THE ENDLESS SUMMER WILL CONTINUE AFTER THE BEACH BOYS 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR WRAP

[hypehat]

NO LOVE



Brian Wilson and Al Jardine both say they were "shocked" by Mike Love's announcement on Monday that Love's pre-50th-Anniversary-Tour lineup of The Beach Boys -- which includes Bruce Johnston, but not Wilson, Jardine and David Marks -- would resume doing shows following the band's London dates later this month. Jardine told us at last night's opening of the Good Vibrations: 50 Years of The Beach Boys exhibit at L.A.'s Grammy Museum that he'd just spoken to Love a few minutes earlier: "I said I really do feel you need to rethink it, because there's so many opportunities left for us, and I'd really appreciate talking to you about it -- and he was agreeable to that."
 

http://www.wcsx.com/news/Story.aspx?ID=1776232

God love Al. Seriously.


70 worldwide dates a year would arguably be pushing it, especially since it hasn't been kind to Brian's health this time round. But I'd love the reunited Beach Boys to adopt something like B-Dubs touring schedule, whilst plugging the gaps with recording. I don't like the accusation it's naive to assume that the band would stay reunited, especially since this year has delivered incredibly.

I think the reasons behind Mike's incessant touring are that he really does love it - he's been doing it for 95% of his adult life, after all! But there's also money, and we know carting 17 musicians around and a massive video screen hurts the coffers. And he has publically complained about that.


But quite frankly, he should shut up and just have to somehow live with the fact he's in the greatest surviving pop band in the history of time outside of McCartney and he has to present himself accordingly, not as guitar/bass/drums/chintzy keys playing the Des Moines Civic Sewage Facility. Wirestone's correct, the band have been crying out for this kind of presentation for years. It's almost as if he's afraid of his legacy or something.

[Sam_BFC]

To make matters worse I just read an article that said the UK gigs were canceled, I went back to it 5 minutes later now It's gone..

Really?

I've already spoken at length about Brian. Brian, with very rare exception, gets what he wants. For 51 years.

So do you think that if Brian really wanted the following, Mike would go with it?:

One obvious possibility here is that they would have to do some sort of compromise. Maybe Mike's idea is a cheap, streamlined 150 show-per-year tour, and Brian's is lots of recording and maybe 30 or 40 shows with a huge backing band...These are just random examples for the sake of this discussion.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Maybe were all forgetting Mike has a few ex-wives to pay off 

I know you have a smiley face attached but...

A lot of those financial obligations that Mike was responsible for have expired for a number of reasons - ex-spouses re-marrying, settlements, children reaching a certain age, death, etc.

Mike Love ain't hurting for money anymore.

[donald]

I think the pre reunion band may have counted on continuing after the tour.  Mike may be looking out for Christian.  But it continues to bug the sh*t out of me that Al can't be a part of the band FROM NOW ON!!!

ffor mr, that is the sticking point and points to plain old greed on Mike Love's part.

[HeyJude]

This shouldn't be news at all. We knew this a few months ago, the reunion was never billed as a permanent thing and we all knew the London gigs would be the last ones. What has changed, apart from the fact that Brian's camp want to push this?

They have put on a wonderful tour, released a brilliant album and gained more respect from the public - why risk carrying on and losing that touch?

I love the Beach Boys and would love to see them more often, but I also don't know why this has been made into a new story.

While we had to assume nothing beyond those London gigs, some band members while the tour was still going on were at the very least saying that indicated they were open to doing more together. We should never have assumed any additional shows, but I don't think we should have assumed there was no chance at more shows either.

[HeyJude]

So do you think that if Brian really wanted the following, Mike would go with it?:

One obvious possibility here is that they would have to do some sort of compromise. Maybe Mike's idea is a cheap, streamlined 150 show-per-year tour, and Brian's is lots of recording and maybe 30 or 40 shows with a huge backing band...These are just random examples for the sake of this discussion.

No, I don't think Mike would go for it. I think we can all agree that, most likely, Mike wants to do a cheaper, streamlined, 120+ shows-per-year schedule. The question I ask is why he should be granted that priveledge. That he has been doing it this way for 14 years is not a good enough reason, at least now when a better band is potentially waiting, ready, and willing to do more together.

[runnersdialzero]

Welp, this is a bit depressing.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I think we can all agree that, most likely, Mike wants to do a cheaper, streamlined, 120+ shows-per-year schedule. The question I ask is why he should be granted that priveledge. That he has been doing it this way for 14 years is not a good enough reason, at least now when a better band is potentially waiting, ready, and willing to do more together.

Yes, this is an opportunity for Al to put up or shut up. I'm not ready to include Brian in this yet, because I don't think he wants to continue touring. But, Al, if he feels so strongly about "keeping this thing going", could/should gather the necessary support from Brian and Carl's estate and change the arrangement.

Like I've been saying, I've not ready to put a lot of stock in these quotes being put out. But, if a meeting was called and a vote was taken to change the touring arrangement and use of the license, then I'll be a believer. I'm looking for action, not words. Al talks a good game...

[HeyJude]

I think we can all agree that, most likely, Mike wants to do a cheaper, streamlined, 120+ shows-per-year schedule. The question I ask is why he should be granted that priveledge. That he has been doing it this way for 14 years is not a good enough reason, at least now when a better band is potentially waiting, ready, and willing to do more together.

Yes, this is an opportunity for Al to put up or shut up. I'm not ready to include Brian in this yet, because I don't think he wants to continue touring. But, Al, if he feels so strongly about "keeping this thing going", could/should gather the necessary support from Brian and Carl's estate and change the arrangement.

Like I've been saying, I've not ready to put a lot of stock in these quotes being put out. But, if a meeting was called and a vote was taken to change the touring arrangement and use of the license, then I'll be a believer. I'm looking for action, not words. Al talks a good game...

While it's true that we just don't know the true innerworkings of the coporate structure and meetings and votes, I think the evidence we have at our disposal points to Al having very strongly opposed Mike getting a license, or at least an "exclusive" licence, back in the 1999-2000 time frame, and he was outvoted apparently.

Nobody in the BB camp is going to be able to lobby or convince any others to change their vote. I don't think so much honus should be put on Al to "end" Mike using the name if that's what he were inclined to do. Al can want anything, but if he's the only vote, then it doesn't matter.

Also, what may be happening is that Al wants to continue the reunion lineup, as opposed to simply wanting to destroy Mike's tour. If that's the case, then having a bunch of corporate acrimony and pulling Mike's license wouldn't foster a relationship that would lead to more reunion stuff. It would sour the whole thing, just in a different way.

The only reason and only likely result in trying to pull Mike's license would be if they decided that it's either the reunion lineup or nothing at all, period. As I've previously mentioned, Brian may want to continue the reunion in some form, but I'm much more skeptical about whether he or his camp is adament about it to the point of voting to pull Mike's license. Similarly, I don't think Mike would have made this annoucnement to go back to his tour if he thought it would actually tick off Brian and Al to the point of changing the licensing set up. Either that, or Mike is just making a risky power move of some kind.

[Rocker]

After thinking about it:

We all knew before the tour that it would be just for a short periode. What has changed since then, though, is that the band members surprisingly express the will to continue - that's something nobody did think about before and that's the problem now.

"The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts" - Mike Love, 2012

If Mike meant this truthfully (and I don't think he did lie) then he knows that The Beach Boys are better in being The Beach Boys than his band. He certainly doesn't wanna go out with Bruce again because he thinks the band would be the Beach Boys' equal. He does it because that was probably what had been agreed on before the reunion. I don't know if he was prepared for what comes up now (that is, the other guys wanting to go on). I don't see him saying that Al can't join them but since nothing has been talked about at this point why shouldn't it be made clear that after the last Beach Boys show it'll be only Mike&Bruce on the dates that list "The Beach Boys"? That way nobody could say that it wasn't clear who would be on stage in October (for example)

[HeyJude]

But quite frankly, he should shut up and just have to somehow live with the fact he's in the greatest surviving pop band in the history of time outside of McCartney and he has to present himself accordingly, not as guitar/bass/drums/chintzy keys playing the Des Moines Civic Sewage Facility. Wirestone's correct, the band have been crying out for this kind of presentation for years. It's almost as if he's afraid of his legacy or something.

I think this is a good point. I wondered if maybe Mike on this tour would at least warm to the idea of all of the Brian-centric indie nerds finally giving him some props. Mike hasn't been this "cool" with a new set of fans, and more in the good graces of "hardcore" fans, in ages. But I think it's clear that he doesn't know and/or doesn't care about that kind of stuff. He still states in interviews that the BB's beat the Beatles in the 1967 NME poll, and that the BB's are the top on "oldies" radio along with the Beatles and whoever else. He still brings Stamos out to remind fans that the BB's were cool in 1989 and were on "Full House."

When they did the Bonnaroo show, they were playing the closest thing to some sort of hipster/indie crowd, yet Mike didn't think twice about still playing something like "It's OK." This was a crowd that, if recordings are any indication, applauded louder for "Heroes and Villains" than anything in the setlist. Mike doesn't care about being cool, or rather, he defines cool differently. Nancy Reagan liked the BB's. That's why the BB's are cool to Mike. I'm not even judging whether that's right or wrong, but it just *seems* to be how they feel.

[HeyJude]

After thinking about it:

We all knew before the tour that it would be just for a short periode. What has changed since then, though, is that the band members surprisingly express the will to continue - that's something nobody did think about before and that's the problem now.

"The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts" - Mike Love, 2012

If Mike meant this truthfully (and I don't think he did lie) then he knows that The Beach Boys are better in being The Beach Boys than his band. He certainly doesn't wanna go out with Bruce again because he thinks the band would be the Beach Boys' equal. He does it because that was probably what had been agreed on before the reunion. I don't know if he was prepared for what comes up now (that is, the other guys wanting to go on). I don't see him saying that Al can't join them but since nothing has been talked about at this point why shouldn't it be made clear that after the last Beach Boys show it'll be only Mike&Bruce on the dates that list "The Beach Boys"? That way nobody could say that it wasn't clear who would be on stage in October (for example)

This is all true. It seems pretty likely that the "announcement" was made to avoid confusion (or worse, maybe even legal, ramifications) from promoters, venues, and ticket buyers.

But I don't think the statement they put out reads like "Hey, just so you know, Mike and Bruce are going to do some more gigs coming up here." It reads more like "If you were even thinking or hoping you'd see another reunion lineup show, don't even think about it!"

I'm not willing to believe with 100% certainty that these guys had an ironclad understanding of what would happen after the reunion tour. The assumption is they all knew it would go back to how it was in 2011 and before. But in the world of the BB's, maybe somehow somebody didn't put that puzzle together.

Either way, things have changed, and that may or may not mean anything to the principals involved here. But the tour was of a much higher quality than many of us expected, and surprisingly, Brian and Al seem to want to do more stuff together. That things have changed should mean that Mike is open to changing his plans. That is where some fans are having issues with his "decision."

As to Al joining Mike's band, I think that might get somewhat complicated. Firstly, there is the simple interpersonal relationship issues that would potentially present. More to the point, I don't know if Mike and Al would be on the same page financially with such an arrangement. My total guess is that Mike would only consider having Al in the band if Al became salaried, or didn't equally share in the whole pot,  as opposed to the pre-1998 setup.

Keep in mind, one of the reasons Al and Mike had disagreements pre-1998 had to do with how Mike wanted to produce BB shows, meaning how the money was allocated due to how the shows were being produced (the actual production company running the tour). This is addressed, only in small detail, in Jon Stebbins' excellent David Marks book. Maybe Al would be more willing to work under that production setup now, maybe not. I certainly doubt Mike, after having run in this way for 15 or more years, would be willing to change that setup.

[Justin]

I don't know, I think the members of the band would have been in denial if they really thought that after this tour, Mike would have sat at home for 6-12 months and wait until everyone else was ready to go out again.  Al admits that the group is tired.  They need the rest.  Well they can have it.  The thing is, Mike and Bruce don't need that much time to recharge.  They live on the road.  It's what they do.  It's kind of silly for us and Al and Brian to think that Mike would suddenly change his game plan and take extended hiatuses just to accommodate a few other members who aren't used to touring on a regular basis anymore. 

I didn't want to hear Mike remind us that the Mike/Bruce show would continue on but it needed to be said officially.  That way, they don't get any heat for misrepresenting themselves when they book future shows.  Mike and Bruce will be on the road until the rest of the group is ready to work again.  No sense in sitting around and twirling your thumbs when you can still get out there and do it with a bunch of other guys who are just as able to do the job.  The reunion tour was such a departure from the norm for Mike...it was impossible to assume that he was going to adopt that new lifestyle permanently.

[Rocky Raccoon]

How about Mike takes a break from touring and spends some time with his daughter?
http://m0derndayhippie.tumblr.com/post/13490342235

[Matt H]

Part of the issue to me is the timing.  He is going to go on tour with a different band in a few weeks.  I would think it could be a problem if they are on shows to promote the new "Isn't It Time," and then the band performing in concert is completely different..... or maybe no one outside of Beach Boys Nerdum cares, or maybe they won't promote the single at all.

[Michael Edwards Love]

Part of the issue to me is the timing.  He is going to go on tour with a different band in a few weeks.  I would think it could be a problem if they are on shows to promote the new "Isn't It Time," and then the band performing in concert is completely different..... or maybe no one outside of Beach Boys Nerdum cares, or maybe they won't promote the single at all.

I wonder if the M+B band will play TWGMTR or Isn't It Time in their shows?

[SMiLE Brian]

How about Mike takes a break from touring and spends some time with his daughter?
http://m0derndayhippie.tumblr.com/post/13490342235

Yikes, thats sad to read.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Part of the issue to me is the timing.  He is going to go on tour with a different band in a few weeks.  I would think it could be a problem if they are on shows to promote the new "Isn't It Time," and then the band performing in concert is completely different..... or maybe no one outside of Beach Boys Nerdum cares, or maybe they won't promote the single at all.

I wonder if the M+B band will play TWGMTR or Isn't It Time in their shows?

Probably not... unless in the unlikely event that "Isn't It Time" is a number one hit, in which it will become Mike's favorite song.

[runnersdialzero]

How about Mike takes a break from touring and spends some time with his daughter?

Welp, this just got more depressing.

[Aegir]

How about Mike takes a break from touring and spends some time with his daughter?
http://m0derndayhippie.tumblr.com/post/13490342235

Yikes, thats sad to read.

that's probably the only serious thing she's ever written on that site. the rest is pictures of people smoking weed or cigarettes.

[runnersdialzero]

How about Mike takes a break from touring and spends some time with his daughter?

Yikes, thats sad to read.

that's probably the only serious thing she's ever written on that site. the rest is pictures of people smoking weed or cigarettes.

That's tumblr for ya. A really good friend who does post some cool stuff tred to get me into it. I really tried but couldn't. ;(

But yeah.

[SMiLE Brian]

Being Mike's kid must be rough when you think how often he is on the road. I guess he should spend some time with his daughter this winter.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Well, I mean, it's not for us to judge Mike on his parenting (his business decisions are a different story) but I just found it strange reading that.  I mean Mike is in his 70s, he has a shitload of money, he doesn't really need to tour.  It would make a lot of sense if he settled down especially having such a young daughter to care for.

[HeyJude]

I don't know, I think the members of the band would have been in denial if they really thought that after this tour, Mike would have sat at home for 6-12 months and wait until everyone else was ready to go out again.  Al admits that the group is tired.  They need the rest.  Well they can have it.  The thing is, Mike and Bruce don't need that much time to recharge.  They live on the road.  It's what they do.  It's kind of silly for us and Al and Brian to think that Mike would suddenly change his game plan and take extended hiatuses just to accommodate a few other members who aren't used to touring on a regular basis anymore. 

I didn't want to hear Mike remind us that the Mike/Bruce show would continue on but it needed to be said officially.  That way, they don't get any heat for misrepresenting themselves when they book future shows.  Mike and Bruce will be on the road until the rest of the group is ready to work again.  No sense in sitting around and twirling your thumbs when you can still get out there and do it with a bunch of other guys who are just as able to do the job.  The reunion tour was such a departure from the norm for Mike...it was impossible to assume that he was going to adopt that new lifestyle permanently.

I dunno. I suppose if I knew that Mike was going to do another reunion tour/project with Brian and Al (if Brian and Al want to) after doing some touring of his own, then I'd be somewhat less disappointed.

But that announcment doesn't read like they are just announcing what they are up to in the near future. It doesn't shut the door to more reunion stuff, but it seems pretty firm in re-asserting the Mike/Bruce lineup as what you get with a "Beach Boys" ticket for the forseeable future. The few comments we have from the principals seem to suggest Mike is kind of lukewarm about more touring. While it has been somewhat subtle, and sort of covered up by the amazing sight of seeing Mike agree to this tour, he has said a few things that indicate he has mixed feelings about even the one tour they've done. Specifically, the cost and the huge operation and the huge backing band.

I hope it's not the case, but I think what we got on this tour and album is the absolutely most passive and agreeable they'll ever get Mike to be. I could picture him asking for more demands if they were to do more stuff, like more co-writes and less Brian-penned stuff that, as Rolling Stone reported, makes Mike put a gun to his head in mock suicide, and probably a scaled-back tour operation.

I'm not saying there's not room for compromise on both sides. I think the touring band is pretty perfect as is, but if Mike wanted to drop a member or two, or scale back the backstage amenities or something, it might still be worth keeping the reunion band together. It's difficult to say.

[HeyJude]

Part of the issue to me is the timing.  He is going to go on tour with a different band in a few weeks.  I would think it could be a problem if they are on shows to promote the new "Isn't It Time," and then the band performing in concert is completely different..... or maybe no one outside of Beach Boys Nerdum cares, or maybe they won't promote the single at all.

Good points. As I mentioned before, if he had just waited until the new year, or even just a couple months, it would have been less jarring and probably wouldn't have gotten him a fresh new series of news articles painting him in an unfavorable light.

Not only does the timing literally cause confusion (e.g. Nutty Jerry's), but it does make it appear as pretty greedy (whether it truly is or not) to jet back onto the road touring literally days after the reunion shows. When you start adding stuff like comments from the others saying they want to do more reunion stuff, that's when the "We knew Mike was going to do this" arguments just aren't enough.