Brian Wilson's 11th solo album announced today

[Wirestone]

I am very curious about the terms of Mike's BB license.

Same as it's been for the past decade and more, which in simple terms means Brian, Alan & Carl's estate each get a pretty penny every year for doing precisely squat.

What is a pretty penny? I have never seen any numbers put out there. I know the C50 grossed in the millions and millions.

At what point do they have enough pretty pennies and control of the name becomes priority 1? Must have crossed Brian and Melinda's mind since Mike cut the cord. Just sayin?

Given Mike's litigious nature, I don't know if any of the other principals really want to fight him on this. Especially if -- as has been suggested -- the Love license doesn't have a sunset date. They would then have to find some explicit breach of contract to justify taking it away from him.

[Wirestone]

All Brian albums get hyped like crazy. TLOS is the only one that has really held up to it over time.

I think "In the key of Disney" and the Gershwin album are at least as good. To me those three albums (TLOS, BWRG, ITKOD) are Brian's best solo work. And - a little off topic - TWGMTR fits into that as well, although it has more weak points than the other three imo.

I think BW88, especially in its expanded form, is excellent. IJWMFTT and OCA were diverting side projects. Imagination is a step down in some ways, but has some of Brian's best harmony singing and arranging to date.

GIOMH is to few folks' taste these days, but BWPS had some great moments, even if retrospectively. I love the Christmas album, although I know it's perhaps the most disputed of Brian's solo output. And then, as mentioned, Brian essentially went from strength to strength with TLOS, Gershwin, Disney (a bit of a dip in quality, but still enjoyable) and TWGMTR.

I'd actually say that Brian has had relatively few outright duds in his solo career. Arguably only TLOS, BW88 and the Gershwin records approach the top rank. But Imagination, BWPS, IJWFTT, OCA and the Disney record all sit comfortably on a level below them.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I am very curious about the terms of Mike's BB license.

Same as it's been for the past decade and more, which in simple terms means Brian, Alan & Carl's estate each get a pretty penny every year for doing precisely squat.

What is a pretty penny? I have never seen any numbers put out there. I know the C50 grossed in the millions and millions.

At what point do they have enough pretty pennies and control of the name becomes priority 1? Must have crossed Brian and Melinda's mind since Mike cut the cord. Just sayin?

Given Mike's litigious nature, I don't know if any of the other principals really want to fight him on this. Especially if -- as has been suggested -- the Love license doesn't have a sunset date. They would then have to find some explicit breach of contract to justify taking it away from him.

No one has ever addressed the terms of the license as far as I know. Yeah,, seems like their is no sunset clause.
But if Brian convenes a meeting of BRI and requests a vote on the license, I doubt Mike  could do anything about it legally. Would seem BRI has been there and set that in legal stone when Al got sued.

[Nicko1234]

What is a pretty penny? I have never seen any numbers put out there. I know the C50 grossed in the millions and millions.

At what point do they have enough pretty pennies and control of the name becomes priority 1? Must have crossed Brian and Melinda's mind since Mike cut the cord. Just sayin?

I doubt it has crossed Brian and Melinda's mind at all. The Beach Boys is a business and I'm sure Brian and Melinda are as aware of that as anyone.

I think it was stated previously that Mike has to pay 20% of his touring money to BRI so with the group playing 100+ concerts a year that must add up to a very sizable sum. No way I could see Brian and Melinda deciding to give up what could be millions of dollars over the next few years for no real purpose. After all, if they did start voting against Mike then it would hardly mean that there would be a good chance Mike would suddenly be up for more reunion work.

[Wirestone]

I am very curious about the terms of Mike's BB license.

Same as it's been for the past decade and more, which in simple terms means Brian, Alan & Carl's estate each get a pretty penny every year for doing precisely squat.

What is a pretty penny? I have never seen any numbers put out there. I know the C50 grossed in the millions and millions.

At what point do they have enough pretty pennies and control of the name becomes priority 1? Must have crossed Brian and Melinda's mind since Mike cut the cord. Just sayin?

Given Mike's litigious nature, I don't know if any of the other principals really want to fight him on this. Especially if -- as has been suggested -- the Love license doesn't have a sunset date. They would then have to find some explicit breach of contract to justify taking it away from him.

No one has ever addressed the terms of the license as far as I know. Yeah,, seems like their is no sunset clause.
But if Brian convenes a meeting of BRI and requests a vote on the license, I doubt Mike  could do anything about it legally. Would seem BRI has been there and set that in legal stone when Al got sued.

The situation was different with Al. At that time, use of the name was in limbo because of Carl's death. It would have had to be re-negotiated anyway. The legal documents show that all of the principals were issued non-exclusive licenses during that time, including Mike and Al. The issue was the Al didn't follow through with the terms of his. That's why he was sued, and that's why he lost.

All the excruciating detail here: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1213400.html.

In any event, the license was no doubt changed after that, given that Al is not touring as "The Beach Boys." We don't know what's in the current license, but if it gives Mike perpetual rights to the name, I'm not sure what grounds the other members would have to take it away. And given that Mike still produces money, and will be a colossal headache if they try to take it away, I think the current situation is likely to continue.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I am pretty sure I read that Brian said this during the Radio PR campaign. Can't tell you where.

This interview Brian talks about the next BB album, a rock and roll album.

http://news.radio.com/2012/07/02/qa-brian-wilson-on-beach-boys-tour-next-album-possible-frank-sinatra-tribute/

Mid tour, Brian said something  like he was done with solo albums and only wanted to do new BB albums.

I remember reading that Al said something like that. Did Brian too? What and when did he?

All Brian albums get hyped like crazy. TLOS is the only one that has really held up to it over time.

I think "In the key of Disney" and the Gershwin album are at least as good. To me those three albums (TLOS, BWRG, ITKOD) are Brian's best solo work. And - a little off topic - TWGMTR fits into that as well, although it has more weak points than the other three imo.

[Wirestone]

I suspect that Melinda (if not Brian) has thought about wrangling over the name. But I don't think Brian necessarily wants to do that. Al would no doubt go along with a proposal changing the terms, but that would still leave a final vote uncertain. Remember, Carl's estate is the fourth vote. If it sides with Mike, you have a tie.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I am very curious about the terms of Mike's BB license.

Same as it's been for the past decade and more, which in simple terms means Brian, Alan & Carl's estate each get a pretty penny every year for doing precisely squat.

What is a pretty penny? I have never seen any numbers put out there. I know the C50 grossed in the millions and millions.

At what point do they have enough pretty pennies and control of the name becomes priority 1? Must have crossed Brian and Melinda's mind since Mike cut the cord. Just sayin?

Given Mike's litigious nature, I don't know if any of the other principals really want to fight him on this. Especially if -- as has been suggested -- the Love license doesn't have a sunset date. They would then have to find some explicit breach of contract to justify taking it away from him.

No one has ever addressed the terms of the license as far as I know. Yeah,, seems like their is no sunset clause.
But if Brian convenes a meeting of BRI and requests a vote on the license, I doubt Mike  could do anything about it legally. Would seem BRI has been there and set that in legal stone when Al got sued.

The situation was different with Al. At that time, use of the name was in limbo because of Carl's death. It would have had to be re-negotiated anyway. The legal documents show that all of the principals were issued non-exclusive licenses during that time, including Mike and Al. The issue was the Al didn't follow through with the terms of his. That's why he was sued, and that's why he lost.

All the excruciating detail here: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1213400.html.

In any event, the license was no doubt changed after that, given that Al is not touring as "The Beach Boys." We don't know what's in the current license, but if it gives Mike perpetual rights to the name, I'm not sure what grounds the other members would have to take it away. And given that Mike still produces money, and will be a colossal headache if they try to take it away, I think the current situation is likely to continue.

All good points but, not to be picky, how can we not know what's in the current license while saying Mike has perpetual rights to the name. I have read speculation to the opposite, Mike has the license until BRI revokes it.

[Rocker]

What is a pretty penny? I have never seen any numbers put out there. I know the C50 grossed in the millions and millions.

At what point do they have enough pretty pennies and control of the name becomes priority 1? Must have crossed Brian and Melinda's mind since Mike cut the cord. Just sayin?

I doubt it has crossed Brian and Melinda's mind at all. The Beach Boys is a business and I'm sure Brian and Melinda are as aware of that as anyone.

I think it was stated previously that Mike has to pay 20% of his touring money to BRI so with the group playing 100+ concerts a year that must add up to a very sizable sum. No way I could see Brian and Melinda deciding to give up what could be millions of dollars over the next few years for no real purpose. After all, if they did start voting against Mike then it would hardly mean that there would be a good chance Mike would suddenly be up for more reunion work.

The Beach Boys are money-grubbing people. Always have been. And Brian's no exclusion. I doubt that any of them thinks about "control of the name" or even of goin' out in style as we fans do think. We can be thankful that the last Beach Boys project (TWGMTR and the tour) went down so well and would be a great end to a career that seldomly cared for taste.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I suspect that Melinda (if not Brian) has thought about wrangling over the name. But I don't think Brian necessarily wants to do that. Al would no doubt go along with a proposal changing the terms, but that would still leave a final vote uncertain. Remember, Carl's estate is the fourth vote. If it sides with Mike, you have a tie.

Yeah, if Carl's estate would lose considerable revenue cause Brian tours less, they could very well support Mike.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

What is a pretty penny? I have never seen any numbers put out there. I know the C50 grossed in the millions and millions.

At what point do they have enough pretty pennies and control of the name becomes priority 1? Must have crossed Brian and Melinda's mind since Mike cut the cord. Just sayin?

I doubt it has crossed Brian and Melinda's mind at all. The Beach Boys is a business and I'm sure Brian and Melinda are as aware of that as anyone.

I think it was stated previously that Mike has to pay 20% of his touring money to BRI so with the group playing 100+ concerts a year that must add up to a very sizable sum. No way I could see Brian and Melinda deciding to give up what could be millions of dollars over the next few years for no real purpose. After all, if they did start voting against Mike then it would hardly mean that there would be a good chance Mike would suddenly be up for more reunion work.

.


The Beach Boys are money-grubbing people. Always have been. And Brian's no exclusion. I doubt that any of them thinks about "control of the name" or even of goin' out in style as we fans do think. We can be thankful that the last Beach Boys project (TWGMTR and the tour) went down so well and would be a great end to a career that seldomly cared for taste.

Sadly, probably true. But I don't think Brian is making new music for the money, nor does Mike tour just for the money

[Wirestone]

Apparently, Mike tours for something better than money. 

[Nicko1234]

Yeah, if Carl's estate would lose considerable revenue cause Brian tours less, they could very well support Mike.

I may be misunderstanding your post but do you mean, 'if Brian took back the name and started touring with Al and Dave as The Beach Boys'? Obviously I don't think that would have entered Brian and Melinda's heads for a second really if so.

[SMiLE Brian]

Apparently, Mike tours for something better than money. 

Wonder what?

[Wirestone]

Yeah, if Carl's estate would lose considerable revenue cause Brian tours less, they could very well support Mike.

I may be misunderstanding your post but do you mean, 'if Brian took back the name and started touring with Al and Dave as The Beach Boys'? Obviously I don't think that would have entered Brian and Melinda's heads for a second really if so.

I would think Melinda, at least, considered reworking the license after Mike refused to continue working in the C50 configuration. There are all sorts of things you could do to tweak the terms, short of sending out BAD as the group. You could require Mike to tour as "The Beach Boys featuring Mike Love," for instance. You could require a certain number of shows each year be done with the full lineup. There are any number of ways things could be done. But they all require pissing off Mike to one extent or another.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Yeah, if Carl's estate would lose considerable revenue cause Brian tours less, they could very well support Mike.

I may be misunderstanding your post but do you mean, 'if Brian took back the name and started touring with Al and Dave as The Beach Boys'? Obviously I don't think that would have entered Brian and Melinda's heads for a second really if so.

After their dust up in the LA Times, "ML fires Brian Wilson", I bet it croseed somebody's mind. But just, as usual, wild speculation on my part.

[Nicko1234]

I would think Melinda, at least, considered reworking the license after Mike refused to continue working in the C50 configuration. There are all sorts of things you could do to tweak the terms, short of sending out BAD as the group. You could require Mike to tour as "The Beach Boys featuring Mike Love," for instance. You could require a certain number of shows each year be done with the full lineup. There are any number of ways things could be done. But they all require pissing off Mike to one extent or another.

Hmmm.

I can imagine that Melinda may well have wanted (and perhaps demanded) that all official publicity materials make it clear that Mike and Bruce are the only principal members.

Not much else though. Calling the band, "The Beach Boys featuring Mike Love" would only serve to make it harder to get bookings and sell tickets. Therefore meaning less money for Melinda.

Asking for a certain number of full lineup shows every year would have made certain things worse I would have thought as the public would have had even less of an idea who they would have been turning up to watch.

[Wirestone]

Ultimately comes down to what these folks value. And unless they tell us in a truly unscripted and unguarded way, we probably won't know.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

Yeah, if Carl's estate would lose considerable revenue cause Brian tours less, they could very well support Mike.

I may be misunderstanding your post but do you mean, 'if Brian took back the name and started touring with Al and Dave as The Beach Boys'? Obviously I don't think that would have entered Brian and Melinda's heads for a second really if so.

After their dust up in the LA Times, "ML fires Brian Wilson", I bet it croseed somebody's mind. But just, as usual, wild speculation on my part.

Wild speculation is what keeps it fun!

[Nicko1234]

After their dust up in the LA Times, "ML fires Brian Wilson", I bet it croseed somebody's mind. But just, as usual, wild speculation on my part.

Possibly in a moment of anger but I really would doubt it.

Brian has built up a name for himself with his solo work over the past several years and touring in a shadow Beach Boys lineup would do nothing to boost his reputation imo.

And I don't think Brian, Al and Dave would sell any more tickets than Mike does now. I believe M&B have played the same size venues as Brian on many occasions so I'm not sure why Brian would want to go out as The Beach Boys and have to pay Mike a cut for every show when he could go out under his own name and pay nothing.

[Ziggy Stardust]

When you think about it, this sounds quite great! a new Brian album solo, but is it solo really since all the guests, and does sounds like it's going to be the promised rock'n'roll album! with Jeff Beck, and i'm sure David Marks will bring some of his talents, Al Jardine's voice would fit perfectly on some tunes like that! this time i won't have to picture him singin' on it like TLOS, he'll be singin'! again like TLOS, it's a shame it was refused by Mike Love and his girlfriend but oh well, i'm getting really excited for that.

And i love Jeff Beck! his touch is unique and beautiful.. his version of Surf's Up fit soo well, tho i didn't really like the final to be honest.

[Wirestone]

For reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai6wfqfs22Y

[SurfRiderHawaii]

After their dust up in the LA Times, "ML fires Brian Wilson", I bet it croseed somebody's mind. But just, as usual, wild speculation on my part.

Possibly in a moment of anger but I really would doubt it.

Brian has built up a name for himself with his solo work over the past several years and touring in a shadow Beach Boys lineup would do nothing to boost his reputation imo.

And I don't think Brian, Al and Dave would sell any more tickets than Mike does now. I believe M&B have played the same size venues as Brian on many occasions so I'm not sure why Brian would want to go out as The Beach Boys and have to pay Mike a cut for every show when he could go out under his own name and pay nothing.

The online poll a few months ago, not this site, about who would you like to see, was 7 to 1 people wanting to see Brian, Al and David vs. Mike/Brian. Will try and find the poll for ya.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

After their dust up in the LA Times, "ML fires Brian Wilson", I bet it croseed somebody's mind. But just, as usual, wild speculation on my part.

Possibly in a moment of anger but I really would doubt it.

Brian has built up a name for himself with his solo work over the past several years and touring in a shadow Beach Boys lineup would do nothing to boost his reputation imo.

And I don't think Brian, Al and Dave would sell any more tickets than Mike does now. I believe M&B have played the same size venues as Brian on many occasions so I'm not sure why Brian would want to go out as The Beach Boys and have to pay Mike a cut for every show when he could go out under his own name and pay nothing.

The online poll a few months ago, not this site, about who would you like to see, was 7 to 1 people wanting to see Brian, Al and David vs. Mike/Brian. Will try and find the poll for ya.

87% want to see Brian, with Al & David vs. 10 % The Mike/Bruce show.

A Brian, Al, David Beach Boys would be a highly sucessful touring act!


http://news.radio.com/2013/03/12/mike-loves-beach-boys-or-brian-wilson-friends-who-is-the-real-deal/

[oldsurferdude]

After their dust up in the LA Times, "ML fires Brian Wilson", I bet it croseed somebody's mind. But just, as usual, wild speculation on my part.

Possibly in a moment of anger but I really would doubt it.

Brian has built up a name for himself with his solo work over the past several years and touring in a shadow Beach Boys lineup would do nothing to boost his reputation imo.

And I don't think Brian, Al and Dave would sell any more tickets than Mike does now. I believe M&B have played the same size venues as Brian on many occasions so I'm not sure why Brian would want to go out as The Beach Boys and have to pay Mike a cut for every show when he could go out under his own name and pay nothing.

The online poll a few months ago, not this site, about who would you like to see, was 7 to 1 people wanting to see Brian, Al and David vs. Mike/Brian. Will try and find the poll for ya.

87% want to see Brian, with Al & David vs. 10 % The Mike/Bruce show.

A Brian, Al, David Beach Boys would be a highly sucessful touring act!


http://news.radio.com/2013/03/12/mike-loves-beach-boys-or-brian-wilson-friends-who-is-the-real-deal/

Is it any surprise??, Any doubt that myKe luHv is washed up?? Would enjoy watching him and his ego cut down to size.