Was Mike Love the first pop star to play a synth on stage?

[Mitchell]

I know the Moog ribbon synth story has been discussed before but was Mike a groundbreaking figure in live electronic music?

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I know the Moog ribbon synth story has been discussed before but was Mike a groundbreaking figure in live electronic music?

No

[Orange Crate Art]

Mike wasn't even a good theremin player. The early live versions of Wild Honey are annoyingly out of tune with that screeching theremin. And they never should have let him play it and sing the chorus to Good Vibrations at the same time because he always messed up the timing of the singing parts.

[PaulTMA]

He started bleepy bloopy chillwave sounds with All I Wanna Do tho  
Fellate him for the mere existance or Com Truise and similarly-named artistes 

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I am pretty sure Mike inspired the ballcap craze with rappers though. 

[filledeplage]

Mike wasn't even a good theremin player. The early live versions of Wild Honey are annoyingly out of tune with that screeching theremin. And they never should have let him play it and sing the chorus to Good Vibrations at the same time because he always messed up the timing of the singing parts.

Did you see him play it live?

[leggo of my ego]

I know the Moog ribbon synth story has been discussed before but was Mike a groundbreaking figure in live electronic music?

  Brian played the farty-snyths in the studio - Mike is just the Wind-breaking figure in live electronic noodling. 

[Phoenix]

Good or bad, the question is whether he was the first pop musician to play any sort of synthesizer instrument on stage.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Doubtless someone somewhere played something synth-ish live before October 1966... but he might well be the first member of a major-league band to do so.

Does a Mellotron count ? Probably not, as the sounds aren't synthesized, but rather a playback.

[Orange Crate Art]

Mike wasn't even a good theremin player. The early live versions of Wild Honey are annoyingly out of tune with that screeching theremin. And they never should have let him play it and sing the chorus to Good Vibrations at the same time because he always messed up the timing of the singing parts.

Did you see him play it live?

By the time I saw my first Beach Boys concert the band had somebody else playing the theremin part. So no. However, I own both AMERICAN BAND and ENDLESS HARMONY which feature the same live footage of Good Vibrations from either '66 or '67, and Mike is playing the theremin and singing the chorus at the same time. And my ears always hear him singing slightly off time. Not to mention my little collection of live audio boots from the 67-71 era feature Mike playing theremin on Wild Honey....oh man, it's like when Yoko was doing her crazy dolphin screeching during those Plastic Ono concerts from the early 70s. Whatever, just my useless opinion.

[Phoenix]

Doubtless someone somewhere played something synth-ish live before October 1966... but he might well be the first member of a major-league band to do so.

Does a Mellotron count ? Probably not, as the sounds aren't synthesized, but rather a playback.

Thanks for the info but this may actually be some kind of overlooked milestone (albeit a really minor one).  Micky Dolenz is credited as being the first pop musician to play an actual Moog synthesizer on a pop record, through his use of it on the Monkees track "Daily Nightly".  That song was recorded and released in 1967 (released in LATE '67; November to be precise) and according to legend, Dolenz owned the third Moog that was sold.  Since the ribbon controller thingy that Mike played was (like the tannerin) custom made for the Boys, there's a good chance that Mike, Brian (who no doubt was the one who suggested its creation, or at least something that could easily replicate the tannerin's sound on stage), and the Boys WERE synth pioneers. 

Maybe one of our tech minded posters could look further into that.

[Mitchell]

My memory was that the ribbon controller actually was key to the development of the full blown Moog synth. Guitarfool is the expert on this one but yes, I'm thinking specifically of their role as a major league band bringing synths/electronic music to live performance. Those October '66 Michigan shows could be important in that regard.

[Cam Mott]

Had Lothar and the Hand People used a synthesizer or ribbon controller in performance before October 1966?

[Andrew G. Doe]

They used a pukka Theremin (called Lothar, hence their name, according to rock urban myth - or not, according to the band members). They were formed in 1965, in Denver, and they reportedly did use Lothar live before relocating to NYC in 1966 (their first album was released 1968)... but I think we'd be stretching the definition of "major-league band" to its limits and some way beyond.

[Cam Mott]

They used a pukka Theremin (called Lothar, hence their name, according to rock urban myth - or not, according to the band members). They were formed in 1965, in Denver, and they reportedly did use Lothar live before relocating to NYC in 1966 (their first album was released 1968)... but I think we'd be stretching the definition of "major-league band" to its limits and some way beyond.

Agreed but they seem like a candidate for first use. First was probably some mostly unknown university art band of some sort in reality.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Just watched the documentary "Moog" on Netflix. Very interesting stuff. Amazing guy!

[Andrew G. Doe]

Saw it a few weeks ago - fascinating indeed,  but the total absence of Walter/Wendy Carlos - they weren't so much as alluded to, much less mentioned - proved to be an almost insurmountable flaw. Carlos pretty much single-handedly brought the Moog to the attention of the general public with such albums as Switched On Bach and The Well-Tempered Synthesizer. Considering he/she collaborated with Moog on the development of his synth, that's some major omission.

[Cabinessenceking]

Kokomaoists are really grasping for the straws if this would be their genuine opinion!

[filledeplage]

Mike wasn't even a good theremin player. The early live versions of Wild Honey are annoyingly out of tune with that screeching theremin. And they never should have let him play it and sing the chorus to Good Vibrations at the same time because he always messed up the timing of the singing parts.

Did you see him play it live?

By the time I saw my first Beach Boys concert the band had somebody else playing the theremin part. So no. However, I own both AMERICAN BAND and ENDLESS HARMONY which feature the same live footage of Good Vibrations from either '66 or '67, and Mike is playing the theremin and singing the chorus at the same time. And my ears always hear him singing slightly off time. Not to mention my little collection of live audio boots from the 67-71 era feature Mike playing theremin on Wild Honey....oh man, it's like when Yoko was doing her crazy dolphin screeching during those Plastic Ono concerts from the early 70s. Whatever, just my useless opinion.

My first show in April if 1967, had Mike, and the Boys in the old striped shirts.  Mike played the Theramin for Good Vibraions.  He was spot on, in a funky old theater that is long-gone but which had great acoustics.  And, while I don't have a tape of that show, I can still see him, very intensely, playing something that resembled the size and the shape of an old hand-saw.  And having it sound just great to my 14 year old ears.  And everyone else's. 

It was only then-recently a number one hit, so people were really psyched-up to hear it live.  And, it sounds pretty fine on the 1967 audio stuff on YouTube.   I don't know it it is an instrument, such as a piano, which can be tuned with any particularity.  Or it is just supported to produce that eery pitch and timbre that acts as sound effects for scary movies?  Maybe some sound person can help out with that? 

[SMiLE Brian]

Mike wasn't even a good theremin player. The early live versions of Wild Honey are annoyingly out of tune with that screeching theremin. And they never should have let him play it and sing the chorus to Good Vibrations at the same time because he always messed up the timing of the singing parts.

Did you see him play it live?

By the time I saw my first Beach Boys concert the band had somebody else playing the theremin part. So no. However, I own both AMERICAN BAND and ENDLESS HARMONY which feature the same live footage of Good Vibrations from either '66 or '67, and Mike is playing the theremin and singing the chorus at the same time. And my ears always hear him singing slightly off time. Not to mention my little collection of live audio boots from the 67-71 era feature Mike playing theremin on Wild Honey....oh man, it's like when Yoko was doing her crazy dolphin screeching during those Plastic Ono concerts from the early 70s. Whatever, just my useless opinion.

I would agree with you, Mike is horrible on the theremin on the Michigan shows and "vocal element" shows from 1967.

[Niko]

Mike wasn't even a good theremin player. The early live versions of Wild Honey are annoyingly out of tune with that screeching theremin. And they never should have let him play it and sing the chorus to Good Vibrations at the same time because he always messed up the timing of the singing parts.

Did you see him play it live?

By the time I saw my first Beach Boys concert the band had somebody else playing the theremin part. So no. However, I own both AMERICAN BAND and ENDLESS HARMONY which feature the same live footage of Good Vibrations from either '66 or '67, and Mike is playing the theremin and singing the chorus at the same time. And my ears always hear him singing slightly off time. Not to mention my little collection of live audio boots from the 67-71 era feature Mike playing theremin on Wild Honey....oh man, it's like when Yoko was doing her crazy dolphin screeching during those Plastic Ono concerts from the early 70s. Whatever, just my useless opinion.

I would agree with you, Mike is horrible on the theremin on the Michigan shows and "vocal element" shows from 1967.

It's an instrument that takes so much precision, I don't see why they bothered with having Mike do it if he couldn't play the part right. Obviously that's a really hard thing to do, but it's just so audible when the istrument is off!

Btw, I thought the clips of Brian doing Wild Honey with Blondie from October had a funny sounding theremin...it always sounded just a bit off. Was that just me, the video clips I saw, or was it actually off key?

[filledeplage]

Mike wasn't even a good theremin player. The early live versions of Wild Honey are annoyingly out of tune with that screeching theremin. And they never should have let him play it and sing the chorus to Good Vibrations at the same time because he always messed up the timing of the singing parts.

Did you see him play it live?

By the time I saw my first Beach Boys concert the band had somebody else playing the theremin part. So no. However, I own both AMERICAN BAND and ENDLESS HARMONY which feature the same live footage of Good Vibrations from either '66 or '67, and Mike is playing the theremin and singing the chorus at the same time. And my ears always hear him singing slightly off time. Not to mention my little collection of live audio boots from the 67-71 era feature Mike playing theremin on Wild Honey....oh man, it's like when Yoko was doing her crazy dolphin screeching during those Plastic Ono concerts from the early 70s. Whatever, just my useless opinion.

I would agree with you, Mike is horrible on the theremin on the Michigan shows and "vocal element" shows from 1967.

And, I disagree, still, with 1967, November, on streaming, with both Wild Honey and GV with Mike in a white suit, on Thermin, and brilliant organ, by the way.  With the fabulous Carl on lead.  Wild Honey, the album came out a couple of weeks later.

[Niko]

If you love the theremin so much, why are you okay with Mike soiling it with his fingers? 

[Cam Mott]

Kokomaoists are really grasping for the straws if this would be their genuine opinion!

I don't understand. Can you document a band that had someone playing synth on stage before Mike?

[filledeplage]

Mike wasn't even a good theremin player. The early live versions of Wild Honey are annoyingly out of tune with that screeching theremin. And they never should have let him play it and sing the chorus to Good Vibrations at the same time because he always messed up the timing of the singing parts.

Did you see him play it live?

By the time I saw my first Beach Boys concert the band had somebody else playing the theremin part. So no. However, I own both AMERICAN BAND and ENDLESS HARMONY which feature the same live footage of Good Vibrations from either '66 or '67, and Mike is playing the theremin and singing the chorus at the same time. And my ears always hear him singing slightly off time. Not to mention my little collection of live audio boots from the 67-71 era feature Mike playing theremin on Wild Honey....oh man, it's like when Yoko was doing her crazy dolphin screeching during those Plastic Ono concerts from the early 70s. Whatever, just my useless opinion.

I would agree with you, Mike is horrible on the theremin on the Michigan shows and "vocal element" shows from 1967.

It's an instrument that takes so much precision, I don't see why they bothered with having Mike do it if he couldn't play the part right. Obviously that's a really hard thing to do, but it's just so audible when the istrument is off!

Btw, I thought the clips of Brian doing Wild Honey with Blondie from October had a funny sounding theremin...it always sounded just a bit off. Was that just me, the video clips I saw, or was it actually off key?

When they play it, it sounds to me like it is for WH only two notes, played an octave apart. Such as high DO and low DO. (Someone will tell me otherwise, I'm sure.)   

They were just a "garage band" who hit the big time, but in those days, played their own stuff.  In 1967, they started filling in the sound with other musicians such as Darryl Dragon, Ed Carter, etc. 

And, on the Brian-Beck tour, it seemed the Probyn did the Theremin.