Did McCartney ever tell Brian to kick Mike Love out of the Beach Boys?

[Smile4ever]

I heard a story that in the mid-to-late 1960s Paul McCartney recommended that Brian Wilson kick Mike Love out of the Beach Boys. I saw it mentioned on a message board, but never in the press, bios, research, etc. Is this true? Does anyone know more? I wasn't aware of this specific incident.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I don't think that ever happened but I think the experts on this board should weigh in, in which they will tell you it never happened.

[SMiLE Brian]

I think oldsurferdude told BW that when he met the whole group in the early 1970s.

[rab2591]

I think oldsurferdude told BW that when he met the whole group in the early 1970s.

OldSurferDude is Paul McCartney

[Smile4ever]

I don't think that ever happened but I think the experts on this board should weigh in, in which they will tell you it never happened.

Haha. Exactly. I'm assuming it didn't happen. And if so, it would be pretty funny that McCartney subsequently took Love's lyrical suggestion about Ukraine girls, etc in "Back in the USSR." "I recommended this guy be ousted from his band, but I may as well take his suggestion for a parody/homage of his group."

[Smile4ever]

Not to mention, it may have induced some "bad vibrations" while they were meditating together in India.   

[SMiLE Brian]

Another thing, brace for impact from AGD.....

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Mike wore a Pith Helmet in India and McCartney hates hats.

[Jason]

This is a rather...pointless thread. OP cannot provide any further details beyond "I heard a story..." and mentions it was on a message board and not in the press or in biographies of the band. I think the answer should be obvious.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I don't think that ever happened but I think the experts on this board should weigh in, in which they will tell you it never happened.

Haha. Exactly. I'm assuming it didn't happen. And if so, it would be pretty funny that McCartney subsequently took Love's lyrical suggestion about Ukraine girls, etc in "Back in the USSR." "I recommended this guy be ousted from his band, but I may as well take his suggestion for a parody/homage of his group."

I find Back in the USSR story to be as believable as many of the stories Macca himself tends to tell.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

^ Good point

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I've never, ever heard this.  AFAIK the only time they met in the 60's was April '67 I should think the meeting was polite, but they didn't know each other, so what reason would Macca have to say this to Brian? Utter crap I say.

[Smile4ever]

I've never, ever heard this.  AFAIK the only time they met in the 60's was April '67 I should think the meeting was polite, but they didn't know each other, so what reason would Macca have to say this to Brian? Utter crap I say.

Yeah I agree. Wasn't their only meeting anytime in the 60s during 1967 when Brian was in the recording studio? I thought it was when Brian literally had vegetables sitting out for the recording of a Vega-tables session or something. And McCartney came by and played him a song or two (on the piano) The Beatles had just completed for Sgt. Peppers. That was my recollection, and it seemed the meeting was very polite. Like you said, the guys didn't really know each other but shared mutual admiration. That's the story I remember.

In any case, I'm NOT trying to stir anything up. If the "firing" story is untrue, please feel free to delete this entire thread. I don't want to perpetuate false rumors. I thought it sounded bogus, but there are people on this board with a treasure trove of Beach Boys knowledge so I wanted to see if there was a shred of truth to it. Months ago I was on a message board when someone made this dubious assertion and I found it hard to believe, but wanted to seek clarification. The person who said this claimed that McCartney had heard Mike wasn't on board with Pet Sounds or the"Smile" sessions (Note: I'm not saying that is factual, this is what this random online person said McCartney had heard). Then sometime between 66-67 and a year or two later, McCartney shelled out his advice that Love should be sacked, to quell any dissension within the group and further establish Brian as the leader. That was the story. But it doesn't seem to match with established facts. And Brian never would have followed that advice anyway.

Like I said, I'm simply asking a question to see if there's any truth to this clown's story. If we're sure there is not, go ahead and delete this thread. I don't want to spread any misinformation.

[ontor pertawst]

Well I sure do! Didn't Paul McCartney end the C50 reunion tour by telling Mike Love he needs to stop playing Wembley and the Royal Albert Hall and bring music back to the people? See, you just got your wires crossed.

OBVIOUSLY PAUL MADE MIKE FIRE BRIAN.

(ducks)

[Generation42]

I don't think that ever happened but I think the experts on this board should weigh in, in which they will tell you it never happened.

Haha. Exactly. I'm assuming it didn't happen. And if so, it would be pretty funny that McCartney subsequently took Love's lyrical suggestion about Ukraine girls, etc in "Back in the USSR." "I recommended this guy be ousted from his band, but I may as well take his suggestion for a parody/homage of his group."

I find Back in the USSR story to be as believable as many of the stories Macca himself tends to tell.

Me, too.  It makes for good copy, I suppose (and certainly McCartney seemed to embrace a Beach Boys influence during the section in question), but I don't buy that it was M. Love's idea.  Nope, not for a moment.

[oldsurferdude]

I think oldsurferdude told BW that when he met the whole group in the early 1970s.

As a matter of fact, I did , but I've heard worse ideas. Ahhhhh, just thinking about it makes my day.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I don't think that ever happened but I think the experts on this board should weigh in, in which they will tell you it never happened.

Haha. Exactly. I'm assuming it didn't happen. And if so, it would be pretty funny that McCartney subsequently took Love's lyrical suggestion about Ukraine girls, etc in "Back in the USSR." "I recommended this guy be ousted from his band, but I may as well take his suggestion for a parody/homage of his group."

I find Back in the USSR story to be as believable as many of the stories Macca himself tends to tell.

Me, too.  It makes for good copy, I suppose (and certainly McCartney seemed to embrace a Beach Boys influence during the section in question), but I don't buy that it was M. Love's idea.  Nope, not for a moment.

Yeah. The whole song is Beach Boys pastiche and the "East Coast girls" parody section is so precious it's gotta be pure McCartney, especially with the extremely clever (in that fab British way) line of "Georgia's always on my mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mind."

At the same time, there's no way that Paul, John, and George went on some crazy journey just so they can meet a mythical figure who knew how to play B7.

[Dancing Bear]

I don't see how it's so unbelievable. Mike was there and supposedly suggested that it would be fun to add some Califonia Girls / Chuck Berry style lyrics about the wonders of USSR. That's right up his alley. Relax, that doesn't make him a co-writer.

[Pretty Funky]

If it was the case, I'd be telling Macca to mind his own business.

[bgas]

I don't see how it's so unbelievable. Mike was there and supposedly suggested that it would be fun to add some Califonia Girls / Chuck Berry style lyrics about the wonders of USSR. That's right up his alley. Relax, that doesn't make him a co-writer.

Not only does it make Mike a co-writer, but I'm very surprised that he didn't sue Micheal Jackson for credit on the song.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I don't see how it's so unbelievable. Mike was there and supposedly suggested that it would be fun to add some Califonia Girls / Chuck Berry style lyrics about the wonders of USSR. That's right up his alley. Relax, that doesn't make him a co-writer.

Erm, yeah, but McCartney himself has certainly never mentioned it. He has spoken about that section of the song before:

I wrote that as a kind of Beach Boys parody. And "Back in the USA" was a Chuck Berry song, so it kinda took off from there. I just liked the idea of Georgia girls and talking about places like the Ukraine as if they were California, you know?

In fact, it only really solidifies as a song with that section and was probably crucial for Paul in deciding to go ahead with it as a song. I do find it hard to believe that Mike had any part in the idea of the song outside of being an inspiration by being in the same location. But I find it as hard to believe that Blackbird was about Martin Luther King as Macca currently claims.

[Generation42]

I don't see how it's so unbelievable. Mike was there and supposedly suggested that it would be fun to add some Califonia Girls / Chuck Berry style lyrics about the wonders of USSR. That's right up his alley. Relax, that doesn't make him a co-writer.

On the contrary.  If I truly believed that it really was Mike's idea, I'd argue fervently that he was due a writer's credit.

But I don't, so I won't. 

Incidentally, as far as I can tell, nobody has to "relax."  It's simply a matter of differing opinions.  I know that on this board, that kind of thing can sometimes be thought of as cause to be tried for high treason, but I don't see it that way.

[Wirestone]

I do find it hard to believe that Mike had any part in the idea of the song outside of being an inspiration by being in the same location.

This is precisely right.

[Ian]

Brian first met paul in the fall of 66

[joshferrell]

of course Paul wanted Mike to quit to beach boys because he wanted him to join the Beatles