Mike and Bruce Tour 2015

[guitarfool2002]

Goldmine (GM) interview with Mike (ML) from 1992:

GM: Capitol's treatment of the Beach Boys' catalog on CD has been fabulous. What was your impression of the slew of two-fer Beach Boys CDs?

ML: I don't even know. I don't know.

GM: Have you seen them?

ML: No. I don't know. You find that amusing?

GM: Yeah, it's hard to believe that being a Beach Boy you haven't seen something like that.

ML: It is hard to believe. I find it hard to believe too.

GM: Why is that?

ML: Why is that? Because I'm a Pisces, is that a good answer [uproarious laughter]? That's as good as I can come up with. There is nothing that we can do to stop them from merchandising our records the way they want to merchandise them so we're at their mercy. So if they've done something that in the opinion of the caring public is well done, then I'm glad to hear it. But having no recourse or say-so ...

For instance, they were going to do a Best Of The Beach Boys Volume Three in 19 - , whatever the hell it was, and I came in there and went, "Wait a second, call it Endless Summer." And instead of being Volume Three which sound nauseating to me, like ...

GM: The third rung of hits.

ML: Exactly. Endless Summer has a whole other vibe to it and sold several million copies just with the switch of the title. But then I'm a title guy anyway.

GM: The artwork was so strange on that album. I could never tell who was who.

ML: Yeah, I know, it was awful ...

Promotions for the tour 2014:

50 years of 'Fun, Fun, Fun': The Beach Boys come to Napa
October 22, 2014 1:58 pm
The Beach Boys at the Uptown
The Beach Boys
Uptown Theatre Napa
For ages 10 and over; under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Friday, Jan. 23, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $70, $85, $105
Info, 707-259-0123, ext. 6
The Beach Boys, troubadours of the endless California summer, come to Napa to perform at the Uptown Theatre on Jan. 23.
Since they formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, the rock band, then consisting of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, and their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, the group epitomized the California sound and lifestyle, the music, surfing, cars and young love with hit after hit, including “Surfin’ Safari,” “Good Vibrations,” “Surfin’ USA,” “Surfer Girl,” “I Get Around,” “Fun, Fun, Fun (Till Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away)” and “California Girls.”
Brian Wilson went onto a solo career, Dennis Wilson drowned and Carl Wilson died of lung cancer, but Mike Love, who produced the “Endless Summer” album in 1974, now leads the group, and with Bruce Johnston, Jeff Foskett, Randell Kirsch, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill and Scott Totten continues to tour and perform an average of 150 shows a year.

And most recent:

http://ryman.com/events/TheBeachBoys
Captained by Mike Love, The Beach Boys play an astoundingly busy schedule of concerts, averaging 150 shows a year, ranging from sundrenched summer festivals to gala New Year’s celebrations and special events worldwide.   In 1974 Mike Love’s concept album Endless Summer ignited a second generation of Beach Boys fans and stirred a tempest that rocked the music world.


I'm just curious why the narrative on the Endless Summer project with Capitol seems to have changed, or at least has been reported in 2014 with a different narrative now then Mike himself had suggested in 1992, or what most fans have heard about the project. And I'd say what most fans of the project have heard is that it was another Greatest Hits package put together by Capitol to sell some of the Beach Boys' back catalog of hits made for Capitol and in the Capitol vaults, as the band was currently on Reprise.

So now there is promotional material being released to advertise upcoming shows, and the examples suggest both that Mike produced it, and that it was his concept album, and those claims would seem to contradict the previous history and info about that project, which Mike spoke of in at least that one specific Goldmine interview where he suggests only that he suggested and gave the project its title (which was a very good and beneficial move for all concerned). Is it a mistake in the newer press releases circa 2014, is there more to the story, etc. ? Previously Mike got credit for suggesting the title and naming the album, but I'd say that's different from either producing it or developing the concept enough to call it his concept album as of 2014. I just assumed it was a greatest hits project already planned and compiled by Capitol which got a much better and more marketable title to sell it in 1974.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Goldmine (GM) interview with Mike (ML) from 1992:

GM: Capitol's treatment of the Beach Boys' catalog on CD has been fabulous. What was your impression of the slew of two-fer Beach Boys CDs?

ML: I don't even know. I don't know.

GM: Have you seen them?

ML: No. I don't know. You find that amusing?

GM: Yeah, it's hard to believe that being a Beach Boy you haven't seen something like that.

ML: It is hard to believe. I find it hard to believe too.

GM: Why is that?

ML: Why is that? Because I'm a Pisces, is that a good answer [uproarious laughter]? That's as good as I can come up with. There is nothing that we can do to stop them from merchandising our records the way they want to merchandise them so we're at their mercy. So if they've done something that in the opinion of the caring public is well done, then I'm glad to hear it. But having no recourse or say-so ...

For instance, they were going to do a Best Of The Beach Boys Volume Three in 19 - , whatever the hell it was, and I came in there and went, "Wait a second, call it Endless Summer." And instead of being Volume Three which sound nauseating to me, like ...

GM: The third rung of hits.

ML: Exactly. Endless Summer has a whole other vibe to it and sold several million copies just with the switch of the title. But then I'm a title guy anyway.

GM: The artwork was so strange on that album. I could never tell who was who.

ML: Yeah, I know, it was awful ...

Promotions for the tour 2014:

50 years of 'Fun, Fun, Fun': The Beach Boys come to Napa
October 22, 2014 1:58 pm
The Beach Boys at the Uptown
The Beach Boys
Uptown Theatre Napa
For ages 10 and over; under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Friday, Jan. 23, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $70, $85, $105
Info, 707-259-0123, ext. 6
The Beach Boys, troubadours of the endless California summer, come to Napa to perform at the Uptown Theatre on Jan. 23.
Since they formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, the rock band, then consisting of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, and their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, the group epitomized the California sound and lifestyle, the music, surfing, cars and young love with hit after hit, including “Surfin’ Safari,” “Good Vibrations,” “Surfin’ USA,” “Surfer Girl,” “I Get Around,” “Fun, Fun, Fun (Till Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away)” and “California Girls.”
Brian Wilson went onto a solo career, Dennis Wilson drowned and Carl Wilson died of lung cancer, but Mike Love, who produced the “Endless Summer” album in 1974, now leads the group, and with Bruce Johnston, Jeff Foskett, Randell Kirsch, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill and Scott Totten continues to tour and perform an average of 150 shows a year.

And most recent:

http://ryman.com/events/TheBeachBoys
Captained by Mike Love, The Beach Boys play an astoundingly busy schedule of concerts, averaging 150 shows a year, ranging from sundrenched summer festivals to gala New Year’s celebrations and special events worldwide.   In 1974 Mike Love’s concept album Endless Summer ignited a second generation of Beach Boys fans and stirred a tempest that rocked the music world.


I'm just curious why the narrative on the Endless Summer project with Capitol seems to have changed, or at least has been reported in 2014 with a different narrative now then Mike himself had suggested in 1992, or what most fans have heard about the project. And I'd say what most fans of the project have heard is that it was another Greatest Hits package put together by Capitol to sell some of the Beach Boys' back catalog of hits made for Capitol and in the Capitol vaults, as the band was currently on Reprise.

So now there is promotional material being released to advertise upcoming shows, and the examples suggest both that Mike produced it, and that it was his concept album, and those claims would seem to contradict the previous history and info about that project, which Mike spoke of in at least that one specific Goldmine interview where he suggests only that he suggested and gave the project its title (which was a very good and beneficial move for all concerned). Is it a mistake in the newer press releases circa 2014, is there more to the story, etc. ? Previously Mike got credit for suggesting the title and naming the album, but I'd say that's different from either producing it or developing the concept enough to call it his concept album as of 2014. I just assumed it was a greatest hits project already planned and compiled by Capitol which got a much better and more marketable title to sell it in 1974.

The title IS the concept!

There, done.... Can the world now continue turning?

[SMiLE Brian]

This is another beauty :

" Love's role as the bands front man sometimes overshadows his stature as one of rock's foremost songwriters. Surfin', The Beach Boys first hit , came from his pen. With his cousin, Brian Wilson, love wrote the classics Fun, Fun, Fun , I Get Around, Help Me Rhonda, California Girls and the Grammy nominated Good Vibrations".  

[ontor pertawst]

One of rock's foremost songwriters! Ooo, I hope he keeps up this line for the book. Should be fun!

One of rock's foremost title guys, anyway.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

This is another beauty :

" Love's role as the bands front man sometimes overshadows his stature as one of rock's foremost songwriters. Surfin', The Beach Boys first hit , came from his pen. With his cousin, Brian Wilson, love wrote the classics Fun, Fun, Fun , I Get Around, Help Me Rhonda, California Girls and the Grammy nominated Good Vibrations".  

So, you're saying he DIDN'T co-write those songs?

[guitarfool2002]

One of those 3 riders used to have the line the band was not to be referred to as 'an oldies act' or the like. That was back in the 80s.

And the specific contract rider posted at the link in this thread has details that would exist only after Carl passed away.

Page 3 of the Rider asks for beer,cigarettes, ashtrays and lighters. Surely a request from an older (70s-80s) contract. If they were still demanding cigarettes after Carls passing I would be shocked.


Page 6 has the 'oldies' reference.

None of those are at issue and I'd say were not relevant to the discussion to begin with: They are from older contracts, no doubt (and there never was any doubt, as the site says they posted excerpts from *3* separate contracts). However: The specific one which pops up when you click on the link posted in this thread is the one which is more relevant to the post-Carl touring situation, and which has specific wording that would/could not have existed prior to Carl's death and the decisions made about the touring situations after Carl's passing. It is absolutely *not* from the touring years prior to Carl's passing, as some were suggesting. Can we accept that at this point, that the page referenced in this thread is a more recent one and not 25 years old? It's not difficult to prove.

[Mendota Heights]

The endless title.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Isn't a tour rider kind of the band's business?

All bands have staff, handlers, wives, family around at these shows.... So, someone smokes? Who cares?

[guitarfool2002]

Should Bruce Brown get some credit for the album's concept and production as well? 1966.

[ontor pertawst]

I for one hope one of rock's foremost songwriters still has it in him to dump a big creative load on us again. Pisces Brothers, Santa's Goin' to Kokomo... these are but appetizers for the festering mother lode of creativity bound to be boppin' around that head of his.

Say, he should go to Capitol and try to get the same deal Brian Wilson did. Surely they wouldn't refuse such a proven hit-maker a solo album, toss him a bone and give him some DUEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Get that Bruno Mars collaboration going and prove that the man who wrote Surfin' has STILL GOT IT with a tasty concept album.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Should Bruce Brown get some credit for the album's concept and production as well? 1966.

No. That was a movie that had nothing to do with The Beach Boys.... Nor does that poster resemble the Endless Summer jacket (which Mike had nothing to do with)

Again, what is the point here other than to beat on Mike like schoolyard bullies?

[Mendota Heights]

In 1974 Mike Love’s concept album Endless Summer ignited a second generation of Beach Boys fans and stirred a tempest that rocked the music world.

This is incorrect. It should have said "generations", not "a second generation". You want evidence?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

In 1974 Mike Love’s concept album Endless Summer ignited a second generation of Beach Boys fans and stirred a tempest that rocked the music world.

This is incorrect. It should have said "generations" not "a second generation". You want evidence?


[/

[ontor pertawst]

Exactly, Pinder! If that Brian Wilson get a Capitol deal, surely Mr. Positivity can too! What with Kokomo and everything! Should be a piece of cake. I mean, it's not like he made up that one of rock's foremost songwriters thing. Everybody thinks that. Pitchfork especially. They count twice!

[Jim Rockford]

50 years of FaRts or The Brown Album.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Exactly, Pinder! If that Brian Wilson get a Capitol deal, surely Mr. Positivity can too! What with Kokomo and everything! Should be a piece of cake. I mean, it's not like he made up that one of rock's foremost songwriters thing. Everybody thinks that. Pitchfork especially. They count twice!

P.R fluff pieces are a dime a dozen.... I'm sure there are plenty worse.....

[southbay]

One of those 3 riders used to have the line the band was not to be referred to as 'an oldies act' or the like. That was back in the 80s.

And the specific contract rider posted at the link in this thread has details that would exist only after Carl passed away.

Page 3 of the Rider asks for beer,cigarettes, ashtrays and lighters. Surely a request from an older (70s-80s) contract. If they were still demanding cigarettes after Carls passing I would be shocked.


Page 6 has the 'oldies' reference.

None of those are at issue and I'd say were not relevant to the discussion to begin with: They are from older contracts, no doubt (and there never was any doubt, as the site says they posted excerpts from *3* separate contracts). However: The specific one which pops up when you click on the link posted in this thread is the one which is more relevant to the post-Carl touring situation, and which has specific wording that would/could not have existed prior to Carl's death and the decisions made about the touring situations after Carl's passing. It is absolutely *not* from the touring years prior to Carl's passing, as some were suggesting. Can we accept that at this point, that the page referenced in this thread is a more recent one and not 25 years old? It's not difficult to prove.

That is obviously a mixture of various riders.  The first two pages are from a Beach Boys rider I saw as early as 1992.  It references Elliott Lott and BRI as contacts-in contrast, the very last page (page 6) states that the dressing rooms should be labled "Beach Boys Family and Friends".  These are from 2 separate groups...

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

One of those 3 riders used to have the line the band was not to be referred to as 'an oldies act' or the like. That was back in the 80s.

And the specific contract rider posted at the link in this thread has details that would exist only after Carl passed away.

Page 3 of the Rider asks for beer,cigarettes, ashtrays and lighters. Surely a request from an older (70s-80s) contract. If they were still demanding cigarettes after Carls passing I would be shocked.


Page 6 has the 'oldies' reference.

None of those are at issue and I'd say were not relevant to the discussion to begin with: They are from older contracts, no doubt (and there never was any doubt, as the site says they posted excerpts from *3* separate contracts). However: The specific one which pops up when you click on the link posted in this thread is the one which is more relevant to the post-Carl touring situation, and which has specific wording that would/could not have existed prior to Carl's death and the decisions made about the touring situations after Carl's passing. It is absolutely *not* from the touring years prior to Carl's passing, as some were suggesting. Can we accept that at this point, that the page referenced in this thread is a more recent one and not 25 years old? It's not difficult to prove.

That is obviously a mixture of various riders.  The first two pages are from a Beach Boys rider I saw as early as 1992.  It references Elliott Lott and BRI as contacts-in contrast, the very last page (page 6) states that the dressing rooms should be labled "Beach Boys Family and Friends".  These are from 2 separate groups...

Nope! MIKE LOVE: BAD!

That's what it means! Don't argue with the authorities!

[SMiLE Brian]

Pinder, who are you ranting at?

[CenturyDeprived]

I agree Endless Summer is an ML concept album. ML's concept is to use cousin Brian's songs to make some dough.

You gotta admit it's a pretty darn good title and certainly does put a nice bow on the whole package ....
 

It's indeed a good title, absolutely. But to have an official press release of sorts equating the idea of a title with it being a concept album is a huge stretch, don't you think?

I'd be surprised if it wasn't his own idea to retroactively call it his concept album, or at the very least, even if that was someone else's idea, I'd imagine he'd had to have signed off on that verbiage. It just gives one the feeling that Mike has spent copious amounts of time over the years sitting around, mulling over every last bit of contribution he made to the band, with the primary intention of finding a way to spin those contributions into bigger things than they are.  

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I agree Endless Summer is an ML concept album. ML's concept is to use cousin Brian's songs to make some dough.

You gotta admit it's a pretty darn good title and certainly does put a nice bow on the whole package ....
 

It's indeed a good title, absolutely. But to have an official press release of sorts equating the idea of a title with it being a concept album is a huge stretch, don't you think?

I'd be surprised if it wasn't his own idea to retroactively call it his concept album, or at the very least, even if that was someone else's idea, I'd imagine he'd had to have signed off on that verbiage. It just gives one the feeling that Mike has spent copious amounts of time over the years sitting around, mulling over every last bit of contribution he made to the band, with the primary intention of finding a way to spin those contributions into bigger things than they are.  

Problem is, it works as a concept album in the ways I noted earlier, therefore I see no issue.

[guitarfool2002]

From page 3:

I remember when Smoking Gun posted those, the one I saw at the specific link posted above is not 25 years old. They posted three contract riders from different eras, if you notice it still says at that website, quote: "Here's a Beach Boys bonanza, culled from three different tour riders."  There are older pages posted, but if the specific one linked to were 25 years old, some of the references would not exist as Carl was still alive and BRI would have been in charge of these things.

That specific page is more recent, check some of the terminology used.

Still questions on this? Click on this link, which was posted on page 2, read through it, and someone/anyone post the reason or reasons why this *specific* document is or isn't from the touring arrangements after Carl passed away, and wasn't drawn up when the situations were in place which are still in place today regarding tours and booking. I know the answer, but would be happy to be proven wrong and will admit as much if anyone can do so based on what is in this document.  

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/beach-boys-rider

[guitarfool2002]

I agree Endless Summer is an ML concept album. ML's concept is to use cousin Brian's songs to make some dough.

You gotta admit it's a pretty darn good title and certainly does put a nice bow on the whole package ....
 

It's indeed a good title, absolutely. But to have an official press release of sorts equating the idea of a title with it being a concept album is a huge stretch, don't you think?

I'd be surprised if it wasn't his own idea to retroactively call it his concept album, or at the very least, even if that was someone else's idea, I'd imagine he'd had to have signed off on that verbiage. It just gives one the feeling that Mike has spent copious amounts of time over the years sitting around, mulling over every last bit of contribution he made to the band, with the primary intention of finding a way to spin those contributions into bigger things than they are.  

Problem is, it works as a concept album in the ways I noted earlier, therefore I see no issue.

Did Mike produce the Endless Summer album?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I agree Endless Summer is an ML concept album. ML's concept is to use cousin Brian's songs to make some dough.

You gotta admit it's a pretty darn good title and certainly does put a nice bow on the whole package ....
 

It's indeed a good title, absolutely. But to have an official press release of sorts equating the idea of a title with it being a concept album is a huge stretch, don't you think?

I'd be surprised if it wasn't his own idea to retroactively call it his concept album, or at the very least, even if that was someone else's idea, I'd imagine he'd had to have signed off on that verbiage. It just gives one the feeling that Mike has spent copious amounts of time over the years sitting around, mulling over every last bit of contribution he made to the band, with the primary intention of finding a way to spin those contributions into bigger things than they are.  

Problem is, it works as a concept album in the ways I noted earlier, therefore I see no issue.

Did Mike produce the Endless Summer album?

No..... But the title and sequencing and jacket do lend a coherence to the whole package.... The title is a good one....

Who cares.

[CenturyDeprived]

I agree Endless Summer is an ML concept album. ML's concept is to use cousin Brian's songs to make some dough.

You gotta admit it's a pretty darn good title and certainly does put a nice bow on the whole package ....
 

It's indeed a good title, absolutely. But to have an official press release of sorts equating the idea of a title with it being a concept album is a huge stretch, don't you think?

I'd be surprised if it wasn't his own idea to retroactively call it his concept album, or at the very least, even if that was someone else's idea, I'd imagine he'd had to have signed off on that verbiage. It just gives one the feeling that Mike has spent copious amounts of time over the years sitting around, mulling over every last bit of contribution he made to the band, with the primary intention of finding a way to spin those contributions into bigger things than they are.  

Problem is, it works as a concept album in the ways I noted earlier, therefore I see no issue.

Pinder - honest question: is Mike capable of making a statement (or presumably approving a press release) that you would concede is somewhat of a braggadocios stretch? And if so, what would that be? I'm not saying that claiming Endless Summer is Mike's concept album is as though he said he invented the cronut, but within reason, what claim actually *would* be a stretch in your eyes?