Mike Love states touring band in best shape vocally since original group

[Andrew G. Doe]

Meanwhile Mike's somewhere with his fifth hot ass wife, getting paid to hang out with D list celebrities, and also getting paid a little bit every time you buy a ticket to a Brian Wilson concert.  Think about it.   

Who's really winning the argument? 

Le succès à tout prix

Oddly, every time Mike & Bruce play a show, Brian gets paid a little too. Currently that's "a little" x roughly 125 annually. Think about it. 

[Ron]

Definitely!

Mike Bitches about Brian like lots of people on this board bitch about Mike....



















... and Andrew, of course Brian gets some of Mike's cake.  That's my whole point.  Think about it.  It's all a bunch of bullshit, these guys are somewhere eating birthday cake right now with your and my money, we just think we gave it to our favorite.

[Lee Marshall]

 Except that a truly happy, content person doesn't find it necessary to continually bring up his former bandmate's deteriorated voice in inappropriate contexts. .

For a variety of reasons...many who make/made a living using their voices...have to deal with deterioration of the 'asset'.  It's why Brian was just plain FOOLISH to break his voice on purpose back in the day...but he was improperly diagnosed and medicated and he can't be held responsible for what he did.  He has made HUGE strides to get the most out of it over these past 17 years or so and has been rather successful at it.  I mean really!!!  Not at all bad for an old fart who once blew his voice almost to shreds.  Meanwhile clean living Mike has to almost whisper his songs out now or his voice will give him away.  Me too.  Smoking gave my voice grit.  It made me dough.  Then it got too screwed up...I got a lung disease and now my lungs are only working at 50% capacity TOPS ... with no hope to EVER show improvement.  [and I'm claustrophobic!!!  Great eh?]

Like Mike...I could chastise Brian for what he did...but right now Brian's in way better 'form' than either Mike or I will ever be.  And unlike Brian...neither Mike nor I can write MUSIC...let alone create arrangements.  So?  I guess Mike and I should shut the f*** up and save our voices for making every last penny we can...'cause time is running out.

[Cam Mott]

Exactly, Mike ditched them with a lame press release and the BBs name showing up at seaworld.

Nothing to ditch. Agreed by all parties (late 2011/ early 2012 I guess).

But minds were gradually changed. Let's not pretend that's a non-existent factor, like Mike does.

But Mike called "no changees" and said "neener neener" and that was the end. Brian (via BRI) then relented and let the baby have his bottle. Mike probably played the opening "na na na na na" from "Problem Child" on repeat for motivation.

It sounds to me like they never even got together to decide anything one way or another. Both sides are saying this but then they all played out their non-decision in the press.

[bgas]

 Except that a truly happy, content person doesn't find it necessary to continually bring up his former bandmate's deteriorated voice in inappropriate contexts. .

For a variety of reasons...many who make/made a living using their voices...have to deal with deterioration of the 'asset'.  It's why Brian was just plain FOOLISH to break his voice on purpose back in the day...but he was improperly diagnosed and medicated and he can't be held responsible for what he did.  He has made HUGE strides to get the most out of it over these past 17 years or so and has been rather successful at it.  I mean really!!!  Not at all bad for an old fart who once blew his voice almost to shreds.  Meanwhile clean living Mike has to almost whisper his songs out now or his voice will give him away.  Me too.  Smoking gave my voice grit.  It made me dough.  Then it got too screwed up...I got a lung disease and now my lungs are only working at 50% capacity TOPS ... with no hope to EVER show improvement.  [and I'm claustrophobic!!!  Great eh?]

  I heard docs are doing some experimental lung transplants; maybe you should sign up, wherever it is, to breathe clear for the next 66...

[RubberSoul13]

From an unbiased view point (contrary to popular belief) I agree with Mike's observations...but, they were not necessary or professional in the context of promoting another show in Smalltown USA.

That being said...those clips posted on the first page did NOT boast well for the touring band. Mike and Bruce both sounded rough, and "God Only Knows" sounded extra corny on the musical end. But, that's a damn good version of "Fun, Fun, Fun" (barring a weak lead vocal) and it probably is the best the Beach Boys band has sounded in a LONG time.


The point we should all take away from these facts is that all of these guys (well, except Al Jardine...he's amazing) are declining in voice maybe more rapidly than ever now. Regardless of what "camp" you want to support, they all get your money...go out and enjoy this music live by the guys that brought it to you, regardless of how many are on the stage, while you still can.

[Andrew G. Doe]

... and Andrew, of course Brian gets some of Mike's cake.  That's my whole point.  Think about it.  It's all a bunch of bullshit, these guys are somewhere eating birthday cake right now with your and my money, we just think we gave it to our favorite.

Unlike some here (if their posts are to be taken as any indication) I've no problem with any of the band being recompensed for composing, recording and then touring the wonderful music that has not only brightened my life but also, to no small degree, directed its course these last 40 years. 

[Lee Marshall]

The point we should all take away from these facts is that all of these guys (well, except Al Jardine...he's amazing) are declining in voice maybe more rapidly than ever now. Regardless of what "camp" you want to support, they all get your money...go out and enjoy this music live by the guys that brought it to you, regardless of how many are on the stage, while you still can.

Yep.  And I agree with Andrew's contention directly above me.  [In what was the previous post while I typed this.]  I DO, though, think that shutting up would be a good idea for Michael when discussing Brian's singing voice.  Pots and kettles.

[Fire Wind]

"Unfortunately, Brian doesn't sing the range he once did"

I don't see what's problematic about this line.  It's a statement of fact.  Brian has a different place, vocally, within the band and in the harmony stack.  He's not criticising Brian's singing in his current range.

[Pretty Funky]

"Unfortunately, Brian doesn't sing the range he once did"

eh....NPP is Brian's 11th solo album singing in a different range to the one he once had Mike. That's how many more albums than you again?

[Autotune]

your voice has sounded like sh!t for well over 20 years and your range has always been (and continues to be) but a fraction of Brian's

such a sad, pathetic human being. truly the one worthy of pity

Lovely post from one of the guys in the Love and Mercy crowd.

Would it be equally allowed for people to say these things about Brian Wilson on this board without getting banned?

[KDS]

Heh! I figure these guys are public figures and any gibberish is acceptable... but expect pushback from the other side and to be called on it! We just shouldn't attack each other as much probably in defense of our sacred icons. It gets a bit heated and personal and then the mods step in, but even you admit how tough it can be to like Mike sometimes. Mike Love is a guy that is going to be made fun of until people forget the words Mike Love. So here's to keeping his memory alive, each in our own way... Whhheeeeeeeeennnnnnn!

Fair enough.  I will admit that intro to Be Cool to Your School is both cringeworthy and hilarious. 

[HeyJude]

"Unfortunately, Brian doesn't sing the range he once did"

I don't see what's problematic about this line.  It's a statement of fact.  Brian has a different place, vocally, within the band and in the harmony stack.  He's not criticising Brian's singing in his current range.

There are a lot of things these guys could say about each other in interviews that are statements of fact, but would clearly not be intended as an objective statement of fact with no negative connotation. That goes for anybody. At the family's thanksgiving dinner, you can point out that Aunt Suzy has way more wrinkles and flabby skin compared to 20 years ago. Just because it's a statement of fact doesn't mean it doesn't make you look like a douche for saying it. The context of the comment does matter, both in terms of the band as a whole as well as the context of the comment in the interview itself.

Here's the pertinent part:

"Being able to get into the studio again to record with those guys was really good. Being on tour was I think a neat thing to do, especially for the longtime fans," Love said. "Al Jardine sounds fantastic. Unfortunately, Brian doesn't sing the range he once did."

Mike ironically bounced the negative comment off of a positive one about Al of all people. Guy A sounds good, but Guy B doesn’t. The implication is a negative one. He's allowed to make it, and Brian clearly doesn't sing in the range he once did. Nobody in the band particularly does anymore, accept for perhaps Al in certain scenarios. Brian's voice is nothing like it was in the "olden days." But that has been the case since 1976, and a guy who took perfect care of his voice probably wouldn't be able to hit the "Papa Oom Mow Mow" falsetto part in his mid-70's. In any event, Mike can say all this stuff. But he's going to come out looking like a dick. As most anybody would be if they criticized a fellow bandmate for their shortcomings, especially when the person saying the stuff has plenty of shortcoming themselves, and ESPECIALLY when they're saying it about a bandmate from whom they are professionally estranged.

Mike has in previous interviews mentioned that Brian’s voice isn’t like it was in the olden days. I think he truly laments that. We all do, obviously. But it sometimes seems as if he blames Brian for this completely, as opposed to the ravages of time. As if, even after singing professionally for over half a century, after having worked with numerous vocalists and falsetto singers who have aged, he doesn’t get that a voice in the higher range that does falsettos will, more than his baritone or mid-range voice, give out more noticeably to time itself regardless. News flash, Mike doesn’t sound like he used to either. They have to lower the key on some songs for him too, like “It’s OK” for instance.

I'm pretty sure people might suggest that Brian or Al was being pretty catty if they pointed out, say, that Bruce Johnston has hardly participated in live Beach Boys concerts in decades. That's as much a fact as the current state of Brian's voice.

Or if, say Brian pointed out in the last few years that his touring band has had as many if not more “Beach Boys” than Mike’s own band called “The Beach Boys.” That would be a statement of fact too, but would clearly be loaded with a clear implication and connotation. Or if Brian mentioned that Mike has developed an on-and-off rasp in his voice. That would be a fact too. Never mind that it could be the ravages of time and/or incessant touring year after year without significant breaks.

Also, Mike isn't one of those world-weary, crusty old timer rockstars who give entertaining interviews where they kind of roast and criticize anybody and everybody. That's another reason when he *does* go negative in some way about Brian or someone else in his own band, it comes across more like a pretty specific negative commentary. When you feel you are "Mr. Positivity" and instances where the interviews reflect on yourself you spout the same PR stuff over and over (bringing the music to the fans, sending out fun fun fun and good vibrations, etc.), when you tout how your current band of backing guys is awesome, but then shift gears and point out that Brian Wilson doesn’t sing in the range he once did, then that negative “it’s just a statement of fact” bit is going to come across as exponentially more pointed and loaded.

[Cyncie]

It's not like people have to go out of their way to find something to complain about. The one fueling the Mike Love negativity here is Mike Love himself. If Mike or Scott or anyone on this board want the criticism of Mike to stop, they should consider convincing him to be a bit more diplomatic and gracious in his interviews. This thread didn't get started out of the blue just to bash Mike. It's a discussion of Mike's statements in an interview, and yes, he seems to take some backhanded swipes at Brian for no reason.  And, since he's been doing this in quite a few interviews lately, he's going to come under fire.

The backlash from the majority would be the same if Brian or Al went into interview after interview talking about what a law suit happy dirty old man Mike is. They, however, don't spend their interviews trying to build themselves up by tearing Mike down. Mike hasn't learned this lesson. He needs to.

[Ang Jones]

It's not like people have to go out of their way to find something to complain about. The one fueling the Mike Love negativity here is Mike Love himself. If Mike or Scott or anyone on this board want the criticism of Mike to stop, they should consider convincing him to be a bit more diplomatic and gracious in his interviews. This thread didn't get started out of the blue just to bash Mike. It's a discussion of Mike's statements in an interview, and yes, he seems to take some backhanded swipes at Brian for no reason.  And, since he's been doing this in quite a few interviews lately, he's going to come under fire.

The backlash from the majority would be the same if Brian or Al went into interview after interview talking about what a law suit happy dirty old man Mike is. They, however, don't spend their interviews trying to build themselves up by tearing Mike down. Mike hasn't learned this lesson. He needs to.

Exactly. I dare say that because of Mike's continued barbed comments he has become extremely unpopular in some quarters and it is difficult to recover from that. Seeing him as a victim is however quite mistaken IMO.

[Cam Mott]

It's not like people have to go out of their way to find something to complain about. The one fueling the Mike Love negativity here is Mike Love himself. If Mike or Scott or anyone on this board want the criticism of Mike to stop, they should consider convincing him to be a bit more diplomatic and gracious in his interviews. This thread didn't get started out of the blue just to bash Mike. It's a discussion of Mike's statements in an interview, and yes, he seems to take some backhanded swipes at Brian for no reason.  And, since he's been doing this in quite a few interviews lately, he's going to come under fire.

The backlash from the majority would be the same if Brian or Al went into interview after interview talking about what a law suit happy dirty old man Mike is. They, however, don't spend their interviews trying to build themselves up by tearing Mike down. Mike hasn't learned this lesson. He needs to.

I know, right? Especially when he will get stick for even compliments and praise or not mentioning someone at all. It's a lose/lose no matter deserved or not. He should learn to just sit in stony silence through every interview.

[Cyncie]

It's not like people have to go out of their way to find something to complain about. The one fueling the Mike Love negativity here is Mike Love himself. If Mike or Scott or anyone on this board want the criticism of Mike to stop, they should consider convincing him to be a bit more diplomatic and gracious in his interviews. This thread didn't get started out of the blue just to bash Mike. It's a discussion of Mike's statements in an interview, and yes, he seems to take some backhanded swipes at Brian for no reason.  And, since he's been doing this in quite a few interviews lately, he's going to come under fire.

The backlash from the majority would be the same if Brian or Al went into interview after interview talking about what a law suit happy dirty old man Mike is. They, however, don't spend their interviews trying to build themselves up by tearing Mike down. Mike hasn't learned this lesson. He needs to.

I know, right? Especially when he will get stick for even compliments and praise or not mentioning someone at all. It's a lose/lose no matter deserved or not. He should learn to just sit in stony silence through every interview.

No. There's a middle ground between constantly pointing out "Cousin Brian's" flaws and not saying anything at all. It's called tact.

[urbanite]

I wonder how Mike feels about the movie Love and Mercy.

[drbeachboy]

One would think that Mike would have accepted the change in Brian's voice by now. I mean, that happened 40 years ago, for crisse-sakes. Beginning to think that Mike is becoming Mr. Ying & Yang, more so than Mr. Positivity.

[Cyncie]

I wonder how Mike feels about the movie Love and Mercy.

Well, he hasn't had time to listen to the new music, so I doubt he'll bother seeing the movie. But, if he's worried that he might not come off very well, he already had his stab at presenting Brian as a slobbering idiot in "An American Family."  It all evens out.

[sea of tunes]

I wonder how Mike feels about the movie Love and Mercy.

I guess if there was anything objectionable he would have already launched his lawsuit.

[KDS]

Cyncie,

You bring up an interesting point with American Family.

I wonder if there will be a push to get that officially released onto DVD around the time Love and Mercy is due for release.  

I actually enjoyed the first half of American Family, not so much the second half where Brian turned into a cartoon character.  

[Misterlou]

It's not like people have to go out of their way to find something to complain about. The one fueling the Mike Love negativity here is Mike Love himself. If Mike or Scott or anyone on this board want the criticism of Mike to stop, they should consider convincing him to be a bit more diplomatic and gracious in his interviews. This thread didn't get started out of the blue just to bash Mike. It's a discussion of Mike's statements in an interview, and yes, he seems to take some backhanded swipes at Brian for no reason.  And, since he's been doing this in quite a few interviews lately, he's going to come under fire.

The backlash from the majority would be the same if Brian or Al went into interview after interview talking about what a law suit happy dirty old man Mike is. They, however, don't spend their interviews trying to build themselves up by tearing Mike down. Mike hasn't learned this lesson. He needs to.

You hit the nail right on the head. I guess for some people, negative attention is better than no attention at all. I'm not sure if that's what fuels Mike, but I agree, you would think he would learn the lesson this is presenting to him, especially since he seems to be a pretty smart guy. I guess we all have things we are blind to.

[HeyJude]

Cyncie,

You bring up an interesting point with American Family.

I wonder if there will be a push to get that officially released onto DVD around the time Love and Mercy is due for release.  

I actually enjoyed the first half of American Family, not so much the second half where Brian turned into a cartoon character.  

They would have to pay both the publishers and the owners of the recordings pretty expensive "sync" fees to put a DVD out of that miniseries. Considering that, and the fact that it got pretty lukwarm reviews, was not well received by fans or some of the members of the band, and even Stamos himself seems to know the movie was/is a dud, I doubt we'll see a DVD release.

[Misterlou]

"Unfortunately, Brian doesn't sing the range he once did"

I don't see what's problematic about this line.  It's a statement of fact.  Brian has a different place, vocally, within the band and in the harmony stack.  He's not criticising Brian's singing in his current range.

There are a lot of things these guys could say about each other in interviews that are statements of fact, but would clearly not be intended as an objective statement of fact with no negative connotation. That goes for anybody. At the family's thanksgiving dinner, you can point out that Aunt Suzy has way more wrinkles and flabby skin compared to 20 years ago. Just because it's a statement of fact doesn't mean it doesn't make you look like a douche for saying it. The context of the comment does matter, both in terms of the band as a whole as well as the context of the comment in the interview itself.

Here's the pertinent part:

"Being able to get into the studio again to record with those guys was really good. Being on tour was I think a neat thing to do, especially for the longtime fans," Love said. "Al Jardine sounds fantastic. Unfortunately, Brian doesn't sing the range he once did."

Mike ironically bounced the negative comment off of a positive one about Al of all people. Guy A sounds good, but Guy B doesn’t. The implication is a negative one. He's allowed to make it, and Brian clearly doesn't sing in the range he once did. Nobody in the band particularly does anymore, accept for perhaps Al in certain scenarios. Brian's voice is nothing like it was in the "olden days." But that has been the case since 1976, and a guy who took perfect care of his voice probably wouldn't be able to hit the "Papa Oom Mow Mow" falsetto part in his mid-70's. In any event, Mike can say all this stuff. But he's going to come out looking like a dick. As most anybody would be if they criticized a fellow bandmate for their shortcomings, especially when the person saying the stuff has plenty of shortcoming themselves, and ESPECIALLY when they're saying it about a bandmate from whom they are professionally estranged.

Mike has in previous interviews mentioned that Brian’s voice isn’t like it was in the olden days. I think he truly laments that. We all do, obviously. But it sometimes seems as if he blames Brian for this completely, as opposed to the ravages of time. As if, even after singing professionally for over half a century, after having worked with numerous vocalists and falsetto singers who have aged, he doesn’t get that a voice in the higher range that does falsettos will, more than his baritone or mid-range voice, give out more noticeably to time itself regardless. News flash, Mike doesn’t sound like he used to either. They have to lower the key on some songs for him too, like “It’s OK” for instance.

I'm pretty sure people might suggest that Brian or Al was being pretty catty if they pointed out, say, that Bruce Johnston has hardly participated in live Beach Boys concerts in decades. That's as much a fact as the current state of Brian's voice.

Or if, say Brian pointed out in the last few years that his touring band has had as many if not more “Beach Boys” than Mike’s own band called “The Beach Boys.” That would be a statement of fact too, but would clearly be loaded with a clear implication and connotation. Or if Brian mentioned that Mike has developed an on-and-off rasp in his voice. That would be a fact too. Never mind that it could be the ravages of time and/or incessant touring year after year without significant breaks.

Also, Mike isn't one of those world-weary, crusty old timer rockstars who give entertaining interviews where they kind of roast and criticize anybody and everybody. That's another reason when he *does* go negative in some way about Brian or someone else in his own band, it comes across more like a pretty specific negative commentary. When you feel you are "Mr. Positivity" and instances where the interviews reflect on yourself you spout the same PR stuff over and over (bringing the music to the fans, sending out fun fun fun and good vibrations, etc.), when you tout how your current band of backing guys is awesome, but then shift gears and point out that Brian Wilson doesn’t sing in the range he once did, then that negative “it’s just a statement of fact” bit is going to come across as exponentially more pointed and loaded.

Excellent point. The truly positive people I know don't make it a practice to point out the negative.