Official thread for Brian & Al's Official Response to Mike/Bruce Band Tour in the LA Times

[Shady]

[elagpa]

I personally could care less about Mike's commitment to his venues, his fans, his bandmembers and his crew. Gimme a break - we're talking peanut numbers here. It's like saying "I'd like to accept your invitation for dinner at the White House Mr. President, but Tuesday night is Bingo night at the VFW."

 Seriously.

So he should cancel his October concerts, tell his band and crew they'll just have to go hungry this year and let down the SOuth American fans who bought tickets?

Is there something else they would be doing at the moment if Mike and Bruce weren't on tour? What's the big deal?

In South America it's not a big problem cancel a show with months of anticipation... however if I know that the cancel is for waiting a full Beach Boys show in some time... cancel all you want it!! 

[SgtTimBob]

I read Mikes letter and felt like it closed the issue.

Now I read Brian's letter and I'm like.... OMG *popcorn*

[ontor pertawst]

Can you imagine Brian ever saying phrases like "Then there was confusion in some markets?"

Battle of the PR Firms! 

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

I don't care who they upset, or lay off. I want them back together. I want new material. I want the Beach Boys! I'm selfish, and I don't care. They deserve to go out with a bang. Unless they're all together, they'll go out with a flicker.

[SgtTimBob]

Can you imagine Brian ever saying phrases like "Then there was confusion in some markets?"

Battle of the PR Firms! 

Well, obviously this is not written by Brian personally; I don't think they are even attempting to give that impression. But I think it's fairly safe to assume he gave a few points to a publicist and then okayed what was written.

[ontor pertawst]

Oh, I know. It just makes me very amused to think of Mr. Wilson talking about "markets." Let's hope their layers of underlings don't bungle future work together due to misunderstandings or bullsh*t. If what this piece says is true, the band never even discussed the future gigs yet. They should. In person.

[Don Malcolm]

Hey, ontor, check out that Pete Fornatale interview with BW and his favorite sister-in-law and you'll see just how obsessed he can get over "promotion" and markets. If he can get that pumped over "Shyin' Away", well...you can do the extrapolation yourself!!

I also get the impression that Melinda hasn't missed an issue of the WSJ in the past couple of decades!

All of this makes me think that the BBs will have no choice but to include a cover of Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" on that rock'n'roll album. "Fire away!!!" 

[ontor pertawst]

hey, weirdly enough I just was! Now that's timing... and good point! For all the aw shucks persona, the man is wired for "hit records." Maybe when we aren't around, Brian talks like Variety headlines.

Which makes this even sadder. They are finally back where they should be and Michael Edward Love wants to hit Biloxi with Bruce instead. Sad.

[SMiLE Brian]

Biloxi with Bruce.

That should be a song.

[Pretty Funky]

Only one way to sort this.

Send the wives to a spa for the weekend with their husbands credit cards and a few bottles of expensive bubbles. Group's future to be decided in the sauna away from band members, managers, lawyers and accountants!

[Don Malcolm]

Biloxi with Bruce.

That should be a song.

For sure. Maybe it can be stretched to fit the melody on "Brian's Back." 

[Shady]

The scariest thing about the uncertain future is the prospect of never hearing Bruce's re-worked "she believes in love again""

[Zach95]

Just the thought of a concert at MSG and a New Year's concert makes me all the more upset over this.  Whatever the situation may be, the full band doing those kinds of shows would be absolutely unbelievable.

[ontor pertawst]

Yeah, I admit I'm just greedy and want another show at the Hollywood Bowl. The gigs I caught were wonderful and if it can continue, it should. If Mike Love needs more money and more Cap'n Crunch gold braid or something... so be it.


"Spring Vacation" caused such a sensation
Not to mention naming Pet Sounds
And we traveled the world
As Foskett unfurled
I guess you'd have to say we got around
(We got around we got around)

but now it's Biloxi with Bruce
Biloxi with Bruuuceeee

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Well, obviously this is not written by Brian personally; I don't think they are even attempting to give that impression.

The negativity surrounding all the comments bummed me out

Once we got cooking we were all stoked!

[HeyJude]

My goodness, it's going on and on. Brian (okay, he seldomly seems like he knows what's going on) and Al (okay, he's crazy) should know, after being in the business for over 50 years that Mike can't just break the contracts he had signed before the reunion tour. As someone else mentioned in another thread, brian, Al and David certainly won't play those shows without being paid.
I'm really happy to see how happy Brian was/is about being a Beach Boy again. But he (they) should definitely get better attorneys or for a change just talk personally with his bandmate/cousin, of course the same goes for Mike.

Great to see what kind of offers they got (Madison Square Garden? Wow) but what should Mike do? Cancel the shows he and Bruce booked before the Beach Boys tour for playing the Hollywood Bowl instead and leaving the people who bought tickets for the smaller Mike&Bruce show standing in the rain without getting a replacement?

I'm really not a fan of Mike but this time Brian and Al did the wrong thing imo. Of course both of them have every right to play in the Beach Boys and Brian imo is still the boss of the band. But you gotta be realistic in this case. If you want to go out again just talk about it in private and see when the next chance is.

Why do the handfull of "already booked" (which may or may not be accurate) Mike/Bruce shows keep getting brought up as the hindrance to more reunion shows? This "it was out of Mike's hand, he already booked shows, what is he supposed to do, cancel them?" reasoning is not applicable here. Even Brian's "statement" seems to suggest they were made aware of these few bookings, and kind of had the same attitude a lot fans did, which was "oh, hmmm, well, that's kind of cheap and cheesy, but whatever."

The issue seems to be the idea of foregoing more reunion shows. Mike's own "statement" doesn't indicate the whole thing fell apart because he booked a few October gigs. It fell apart because Mike doesn't want to do more reunion shows right now, end of story. He has reasons he doesn't want to, and I think a lot of them are ridiculous, but he has reasons. But ultimately, HE is making those decisions. He is deciding not to work with Brian and Al right now, while Brian and Al want to.

I don't understand why people don't understand that Brian and Al (and many fans) are not making a legal argument here. Yes, contracts were signed, etc, etc.. We all understand that. Brian's "statement", whomever wrote it, correctly points out that the tour was awesome and many feel it should continue. Clearly, Mike didn't just accidentally book a few gigs in October, and then everything fell apart. No, Mike decided early on that he didn't want to have the financial burden of the reunion tour for too long.

Mike could have made more reunion shows happen, and his own statement basically outlines that he is CHOOSING to not do more reunion shows. There aren't ANY contractual reasons indicating that more reunion shows can't happen. Even Mike's statement doesn't claim this.

Again, Brian and Al wanted to continue the reunion. Mike CHOSE not to, for now. Nobody has indicated anything other than Mike's CHOOSING to not do more reunion shows as the reason for those shows not taking place.

[HeyJude]

Errr... but it was, as stated just a few lines earlier. Brian's attorney made a suggestion and Mike's people acted upon it, slightly more so than was possibly expected (shades of Becket)... but fact is, according to what "Brian" has said, Mike issued his statement at the request/suggestion of Brian's representative.

BTW, according to Rolling Stone, Brian was aware of the October M&B shows back in late June, so I'm struggling to see exactly how that constitutes being "blindsided".

Confussed. 

The statement is obviously not worded as well as it could be, but I think it's pretty obvious that what Brian's statement is indicating is that the wide distribution of Mike's statement, and perhaps the more broad-reaching nature of it (it didn't simply reference a few already-booked shows, but referenced all shows going forward) are what was contrary to what his "representatives" seemed to ask for.

But yeah, we get it AGD, you just really, really don't want any more reunion shows or albums. 

[Justin]

I have to try to accept that if a thread about an unreleased box set (which we have no tangible information on) can go on for 40 pages...I should expect this topic here to go on till about 2015.

[drbeachboy]

I have to try to accept that if a thread about an unreleased box set (which we have no tangible information on) can go on for 40 pages...I should expect this topic here to go on till about 2015.

That's about right!

[tpesky]

Al made gosh darn sure he was on a Wilson's side this time.  He wasn't going to make his 1977 mistake again.

[Jim V.]

HeyJude has nailed it. About whether Mike wants to play has little half ass "Beach Boys" shows now, whatever. Let him do it. But the fact is obvious:

Mike Love apparently thinks he is The Beach Boys, and he doesn't want to work with Brian and Al right now!

You can question why or whatever. Maybe Mike really does think they'd be diluting the brand by doing more shows with real Beach Boys as part of them. But he's also kidding himself if he doesn't think playing Bumfuck, Missouri as "The Beach Boys" isn't diluting the brand even more.


I think there are two reasonable ways to solve this problem. Either Mike agrees to work with Brian and Al and they continue on as The Beach Boys, or Brian, Al, and Carl's estate can take away the license from Mike, and Mike can demonstrate his true draw as a performer by going out on tour as....get this....Mike Love! See how many tickets "Mike Love" would sell.

And lastly, I just don't understand why people like AGD don't want the reunion to continue. The Beach Boys are/were together and continuing that will result in more great music live, and likely from the studio. Forget "leaving the picture perfect" or whatever.....if these guys wanna work together they should. They've made great music all the way from 1961 until 2012, I don't see why that combination wouldn't work in 2013 and beyond.

[Shady]

I have to try to accept that if a thread about an unreleased box set (which we have no tangible information on) can go on for 40 pages...I should expect this topic here to go on till about 2015.

I doubt it.

I think were all getting a little burned out on the squabbling. When I look past tabloid junk aspect of this story I get bummed out about how it's spoiled a beautiful year in Beach Boys history

[musicismylife101]

I doubt it.

I think were all getting a little burned out on the squabbling. When I look past tabloid junk aspect of this story I get bummed out about how it's spoiled a beautiful year in Beach Boys history

I know.    The whole reunion thing was so great that it felt like it was too good to be true. Guess it was 

[Doo Dah]

Biloxi With Bruce
Michael E.Love

Biloxi with Bruce
That's how we dooo it
Summertime sounds
There's nuthin' toooo it

Stamos on drums
Pounding a beat
The housewives are cheering
And they're up on their feet

Biloxi with Bruce
and all through the nation
Can't you just hear it?
It's good Vibrations!

Tonight's it's Biloxi
Maybe soon Wheeling
With Bruce at my side...
Clapping and cheering

Biloxi with Bruce-ahhhh
(papa oom mow)
Biloxi with Bruce-ahhhh
(duke of earl nowww)

(fade)