like what their doing

Ummmmm... and whose decision was it not to settle with Mike out of court for a reported $750,000, but rather fight the case and end up loosing something like $5,000,000 (minimum) ? Another stunning example of the caliber of Brian's management.

Without the benefit of hindsight, if I was in the shoes of Brian's camp, I would have done the exact thing.  The evidence in Mike's case was not as strong as he would have you believe.  Brian crumbling on the stand was the only thing that blew his defense and thus causing him to lose  the case.
 

I always wanted to know the details behind the case, did Brian really choke on the stand, was it just a bad day, or was he sincere?

Right, because nobody could see THAT coming.

Beg to differ: if my #1 witness in this matter was Brian Wilson circa 1994, I would not be dumb - or insensitive - enough to put him in the witness box. As for Mike's evidence, Brian had been saying for decades that he'd written the lyric to "California Girls", and while I remain convinced that he had little, if anything, to do with the other 34 titles claimed, that one would be seized upon as proof of reasonable doubt - and was. Brian's people screwed up big time on that one, both in terms of smarts and compassion.

Agreed, Andrew.  At the point your case relies upon the testimony of Brian Wilson, you are done. And, in California civil trials, the standard of proof is not reasonable doubt, but far less, meaning Mike just had to "tip the scales" in his favor to win.

Go here - http://www.cabinessence.net/ (http://www.cabinessence.net/) - click on Writings, then scroll down to "Love vs Wilson" in the Essays column.

 California Girls noted. Among the remaining 34  was "Wouldn't It Be Nice".  Tony Asher hotly disputes Mike's claim here. That could also similarly be seized upon as having cast doubt on Mike's argument, no?  You have rightly  cast doubts about Mike's claims. Yet the results of the suit have rewritten history. Many of the younger posters here (as an example) take Mike's claims at face value and elevate him to a greater role in the songwriting than maybe he deserves.  That might well have been a factor in deciding to  fight  in court.  While I probably would have chosen for Brian to give a taped deposition rather than take the stand, I can't really  blame them for  wantikng to fight.

I'm reading this now. He says the doc said Brian hears Murry, Phil Spector and Danny Hutton in his head?  :lol

I shouldn't laugh, and I feel for Brian's condition, but c'mon! Danny Hutton?! I thought they were friends for a while? He hears his voice in his head? That's too funny/weird.

I don't think its just the "younger posters" who might feel compelled to give Mike a greater role in the history of BB's songwriting. I think Brian himself felt that way. I know Dave Marks, who witnessed much of the writing that went into the first four or five LP's feels that way. Dave spent his last 10 bucks on parking to testify for Mike, not because he hates Brian or thinks Mike is a genius...but he knew Mike had written lyrics to songs on the first four LPs that he did not get credited for. That was the truth. I don't blame Brian for this, because those credits were the last thing on his mind. Murry was the business man. There was a pattern of Murry screwing the guys whose name was not Wilson, Mike was first on that list. Mike did contribute lyrics to a bunch of songs that he wasn't credited for on albums that sold huge numbers. How would you feel about that if it was you? I'm not the world's biggest Mike Love fan but when it comes to this issue i can relate to his aggressive posture. WIBN is one that people pull out and say, he just added like three words....well yeah but there's others where he contributed half if not the majority of the lyric set and didn't get credited, nothing, zip. He tired to negotiate a settlement and didn't get taken seriously. Mike was incredibly lucky to have a cousin named Brian Wilson...but that doesn't erase the fact that he should have been credited on the songs he wrote lyrics for.

I'm enjoying this (probably not the best word since it's fairly disturbing) a lot, and will have a few questions I hope someone can answer, so far two:

1. Is this writer fully credible? He seems (and I hate to use the terms because they're from a truly slanted US TV network) fair and balanced...

2. When you make critical statements about 'management', I may be wrong, but I just think that your talking at least partly about Melinda. Was she in the picture during this lawsuit? Sorry if I'm misunderstanding your statements...

Best part of that article is where Brian bangs his leg on the lawyer's table and goes "Owwwwwww!" like a kid.

What a scene that must've been!  :lol

Back then, if I recall correctly, Melinda was his conservator.  They were married the following February.

Great post Jon, it's so obvious to see just blind anti Mike bias here. I feel like I am on the Blueboard.  Even the Tony Asher thing Mike came up with the last section and came up with the background vocals. That's worth a little bit of recognition. Besides person after person I talked to for my book said Mike wrote the darn things. Brian said Mike did in public both before and after the suit and it's one of the few things he has been consistent on. If Mike was able to write lyrics Please Let Me Wonder and Don't Run Away (by Bruce and Terry) there was nothing he was credited for that was beyond his scope. Help Me Rhonda was another song we knew for years was co-written by Mike. You can find a number of pre 1993 articles talking about how Mike wrote the song about a girl he met in Australia.

Hey I think Mike has been an ass for every other law suit. I think a large number of his post 1973 decisions have been backwards, but I do think he played a large role in the Beach Boys success. Frankly if he had been given credit for his contrabutions in the first place, I think his angry, bitter, selfish, side would not have become what it has making life easier for all concerned. Brian is not a god and Mike is not satan.

I see it like this: Brian didn't want to do the Smile project. He had to be convinced and except for a few incidents he faced it and the monster wasn't so horrible after all. But it most probably took a lot of effort from Leaf (it was HIS dream after all) and Melinda.

A Beach Boys reunion would be a similar effort, and Brian would very probably have some fun in the end and not regret doing it. But I doubt Leaf and Melinda want to go through all that again, and well... It's David Leaf. Nuff said.

But I would expect that everybody that praises Brian's "healing experience" of revisiting Smile will eventually support a Beach Boys reunion as well.

Brian's not opposed to a reunion...that's Melinda talking through him. Anyone with a brain knows his interviews are incredibly scripted. He talks out of both sides of his mouth and has no regard whatsoever for anyone.

Tony Asher had it right back in 1966. It's a shame most fans don't get that or don't want to get it because they know it's true and hate to admit it.

It's great how you know everything. It proves you have a brain, as opposed to other people. You and Tony Asher are very smart.

It also proves he has guts. A lot of people might think certain things but don't have the guts to post them - or criticize other people who do.

SJS, it's nothing to do with guts. It's common sense and a little thing called OBJECTIVITY. Objectivity, Brian Wilson, and his rather simple-minded fans who eat up every word he says as "the gospel and if you don't agree with it you're a Mike fan" is like mixing ice and ice. You get more of the same and nothing new is made. I'm sorry that Luther disagrees with me but that's his opinion. You can read mine above.

But myths and half-truths need to be shattered and the truth needs to be uncovered. It was one thing to shatter the Dennis myth, another to shatter the David myth, but no-one really has the desire to shatter the Brian myth which has been built up to the point that even contesting it slightly is tantamount to cutting your dear mother's throat and shitting down the hole. That's wrong. I'm sorry others don't seem to understand that, but that's life.

I don't post these feelings I have about Brian because I think it's cool or fashionable in this post-Male Ego culture of Mike fellatio. It's called objectivity and seeing both sides of the story. Besides, if we can't all speak our minds properly here, what's the point of a forum? Think about that. I mean really think about it.

I think this is...

1. the post of the year so far
2. fucking obvious

Who said I disagreed (or agreed)? I just don't like posts with "anyone with a brain" and such in them. The last thing on earth I'd go to bat for--as my posts over the years show-- is Brian's credibility in interviews.

Normally I dislike using that phrase and it's not something I enjoy throwing around. Some fans do indeed read between the lines in that lovely thing called the Brian Wilson Interview. I'm talking about the other group of fans who have positioned themselves in the upper echelon of Beach Boys fandom who take every interview, every word the man says as THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH. This mindset is ignorant and ignorance is bliss. Some might find my views ignorant and that's ok. Mileages may vary. We all have our own quirks. We're all fans, we all have opinions, and they stink like assholes. It's like the old George Carlin line -

"Ever notice how someone else's stuff is sh*t and your sh*t is stuff?"

This statement is not only stupid, but ignorant and insulting. I don't think anyone believes that Brian Wilson is a saint. I don't think that anyone believes that he always speaks 100 percent objectively the truth. But to go from that to what you said is ludicrous.

What evidence do you have that "Brian's not opposed to a reunion" and that Melinda is talking through him? If you want to shatter myths and be holier than thou, be my guest. But please have some facts, and not rumors, or people telling you off the record, or what not. Tell me how you know. And if you think he has no regard for anyone -- which is a pretty mean thing to say about any person, famous or not -- tell me why you think that.

And then, finally, tell me why you want to do it. Why is it so important that the Brian "myth" be shattered? And what is the myth, anyway? That he's a 100 percent functioning, always-creative, entirely non-manipulated individual? I think people have been shattering that myth at least since the Landy days. Thanks for enlightening me on that one.

My recent impression is that, as with several other long-term friends, David isn't that involved in Brian's affairs any more. Read into that what you will.

As for "shattering the myth"... I prefer to think of it as documenting Brian's career accurately, and if that means denying him credit for something he's alleged to have done as well as restoring credit where it's missing, then fine. But Brian's career and impact on modern popular music is too significant to be handled carelessly, or worse, intentionally inaccurately. My belief is that there's an attempt being made to re-write history at a high level and, to quote Churchill, this is something up with which I will not put. Having my ass kicked off the Bloo indicated to me (along with other recent events) that others are of like mind.

Clay, the only facts I can give you are spread through so many books, interviews (with Brian and other Beach Boys), and much of what I'm coming to is basically a personal conclusion from the stuff I've read and heard over the years. Like I said in an earlier post, your mileage may vary. Yours most definitely does. And that's fine. No disrespect intended.

The impression I get from Brian is, on the topic of a reunion, much of the "no reunion" stuff has come since Melinda entered the picture. I don't think Brian actively disassociated himself from the Beach Boys in the wake of Carl walking out on the Was sessions in '95. I don't believe Carl had a problem with Brian or what he contributed to the group in those sessions. I believe Carl had a problem with all the outside meddling. Now as far as Carl walking out on Dancing The Night Away, that's anyone's guess as to why it was that song and not any number of the other trainwrecks he lent his voice to. I personally believe it was something to do with Carl being disenchanted with the fact that Brian was not the man in charge of the sessions when Carl really wanted a BRIAN WILSON PRODUCTION combined with a terrible song on which he was half-heartedly laying vocals down. Of course, Carl probably understood the situation since we all know he had been bitten before by Brian as far as Brian being in charge was concerned. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

Discussed earlier in the thread was the topic of Michael going to court for his deserved credits on the 39 songs he was awarded. One poster (forget who at the moment) said that Michael did not mean it as a personal thing against Brian and frankly I believe that and would take it to the bank. But that's the classic "Mike vs. Brian" scenario. Needless to say, I don't think Melinda felt the same way.

These are just two examples.

As far as Brian not having any regard for anyone, that's a personal opinion, and I do admit it's not exactly palatable. That situation goes back to at least '66 or so. Brian's on top of the world, he has all these people around him doing anything he wants and....WOW...he LIKES this adoration! Deservedly so. I would like it too, as would anyone else. But here's where my common ground with Brian and his stature forks. Sooner or later you have to wake up and smell the roses and realize that you're no more better or worse than anyone else. Brian should have realized this when the world in general stopped caring and I believe Brian let go of this superiority complex MUCH later than he should have. I'm sure we all feel "yeah, if I got anything I wanted before, why can't I now?" The more reliable information in the more reliable books showed me that Brian's years of relative idleness were basically Brian trying to get whatever he could off of whomever would give it to him. Total sociopath behavior. No regard for anyone except him during that time. That's wrong. If you can't understand that, Clay, I don't know what to tell you, man. That's your trip and you have to take it.

The Brian myth is pretty much that Brian's so badly done to and that he's a musically-inclined Rodney Dangerfield. I would say the man has it very well, and that's great for him. I'm glad (and I won't deny it) that Brian has relative peace in his life, and he DOES deserve it, if not after a debilitating drug and alcohol addiction, after being under the care of an incredibly overbearing jerkoff like Landy. But Brian doesn't have it so bad now. Landy was bad news, yes. I won't deny that. But the Beach Boys are the least of his problems. I don't think Brian has it in him to not want a reunion with Mike, Al, and Bruce. That upsets me because I would love to see the four of them together onstage. I know we have all the videos and bootlegs from the old days so we can reminisce, but I'm sure we all would love to see Brian back onstage with his band.

In closing, Brian is a Beach Boy. Brian is not the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys are the Beach Boys. Always and forever.

Exactly.  I don't know why there's such a level of deception...who cares if Brian's not on the same level he once was? Big f'n deal. Let Brian be Brian.  So what if TLOS wasn't 100% Brian doing everything, writing everything, producing everything. It's still a damned fine album, and the 2nd best solo disc by any of the BB save Dennis'.

Brian's a human being. He's not and never was perfect. He made a lot of mistakes for which he has paid dearly and continues to do so.


That's true. Sad, harsh, but true. All the spin put out by Brian's camp can't change the facts (although they sure as hell can hide them...). Thing is, though, he'll readily admit to it, and has. If Brian can own up to his past foibles, why the hell can't anyone else seem to?!

You've put it very well, Billy. Kudos. Brian has owned up to it indeed.

Everything's All Right With The World.

You guys got it right, Brian is the first to admit his mistakes. I think he has a good heart and is a decent person, but he's not this marter. He can be great and a jerk just like any of the Beach Boys. Myth's are worth nothing. These are real people with real feelings. As observers we all have a right to our opinion, I personally just hate when people rip on any of the guys based on their own prejudice. None of us are drinking buddies with them, but as in all situations we have to judge from what we see or are told. In doing that we have to be open to all sides and try to understand the whole picture. Myopic Brian loving and Mike bashing is just out of fashion and somewhat small. I don't hate Melinda, and only really dislike Leaf due to my personal interaction with him, but I am disturbed about certain things they have said publically and I have a right to comment. You have a right to think I am mad, but I and others who don't believe every bit of PR are not talking out their rear ends.

I just woke up, so maybe I'm not thinking clearly, but I seem to be reading these two arguments from some of the same people:
1. Brian is being manipulated by Melinda.
2. Brian is manipulative and has displayed the behavior of a sociopath.

Number one seems to argue that Brian _is_ a martyr. Number two seems to argue that it's Brian, and not Melinda, who does not want a BBs reunion because, maybe, it would take the spotlight off him and only him. So which is it? Well, this has been argued about so many times before, which is funny, because I don't think anyone on this board subscribes to the idea that Brian is a saint. I think the truth will never be known by anyone, not even Brian. Inside sources may be on the inside, but that doesn't mean they're accurately interpreting what's going on. Here's my theory, and it's only a theory, because I'll freely admit that I know nothing beyond what I've read, and even the best Beach Boys books are just speculation and theory. Brian is a human being. Mike is a human being. Melinda is a human being. And Carl was a human being (despite attempts to make _him_ a saint). Sometimes they do good things for other people. Sometimes they intentionally do bad things. And sometimes they make mistakes. I'm not sure Brian hasn't gone back and forth in his mind about this idea for a reunion. One minute he'd love to work with Mike again, and then next, he thinks, "Wait. That would be really hard. After the first day, the old feelings will be stirred up, and I'm not sure I want to go back there again." And then he thinks, "But wait. It might be cool." And so on. Kind of like what Darian said was Brian's reaction to the Smile project. And maybe Melinda is against the reunion, but maybe her reasoning isn't any less good-intentioned than the reasoning of those of us on this board who are against it-- "Brian's doing well now; why rock the boat?" And maybe when Brian seems to ask someone off camera if they're having a reunion, it's because he doesn't want to be the object of criticism from pro-reunion forces, so he passes the buck and creates a scapegoat. After all, he's a sociopath, right?   :-D

I don't know the "truth" but my understanding runs along the lines of Billy; it is a hoot to hear your maturity Billy as I think back to the you who was new the boards back when.

As far as Mike's suit against BDub being business, this is their business after. Unless someone knows different the only suit I've seen was Mike v. Irving Almo et al with Brian being one of the eight or so of the et al individuals and corporations. Many question the quality of Mike's evidence but there were days of it and it convinced a jury, so it seems to me that question is questionable. Re. Tony Asher, I don't disbelieve either he or Mike but again whatever the evidence it convinced a jury. No I'm not saying juries are infallible.

I wouldn't blame the Boys for wanting to work with Brian without outside interference either, if I were them I would want our naturalness to thrive [witness Jon's impression on top of Capitol]; I think they are all hungry to recapture that place where Brian said "jump" and they "said how high?"

Gotta say something real quick... Brian did not make up the name Rhonda. I had a great aunt named Rhonda who if she were still alive would be older than Brian. Also, don't forget Rhonda Shear, who was born 7 years before the BB even formed!

:lol I don''t know how all that started. The first time I read an interview where Brian claimed to make up that name, I just had to shake my head.

http://www.behindthename.com/name/rhonda

Umm, there's a wee bit of revisionism going on here.  Don't forget, folks, there were TWO Mike lawsuits against Brian.  The first, pretty much all the cognoscenti agree, had some merit.  The second from 2005 - in which, among other things,  Mike really claimed Smile was a Beach Boys project and Brian misappropriated it and Mike deserved a piece of it - seems to have been lost in this discussion.  Never mind who manipulated who then and now.  Assuming Melinda's report is true of what Mike told Brian after Mike's deposition - "get out your checkbook" - that, on top of Mike's case being thrown out on summary judgment after all that noise - would frost anyone's cookies.  This is probably a key reason the BB reunion idea keeps running aground.

Don't believe me?  Go back and read Mike's 2005 complaint.  DJ M posted it here back when the thing got filed.

Three, actually - don't forget Brian's pseudo-biography.

I remember hearing about this, but don't recall much about it.  I know Audree was involved too...a defamation action I would assume?

Once again I bow to Andrew's superior knowledge.  True, there was that libel suit over the "autobiography".  But that one just sort of went away, didn't it, much as the book did?  (meaning it settled out of court, I don't recall any decision regarding it being reported)

You're entirely correct - out of court settlement.  :)

Out of court settlement for defamation against who?  Mike Love?

Actually who knows and if I did know it wouldn't make a difference.  ;D

I don't know if I'm the supposed revisionist but my comment was about the suit that was under discussion over 30 some copyrights .  Everyone always puts it as Mike v. Brian but that's not exactly true I don't think; unless someone knows of another Mike v. Brian suit over those 30 some copyrights, that would explain it.

The suit over the 30 copyrights was the first one, as you say, with Almo Music and others.  That was the one that had some merit, where Brian's then-management picked the wrong horse in choosing to fight what would be a losing battle.  The revisionism - and it wasn't you who said it - was in the other posts which suggested it was that first suit that created all the bad blood and is preventing the reunion.  My point was, wait a tic, there's this much more recent one from 2005 which (considering how it ended) probably created a lot more bad blood than the first one over did.

Ah, good, I wasn't very clear in my post.

I wonder what it would cost to get the court documents on the Love v. Almo trial or any of the trials for that matter?

If you put the case number up, I will take a look into it.

Great.

I have the case number from that lawyer search thingy but so far haven't found it. Still looking...