New Mike Examiner interview

[Micha]

I feel impelled to point out that the only "acclaim" that Brian, Alan & David are currently "soaking up" is emanating from forums such as this (and of course The Bloo), more specifically from the Love-hating Brianista (current pejorative usage) contingent. No-one in the mainstream media has said anything one way or the other. For all we know, when push comes to shove they may suck royally.

I'd say the odds that they "suck royally" are very very very low. We will have Brian's band (with Brian), with the bonus of Al's voice and David's guitar and voice...should be an okay show.

I think David is perfectly capable of doing all of Mike's leads. Like all of us here, I'd pay more for those three guys than for a M&B show. I think I'd pay about the same amount of money for a Brian&David show as for a Mike&Bruce&Al show.

The Beach Boys have been dead since Carl died. The C50 Album and tour is like the maniac in a horror movie popping up for one last scare before he finally dies.

And really, that's not the worst thing in the world, because as TWGMTHR showed, working with Mike yields subpar results for Brian. Mike at this point is not good enough lyrically or musically to work with Brian. I don't want to hear diluted work from Brian just to have Mike on it.  I'd rather not have any more Beach Boys albums than to have ones without integrity.

So to me all this yearning for Mike and Brian to play together is wrongheaded, because Mike is a bad fit for what Brian is capable of doing. He would have and always has held Brian back, and Brian has never had the strength of personality or the ability to make Mike shut up and do what he tells him to do.

Now there's a Brianista point of view for you!

To me, it's just being realistic. Brian has accomplished quite a bit musically in the last 15 years or so, while Mike has done nothing of note and makes a living as a nostalgia act.

Everyone has the right to their own opinion. I agree on "Brian has accomplished quite a bit musically in the last 15 years or so" and "Mike makes a living as a nostalgia act". I also nearly agree on "Mike has done nothing of note", the only things I noticed were "Daybreak Over The Ocean", which I really like (while at the same time IMHO Mike hasn't done anything as cringeworthy as TPLOBAS , and the fact his band played my favourite BB tune "Here Today" live. That's not much compared to Brian.

But do you really think that Mike "would have and always has held Brian back"? That's a kind of extremist point of view that is to too black&white to be realistic.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Would depend on the type of M&B show: standard meat & spuds GH, no... but if it was like the 2008 51-song UK setlist, then probably at least as much. Likewise BAD, if it was something special I'd fork out: GH, not so much.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

The Beach Boys have been dead since Carl died. The C50 Album and tour is like the maniac in a horror movie popping up for one last scare before he finally dies.

And really, that's not the worst thing in the world, because as TWGMTHR showed, working with Mike yields subpar results for Brian. Mike at this point is not good enough lyrically or musically to work with Brian. I don't want to hear diluted work from Brian just to have Mike on it.  I'd rather not have any more Beach Boys albums than to have ones without integrity.

So to me all this yearning for Mike and Brian to play together is wrongheaded, because Mike is a bad fit for what Brian is capable of doing. He would have and always has held Brian back, and Brian has never had the strength of personality or the ability to make Mike shut up and do what he tells him to do.

Now there's a Brianista point of view for you!

To me, it's just being realistic. Brian has accomplished quite a bit musically in the last 15 years or so, while Mike has done nothing of note and makes a living as a nostalgia act.
[/quote]

Hmmm.  If That's Why God Made the Radio is diluted Brian Wilson, which of the solo albums he's released in the last 15 years isn't?  Getting In Over My Head was awful, Imagination was subpar, and the Christmas album, the Disney album, and even the Gershwin album ("The Like in I Love You" accepted) were mainly predictable arrangements of songs we all know.  I don't think Brian Wilson Presents Smile counts as a musical accomplishment so much as a personal accomplishment, since the bulk of the songwriting was done in the 1960s.  The only solo album he's released since his debut that I think is a comparable musical accomplishment to TWGMTR is That Lucky Old Sun.  I'm quite fond of both of those albums, but I don't object to your calling TWGMTR diluted.  I just think it's strange to place the blame on Mike Love when so little of the music Brian has released on his own in the last 15 years has been undiluted.

[filledeplage]

The Beach Boys have been dead since Carl died. The C50 Album and tour is like the maniac in a horror movie popping up for one last scare before he finally dies.

And really, that's not the worst thing in the world, because as TWGMTHR showed, working with Mike yields subpar results for Brian. Mike at this point is not good enough lyrically or musically to work with Brian. I don't want to hear diluted work from Brian just to have Mike on it.  I'd rather not have any more Beach Boys albums than to have ones without integrity.

So to me all this yearning for Mike and Brian to play together is wrongheaded, because Mike is a bad fit for what Brian is capable of doing. He would have and always has held Brian back, and Brian has never had the strength of personality or the ability to make Mike shut up and do what he tells him to do.

Now there's a Brianista point of view for you!

To me, it's just being realistic. Brian has accomplished quite a bit musically in the last 15 years or so, while Mike has done nothing of note and makes a living as a nostalgia act.

Hmmm.  If That's Why God Made the Radio is diluted Brian Wilson, which of the solo albums he's released in the last 15 years isn't?  Getting In Over My Head was awful, Imagination was subpar, and the Christmas album, the Disney album, and even the Gershwin album ("The Like in I Love You" accepted) were mainly predictable arrangements of songs we all know.  I don't think Brian Wilson Presents Smile counts as a musical accomplishment so much as a personal accomplishment, since the bulk of the songwriting was done in the 1960s.  The only solo album he's released since his debut that I think is a comparable musical accomplishment to TWGMTR is That Lucky Old Sun.  I'm quite fond of both of those albums, but I don't object to your calling TWGMTR diluted.  I just think it's strange to place the blame on Mike Love when so little of the music Brian has released on his own in the last 15 years has been undiluted.
[/quote
Devil's Advocate for a second, here... 

Isn't there a value in the "momentum" that the Touring Band has conferred on The Band? By that I mean the systematic and continuous exposure, and promotion of the music, to the four corners of the globe, the "goodwill" value of their business?  That helped catapult C50, in my view.

And, I strongly disagree with the assessment of "Getting In Over My Head."  I can't recall it being promoted as well as some of Brian's other solo work, and that is regrettable.   There are a couple of gems on that CD.  I'm sorry it wasn't entitled "How Could We Still Be Dancin'."

[Micha]

And, I strongly disagree with the assessment of "Getting In Over My Head."  I can't recall it being promoted as well as some of Brian's other solo work, and that is regrettable.   There are a couple of gems on that CD.  I'm sorry it wasn't entitled "How Could We Still Be Dancin'."

What is really strange to me is that when GIOMH came out I thought it was Brian's best solo effort yet. Today I think it is awful. I don't know why.

[filledeplage]

And, I strongly disagree with the assessment of "Getting In Over My Head."  I can't recall it being promoted as well as some of Brian's other solo work, and that is regrettable.   There are a couple of gems on that CD.  I'm sorry it wasn't entitled "How Could We Still Be Dancin'."

What is really strange to me is that when GIOMH came out I thought it was Brian's best solo effort yet. Today I think it is awful. I don't know why.

Micha - what I liked a lot was Soul Searching' with Carl's voice, not unlike Don't Fight the Sea, on Al's Postcard. You cannot lose with the voice of the great Carl. I also like Fairy Tale, The Waltz, because it is a real concept "throwback" to a time and place for baby boomers, as well as  A Friend Like You, with Paul McCartney, which put to rest the purported rivalry as between the Bands.  If they ever do another album, those two would be great to include, as Carl's voice was such a blessing.   

And Happy St. Patricks Day to all who celebrate it!   

[Mike's Beard]

And, I strongly disagree with the assessment of "Getting In Over My Head."  I can't recall it being promoted as well as some of Brian's other solo work, and that is regrettable.   There are a couple of gems on that CD.  I'm sorry it wasn't entitled "How Could We Still Be Dancin'."

What is really strange to me is that when GIOMH came out I thought it was Brian's best solo effort yet. Today I think it is awful. I don't know why.

You have had your ears syringed in the meantime.

[Jukka]

The Waltz has got to be the worst song ever both Brian and VDP are associated with.

[Shady]

Re-reading the interview and ignoring Mike's typical arrogance we can take comfort in knowing anything is possible for The Beach Boys in the future.

[filledeplage]

The Waltz has got to be the worst song ever both Brian and VDP are associated with.
[/quote
All a matter of personal opinion.  I laughed out loud when I heard some of the hilarious lyrics.  

Or, I should qualify that, I found some of them hilarious.  And I found it captured the essence of the whole "prom" or "cotillion" experience. It is not a song for gen-x-ers. ( and, I mean no offence)  It is an OK song.  They must have had a few chuckles when they wrote it.  

[Jonathan Blum]

"Brian Wilson left the Beach Boys – as far as the touring group is concerned – in 1964. Occasionally, during the last 45 years, he has gotten together with us to do things like the 15 Big Ones album. That was 1976."

Is this untrue? 45 years would be since 1968. I suppose it depends on how you quantify "occasionally".

It's hard to find a definition of "occasionally" which fits the fact that he spent more of the '70s touring with them than the '60s.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[KittyKat]

I don't think Brian was touring with the Beach Boys willingly in the '70s, though. It was considered "therapy" and first Landy, then his family forced Brian into touring with the Beach Boys. He clearly did not want to be there most of the time, if you look at footage and of accounts of that time.   Brian seemed to have been more motivated to tour when he was a solo act than as a Beach Boy, give or take a few gigs where he reportedly didn't want to be doing that, either.  Brian has never been that into touring, by his own admission.

[Jukka]

Or, I should qualify that, I found some of them hilarious.  And I found it captured the essence of the whole "prom" or "cotillion" experience. It is not a song for gen-x-ers. ( and, I mean no offence)  It is an OK song.  They must have had a few chuckles when they wrote it.  

Okay, I admit that, but in the other hand "she had a body you'd kill for, you hoped that she'd take the pill for".

[Andrew G. Doe]

Concerning GIOMH, it was strongly rumored at the time (and no-one ever denied it) that it was part of the BWPS package ("You take that, you have to take this too"), having been turned down by every other label in town, and IMO rightly so. Brian's vocals are, to be kind, slap-dash and, as a good friend of mine whose name you'd know  said of the mixing, it's everything louder than everything else. I've heard tales of those mixing sessions, and I can well believe them. The best tracks are those recorded - partly or in full - pre-2003: title track, "SS", "DD" and "SMITC". Simply put, Brian wasn't interested in it.

[Nicko1234]

Micha - what I liked a lot was Soul Searching' with Carl's voice, not unlike Don't Fight the Sea, on Al's Postcard. You cannot lose with the voice of the great Carl. I also like Fairy Tale, The Waltz, because it is a real concept "throwback" to a time and place for baby boomers, as well as  A Friend Like You, with Paul McCartney, which put to rest the purported rivalry as between the Bands.  If they ever do another album, those two would be great to include, as Carl's voice was such a blessing.   

And Happy St. Patricks Day to all who celebrate it!   

Carl does indeed sound fine on that song so why they replaced him with Brian on the, 'why oh why' section is a mystery. Brian's vocals are abysmal.

Fairy Tale is another horror show. Terrible vocals and gibberish lyrics which sums up most of the album.

A Friend Like You contains dire Stephen K Kalinich lyrics (how can he still be working with the group's members) and is one of the wettest songs that Brian has been associated with.

The Waltz is just a nightmare with Brian sounding like he had turned into an alien (as it was memorably described at the time) on the Be-bop mnanmamamaa part.

Everything about this album is horrible to me and there is an unpleasant stench that emanates from it. It's clear that Brian wanted to get it done as quickly as possible and that his 'management' wanted to rope in as many famous faces as they could as an act of turd polishing. Thankfully at least Robbie Williams saw through it and said at the time, 'he probably doesn't even know who I am'.

[Cam Mott]

"Brian Wilson left the Beach Boys – as far as the touring group is concerned – in 1964. Occasionally, during the last 45 years, he has gotten together with us to do things like the 15 Big Ones album. That was 1976."

Is this untrue? 45 years would be since 1968. I suppose it depends on how you quantify "occasionally".

It's hard to find a definition of "occasionally" which fits the fact that he spent more of the '70s touring with them than the '60s.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

It would.  If a decade were 45 years long. Since it isn't. Not so much.

Cheers,

Cam

[Puggal]

I like Mike Love. I respect his outspokenness in interviews, and I actually find him quite charming much of the time.

There I said it.

[Lonely Summer]

Most of Brian's released solo albums (not counting bootleg only stuff which fans tend to salivate over) have come in for heavy criticism on this board. BW88 is overproduced, OCA isn't really a Brian album, IJWMFTT and Imagination are bland, WIRWFC is pointless, and GIOMH is shite. Yet I am constantly reading about "all that Brian has accomplished in the last 15 years". So we have 2 albums acclaimed as masterpieces - BWPS and TLOS - and what else? Oh yeah, years and years of touring with his band playing the greatest hits. Meanwhile, Mike has years and years of touring with HIS band, playing the greatest hits. Yet Mike gets all the attacks. WTF?

[Wirestone]

Some people like BW's solo work, some don't. Regardless, he did write and record and release solo work at a good clip from about 1994-2011. Mike didn't.

[The Shift]

Most of Brian's released solo albums (not counting bootleg only stuff which fans tend to salivate over) have come in for heavy criticism on this board. BW88 is overproduced, OCA isn't really a Brian album, IJWMFTT and Imagination are bland, WIRWFC is pointless, and GIOMH is shite. Yet I am constantly reading about "all that Brian has accomplished in the last 15 years". So we have 2 albums acclaimed as masterpieces - BWPS and TLOS - and what else? Oh yeah, years and years of touring with his band playing the greatest hits.

Yup… and don't forget that Brian is the reclusive one, the shy one, the one who only grants a "rare" interview every week or so…

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Most of Brian's released solo albums (not counting bootleg only stuff which fans tend to salivate over) have come in for heavy criticism on this board. BW88 is overproduced, OCA isn't really a Brian album, IJWMFTT and Imagination are bland, WIRWFC is pointless, and GIOMH is shite. Yet I am constantly reading about "all that Brian has accomplished in the last 15 years". So we have 2 albums acclaimed as masterpieces - BWPS and TLOS - and what else? Oh yeah, years and years of touring with his band playing the greatest hits.

Yup… and don't forget that Brian is the reclusive one, the shy one, the one who only grants a "rare" interview every week or so…

The Beach Boys would have been superstars without Mike Love. Brian Wilson IS the Beach Boys. It's always been about the music. No Brian, Mike would be selling BMWs in La Habra.

[Micha]

And, I strongly disagree with the assessment of "Getting In Over My Head."  I can't recall it being promoted as well as some of Brian's other solo work, and that is regrettable.   There are a couple of gems on that CD.  I'm sorry it wasn't entitled "How Could We Still Be Dancin'."

What is really strange to me is that when GIOMH came out I thought it was Brian's best solo effort yet. Today I think it is awful. I don't know why.

You have had your ears syringed in the meantime.

Oh, yes, that explains it!

[MBE]

It made sense to me. Unless there's a creative reason such as a new album or an artistically challenging tour, the original Beach Boys shouldn't be together as a nostalgia act anymore. People may be pissed at Mike, but I am not. I got one last great tour out of my favorite band and an album that is mostly strong, the last three cuts being incredible. It's more than I ever thought and hell Smile won a Grammy! It only sucks that they couldn't keep the differences out of the press, and some will only remember that. If it had been handled better it wouldn't be the Beach Boys I suppose. Still they owe us nothing after 2012.

[Alan Smith]

Hell, if 1 or any of anyone who was in the BB's at some stage was playing at any Casino, clam bake or yard sale near me, I'd go in a flash - it's easily 2 to 3 years before either of the Super-Power shows get down my way again (let alone Al or Dave). 

Despite the dubious way the C50 scene ended up, all of these guys are fast approaching "last chance to see" status; in any configuration - so good luck to Mike for geting his light tight bright thing out there and equally so for Brian, Al and Dave, may there be many shows of whatever.

And hopefully all of the BB's and their peeps have learned a thing or two about handling modern social media after last years l'il event.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

It only sucks that they couldn't keep the differences out of the press, and some will only remember that.

That's pretty much the way I feel.  We all knew that the reunion wasn't going to last forever and that things would revert back to how they always were, but I was hoping that there would be a little less bad blood between them afterwards.  Hopefully we won't see any more lawsuits between them.

And I didn't mean to come down too hard on Brian Wilson's solo career (though GIOMH is still terrible)--I quite like Brian Wilson, That Lucky Old Sun and the two songs he completed for the Gershwin album.  I just find it difficult to understand by what logic his recent solo work is more authentic or undiluted Brian than TWGMTR.