Awesome New Mike Love Article!!

[Kurosawa]

Nobody in the Beach Boys "story" is "all good" or "all bad".  Brian isn't a saint and Mike isn't a devil.  We should keep in mind that there is more than one Beach Boy who has mental health issues, however.  And becoming world-famous at an early age has helped a great number of celebrities to become f--ked up.  

Not the least of which is Mike.

This is all true.

But I am hesitant to start setting any sort of equivalency in this regard when it comes to these guys. There's one person who by leaps and bounds, time and time again, continues to often come across like an a-hole. Not all the time. But often, and far more often than the other guys.

Maybe we can all do better to try and understand Mike, and interviews like this actually do help. But Mike might do well to try and not simply occasionally acknowledge, but actually understand and *EMPATHIZE* with points of view totally contrary to his own, whether those points of view are coming from other BBs or fans or pundits or the press, etc. I see maybe a teeny, tiny bit of that in this article. But it's still mostly variations on "I'm sorry if YOU were offended" or "I'm sorry if YOU don't understand that what seems like being an a-hole is just my style of humor."

I have to give some credit to this interviewer for at least attempting to broach some topics may have wondered about, such as the contrast between espousing the virtues of meditation versus coming across as angry and bitter, filing lawsuits, etc. Mike didn't really give an answer (other than, I guess, he meditates so he's not even MORE pissed off all the time?). But at least someone finally asked.

The article does humanize Mike. I've never made fun of his baldness, wearing a hat, etc. I think he genuinely looks better sans the hats. But I've never sensed he's trying to hide anything on that topic. It's pretty obvious. It's just an appearance thing he prefers. What else is he going to do? I guess he could wear a different style of hat, as he has on occasion over the years. But then we're into cowboy hats, or berets, or whatever.

I don't know if this interview makes me feel any better about his upcoming autobiography. I think we may get more details (e.g. talking about his former wives) than we might have thought. But I don't see any evidence of humility or admitting mistakes. I guess we'll see.

None of the guys owe me any explanations about themselves. If they share, fine. If they don't, that is fine too. It is their lives to live, warts and all. I am not religious by no means, but I am a firm believer in the saying "let he without sin cast the first stone".

I don't think anyone says Mike *owes* anybody anything. He's the one asking his wife why he's the villain. Does he actually want an answer?

All great bands that have problems (and it seems they all do) have a designated villain I guess. Paul McCartney, Mike Love, Mick Jagger, Roger Waters. It's not fair or accurate but it is what it is I suppose.

[Pretty Funky]

Not worth a new thread, another interview. Absolutely nothing new, plus some errors, however this caught my eye.

Love said a documentary also is planned and Love’s autobiography, “Good Vibrations,” will be released in the fall.


http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/life/beach-boys-still-true-to-their-sound/article_52b6302d-4e57-5d29-a9fc-c9c20915b406.html

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Not worth a new thread, another interview. Absolutely nothing new, plus some errors, however this caught my eye.

Love said a documentary also is planned and Love’s autobiography, “Good Vibrations,” will be released in the fall.


http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/life/beach-boys-still-true-to-their-sound/article_52b6302d-4e57-5d29-a9fc-c9c20915b406.html

Producing his own documentary.  Check!

[Mr. Verlander]

In 1966, during the recording of Pet Sounds, did you really say what so many people think you said: “Who’s gonna hear this sh*t? The ears of a dog?”

Didn't he say that again in the PS boxed set booklet/liners, when he said that is where he got the idea for the name Pet Sounds?

I know that he's said it somewhere; and even then, I never thought that it was a negative thing, more like just being sarcastic/joking around with a friend. Like 'f*** Brian, we have to do another take of this? It was perfect the last time! Who's gonna hear this sh*t, the ears of a dog?". And then everyone laughs, because Brian's a perfectionist, and they're used to doing a ton of takes because he demands the best.

[Autotune]

If you like Mike Love already, this article makes you like him even more, and understand him a little better.

If you dislike Mike Love already, this article makes you dislike him even more, but understand him a little better.

[wilsonart1]

There is a ME in documentery.

[clack]

About the writing credits : yes, Mike eventually received justice, but 30 years after the time it mattered most to him. When 'California Girls' was a hit  -- that is, when it mattered most -- Brian was the credited lyricist. That will embitter a man.

One thing that this interview demonstrates one again about Mike is his total lack of charm. The guy comes across as completely graceless. Dennis was a far, far bigger a**hole than Mike ever was, but Dennis had charm. Screwing the wives of your brothers, cousins, and bandmates, and everyone is like, "that Dennis, what a rogue!"

[Cam Mott]

Sometimes it feels to me like some people are more outraged (or whatever) at Mike's continuing hurt feelings than they are with the people and actions that hurt Mike. 

[Amy B.]

I agree with the lack of charm. He just doesn't have a likable personality. Yes, Dennis did do far worse stuff than Mike but got away with it because he also had charm...and could also be kind. Didn't have the irritating aspects to his personality either, like the corny sense of humor and the blatant materialism.

But the other thing about Mike is that he seems psychologically stuck in 1963. It's like he can't acknowledge the validity of anything that has happened since then. He can't even get Brian's diagnosis right, and Brian is someone who had a BIG presence in his personal and professional life, and so presumably, someone he cares about. But he hasn't even taken the time to maybe find out WHY Brian does some of the things he does. Mike appears to be stuck as a 22-year-old, with the adolescent humor and everything. Thus, he can't accept Brian as anything other than the 21-year-old who wrote Fun, Fun, Fun with him. He can't seem to accept that things change, and he hasn't seemed to have gained the perspective that most people gain as they get older. A lot of people look back on things that happened when they were young and say, "I get it now. I get why I did that, and it was a mistake. I get why he did that. There are more important things in life than holding onto this." But he can't seem to do that.

And like a much younger person, he hasn't taken responsibility for anything. Still pointing out Dennis and Brian's addictions and Brian's mental illness, blaming them for those things. Talking as if meditating is a virtue in itself-- something that makes him the better person. But in fact, the meditation seemlngly hasn't given him inner peace at all.

I can't blame Mike because he seems to lack self-awareness. And he seems to suffer from many of the same demons as his cousins...they're just expressed in different ways. I wonder if Mike has ever had therapy to help him make sense of why he's so bitter.

[Beachlad]

I can see how is he mad.  Yes he jumped on a gravy train and has made bank for doing so.  He didn't get writing credits<which probably didn't seem to matter as much in 1965 when the band was huge.  I am sure he feels and some what rightly so that he has carried the burden of the music since 64<through touring> and now he is looked at as a pariah.<no matter how much confidence you have it has to beat on you>  I would guess he feels that Brian fcked as well as the music with the formula by leaving the touring band then screwing up his voice. >not to mention the drugs which may have had some ,and in his opinion most of the reason Brian dropped out of sight>
I do want to say I have never been accused as being a Mike Love apologist my wife on numerous times had tried to get me to go see his band.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

I can see how is he mad.  Yes he jumped on a gravy train and has made bank for doing so.  He didn't get writing credits<which probably didn't seem to matter as much in 1965 when the band was huge.  I am sure he feels and some what rightly so that he has carried the burden of the music since 64<through touring> and now he is looked at as a pariah.<no matter how much confidence you have it has to beat on you>  I would guess he feels that Brian fcked as well as the music with the formula by leaving the touring band then screwing up his voice. >not to mention the drugs which may have had some ,and in his opinion most of the reason Brian dropped out of sight>
I do want to say I have never been accused as being a Mike Love apologist my wife on numerous times had tried to get me to go see his band.

Stick to your guns and don't bother as you'll come away with a hollow feeling seeing an angry old man up there pretending to be something he isn't.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I can see how is he mad.  Yes he jumped on a gravy train and has made bank for doing so.  He didn't get writing credits<which probably didn't seem to matter as much in 1965 when the band was huge.  I am sure he feels and some what rightly so that he has carried the burden of the music since 64<through touring> and now he is looked at as a pariah.<no matter how much confidence you have it has to beat on you>  I would guess he feels that Brian fcked as well as the music with the formula by leaving the touring band then screwing up his voice. >not to mention the drugs which may have had some ,and in his opinion most of the reason Brian dropped out of sight>
I do want to say I have never been accused as being a Mike Love apologist my wife on numerous times had tried to get me to go see his band.

Go, see the band and make up your own mind.

[bachelorofbullets]

I can see how is he mad.  Yes he jumped on a gravy train and has made bank for doing so.  He didn't get writing credits<which probably didn't seem to matter as much in 1965 when the band was huge.  I am sure he feels and some what rightly so that he has carried the burden of the music since 64<through touring> and now he is looked at as a pariah.<no matter how much confidence you have it has to beat on you>  I would guess he feels that Brian fcked as well as the music with the formula by leaving the touring band then screwing up his voice. >not to mention the drugs which may have had some ,and in his opinion most of the reason Brian dropped out of sight>
I do want to say I have never been accused as being a Mike Love apologist my wife on numerous times had tried to get me to go see his band.

Stick to your guns and don't bother as you'll come away with a hollow feeling seeing an angry old man up there pretending to be something he isn't.

I would go.  I saw them last year at Jones Beach and even though I'm not a big Mike supporter, I thought he was great.  His voice is a lot stronger than you think and the music is excellent.  Just make sure Stamos is not around.

[c-man]

I agree with the lack of charm. He just doesn't have a likable personality. Yes, Dennis did do far worse stuff than Mike but got away with it because he also had charm...and could also be kind. Didn't have the irritating aspects to his personality either, like the corny sense of humor and the blatant materialism.

But the other thing about Mike is that he seems psychologically stuck in 1963. It's like he can't acknowledge the validity of anything that has happened since then. He can't even get Brian's diagnosis right, and Brian is someone who had a BIG presence in his personal and professional life, and so presumably, someone he cares about. But he hasn't even taken the time to maybe find out WHY Brian does some of the things he does. Mike appears to be stuck as a 22-year-old, with the adolescent humor and everything. Thus, he can't accept Brian as anything other than the 21-year-old who wrote Fun, Fun, Fun with him. He can't seem to accept that things change, and he hasn't seemed to have gained the perspective that most people gain as they get older. A lot of people look back on things that happened when they were young and say, "I get it now. I get why I did that, and it was a mistake. I get why he did that. There are more important things in life than holding onto this." But he can't seem to do that.

And like a much younger person, he hasn't taken responsibility for anything. Still pointing out Dennis and Brian's addictions and Brian's mental illness, blaming them for those things. Talking as if meditating is a virtue in itself-- something that makes him the better person. But in fact, the meditation seemlngly hasn't given him inner peace at all.

I can't blame Mike because he seems to lack self-awareness. And he seems to suffer from many of the same demons as his cousins...they're just expressed in different ways. I wonder if Mike has ever had therapy to help him make sense of why he's so bitter.

To be fair, Mike HAS acknowledged the validity of Brian's post-1963 music, including the 1966 and later "artistic" stuff - he routinely acknowledges the huge, influential success of "Good Vibrations", and perhaps to a lesser degree Pet Sounds, and has been known to drop such esoteric "deep cuts" as "You Still Believe In Me", "Here Today", "Heroes And Villains", and even "Surf's Up" and "'Til I Die" into his setlist from time-to-time, depending on the venue. But I think his over-arching goal is to please the audience, and if it's a county fair, for instance, he will stick to the hits. I think the lack of receptiveness the band sometimes encountered when playing the lesser-known stuff in the early '70s left a lasting impression on him, rightly or wrongly. But I know he appreciates it on an artistic level, at least nowadays: someone once told me they were standing next to Mike backstage right before he went on to a packed crowd anticipating the hits, when suddenly, out of nowhere, Mike started humming the melody to "Wonderful". Mike said "That's SUCH a beautiful melody!", before walking onstage and performing the usual string of crowd-pleasers (this was sometime in the last ten years or so). If Mike ever WAS less-than-receptive about some of those artistic, musical gems, then his view certainly HAS evolved since then.

Regarding Brian's psychological problems - in a couple of 2012 interviews, Mike acknowledged that there perhaps was a better understanding of, and lots of sympathy for, Brian's illness now than there was in decades past. I think that's a sign of someone who's view of the situation has evolved somewhat. For a long time, I think the other Beach Boys, including even his brothers, wondered how much of Brian's "craziness" was authentic, and how much of it was a put-on and a way to cop-out of what they saw as his "responsibilities". I think nowadays, it's pretty much understood that any of the latter was a symptom of the former.

For all his "materialism" (something that I think Brian and Dennis had also fallen victim to upon occasion, but managed to not have it negatively affect their image with the fans by also being extremely generous and genuinely caring people at the same time), Mike has also been known to use his financial resources for altruistic purposes, like matching sponsorships in a Carl Wilson Walk Against Cancer, and to aid the people of tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri, for instance.

As for "charm" - well, that's pretty subjective - evidently that are plenty of women, including Mike's present wife and five ex-wives who recognized some in him!

Finally, there ARE people that dig that corny sense of humor, at least in small doses here-and-there! Even David Leaf acknowledged that Mike's corny jokes make the live show work - and Brian has praised Mike (including during the 2012 tour) for being a great frontman.

For all their flaws, I will defend Brian and Dennis to the death - I just think Mike also deserves a pass on some of the stuff he's routinely flamed for.

[c-man]

I can see how is he mad.  Yes he jumped on a gravy train and has made bank for doing so.  He didn't get writing credits<which probably didn't seem to matter as much in 1965 when the band was huge.  I am sure he feels and some what rightly so that he has carried the burden of the music since 64<through touring> and now he is looked at as a pariah.<no matter how much confidence you have it has to beat on you>  I would guess he feels that Brian fcked as well as the music with the formula by leaving the touring band then screwing up his voice. >not to mention the drugs which may have had some ,and in his opinion most of the reason Brian dropped out of sight>
I do want to say I have never been accused as being a Mike Love apologist my wife on numerous times had tried to get me to go see his band.

Go, see the band and make up your own mind.

Agreed. Especially if they're playing in a theatre environment - but even if they're not.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Thing is, it's usually the folk who've not seen Mike & Bruce live for some fifteen years - if at all - who will tell you how bad they are, and not to go. Ignore them, make your own call.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Thing is, it's usually the folk who've not seen Mike & Bruce live for some fifteen years - if at all - who will tell you how bad they are, and not to go. Ignore them, make your own call.

Oh yes, by all means go but only if:

You don't have anything important to take care of.

You don't care about what you do with your time here on earth.

You are into seeing only one original member of the band and the rest are sidemen who most people don't know.

That original member is an angry, grudge motivated man who has touted the benefits of TM for the last 4 decades.

That original member did not write most of the songs, but tries to falsely claim he did.

You don't care about seeing a tribute band that calls itself The Beach Boys but isn't anything close to that band.

You can get the tickets for free so you won't think you wasted your money.

Don't mind the possibility of John StamoHs showing up.

You somehow don't mind stupid jokes and plenty of boring stage banter.

You get a guaranteed refund.

You don't mind being pointed at.

[the professor]

Mike seems that is longing to be with Brian again; that part is sad. Sounds like he also recognizes and regrets how his own blind spots contributed to the 2012 breakup. He was willful when he could have been more like water and worked with Brian on being together. Sadder that he knows this than if he did not. Heartbreaking portrait of Mike.

[Pretty Funky]

Thing is, it's usually the folk who've not seen Mike & Bruce live for some fifteen years - if at all - who will tell you how bad they are, and not to go. Ignore them, make your own call.

Oh yes, by all means go but only if:



That original member is an angry, grudge motivated man who has touted the benefits of TM for the last 4 decades.

Angry, grudge motivated man....Ok....Gotcha!

[Wirestone]

You can have the purest, most polished piece of pyrite in the world, but it still won't be a bar of gold.

[JK]

I'm very excited about this awesome interview so I'll repost it all here

SIP Mike, you wonderful if slightly naughty person. I've printed it and will read it at my leisure later tonight. :=)

[Lonely Summer]

ML says he has been ostracized - what? ML was the one who chose to end the reunion. He talks about missing Brian; well, get on the phone, bonehead, and call him!

Oh...wait....does calling Brian mean he will have to go through his handlers again?

[Empire Of Love]

Sometimes it feels to me like some people are more outraged (or whatever) at Mike's continuing hurt feelings than they are with the people and actions that hurt Mike. 

Sometimes it's not hard to understand why people would have a hard time sympathizing with Mike.  You are talking of what, a thirty+ year grudge even after he won a lawsuit wherein he probably received more money and credit than he deserves?  And he still can't quit bad mouthing a mentally ill man who never really bad mouths him back?

Then he goes on the attack against Al Jardine in a frivolous lawsuit against Brian in regards to Smile?  Despite Al not even being named?  Here are some of the more choice bits from the lawsuit:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/cassius-love-vs-sonny-wilson-2005-lawsuit-text.67046/

"4. In addition to his songwriting contributions to The Beach Boys, as the longtime front man for the band, Mike Love has been historically recognized as the primary voice and image of The Beach Boys; and Carl Wilson was historically recognized as the musical leader. After Carl’s death in 1998, Alan Jardine announced in the entertainment media that he no longer wished to tour with The Beach Boys; and Mike Love announced privately within BRI that he would no longer tour with Alan Jardine because of Jardine’s long and well documented history of mental and emotional problems, failure to perform, and abusiveness toward other band members. BRI then granted an exclusive license to Mike Love to perform at live concerts using The Beach Boys registered trademark. Since 1998, Mike Love has scrupulously fulfilled his license obligations, using the trademark to perform as The Beach Boys in approximately 150 live concerts per year all over the world. He has paid over eleven million dollars to BRI as royalties on this license.

5. In the same time frame following Carl Wilson’s death, Alan Jardine misappropriated the trademark, bastardized The Beach Boys name, altered the traditional Beach Boys harmonies, line-up and music, defamed Mike Love and The Beach Boys in the media, and then overtly infringed upon the trademark by using it to perform live concerts while duping ticket-buyers into believing it was the BRI-licensed Beach Boys. Jardine wreaked havoc in the marketplace causing BRI to sue for a permanent injunction which was granted and then upheld by the Ninth Circuit in Brother Records, Inc. v Jardine, 318 F.3d 900 (9th Cir. 2003). Although Jardine is still a 25% shareholder and a Director of BRI (receiving 25% of the license revenues), he is an adjudicated infringer who has breached his fiduciary duties to BRI.

6. Like Jardine, Brian Wilson has now with the “give-away” scheme, pursued a path to promote himself, destroy The Beach Boys trademark, and breach his fiduciary duties to BRI and to Mike Love. Historically, these breaches are the continuation of over thirty-five years of conduct by Brian Wilson to damage The Beach Boys and BRI. Between 1961 and 1966 Mike Love and Brian Wilson successfully collaborated with Carl and Dennis Wilson in the creation of hit after hit and album after album in the rapidly growing world of rock and roll music. Mike and Brian are recognized as prodigious song-writing pioneers in the early development of this musical genre. But beginning in 1965, drugs began to destroy Brian Wilson. By 1967, Brian lived either in his bed or in his sand-box in his Beverly Hills mansion. While Mike Love and The Beach Boys were touring without him, Brian was surrounded by drug addicts, drug dealers, parasites, and plagiarizers. In 1967, while Brian was living in an environment of drugs and physical and mental illness, Brian and The Beach Boys created the “Smile” album pursuant to their contract with Capitol Records, and paid for by Capitol. Brian also consulted some of the hangers-on that surrounded him at the time.

7. Between 1967 and 2002, Brian was essentially too ill to do anything but collect his royalties, including revenues from BRI and his 25% share of Mike Love’s license royalties. Between 1991 and 2002, Brian was under a court-ordered conservatorship, first with a court appointed lawyer until 1995, and then with his just married wife. In 2002, Brian began to resurrect his career by touring with his own band. However his “performance” has been, for the most part, limited by his past mental and emotional problems. In order to promote himself, Brian began to misappropriate BRI property. In 2003, he misappropriated “Pet Sounds,” a Beach Boys album, all while serving as a fiduciary to BRI. In September, 2004, Brian Wilson, without permission or a license from BRI, the owner of Smile, orchestrated the scheme to release a Smile CD. Up until then, Smile had been called the most recognized unreleased album in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. Smile has obtained “secondary meaning” as a Beach Boys property, and historically has been identified with The Beach Boys trademark. The defendants here exploited Mike Love and The Beach Boys’ tie-ins with Brian Wilson and Smile to promote the sale of the Smile CD, The Mail on Sunday newspaper, and the services of BigTime.TV.

Sometimes Mike makes it hard to feel bad for Mike.

EoL

[SMiLE Brian]

Everybody knows you reap what you sow-Bruce Johnston in the SIP music video.

[Debbie KL]

Any one of the detail-oriented fans here who knows actual dates of events, I would think, would find this shocking.  I certainly do.  And anyone who observed otherwise would be horrified.  Many are dead and can't testify otherwise.  Some who were there are still around.  Just sayin'...