New Mike interview...

[Heysaboda]

Funny he didn't mention writing the words to Ten Little Indians, Chug-a-Lug and The Shift........

 

[KittyKat]

I think Nick Venet came to court and testified against Mike.

Brian and his wife Melinda sued Jerome Billet, the court-appointed conservator for Brian at the time of the suit, and said that Billett was the one who refused to settle the lawsuit out of court and in fact, the lawyers defending Brian against Mike suborned perjury. At least one of Brian's witnesses was paid a bribe, according to Brian's own lawsuit. It didn't specify who they paid off, but since Brian had so few people testifying on his behalf, I wonder who it was who got a pay-off.

[Cam Mott]

Funny he didn't mention writing the words to Ten Little Indians, Chug-a-Lug and The Shift........

 

Maybe he did:"Maybe not everything, but a significant amount of the more popular songs that I contributed to."

[SenorPotatoHead]

As Dieter (the Mike Myers character) used to say on SNL:  "Your story has become tiresome."    In other words, just give it a rest already "Mr. Positivity" - please!   
Love this groups music, have since I first heard it as a child and always will - but boy do I have to keep the personalities out of it most of the time, because they rarely ever fail to make me go, "Plllffftt!"    The best thing they could all do at this point is retire, go away, stop opening their mouths (to speak, anyway), cut Stamos free to go write his own damn songs.   Like The Who, this band has long made a mockery of its once magnificent self.   The list of "Ugh" moments is long and wearying for a fan to bear upon their shoulders.   

I'm weary, need a nap I think......

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Disappointed! When I saw the thread I thought this was going to be the promised interview by AGD, conducted by AGD, with Mike Love.

Instead, we get the same old ego inflated Mike remarks and Beatle references.

As to the C50, Mike says they agreed to a number of shows, then they all agreed to add more. Then he clearly says more were proposed but, he, Mike, said enough. Case closed.

[HeyJude]

I also think it's kind of weird that he lumped Carl's smoking in with drug and alcohol abuse. Don't get me wrong, smoking is horrendous for one's health. But in the context of discussing things that adversely impacted the group, that's kind of weird to mention.

I also think it's kind of funny that he completely misses the point of the question about the public domain-related releases. 

[Nicko1234]

I also think it's kind of weird that he lumped Carl's smoking in with drug and alcohol abuse. Don't get me wrong, smoking is horrendous for one's health. But in the context of discussing things that adversely impacted the group, that's kind of weird to mention.

I also think it's kind of funny that he completely misses the point of the question about the public domain-related releases. 

Mike has said before though that he blames smoking for Carl`s demise so not really weird to mention if he feels that way.

[HeyJude]

I also think it's kind of weird that he lumped Carl's smoking in with drug and alcohol abuse. Don't get me wrong, smoking is horrendous for one's health. But in the context of discussing things that adversely impacted the group, that's kind of weird to mention.

I also think it's kind of funny that he completely misses the point of the question about the public domain-related releases. 

Mike has said before though that he blames smoking for Carl`s demise so not really weird to mention if he feels that way.

The thing is, Carl's smoking adversely affected Carl. Yes, it impacted the group as well because he was gone. But I think it's just extra judgment on Carl that is unneeded. I've never smoked in my life, but I've known people who have smoked, had lung cancer, and died from it. Most know they brought it on themselves. The guilt is plentiful without anyone else having to point it out. Carl paid the absolute ultimate price. To pass judgment on the guy over 16 years after his death just seems odd, especially when brought up in the midst of discussing how drug and alcohol abuse directly impacted the band for years while the abuse was occurring. To say nothing of the fact that it really doesn't need to be pointed out at this stage that smoking causes lung cancer.

The comment just struck me as hugely judgmental (and stating the obvious), especially in the midst of touting one's clean living and meditation, etc.

[Nicko1234]

The thing is, Carl's smoking adversely affected Carl. Yes, it impacted the group as well because he was gone. But I think it's just extra judgment on Carl that is unneeded. I've never smoked in my life, but I've known people who have smoked, had lung cancer, and died from it. Most know they brought it on themselves. The guilt is plentiful without anyone else having to point it out. Carl paid the absolute ultimate price. To pass judgment on the guy over 16 years after his death just seems odd, especially when brought up in the midst of discussing how drug and alcohol abuse directly impacted the band for years while the abuse was occurring. To say nothing of the fact that it really doesn't need to be pointed out at this stage that smoking causes lung cancer.

The comment just struck me as hugely judgmental (and stating the obvious), especially in the midst of touting one's clean living and meditation, etc.

I doubt it was intended as a judgment having read Mike talking about it in the past. More an expression of sorrow/frustration that it caused Carl`s passing (in Mike`s eyes). If anything maybe a judgment against tobacco...

[drbeachboy]

Mike over does it with the Wilson addiction stuff that he spouts in all of his interviews, but I rarely see him bring it up on his own. Like this time, he is always asked about it. I will say that as a smoker for 40 plus years, the addiction factor is just as bad if not worse than alcohol or drugs. While the latter two have never hooked me, I have had a hell of a time kicking the smokes. Nicotine is a real addiction and smoking takes many years before it rears it's ugly head and takes it toll on a person's health.

[Heywood]

He got one question that left an opening for an enlightening answer with pretty wide ranging possibilities,  from his band mates to all sorts of things.


JM: Do you think that there are any “heroes” in the history of The Beach Boys?



Could have been worse I suppose and given Stamos another plug!

[Micha]

Sorry, Mike, but the last thing I listen for in a Beach Boys song is lyrics.  I listen to the Beach Boys for the music and harmony, not the lyrics (most of which I find corny and sophomore).  I'm the last person Mike is going to impress with all the lyrics talk.

I can't not listen to the lyrics, which is a large part of why I cringe at "Summer Of Love" and "The Private Life Of Bill And Sue".

[urbanite]

Mike, what inspired you to write "Hey Little Tomboy?"   

[Nicko1234]

Mike, what inspired you to write "Hey Little Tomboy?"   

The same thing that inspired Mike to write God Only Knows presumably...

[Andrew G. Doe]

I think Nick Venet came to court and testified against Mike.

As did Tony Asher, most amusingly, but I won't believe for a nano-second that he took a bribe.

[HeyJude]

The thing is, Carl's smoking adversely affected Carl. Yes, it impacted the group as well because he was gone. But I think it's just extra judgment on Carl that is unneeded. I've never smoked in my life, but I've known people who have smoked, had lung cancer, and died from it. Most know they brought it on themselves. The guilt is plentiful without anyone else having to point it out. Carl paid the absolute ultimate price. To pass judgment on the guy over 16 years after his death just seems odd, especially when brought up in the midst of discussing how drug and alcohol abuse directly impacted the band for years while the abuse was occurring. To say nothing of the fact that it really doesn't need to be pointed out at this stage that smoking causes lung cancer.

The comment just struck me as hugely judgmental (and stating the obvious), especially in the midst of touting one's clean living and meditation, etc.

I doubt it was intended as a judgment having read Mike talking about it in the past. More an expression of sorrow/frustration that it caused Carl`s passing (in Mike`s eyes). If anything maybe a judgment against tobacco...

It is indeed of course difficult to determine one’s motivation for bringing something like that up. To me, simply even bringing it up is a rather judgmental move, whether it was intended or not. Especially, as I mentioned, when specifically contrasted against “Well, *I* never did drugs.”

Bringing up “Carl started smoking when he was young and then got lung cancer” just reminds me of like a parent talking to their adult kids and bringing up all the mistakes they made years ago. What’s the point? I think in this case it’s a thing that reflects negatively on someone else to contrast against oneself.

It just struck me as a weird, judgmental comment (the comment striking me as both inherently judgmental by its nature, as well as judgmental in its context) about someone who very clearly paid the price for that mistake.

[Ang Jones]

The interview was predictable from beginning to end. It told us nothing new, including about the C50.

The usual rant against the Wilsons for using drugs.  Wasn't Mike supposed to have gone temporarily crazy once and ended up in a straitjacket? I've never read a Brian interview in which this has been mentioned.  Had it been the other way round, no doubt it would be mentioned every single time.

[Cyncie]

The interview was predictable from beginning to end. It told us nothing new, including about the C50.

The usual rant against the Wilsons for using drugs.  Wasn't Mike supposed to have gone temporarily crazy once and ended up in a straitjacket? I've never read a Brian interview in which this has been mentioned.  Had it been the other way round, no doubt it would be mentioned every single time.

Just once I'd like to see Mike acknowledge that the biggest factor in the band's struggle was mental illness and family dysfunction which led to drug abuse by the Wilsons. By simplifying things to "They did drugs and I didn't" he comes across as judgmental, unsympathetic and self righteous.  Maybe that's really how he sees things…. if drugs hadn't come along, we'd all be so happy today. But, Brian's problems would have likely occurred with or without the drugs, and the group would still have struggled to stay afloat in the face of depression and other addictive behaviors that come with that territory.

[drbeachboy]

The interview was predictable from beginning to end. It told us nothing new, including about the C50.

The usual rant against the Wilsons for using drugs.  Wasn't Mike supposed to have gone temporarily crazy once and ended up in a straitjacket? I've never read a Brian interview in which this has been mentioned.  Had it been the other way round, no doubt it would be mentioned every single time.

Just once I'd like to see Mike acknowledge that the biggest factor in the band's struggle was mental illness and family dysfunction which led to drug abuse by the Wilsons. By simplifying things to "They did drugs and I didn't" he comes across as judgmental, unsympathetic and self righteous.  Maybe that's really how he sees things…. if drugs hadn't come along, we'd all be so happy today. But, Brian's problems would have likely occurred with or without the drugs, and the group would still have struggled to stay afloat in the face of depression and other addictive behaviors that come with that territory.

Mike does talk about the dysfunction every time he speaks about Murry. Which he did. Even mentioning how it affected David and him leaving the group.

[HeyJude]

Mike does talk about the dysfunction every time he speaks about Murry. Which he did. Even mentioning how it affected David and him leaving the group.

It's kind of weird that, at this stage, he's the only one regularly, and semi-unprompted, bringing up all of this negative stuff from up to 50-plus years ago. It just reeks of holding a grudge. Which is weird, because Al has several times been pegged as the guy who stews on stuff for years and won't get over it. But here we have Mike still bringing up Murry, Murry's business deals, the songwriting issues, and Wilson substance abuse. Here's some breaking news: Murry is dead. Mike's name is on those songs and has been for 20 years, and he collects royalties now for those songs. Two of the three Wilsons are dead. These are all very old issues, and bringing it all up kind of undermines this "meditate every day" stuff. There were some clear wrongs done to him and others many years ago. But this is true of most of us in life. I'm not saying these things still shouldn't be discussed. In the proper forum (e.g. a nice epic documentary film or true, full biography on the band), all of these things should still be brought up in detail.

But to take the majority of a short promotional interview to bring up the same negative stuff, things that have mostly been corrected either via the courts or no longer an issue due to death, just seems unbecoming, and that's saying something when it comes to the BB's.

[Cam Mott]

I'm going to guess that Mike has the complicated and conflicted feelings that many of us have when loved ones struggle with addiction and self-harm.

[bonnevillemariner]

I'm going to guess that Mike has the complicated and conflicted feelings that many of us have when loved ones struggle with addiction and self-harm.

I think a certain part of Beach Boys fandom shares those conflicted feelings.  Every time I see a subject line titled "New Mike Interview" I get pissed even before I read it because I can almost type his responses word for word and I know he'll harangue on the Wilson drug abuse.

That said, I don't blame him for the continued grudge because their drug use pisses me off too.   Mike stayed clean (so far as I'm aware) and some credit is due there.  I don't mean to be disingenuous, but too many Beach Boys fans make excuses for the Wilsons' ridiculous behavior.  Abused by Murry, self-medicating, mental illness, blah blah.  Cry me a river.  Brian needlessly screwed up what I consider the best voice I've had the pleasure to hear-- while poaching his brain.  Dennis seems to have had a death wish.  Can you imagine the decades full of wonderful music we might have, had these two in particular not screwed themselves over?  I know, I know-- we just LOVE Denny's scratchy voice and Smile might have never happened if Brian wasn't tripping.  It's still a tragedy.  And if I, a budding fan, is hacked off about it, I certainly don't blame Mike.  Mike's a vindictive SOB but if I were him, I'd feel pretty justified in reminding the world about the Wilsons' implosion.

What's funny about the above take is that, if I needed to choose sides in the BB Civil War, my allegiance would be with Brian's camp.

[Robbie Mac]

I'm going to guess that Mike has the complicated and conflicted feelings that many of us have when loved ones struggle with addiction and self-harm.

I think a certain part of Beach Boys fandom shares those conflicted feelings.  Every time I see a subject line titled "New Mike Interview" I get pissed even before I read it because I can almost type his responses word for word and I know he'll harangue on the Wilson drug abuse.

That said, I don't blame him for the continued grudge because their drug use pisses me off too.   Mike stayed clean (so far as I'm aware) and some credit is due there.  I don't mean to be disingenuous, but too many Beach Boys fans make excuses for the Wilsons' ridiculous behavior.  Abused by Murry, self-medicating, mental illness, blah blah.  Cry me a river. 

Compassion, ladies and gentlemen. Compassion.

[Paul J B]

Exactly what do you think a man over 70 years old that has been doing the same thing for the past 52 years is going to have to say that is new and surprising? Interviewing any of these guys is pretty much pointless. You will always get the same information, same responses, same recall.

[Wirestone]

I don't mean to be disingenuous, but too many Beach Boys fans make excuses for the Wilsons' ridiculous behavior.  Abused by Murry, self-medicating, mental illness, blah blah.  Cry me a river.  Brian needlessly screwed up what I consider the best voice I've had the pleasure to hear-- while poaching his brain.  Dennis seems to have had a death wish.  Can you imagine the decades full of wonderful music we might have, had these two in particular not screwed themselves over?

There are a huge number of musicians from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and beyond who abused drugs. And yet 90-plus percent of them have nothing like Brian's problems. Look at Crosby. Look at Bowie. Look at Clapton.

The reason is because Brian has mental illness -- it runs in his family (documented in the Timothy White book). It would have likely shown up if he had never touched a single illegal substance. And if you think mental illnesses are an "excuse," I would doubt you have much experience with people dealing with them. They can be utterly incapacitating.

Once he was ill, Brian did indeed turn to illegal drugs to self medicate (bringing himself up with coke and bringing himself down with heroin or alcohol). But did they actually damage him for decades to come? Most unlikely.

The modern Brian's eccentricities are a mixture of damage done by Landy's prescription drug regimen and his current medication, along with the pre-exisiting illness and his overall oddity. Street drugs are a red herring, in my opinion.

Brian has a brain disease. People in his family, the people who knew him in the 60s, don't want to believe it. They come from a generation that heavily stigmatized mental illness and saw it as a personal failing. Brian himself often sees it that way. So Mike adopts that line -- Brian is a genius who frittered it all away.

But I actually think the competing narrative -- Leaf-ian as it may be -- is more accurate. Brian is a tremendously brave man. He has persevered through obstacles we can only imagine. And he has survived, and is still capable of being creative. In my mind, that's a triumph of sheer will (and modern psychiatric medicine) over the tyranny of chance and bad genes.