BAD press, interviews, etc.

[Doo Dah]

Acknowledging the elephant in the room, this summer's short BAD tour will no doubt evoke press reports that poke at the whole wasp nest - the C50 wrap up (aka: whodunnit?)

I'd like to keep this separate from the BAD thread on the actual tour/setlists, etc. Here is a place to post late breaking press and the wildest of cards - The Al Jardine Interview!

I tell ya...the little guy from Lima has really grown some stones the past few years. I dig him. I really do!

From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/music/preview-post-reunion-split-means-two-bands-are-playing-beach-boys-songs-695854/

 By Scott Mervis / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Beach Boys looked like one big happy family last summer on the band's 50th anniversary tour. Cousins Brian Wilson and Mike Love were on stage together for the first time since 1987, joined by surviving members Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks in an exquisite celebration of one of the best catalogs of American music.

When the tour ended they drove the Woodie right into a ditch.

Mr. Love, who specializes in the car songs and surf rockers, announced that The Beach Boys, a title he owns, would revert back to the lineup without Mr. Wilson, Mr. Jardine and Mr. Marks for a fall tour. He explained in an open letter to the Los Angeles Times that it was "not feasible, both logistically and economically" for the reunion band to play the smaller markets in which they were booked. He also said, "None of us wanted to do a 50th anniversary tour that lasted 10 years. It was meant to be special."

Mr. Wilson didn't take that decision well, noting, "It sort of feels like we're being fired."

For the summer of 2013, Mr. Love and Mr. Johnston are playing as The Beach Boys competing with the offshoot tour of "Brian Wilson with Al Jardine + David Marks," backed by the stellar band that has been accompanying Mr. Wilson for years and also played the reunion.

"It's a pretty darn good band," Mr. Jardine said in a phone interview. "It will primarily be a Beach Boys' library of songs because that's what we do best when we're together. It's ostensibly a continuation of the reunion tour although we don't call it The Beach Boys for obvious reasons. We would love to have Mike and Bruce with us, but they don't want to work with us. So we can't force them to work with us. We are going to do our very best to carry on with the reunion."

One recent twist to the story is that Mr. Love said in a July 8 interview that he misses his cousin and would love to work with him again.

"Well, what a wonderful thought," Mr. Jardine said. "That's very nice of him. I'd like to work with Mahatma Gandhi, too. Maybe that's the wrong [comparison]. I'd like to work with George Gershwin. Those are the things we wish for, but wishing is one thing and actually doing it is another. So if you really mean it, you come out and you work with us. But put your thoughts into action. That's my response to that."

With Mr. Love out of the picture, Mr. Wilson's band is without the singer who took the lead on such songs as "Surfin' USA," "I Get Around," "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Be True to Your School." (Mr. Jardine's shining moment with The Beach Boys was "Help Me, Rhonda.")

So what do they do with the Love leads?

"We'll probably cut a few of those out, but there's no reason why we can't do 'Little Deuce Coupe' and a couple of those. Why not? It's not about the messenger, it's about the music. I have my own band called Endless Summer Band, and I go out and sing those songs. I love them. They are priceless little gems. It's just how you present them, that's the only difference."

Part of the great success of the reunion was creating the first album of new Beach Boys material in 20 years. And it wasn't just shoved aside. "That's Why God Made the Radio" debuted at No. 3, the highest charting Beach Boys record in 37 years, and received positive reviews and a good reaction from fans on the tour.

"They loved it. They were really receptive," Mr. Jardine said. "I was surprised. Normally, new music doesn't get that kind of reaction. We couched it in the shows in a way that wasn't overwhelming, and got a great reaction to it."

"We did a follow-up single that never matriculated called 'Isn't It Time,' which I thought was a great follow-up. We even re-recorded it on the road in Europe, so I was thinking 'follow-up single, fall tour, perfect for spring time the following year,' and then Mike pulls the plug on the whole darn thing ... finished."

On a positive note, there is talk that Mr. Wilson has more solo material on the way.

"We are all writing all the time, that's what we do as musicians. We're constantly coming up with ideas and sharing them with each other. That's what made The Beach Boys so successful. We collaborated with one another and I think we did a pretty good job over the long haul, and to not want to do that to me is crazy. This band is wonderful and I think you'll hear The Beach Boys' repertoire performed in a pretty spectacular way."

Where: Stage AE, North Shore.

When: Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets: $49 reserved; $25 lawn; www.ticketmaster.com.

[hypehat]

Al pitching it in strong there!

[SMiLE Brian]

Don't mess with Al!

[Doo Dah]

Don't mess with Al!

[JohnMill]

Don't mess with Al!

DON'T FIGHT THE SEA! / DON'T MESS WITH AL

There is the makings of a t-shirt there folks.

[SMiLE Brian]

Don't mess with Al!

DON'T FIGHT THE SEA! / DON'T MESS WITH AL

There is the makings of a t-shirt there folks.

How about "don't fight the Jardine!"

[Nicko1234]

Cheap tickets for these shows...

[Doo Dah]

They are affordable. I know they were also offering VIP's @ $250 per as well.

[leggo of my ego]

One recent twist to the story is that Mr. Love said in a July 8 interview that he misses his cousin and would love to work with him again.

"Well, what a wonderful thought," Mr. Jardine said. "That's very nice of him. I'd like to work with Mahatma Gandhi, too. Maybe that's the wrong [comparison]. I'd like to work with George Gershwin. Those are the things we wish for, but wishing is one thing and actually doing it is another. So if you really mean it, you come out and you work with us. But put your thoughts into action. That's my response to that

BRAVO!!

Its good to see Little Al speak his mind, he's certainly not pulling his punches and puking
the WISHy-washy, I wish This and I wish That junk that Michael has since the 50th ended.

[oldsurferdude]

Just think of it-No mYke luHv cornball banter, no chicken dancing, stupid jokes or 20 minute lectures about how his baldness wrote this, that or the other thing before each surf/car song. In other words, no more frontclown to bring the show down Howdy Dudie standards. Honk.

[JohnMill]

One recent twist to the story is that Mr. Love said in a July 8 interview that he misses his cousin and would love to work with him again.

"Well, what a wonderful thought," Mr. Jardine said. "That's very nice of him. I'd like to work with Mahatma Gandhi, too. Maybe that's the wrong [comparison]. I'd like to work with George Gershwin. Those are the things we wish for, but wishing is one thing and actually doing it is another. So if you really mean it, you come out and you work with us. But put your thoughts into action. That's my response to that

BRAVO!!

Its good to see Little Al speak his mind, he's certainly not pulling his punches and puking
the WISHy-washy, I wish This and I wish That junk that Michael has since the 50th ended.

It is unfortunate however that all these months after the C50 ended we still don't have a definitive word on who stomped it.  Mike says that Brian Wilson said "No more shows for me" and so they reverted back to their pre C50 lineup (doesn't necessarily explain where Al and Dave evaporated to but none the less).  Brian and Al say that Mike Love "pulled the plug".  Both sides seem willing to reunite with the other side under the right circumstances although Brian Wilson seems the most negative on the subject ("No more reunions...no I don't think so")

Grrr so frustrating.  I know at least one SSMB member posted a scenario around a week ago where both Mike & Brian could've ended the reunion together leaving BOTH parties to think that the other party ended the reunion.  Al Jardine obviously thinks Mike Love ended the reunion and is none too happy about it.  Bruce Johnston wasn't aware that The Beach Boys' had a C50 double disc live album out until it hit the market.  I wonder if he's been updated on the status of MIC?  I'm sure somewhere there is someone out there either in the band or one of the backing groups that is still under the impression that the C50 tour hasn't ended yet.

Oh well.

[hypehat]

One recent twist to the story is that Mr. Love said in a July 8 interview that he misses his cousin and would love to work with him again.

"Well, what a wonderful thought," Mr. Jardine said. "That's very nice of him. I'd like to work with Mahatma Gandhi, too. Maybe that's the wrong [comparison]. I'd like to work with George Gershwin. Those are the things we wish for, but wishing is one thing and actually doing it is another. So if you really mean it, you come out and you work with us. But put your thoughts into action. That's my response to that

BRAVO!!

Its good to see Little Al speak his mind, he's certainly not pulling his punches and puking
the WISHy-washy, I wish This and I wish That junk that Michael has since the 50th ended.

(doesn't necessarily explain where Al and Dave evaporated to but none the less). 

Doesn't the fact that they are about to play shows with Brian Wilson explain where they went?

Also, if Brian was really the one responsible, wouldn't Al & David go and play with M&B?

[drbeachboy]

One recent twist to the story is that Mr. Love said in a July 8 interview that he misses his cousin and would love to work with him again.

"Well, what a wonderful thought," Mr. Jardine said. "That's very nice of him. I'd like to work with Mahatma Gandhi, too. Maybe that's the wrong [comparison]. I'd like to work with George Gershwin. Those are the things we wish for, but wishing is one thing and actually doing it is another. So if you really mean it, you come out and you work with us. But put your thoughts into action. That's my response to that

BRAVO!!

Its good to see Little Al speak his mind, he's certainly not pulling his punches and puking
the WISHy-washy, I wish This and I wish That junk that Michael has since the 50th ended.

It is unfortunate however that all these months after the C50 ended we still don't have a definitive word on who stomped it.  Mike says that Brian Wilson said "No more shows for me" and so they reverted back to their pre C50 lineup (doesn't necessarily explain where Al and Dave evaporated to but none the less).  Brian and Al say that Mike Love "pulled the plug".  Both sides seem willing to reunite with the other side under the right circumstances although Brian Wilson seems the most negative on the subject ("No more reunions...no I don't think so")

Grrr so frustrating.  I know at least one SSMB member posted a scenario around a week ago where both Mike & Brian could've ended the reunion together leaving BOTH parties to think that the other party ended the reunion.  Al Jardine obviously thinks Mike Love ended the reunion and is none too happy about it.  Bruce Johnston wasn't aware that The Beach Boys' had a C50 double disc live album out until it hit the market.  I wonder if he's been updated on the status of MIC?  I'm sure somewhere there is someone out there either in the band or one of the backing groups that is still under the impression that the C50 tour hasn't ended yet.

Oh well.

Frustrated, but not discouraged. This whole thing will keep brewing until out of the blue, all is forgiven, just like last year. This is The Beach Boys that we are talking about, here.

[drbeachboy]

One recent twist to the story is that Mr. Love said in a July 8 interview that he misses his cousin and would love to work with him again.

"Well, what a wonderful thought," Mr. Jardine said. "That's very nice of him. I'd like to work with Mahatma Gandhi, too. Maybe that's the wrong [comparison]. I'd like to work with George Gershwin. Those are the things we wish for, but wishing is one thing and actually doing it is another. So if you really mean it, you come out and you work with us. But put your thoughts into action. That's my response to that

BRAVO!!

Its good to see Little Al speak his mind, he's certainly not pulling his punches and puking
the WISHy-washy, I wish This and I wish That junk that Michael has since the 50th ended.

(doesn't necessarily explain where Al and Dave evaporated to but none the less).  

Doesn't the fact that they are about to play shows with Brian Wilson explain where they went?

Also, if Brian was really the one responsible, wouldn't Al & David go and play with M&B?

No, because AL & David are not part of the licensing. I think they would need to be asked. I don't think they can just interject themselves into Mike & Bruce's touring band. Now, recording is a whole other issue.

[hypehat]

So in the world where everyone wants to continue the reunion, but Brian doesn't, Mike can't let Al & David join his band because the BRI licence doesn't allow him to? So Al & David go and join Brian and Al guns for Mike in the press? Does that make sense to you?

[Nicko1234]

So in the world where everyone wants to continue the reunion, but Brian doesn't, Mike can't let Al & David join his band because the BRI licence doesn't allow him to? So Al & David go and join Brian and Al guns for Mike in the press? Does that make sense to you?

Wouldn`t make any business sense for Mike to have Al or David touring with him. And we know that Mike and Al don`t get on anyway.

[ontor pertawst]

The whole being greater than the sum of its parts always had a set end date.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I guess it depends on your perspective and opinion, but I find Al to be divisive and clueless.

In my opinion, I don't think Al has handled the end of the C50 reunion appropriately. I'm not questioning his right to be upset about being out of a job - he can feel about it any way he wants. I just wish he would('ve) confronted Mike to his face, privately (and maybe he did), discussed the issues behind closed doors, and left it at that. Taking shots at Mike in the press is not condusive to anything positive, and it reflects badly on The Beach Boys' image, which was finally turning around. For someone like Al who is constantly preaching about the positivity of The Beach Boys' music, I wonder how much he thinks about how his comments are viewed with the public. Other than getting things off his chest in public, which is sad that at this point in his life Al feels it is necessary to do, what does Al think he is accomplishing? It's no surprise that he'll be unemployed again in a few months.

[ontor pertawst]

I wonder how much he thinks about how his comments are viewed with the public.

He's the only one that comes off like a human being with words not scripted for him.

Let's get Frank Luntz on this and see how his white suit polls, too.

[Jim V.]

It's no surprise that he'll be unemployed again in a few months.

I'm always interested to read your points Sheriff, but I don't think you have any inside knowledge about whether Al will be unemployed again any time soon. As far as I know, he will likely continue touring with Brian, as he apparently has a major part to play on Brian's next album.

[AndrewHickey]

So in the world where everyone wants to continue the reunion, but Brian doesn't, Mike can't let Al & David join his band because the BRI licence doesn't allow him to? So Al & David go and join Brian and Al guns for Mike in the press? Does that make sense to you?

Mike's license does let him have Al and David in the band -- but everything I've seen about Mike ever suggests that he's not actually interested in working with Al, just Brian...he'll work with Al as the price for working with Brian, but otherwise views him as unnecessary...

[Nicko1234]

So in the world where everyone wants to continue the reunion, but Brian doesn't, Mike can't let Al & David join his band because the BRI licence doesn't allow him to? So Al & David go and join Brian and Al guns for Mike in the press? Does that make sense to you?

Mike's license does let him have Al and David in the band -- but everything I've seen about Mike ever suggests that he's not actually interested in working with Al, just Brian...he'll work with Al as the price for working with Brian, but otherwise views him as unnecessary...

True enough.　It`s something I think Al is understandably bitter about (along with Gary Usher borrowing $250, Charles Manson never returning his guitar and all of the other stuff Al is bitter about).

The astonishing thing is though that to the public Al probably is unnecessary. I think it would be great if Al and David were touring with Mike and Bruce but I don`t think the general public would care one jot.

[Doo Dah]

I guess it depends on your perspective and opinion, but I find Al to be divisive and clueless.

In my opinion, I don't think Al has handled the end of the C50 reunion appropriately. I'm not questioning his right to be upset about being out of a job - he can feel about it any way he wants. I just wish he would('ve) confronted Mike to his face, privately (and maybe he did), discussed the issues behind closed doors, and left it at that. Taking shots at Mike in the press is not condusive to anything positive, and it reflects badly on The Beach Boys' image, which was finally turning around. For someone like Al who is constantly preaching about the positivity of The Beach Boys' music, I wonder how much he thinks about how his comments are viewed with the public. Other than getting things off his chest in public, which is sad that at this point in his life Al feels it is necessary to do, what does Al think he is accomplishing? It's no surprise that he'll be unemployed again in a few months.

That's a reasonable assertion, and while I can sympathize something in me just relates personally to Al right here. I've always performed well in business settings, but I am known for being petulant and not quite a 'team player' when I feel the need to speak up. And so what - there are too many phonies/back slappers in the entertainment business and in the business world in general. Sometimes you just have to stand up and be 'the bastard'. Bravo to Al.

That being SAID, in Beach Boys world this too shall pass. Never say never on any one-off reunion gigs. Just please spare me these "now we're all together, perfect harmony, blah blah blah's". Just do it with Luuuuuv

[AndrewHickey]

The astonishing thing is though that to the public Al probably is unnecessary. I think it would be great if Al and David were touring with Mike and Bruce but I don`t think the general public would care one jot.

I absolutely agree. I certainly didn't see any different reaction to the band when Dave joined for the 2008 tour.
It's a shame really, because my preferred solution would be to have Al replace Christian in Mike's band and have Brian tour on his own...

[tpesky]

I don't think Brian Wilson "needs Al" but I think Al takes a little pressure off him at this stage of the game lead vocal wise and dealing with the media. I think based on stage set up in the rehearsal (center stage) and Brian's acknowledgment of Al's voice Al will have a few more leads than we are accustomed to.

If only Al had shown this much balls 30-35 yrs ago, BB history might be different but hindsight is 20/20.

I don't think the general public really gives  a crap if Bruce is there or not either. At least with Al you can say here's the guy that sang lead on Help Me Rhonda and sang lead on WIBN and Sloop during the classic BB lineups.  WHat can you say with Bruce? Here's the guy who sang lead on Disney Girls? Come again?