Mike Love on Love & Mercy: ‘Poor Brian, He’s Had a Rough, Rough Time’

[Moon Dawg]

   Mike is living up to his rep as one of the bigger jerks in Rock music. I think he gets a perverse pleasure from all this, but history will have the last chuckle. Looking forward to all the details of his 1970 nervous breakdown in his upcoming memoir.

[Shady]

Wow, I have a lot of respect for Mike but after reading that interview im starting to think he may have just lost his mind.

That was a very worrying read.

[Autotune]

It is endless, and everybody's point is well know by now. Ten days ago he was destroyed over here by some people for including deep catalogue songs in the setlist (and at least one song suggestion made right here at Smileysmile). So basically, he could donate his entire fortune to the poor and be backslashed for it, nevermind mentioning Brian's drug-taking in an interview.

It is endless because Mike makes it endless. Imagine if Brian said this stuff...."Brian, have you seen Mike since the end of the tour?" "No, he is controlled and on prescription drugs." "Brian, have you heard Mike's most recent single?" "No, but if there's no autotune on it I'm sure it'll be great."

And we're supposed to be the bad guys for being irritated by these type of remarks? Mike could donate his entire fortune to the poor and if he continued to say stuff like this in interviews I'd still be flabbergasted and irritated by him.

If a movie is made in which you are portrayed, and a reviewer calls you "the eternal asshole", and you are reportedly made seem as opposed to the artistic growth of your group, as an indirect cause of your cousin's mental collapse, and not entirely keen on said group's most famous album, you'd have a right to be concerned. The world will see Mike Love in the light of the movie, not in the light of an interview to a local newspaper, nor in the light of our comments about said interview; how could he not be concerned and have a human reaction about it?

Cheap moralizing about Mike's behavior, prescribing what could be best for him, guessing his intentions, preaching on virtues and condemning vice... those are superciliousness-born attitudes from monicker-named nerds on a message board. Passing judgement on people is also wrong.

[Ang Jones]

I gotta admit...I'm very disappointed to read this.

I am not, it's just yet another confirmation of something we've known for decades.

I guess so. I just like to try to hope for the best in people, but...yeah. There are no words.

Even Brian gave "the devil (Landy) his due." At a point he may have saved his life, as he padded his payroll. It appears that even Brian has forgiven this scoundrel, only testimony to his amazing capacity to forgive (not forget) Landy.  



Maybe Mike should first, get a chance to see AND digest the film.  I saw it three days ago, and it STILL seems pretty overwhelming, and I didn't live (on tour) as the band did.   A court gave Landy control.  Melinda had to get "the goods" on Landy, to get it reversed.

The group is just coming back from a tour and they didn't have the release of the film in the UK yet. Mike said that the comments (dissertation) was "interesting." As well as saying it is "a whole different story that came out in Love and Mercy."

So we get the automatic snark response.  Re-read his answer.

But, what do we expect the son of Landy to say?  Of course he will try to defend his old man...

Brian was probably suffering from Helsinki Syndrome. It isn't unusual for people held captive by someone to develop a kind of affection for them and though Brian wasn't literally a captive, it amounted to as much.

[rab2591]

It is endless, and everybody's point is well know by now. Ten days ago he was destroyed over here by some people for including deep catalogue songs in the setlist (and at least one song suggestion made right here at Smileysmile). So basically, he could donate his entire fortune to the poor and be backslashed for it, nevermind mentioning Brian's drug-taking in an interview.

It is endless because Mike makes it endless. Imagine if Brian said this stuff...."Brian, have you seen Mike since the end of the tour?" "No, he is controlled and on prescription drugs." "Brian, have you heard Mike's most recent single?" "No, but if there's no autotune on it I'm sure it'll be great."

And we're supposed to be the bad guys for being irritated by these type of remarks? Mike could donate his entire fortune to the poor and if he continued to say stuff like this in interviews I'd still be flabbergasted and irritated by him.

If a movie is made in which you are portrayed, and a reviewer calls you "the eternal asshole", and you are reportedly made seem as opposed to the artistic growth of your group, as an indirect cause of your cousin's mental collapse, and not entirely keen on said group's most famous album, you'd have a right to be concerned. The world will see Mike Love in the light of the movie, not in the light of an interview to a local newspaper, nor in the light of our comments about said interview; how could he not be concerned and have a human reaction about it?

Mike hasn't even seen the movie yet he is apparently worried that it makes him out to be an asshole? I think a lot of people on this board mentioned how Mike's unease about Pet Sounds and the Smile music was portrayed in a way that made his perspective make sense. And he did have unease about some of the material on Pet Sounds which is why Hang On To Your Ego is not on the final album.

The movie never said Mike Love was against the album Pet Sounds. It's obvious to any casual fan that Mike had a hand in making it, and was obviously supportive of releasing it...even the movie doesn't dispute this. Perhaps before Mike starts to defend himself he should actually watch the movie in question.

[filledeplage]

I gotta admit...I'm very disappointed to read this.

I am not, it's just yet another confirmation of something we've known for decades.

I guess so. I just like to try to hope for the best in people, but...yeah. There are no words.

Even Brian gave "the devil (Landy) his due." At a point he may have saved his life, as he padded his payroll. It appears that even Brian has forgiven this scoundrel, only testimony to his amazing capacity to forgive (not forget) Landy.  

Perhaps Brian was suffering from Helsinki Syndrome. He'd been more or less held captive by Landy.


Maybe Mike should first, get a chance to see AND digest the film.  I saw it three days ago, and it STILL seems pretty overwhelming, and I didn't live (on tour) as the band did.   A court gave Landy control.  Melinda had to get "the goods" on Landy, to get it reversed.

The group is just coming back from a tour and they didn't have the release of the film in the UK yet. Mike said that the comments (dissertation) was "interesting." As well as saying it is "a whole different story that came out in Love and Mercy."

So we get the automatic snark response.  Re-read his answer.

But, what do we expect the son of Landy to say?  Of course he will try to defend his old man...

Brian was probably suffering from Helsinki Syndrome. It isn't unusaul for people held captive by someone to develop a kind of affection for them and though Brian wasn't literally a captive, it amounted to as much.

Ang - this inserted quote ..."Perhaps Brian was suffering from Helsinki Syndrome. He'd been more of less held captive by Landy." Is not mine...Kindly remove it. Thanks!

[Gohi]

Mike is a complete jerk.
I like that he is a Landy-sympathizer now.

[Ang Jones]

As for the adverse comments about Mike Love, he is frequently the cause of them. We see a Mike Love interview and a number of hostile reactions ensue, sometimes even from people whom until then had  considered themselves fans, who express a change of heart by using words like 'disappointed'.
It is unfair and demonstrably false in some cases to blame other people for the bad opinions  some have of him. Unless  this particular article misquoted, it is quite clear that if Mike's popularity decreases, he has no-one to blame but himself. Even if he believed his comments were entirely fair it might have been sensible to omit some of them, especially those he has already repeated ad nauseam.

[Ang Jones]

Filledeplage. Unintentional error. Now corrected. Sorry.

[filledeplage]

Filledeplage. Unintentional error. Now corrected. Sorry.

Thanks.

[marcusb]

His comments are indefensible.

Let me translate that for him: I'm not picking up good vibrations and his constant harassment of Brian (and others) isn't fun, fun, fun.

I was just reconsidering whether or not to go to a Beach Boys show.. And had decided I really should go. Now, I just can't. I cannot support him.

[filledeplage]

filled-
Or, he could be referring to ONLY those who are biased towards Mike, not specifically referring to anyone who defends Mike (as I have in the past). Or is the inherent bias your internet diagnosis?

Billy - the most difficult part of posting on this forum, is that posters are expected to "pick a side."

You absolutely have looked with an open mind. I agree.  Within CD's post is the "K" word, with foregone conclusions.  It is aggressive.

The use of that "B" word, I think, is also really disrespectul and by the same token, I don't expect that posters use the "K" word, without being ready to be on the attack. If posters expect respect, they might refrain from using both terms, as they are equally offensive.  

Yes, those terms are medical "terms of art." CD is not the arbiter of sanity or insanity without training.  

Hypothetically speaking (and I know you just *love* hypotheticals!), if there were several medical doctors who were to actually issue such a diagnosis, would you believe it, or would you continue to deny it? I would think that your logic would dictate that it need be only a diagnosis issued by a professional for it to be true.

If medical docs were to confer and agree on a diagnosis, it would be among the docs and the patient. It is not for me to believe or not believe it, as it does not relate to me, and absent the verified testing, and agreement of "second professional opinions" it would not be my business under US privacy laws.  My interest in BW/BB is the music and not their confidential doctor-patient relationship which is privacy-protected.

[filledeplage]

His comments are indefensible.

Let me translate that for him: I'm not picking up good vibrations and his constant harassment of Brian (and others) isn't fun, fun, fun.

I was just reconsidering whether or not to go to a Beach Boys show.. And had decided I really should go. Now, I just can't. I cannot support him.

And, I don't agree.  First, he concedes that, "...Brian had rough, rough time."  The context of the article was as it relates to being a judge in a film festival.  

Second, he was previewing to "judge" the films in the festival.  The locality where he was touring, didn't have the "Love and Mercy" film released.  How could he have seen it? (And I hope he has a private screening, without an "audience" watching his reaction. ) I'm just a fan, and found a back corner of the theater to just be alone with my thoughts during the film, and headed for a glass of wine, post.  I found it intense.  No doubt will he.

Third, the interviewer had a series of queries.  He was asked specifically about the differences in performing, since the inception of the band.  I've read they dragged their own equipment around and set it up themselves.

Fourth, he was asked about his book, which would not to be made into a movie.

Fifth, he was asked about a film he hasn't seen, although he is depicted, alongside the band, but in a minor role in the context of the band. He conceded he knew the rough Wilson household.

And, "I'm waiting to weigh in myself until I'm able to see the movie."

How vague is that?  Waiting to weigh in.

He comments on Evan Landy... It is interesting to many, because it is a surprise.  Unless, perhaps, Evan was saving his "material" to maximize impact contemporaneous with the film's release.

[relx]

It could be that with nearly 30 years after the dust has settled, Mike just doesn't get as worked up about the Landy situation as he once did. He does seem to have emotionally detached himself from the whole thing somewhat, going by his comments in the interview.

Since Mike and Brian don't have, it seems, any relationship these days, he probably doesn't care that much anymore about stuff that happened to Brian thirty years ago. Also, he still thinks Brian is controlled and medicated, so he probably thinks what Melinda is doing to Brian today is not much different than what Landy did. In his mind, they are all controlling Brian with drugs.

 

Where in the world did you come up with the slanderous notion that Melinda is giving Brian any drugs at all, much less controlling him via drugs?  Where does this non-sense originate?

EoL

I didn't mean that Melinda was giving Brian drugs personally, but that she is the person most responsible for his treatment, hence Mike probably believes she is the one responsible for Brian's presecription drug use, which he equates with street drugs.

[KDS]

I was expecting much worse.  Pretty tame stuff for Mike if you ask me. 

I think if I were Mike Love's publicist, I would instruct him not to answer any questions that relate to one Brian D. Wilson. 

Mr. PR: "Mike.  OK, stick to the current Beach Boys tour and your upcoming book."

ML: "Alright."

Mr. PR: "What do you say if you're asking about Brian Wilson?"

ML: "He's a great talent.  I love singing his songs every night.  Even the sad depressing ones where his ego got in the way and derailed the positivity train of surf and car songs, and had us singing about crows and cornfields, or some crap."

Mr. PR: "NO NO NO NO." 

[HeyJude]

As a bit of an aside, on the topic that was briefly mentioned concerning the idea that Mike knows he’s pegged as an a-hole and doesn’t care, and just tells it like it is, etc., I should say that he doesn’t even perform *that* function well. There are others, especially in the music industry, that are all old and grizzled and just bluntly say what’s on their mind. Non-PC, don’t care if they sound like an a-hole, etc. That can indeed be entertaining and even sometimes enlightening.

Mike’s interviews don’t read like that. They read like they have an agenda; an often rather defensive, self-congratulatory, insecure agenda. A lot of the old music industry veterans that “tell it like it is” are refreshing because they’ll be the first to criticize *themselves.* Mike never does this.

As Howie has mentioned, Mike is being advised (or advising himself) poorly on these matters, especially if he cares how others view him (and he clearly does, since he often refers to being wrongly pegged as the bad guy). More importantly, his interviews and comments continue to reflect poorly on the *group’s* brand.

I’ve often been the first to agree that it would be ill-advised for numerous reasons for Brian (and Al) to even attempt to revisit the licensing arrangement concerning Mike touring with the name. It would indeed be kicking a hornet’s nest and would probably result in years of litigation. It is very unlikely to happen for that and many other reasons. But I think, even given all of that, maybe they should consider it, and not even because of anything particularly to do with using the name for touring. Rather, there’s a point at which you have to think about who is representing your brand and think about how that person is characterizing the shareholders of your corporation. It is indeed poor (or non) management that leads to this crap.

Does anyone think Paul and Yoko don’t still have a few lingering issues with each other? Of course they do, and there’s as much if not more potential for contentious issues within the Apple/Beatles world as compared to BRI/Beach Boys. But they’ve learned to let their refined, valued brand do all of the work. They play nice (and who knows, maybe they’ve even actually gotten over at least some of the BS between them), the number of fans and press who think they’re coming across as d***s diminishes, and, oh yeah, the money just rolls in.

The Beatles now even individually and collectively push each others’ solo stuff in addition to group stuff now. Meanwhile, Mike can’t even take three minutes to listen to “The Right Time.” He can apparently kick back at night and read the Smiley Smile board and post *detailed* Facebook postings with huge photo albums and setlists from one of his shows, but he can’t go click on YouTube and listen to “The Right Time” for free for three minutes. Broken band, broken brand. I can’t fault Brian for just doing his own thing, but I still hope that this horrible management and brand/image issue might be addressed, whether it’s by taking steps to not let Mike tarnish it, or by getting a manager to get the guys to play nice. 

[Ang Jones]

His comments are indefensible.

Let me translate that for him: I'm not picking up good vibrations and his constant harassment of Brian (and others) isn't fun, fun, fun.

I was just reconsidering whether or not to go to a Beach Boys show.. And had decided I really should go. Now, I just can't. I cannot support him.

I didn't actually consider going to the latest UK Beach Boys shows but my reason is the same.  Mike continually shows jealousy of Brian and I'd even go so far as to use the word spite.  I've been told how wonderful the shows were and how they benefit Brian. I don't really care. My attending would have been hypocritical. I don't dispute that Mike and Bruce have a band of accomplished musicians who can usually perform to a high standard.  I feel some sympathy for his band because the hostility that he generates with some of his less well thought out remarks and for that matter some of his behaviour must antagonise large numbers of fans and affect attendance.  For his band, it's a career choice. For me, it's somewhat simpler. If I want to hear Beach Boys songs whilst awaiting the next Brian Wilson tour, I'll turn on my CD player.

Edited just to compliment Hey Jude on his last post. Some very wise comments.

[urbanite]

I don't get the anger over Mike Love's comments.  BW did have a rough, rough time, and Landy did save Brian's life, while providing him with the wrong medications and exploiting his fame and fortune.  What he said was basically true and said in response to a question about the movie that dealt with these issues.  I'm more interested in the accuracy of what he said about his involvement with Pet Sounds.   

[Cam Mott]

Mike was asked to respond to a quoted characterization of an Associated Press review of the movie L&M.  So Mike is responding to that reviewer's characterization as not true. He has already explained he hasn't seen the movie yet but he is "anxious to see it to see what the whole story is".

Even though Mike has said he hasn't seen the movie the interviewer follows up with another claim about the movie's portrayal of Landy and asks him if Mike has a comment about the portrayal the interviewer read about in the movie Mike hasn't seen. So the interviewer is asking a question about stuff he read about the movie and Mike responds with something he read about the movie. He doesn't say Evan's "dissertation" is true or untrue or good or bad just an interesting read of "a whole different story that came out on Love and Mercy".

I think Mike made his feelings plain about Landy back at the time so it's a little puzzling to me that some are now taking the implication that Mike is defending Eugene Landy's unethical, immoral and illegal behaviors. Mike wasn't in the therapy with Brian and Landy of course so he answered "probably" about the therapy, not shocking.  The things he did know about he answered "hell yeah" and "yes", also not shocking. Mike and Brian share the opinion that even with all the crap, Landy may have also saved Brian's life. Shocking maybe but their opinion.

[wilsonart1]

It all comes down to brothers, real life blood brothers verses a cousin.  Loves family vs Wilson ,  Love family had it better than Wilson's , problem the Wilson boys ended up with the talent!   Mike has had a problem with this forever!  I will never forget the talk's with Dennis... several rides to see the home his Mother was born in.  Mike is / was a nice part to a family band, he could ruin a one car funeral.  Mike please take those Viagra"s with water to make sure they get down.

[KDS]

Nothing shocking about the opinion that Landy saved Brian's life.  That's 100% true.  The guy was a double edged sword.  He helped other musicians out of the muck, and helped Brian.  I think Landy also knew that Brian could be easily manipulated and latched on to him.  

[Paul J B]

You know, the usual suspects have been waiting for a couple of weeks for Mike to say something stupid about the movie. We all know there are a handful of people that get off on posting nasty comments about Mike here on a daily basis. OSD and Smile Brian come to mind. If or when people like me come to Mike's defense we are labeled the club kokomo crowd or some such nonsense. I try to be fair concerning all of the Beach Boys and those related to their careers. Now that that's clear...

For the love of God Mike, yes Mike Love, Mike can you please stop making stupid comments either intentionally or unintentionally concerning Brian Wilson. In particular the drug stuff. You have been in the rock and roll business your entire adult life correct? if you would like to send us a list of all the people in the business that you have encountered over the past 50 years that were not doing drugs at some point please do so. I'm not in the music business but the only people that I could guess were for sure drug free would be Donny and Marie. Drugs took a toll on Brian and no one denies that. But it was a hell of a lot more than that and even us outsider, non family, non band member, just fans have seen and known this for decades. Every time you mention Brian and drugs it sounds like you are trying to say everything was roses and Brian had no issues at all until the 60's drug culture took hold of him. The 60's drug culture took hold of many people in your business and the majority of them did not end up in Brian's condition and mental state. And these latest comments concerning Landy and his ilk. Do you actually believe Landy's drugs he gave Brian didn't cause some permanent damage?

Lastly, I don't put much stock in anything I read because printed interviews can be very misleading (often intentionally) but you are not helping your cause one iota by this kind of speech that has become a pattern.

[grillo]

 Passing judgement on people is also wrong.
[/quote]
LOL!!
Gee, that looks a lot like you are passing judgement on someone. Tell me again how using my rational / critical faculties to scan my environment for threats (or in the case, jerks) is wrong?
Passing judgement on people is how humans avoid emotional and physical predators, a useful and neccesary skill.
However, if you want to be consistant you might want to stop judging people for judging people.

On another note...
There is a great book about people who lack empathy called  The Science of Evil. Mike may not be evil, but  he clearly has a deficit of empathy, which almost always  comes from childhood trauma. According to the book, empathy is almost impossible to develop later in life

[rab2591]

Mike was asked to respond to a quoted characterization of an Associated Press review of the movie L&M.  So Mike is responding to that reviewer's characterization as not true. He has already explained he hasn't seen the movie yet but he is "anxious to see it to see what the whole story is".

If we're getting into specifics his comments still make no sense because the AP quote the interviewer asked about said nothing about Mike being totally against the release of Pet Sounds. The AP quote only talks about "bickering" and some of the bickering actually happened. It is Mike who brings up these ridiculous claims that he was against the release of Pet Sounds which isn't even in the movie.

Even though Mike has said he hasn't seen the movie the interviewer follows up with another claim about the movie's portrayal of Landy and asks him if Mike has a comment about the portrayal the interviewer read about in the movie Mike hasn't seen. So the interviewer is asking a question about stuff he read about the movie and Mike responds with something he read about the movie. He doesn't say Evan's "dissertation" is true or untrue or good or bad just an interesting read of "a whole different story that came out on Love and Mercy".

No one here said any differently.

I think Mike made his feelings plain about Landy back at the time so it's a little puzzling to me that some are now taking the implication that Mike is defending Eugene Landy's unethical, immoral and illegal behaviors. Mike wasn't in the therapy with Brian and Landy of course so he answered "probably" about the therapy, not shocking.  The things he did know about he answered "hell yeah" and "yes", also not shocking. Mike and Brian share the opinion that even with all the crap, Landy may have also saved Brian's life. Shocking maybe but their opinion.

Mike wasn't in the therapy so he answered "probably" about it? I wasn't around Idi Amin during his reign of terror in Uganda, so he was only "probably" an evil man? It's called factual evidence, Cam. For flips sake. Landy was proven to have been overmedicating Brian, proven to have been blocking phone calls, proven to have changed Brian's will....and he "probably" overstepped the bounds of therapy? Also, as KDS points out: the fact that Landy saved Brian's life is not shocking, no one here holds that opinion.

[the professor]

True. I don't see much in Mike's interview to make hay of. He does a 100 of these a year and says the same sort of stuff, this time with a bit of fuzzy focus on LaM, the movie. Leave him alone. . . .Likely someone told him that in the movie he gets impatient with BW recording 50 cello runs before he got what he liked, which, Mike will tell us, may not have happened that way. Easy to get impatient with BW on this issue I imagine. Mike was reacting to rumor and was as usual a bit defensive.

All mike should ever say, as I would have it, is that he can't wait to get back with Brian and Al and make more music as a family.

Nothing shocking about the opinion that Landy saved Brian's life.  That's 100% true.  The guy was a double edged sword.  He helped other musicians out of the muck, and helped Brian.  I think Landy also knew that Brian could be easily manipulated and latched on to him.