Explaining the world of Mike and Alan (circa 2001)

[Foster's Freeze]

Here's an interesting interview with Al circa 2001.

Q & A With Former Beach Boy Al Jardine

By Corey Levitan

Copley News Service

Wouldn't it be nice if Beach Boys fans could hear their favorite pop anthems performed by all three surviving members sharing one stage?

Brian Wilson only performs solo these days. And Al Jardine left the Beach Boys acrimoniously, following the 1998 death of Carl Wilson and what he claims were unscrupulous business moves by singer Mike Love, who is the group`s only remaining original member. (Bruce Johnston doesn't really count, since he joined the Boys four years after they coalesced, as a touring replacement for Brian in 1965.)

In 1998, Jardine formed a solo group called the Beach Boys Family & Friends, featuring his sons, Matt and Adam, Brian`s daughters, Carnie and Wendy Wilson, and several longtime Beach Boys backup musicians. But Love sued to stop Jardine from using his group`s name. So it was changed to Al Jardine & Friends, pending a judgment from the suit.

Jardine, 58, who grew up in Hawthorne, along with the Wilson brothers, phoned recently from his home in Big Sur to help put some first-hand perspective on the Beach Boys` past, their new album ("Hawthorne, California") and the future.

Q: How do you explain the continued interest in a rock group that`s 40 years old?

A: The music is timeless. It`ll never get old. They can re-release the stuff forever on new formats.

Q: What can Beach Boys fans expect to find in "Hawthorne, California"?

A: It`s a nice compilation of alternative takes and things that are different. It shows how beautiful the harmonies are.

Q: Who chose the tracks?

A: I don`t know, an engineer at Capitol probably. They`re always looking for ways to exploit the catalog, and in this case, I happen to agree. I think it`s really a nice look at the harmonies, since we worked so hard on these. The musical tracks would sometimes bury the work, so it`s nice to hear them separate it out. And I like the diversity of it. I understand Brian listens to it all the time.

Q: Does it include anything you forgot existed?

A: Some of the radio spots are unique. I`d forgotten a couple of those.

Q: Whose idea was it to call the album "Hawthorne, California"?

A: Probably the guy who wrote the liner notes, Alan Boyd (who also directed the 1998 made-for-TV Beach Boys documentary, "Endless Harmony"). Have you seen the album cover? That`s what Hawthorne looked like back then. I fought hard for that cover. They wanted to use miniature little faces of all of us instead.

Q: What was growing up in Hawthorne like for you?

A: I think it gave us breadth and depth we might not have gotten somewhere else.

Q: You didn't hang with the Wilson's in high school, only later on, right?

A: Yeah, but I knew Brian from football.

Q: When did you first hear the Wilson brothers harmonize together?

A: I remember during one school assembly, Brian had a group of singers. One of his friends got sick, so Carl had to substitute. And Carl was about 12. I thought, "Who is that kid?" But I remember being impressed because Carl could sing so well, even at that age, and play guitar to boot.

Q: What was Brian like to work with at his peak?

A: Brian was just a maniac when it came to output. (Laughs) That`s probably the wrong term to use. But he was creative, so driven.

Q: Do you think that drive came from his father? Was Murry really as tough as he is portrayed?

A: He was a tyrant. But then when you have three boys, close together in age, with Dennis stirring the pot all the time, it could probably drive you up a tree. But Murry was definitely off the chart when it came to discipline. He was what you would call today obsessive-compulsive. And he had this one glass eye. You`d always wonder who he was looking at. But he pretty much knew how to intimidate the crap out of you. He was a big, tough guy. He would punch first and ask questions later.

Q: Can you explain your current beef with Mike?

A: I just don`t see why one guy should own the name when this other guy was there as long as he was - in fact, before he was - building the name with my hard work, sweat and tears.

Q: But a lot of people don`t see why there should be two Beach Boys groups to begin with. Why can`t you guys make nice?

A: You don`t make nice with him. He`s not a make-nice kind of guy. Once he divorces you, you`re divorced. Ask his seven wives - or eight, I`ve lost count. What you do, if you don`t want to work together, is allow the other person dignity and simply acknowledge the fact that you both own the name.

Q: Was there a final straw between you two?

A: He wanted to take all the money and put it in his company. When everybody dies around you, you start feeling like you can do things like that. I don`t think either Brian or I really know who Mike Love is. In fact, we`ve both said that in previous articles. Mike`s not a Hawthorne boy. The Hawthorne guys stuck together. The Wilson's and I always had a special bond. We felt like we were a team.

Q: So is there a chance that Brian might sing with your Beach Boys in the future, if not Mike`s?

A: No. It`s real clear that his management wants him to be a superstar, to maintain his own integrity and identity, which I think is great. The problem is, Brian doesn`t want to be a superstar. He doesn`t want all that attention. But that`s his manager`s decision. I don`t know, anything`s possible.

Q: With Brian`s daughters singing with you, I guess that can be interpreted as the Wilson family seal of approval for your side.

A: Yes, they are really charming. In fact, we have an album called "Live in Las Vegas" (available through www.aljardine.com). It`s got Carnie singing "Darlin`" and Wendy singing "Don`t Worry Baby." It`s a great album. They`ve got a lot of future ahead of them. I think they`re gonna get back with Chynna Phillips and put Wilson Phillips back together.

But our group will go forward regardless.

[frightfulhog]

It'll never get old. They can re-release the stuff forever on new formats.

the aging rock musician's credo

[The Shift]

Q: Can you explain your current beef with Mike?

A: I just don`t see why one guy should own the name when this other guy was there as long as he was - in fact, before he was - building the name with my hard work, sweat and tears.

So Al was harmonising in the group before Michael joined the party?

[Lowbacca]

Q: Can you explain your current beef with Mike?

A: I just don`t see why one guy should own the name when this other guy was there as long as he was - in fact, before he was - building the name with my hard work, sweat and tears.

So Al was harmonising in the group before Michael joined the party?

Weird quote, right? As far as we know that ain't right on any account.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Q: Can you explain your current beef with Mike?

A: I just don`t see why one guy should own the name when this other guy was there as long as he was - in fact, before he was - building the name with my hard work, sweat and tears.

So Al was harmonising in the group before Michael joined the party?

Weird quote, right? As far as we know that ain't right on any account.

He might've sung a song with Brian in the shower in the locker room at Hawthorne High School after football practice. Maybe that's what he was referring to. I'm totally serious. I noticed in some of Al's interviews during the C50 Reunion that he was, um, (over?)emphasizing his role as a founding member of the group, like his brief, casual meetings with Brian led to the formation of The Beach Boys.

[Niko]

"Once he divorces you, you`re divorced. Ask his seven wives - or eight, I`ve lost count."

BURN

[clack]

Q: Can you explain your current beef with Mike?

A: I just don`t see why one guy should own the name when this other guy was there as long as he was - in fact, before he was - building the name with my hard work, sweat and tears.

So Al was harmonising in the group before Michael joined the party?

Weird quote, right? As far as we know that ain't right on any account.

Al's story is that he approached Brian with the idea of forming a folk group, and that Brian then recruited his brothers and Mike to make up the band. Thus, Al (he believes) was there before Mike.

That's my take, anyway.

[Robbie Mac]

Q: Can you explain your current beef with Mike?

A: I just don`t see why one guy should own the name when this other guy was there as long as he was - in fact, before he was - building the name with my hard work, sweat and tears.

So Al was harmonising in the group before Michael joined the party?

Weird quote, right? As far as we know that ain't right on any account.

He might've sung a song with Brian in the shower in the locker room at Hawthorne High School after football practice. Maybe that's what he was referring to. I'm totally serious. I noticed in some of Al's interviews during the C50 Reunion that he was, um, (over?)emphasizing his role as a founding member of the group, like his brief, casual meetings with Brian led to the formation of The Beach Boys.

Well, Al was the one who approached Brian to form a group back at college.  it was Brian's idea to bring in his family after not being able to keep a consistent lineup that was any good, so yes, in a sense, Al was there in the group t,hat would become the Beach Boys before Mike.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Q: Can you explain your current beef with Mike?

A: I just don`t see why one guy should own the name when this other guy was there as long as he was - in fact, before he was - building the name with my hard work, sweat and tears.

So Al was harmonising in the group before Michael joined the party?

Weird quote, right? As far as we know that ain't right on any account.

He might've sung a song with Brian in the shower in the locker room at Hawthorne High School after football practice. Maybe that's what he was referring to. I'm totally serious. I noticed in some of Al's interviews during the C50 Reunion that he was, um, (over?)emphasizing his role as a founding member of the group, like his brief, casual meetings with Brian led to the formation of The Beach Boys.

Well, Al was the one who approached Brian to form a group back at college.  it was Brian's idea to bring in his family after not being able to keep a consistent lineup that was any good, so yes, in a sense, Al was there in the group t,hat would become the Beach Boys before Mike.

Oh yeah, and clack also alluded to it in his above post. I was just going back a little bit more to the Hawthorne days because Al mentioned knowing Brian through high school football, hearing Brian sing at a school assembly, and that Hawthorne guys "stick together". I mentioned that maybe Al overemphasized his role in the IDEA of forming the group because, well, Brian rarely (ever?) mentions it, singing with Dennis, Carl, Mike and others preceeded Al, and, the IDEA of forming a group was probably in Brian's head before Al brought it up. However, obviously Al was there at the beginning. I mean, his mother loaned them money for the upright bass!

[ToneBender631]

Q: Can you explain your current beef with Mike?

A: I just don`t see why one guy should own the name when this other guy was there as long as he was - in fact, before he was - building the name with my hard work, sweat and tears.

So Al was harmonising in the group before Michael joined the party?

Weird quote, right? As far as we know that ain't right on any account.

He might've sung a song with Brian in the shower in the locker room at Hawthorne High School after football practice. Maybe that's what he was referring to. I'm totally serious. I noticed in some of Al's interviews during the C50 Reunion that he was, um, (over?)emphasizing his role as a founding member of the group, like his brief, casual meetings with Brian led to the formation of The Beach Boys.

Well, Al was the one who approached Brian to form a group back at college.  it was Brian's idea to bring in his family after not being able to keep a consistent lineup that was any good, so yes, in a sense, Al was there in the group t,hat would become the Beach Boys before Mike.

Oh yeah, and clack also alluded to it in his above post. I was just going back a little bit more to the Hawthorne days because Al mentioned knowing Brian through high school football, hearing Brian sing at a school assembly, and that Hawthorne guys "stick together". I mentioned that maybe Al overemphasized his role in the IDEA of forming the group because, well, Brian rarely (ever?) mentions it, singing with Dennis, Carl, Mike and others preceeded Al, and, the IDEA of forming a group was probably in Brian's head before Al brought it up. However, obviously Al was there at the beginning. I mean, his mother loaned them money for the upright bass!

There was a very telling quote from Al when they started doing press for the BAD shows, when asked about his feelings towards Mike touring without them under the BB name, Al expressed anger and frustration along the lines of "This is really about our legacy at this point." I can't even imagine what it must feel like for Brian and Al to reflect on a 50+ year career as members of one of the most important ensembles in modern music history, and not get to take part in the closing act. For the amount of times that I've seen people say, "Al and Brian don't seem to complain they're cashing those checks or singing Mike's lyrics", I wonder how many people have actually reflected on how they'd feel in a similar situation in the twilight of their own lives (a family business, a creative endeavor, etc.), especially if money didn't have to be a concern.