Billboard: "Beach Boys" Considering Invitation to Perform at Trump Inauguration

[Debbie KL]

I just posted on the Huffington site...that it showed up as being posted by my sister-in-law was a bit of a shocker.  She's here for Christmas.  That she was loaded and locked into the site most recently slipped my attention.  Anyway I think I explained it reasonably well.

"The Beach Boys don't deserve the vitriol and low blows being sent their way over this issue. Mike Love, who has always sold out the Beach Boys 'brand' in order to satiate his own need for "nourishment and revenge" is the one to be held responsible. He does not represent the REAL Beach Boys...namely Brian and Al...who want NOTHING to do with performing at Trump's little shindig."

Thanks for doing that!  I'm explaining to friend after friend about this.  I've explained to them many times, I do not go to today's "Beach Boys" concerts.  I see Brian and his brilliant band.  But somehow, Mike having that touring license continues to be a curse that I have to explain over and over.  Non-fans aren't expected to know much about the intricacies and history of this band - not their fault - but it's a genuine problem.
 

[ReggieDunbar]

From a thread on facebook:


He doesn't back it up with any reliable sources though.

[Pretty Funky]

Not my country, election or president however the phrase 'Dance Of The Desperates' springs to mind looking at the performers mentioned.

[Debbie KL]

From a thread on facebook:


He doesn't back it up with any reliable sources though.

Yes, I can't find any source for this.  I enjoy John's posts, but in this case, some confirmation would be helpful.  We know how things are around Trump.  Everything changes in a flash and nothing is certain.

[Awesoman]

The over-dramatic hysteria on this board over whether or not Mike Love's BB will play the Trump inauguration is quite entertaining.  It does not matter either way if the Beach Boys play at the inauguration. 

[rab2591]

There's gonna be a lot of people watching, why not entertain them?

That's one of many reasons why I'd rather they not play this gig. Don't get me wrong, the touring band is hilariously entertaining, but if the goal is to entertain and get more fans perhaps this isn't the best move.

[GhostyTMRS]

I believe they should play the inauguration.  It may help to unite the American people.  As for all the little snowflakes on here, grow up.  You don't have to worry about the BB's musical legacy, that is set in stone...you also don't have to worry about the BBs "brand".  (worrying about a bunch of multi-millionaires' "brand"....who the hell thinks this way??).

There have always been two different types of the Beach Boys, and this topic is adding to the evidence. Mind you this is pure speculation, but it's fun to generalise.

One one side you have the pro-progressive side of the band. They love Pet Sounds, Smile, early 70s live era, the great alternative albums of 1966-1973, PoB, Love You etc. They are big fans of the Wilsons and place them as the core of the Beach Boys, and that there can be no "Beach Boys" without a Wilson taking part. These people vote Obama and are more urban. Younger fans fall mostly in this grouping.

One the other side you have the pro Mike Love side, the ones who like the Beach Boys with a preference of the association with 60s carefree years (before the hippies ruined everything). They tend to love the earlier car and chick albums, rejoice at hearing Kokomo on the radio, prefer the 80s when the Beach Boys were a travelling jukebox of old hits and had no issue with cheerleaders dancing to the songs. They are more rural, have nostalgia for the old days when things were in their mind better and "America was still working" etc. They voted overwhelmingly for Trump, like Mike and Bruce most likely did.

Yes, a generalization for sure. What's always overlooked in these kinds of scenarios are that Brian's vocal arrangements from 1963 onwards were so exquisite, sophisticated and ahead of their time (and of course, The Beach Boys as a group could actually pull them off!) that this fact alone knocks the whole progressive argument on its head. The music seems simple on the surface but when you open it up and analyze it, there's so much going on there that it would make your head spin. I know quite a few "serious" musicians who like to downplay the groups pre-Pet Sounds material (after all, it's the fashionable thing to do) but when push comes to shove they can't comprehend or replicate those vocal arrangements. Why?

Because they..don't..have...the...f**king...talent...or...ability to do it.  

[Kid Presentable]

"The Beach Boys don't deserve the vitriol and low blows being sent their way over this issue. Mike Love, who has always sold out the Beach Boys 'brand' in order to satiate his own need for "nourishment and revenge" is the one to be held responsible. He does not represent the REAL Beach Boys...namely Brian and Al...who want NOTHING to do with performing at Trump's little shindig."

Unfortunately I need to call this wishful thinking.  You honestly have no idea whether or not BW and AJ want to perform at his inauguration or not, despite your strongly worded statement.  You are pretty much telling a lie right there.
You just desperately hope that is the case because otherwise it would bring about a Beach Boys Fan Existential Crisis in you.  Like many others on here (myself included), you might want to prepare part of your mind for the worst case scenario.

[SMiLE Brian]

There's gonna be a lot of people watching, why not entertain them?

That's one of many reasons why I'd rather they not play this gig. Don't get me wrong, the touring band is hilariously entertaining, but if the goal is to entertain and get more fans perhaps this isn't the best move.

You forgot the lucky strike gig!

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

I just posted on the Huffington site...that it showed up as being posted by my sister-in-law was a bit of a shocker.  She's here for Christmas.  That she was loaded and locked into the site most recently slipped my attention.  Anyway I think I explained it reasonably well.

"The Beach Boys don't deserve the vitriol and low blows being sent their way over this issue. Mike Love, who has always sold out the Beach Boys 'brand' in order to satiate his own need for "nourishment and revenge" is the one to be held responsible. He does not represent the REAL Beach Boys...namely Brian and Al...who want NOTHING to do with performing at Trump's little shindig."

 

[Emily]

"The Beach Boys don't deserve the vitriol and low blows being sent their way over this issue. Mike Love, who has always sold out the Beach Boys 'brand' in order to satiate his own need for "nourishment and revenge" is the one to be held responsible. He does not represent the REAL Beach Boys...namely Brian and Al...who want NOTHING to do with performing at Trump's little shindig."

Unfortunately I need to call this wishful thinking.  You honestly have no idea whether or not BW and AJ want to perform at his inauguration or not, despite your strongly worded statement.  You are pretty much telling a lie right there.
You just desperately hope that is the case because otherwise it would bring about a Beach Boys Fan Existential Crisis in you.  Like many others on here (myself included), you might want to prepare part of your mind for the worst case scenario.

Well, except a: Brian Wilson's representative made a preemptive statement that he would not be involved and b. Some people on this board have access to ask Brian Wilson and/or his management questions, and perhaps they hav.
So you are perhaps being as presumptuous as he.

[“Big Daddy”]

From a thread on facebook:


He doesn't back it up with any reliable sources though.

Yes, I can't find any source for this.  I enjoy John's posts, but in this case, some confirmation would be helpful.  We know how things are around Trump.  Everything changes in a flash and nothing is certain.

What’s John’s relationship to the band? I know he’s on some ESQ CDs.

[CenturyDeprived]

"The Beach Boys don't deserve the vitriol and low blows being sent their way over this issue. Mike Love, who has always sold out the Beach Boys 'brand' in order to satiate his own need for "nourishment and revenge" is the one to be held responsible. He does not represent the REAL Beach Boys...namely Brian and Al...who want NOTHING to do with performing at Trump's little shindig."

Unfortunately I need to call this wishful thinking.  You honestly have no idea whether or not BW and AJ want to perform at his inauguration or not, despite your strongly worded statement.  You are pretty much telling a lie right there.
You just desperately hope that is the case because otherwise it would bring about a Beach Boys Fan Existential Crisis in you.  Like many others on here (myself included), you might want to prepare part of your mind for the worst case scenario.

Well, except a: Brian Wilson's representative made a preemptive statement that he would not be involved and b. Some people on this board have access to ask Brian Wilson and/or his management questions, and perhaps they hav.
So you are perhaps being as presumptuous as he.

Right. The wording in that letter seemed just short of a "hell no" with regards to Brian's involvement. I truly doubt that Brian/Al privately voted for Trump, but even if that were possibly the case, while it would make me sick, it's an ENTIRELY different animal with regards to being a musical act performing at an inauguration. That's a major "I'm PROUD" of supporting Trump type of statement - totally next level.

Brian/Al having any involvement in performing at a Trump inauguration would be the worst case scenario, and fortunately, that ain't happening.

[Lee Marshall]

Huh?  A statement was issued which clearly states that Brian and Al have not and will not even consider playing for trump.  As for the so-called Beach Boys 'doing' the gig... ... ...IF it proves to be true...I will be saddened, disgusted and gobsmacked.  I will NOT, though, be surprised.  Not in the least.

"Nourishment and revenge" are dishes best served cold to the cold-hearted.  That 'love' fool IS all that... ... ...and less.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh and the generalizations made regarding Beach Boys fans don't add up.  A fan from the beginning...Surfin Safari was my 1st BB's album and I think that Little Deuce Coupe, Shut Down Volume 2, All Summer Long, Today and Summer Days and Summer Nights are all terrific albums and accurately chart the group's [and Brian's] growth.  From 15 'Bigguns' on...the lps clearly illustrate that 'love' guy's obvious and mind-numbing lack of growth...and creativity.  That said...as was also the case with Getcha Back...I was still pleased to hear Kokomo on the radio...especially Carl's outstanding voice.  It had been way too long since the radio had shown the Beach Boys the kind of respect that their 1963-1974 body of work deserved and deserves.  After THIS fiasco I think their airplay will decrease still more.  That Brian, Al, Blondie and David might be subjected to blame for Mike's idiosyn'crazies'. is ever-so disheartening.

[I also LIKE the Surfin USA, Surfer Girl, Christmas and Party lps.  Note...that's LIKE not love.  I do NOT like Smiley Smile or Love You and Summer in Pair of Dice is pure, unadulterated POOP.]

The Beach Boys aren't just the Wilsons.  When it comes to the creativity end of things though... ... ...well... ... ...they sure as phuque aren't mike 'love'.  He's just 2 nostrils and an asshole.

[Kid Presentable]

"The Beach Boys don't deserve the vitriol and low blows being sent their way over this issue. Mike Love, who has always sold out the Beach Boys 'brand' in order to satiate his own need for "nourishment and revenge" is the one to be held responsible. He does not represent the REAL Beach Boys...namely Brian and Al...who want NOTHING to do with performing at Trump's little shindig."

Unfortunately I need to call this wishful thinking.  You honestly have no idea whether or not BW and AJ want to perform at his inauguration or not, despite your strongly worded statement.  You are pretty much telling a lie right there.
You just desperately hope that is the case because otherwise it would bring about a Beach Boys Fan Existential Crisis in you.  Like many others on here (myself included), you might want to prepare part of your mind for the worst case scenario.

Well, except a: Brian Wilson's representative made a preemptive statement that he would not be involved and b. Some people on this board have access to ask Brian Wilson and/or his management questions, and perhaps they hav.
So you are perhaps being as presumptuous as he.

Okay, I just saw a Guardian article that stated that, I had not read it before.  Thanks for the correction, I was wrong.

[HeyJude]

Whatever is or isn't debatable about this debacle, the suggestion that "we don't know" Brian and Al's position, implying there's any chance they would be supportive of this in any way, is beyond ridiculous:

1. Jean Sievers said that both Brian and Al are not a part of this in any way.

2. Brian and Al have a rather tenuous connection or predisposition to be supportive of Mike's touring band in general anyway.

3. Al's politics are mostly completely in opposition to even a *standard* Republican politician, let alone Trump. The guy who wrote songs decrying the deregulation of energy in California, and then rewrote the same song with lyrics decrying the California recall election, would not tend to align with the politics of Republicans.

I'm still bummed that Brian and Al aren't doing (or can't do) more about this, as this whole thing damages the band's brand, not just Mike's touring band.

It would be nice to see a more forceful, specific repudiation of this by Brian and Al. Not just pointing out that they're not part of Mike's band/organization, but also a specific renouncing and condemnation. If they feel as such, of course. I don't buy for a second that Brian or Al would be supportive of Trump at all. What I'm less sure of is how much they care that Mike is sullying the reputation and brand that they're a part of.

[harrisonjon]

Three thoughts:

a) I think this is part of the overall denial across much of the US right now about how toxic Trump is.

b) Brian may just feel too old and tired to keep fighting the band battles with Mike. The 50th anniversary may have been his way of saying goodbye to the band as a current brand.

c) In a decade, Trump will be dead and gone and a historical embarrassment, but how many band members will still be alive at that point? What will be left is the classic recordings of 1962-77 or so, and everything post-77 will be a footnote. In other words, Mike doing Trump's inauguration will be shameful, but the memory will fade. It will go in the shitcan of late-career blunders like Baywatch and the like.

[CenturyDeprived]

Mike doing Trump's inauguration will be shameful, but the memory will fade. It will go in the shitcan of late-career blunders like Baywatch and the like.

I can agree with you about the shameful part, and surely the memory would fade *some*, yet many people will be permanently disgusted by any artist associating themselves that deeply with such ilk, to the point that they can't even connect emotionally with their music on the same level anymore. Personally, I'm pondering when I'm gonna want to sit down and be able to get "the feels" on an emotional level from any Mike Love-sung BB song, and honestly the major association with a toxic fool like Trump (it's major even now, just based on the fact that it's an offer being "considered") makes me want to not listen to Mike's music... or at least minimize the amount of listening I'd do to songs that remind me of his stupid face (ie. his leads). Yeah, it's emotion that dictating that desire for me, but I don't know if and when that will change. It friggin' sucks, but I can't press a button and make myself not give a sh*t - my loss I suppose. (I can detach the artist from the art with Phil Spector and his music, but that's because he is a delusional, majorly mentally ill, sick genius, while Mike is a very special kind of repugnant that differs from Phil's terribleness. While he's nearly killed many people's love for this band, Mike's not a murderer like Phil, and I know that, lest anyone want to remind me).

Believe me - I know some major BB fans in real life, and I will just bet that they are not gonna want to listen to any Mike-sung BB song (at minimum) for the foreseeable future. An artist who cares not one bit that the candidate they support thinks it's hunky dory to call people derogatory epithets will become poison for many. I could easily see less BB songs being licensed in films/commercials with Mike's lead vocals. People who think liberal and LGBT media makers and music supervisors are simply gonna just not care are in for a wakeup call.

It's far, far worse than some mere, embarrassing Baywatch appearance.

If Mike goes ahead with it, I imagine he'll continually be inundated with people who want to call him out on his lack of giving f*cks about derogatory terms like "dikes" that are thrown around by Trump's cabinet - and not just "not caring" about that, but actively *supporting* the orange fool in the most public way possible. An inauguration performance - even being considered - shows that the LGBT community, just for starters, is the lowest of the low when it comes to Mike giving any hoot whatsoever. When Mike flies coach and walks through airports as he regularly does, does he actually think he won't regularly be questioned about this? Or maybe an LBGT activist group can buy up most of the tickets for a M&B show and fill up a venue just to make Mike squirm... how would Mike look them in the face? It would be the most uncomfortable thing ever to watch, and if filmed, the Youtube ad revenue could even pay for all those tickets.

Do Mike or his supporters really think there's not gonna be fallout?

[urbanite]

I think the Beach Boys playing Trump's inauguration is no different than if Pres. Obama had asked them to play at his.  If the President or President elect ask you to come and play, you do it.  I believe Republicans should respect Pres. Obama just as Democrats should respect President Trump, recognizing there are strong partisan feelings all the way around.

[Cabinessenceking]

I believe they should play the inauguration.  It may help to unite the American people.  As for all the little snowflakes on here, grow up.  You don't have to worry about the BB's musical legacy, that is set in stone...you also don't have to worry about the BBs "brand".  (worrying about a bunch of multi-millionaires' "brand"....who the hell thinks this way??).

There have always been two different types of the Beach Boys, and this topic is adding to the evidence. Mind you this is pure speculation, but it's fun to generalise.

One one side you have the pro-progressive side of the band. They love Pet Sounds, Smile, early 70s live era, the great alternative albums of 1966-1973, PoB, Love You etc. They are big fans of the Wilsons and place them as the core of the Beach Boys, and that there can be no "Beach Boys" without a Wilson taking part. These people vote Obama and are more urban. Younger fans fall mostly in this grouping.

One the other side you have the pro Mike Love side, the ones who like the Beach Boys with a preference of the association with 60s carefree years (before the hippies ruined everything). They tend to love the earlier car and chick albums, rejoice at hearing Kokomo on the radio, prefer the 80s when the Beach Boys were a travelling jukebox of old hits and had no issue with cheerleaders dancing to the songs. They are more rural, have nostalgia for the old days when things were in their mind better and "America was still working" etc. They voted overwhelmingly for Trump, like Mike and Bruce most likely did.

Yes, a generalization for sure. What's always overlooked in these kinds of scenarios are that Brian's vocal arrangements from 1963 onwards were so exquisite, sophisticated and ahead of their time (and of course, The Beach Boys as a group could actually pull them off!) that this fact alone knocks the whole progressive argument on its head. The music seems simple on the surface but when you open it up and analyze it, there's so much going on there that it would make your head spin. I know quite a few "serious" musicians who like to downplay the groups pre-Pet Sounds material (after all, it's the fashionable thing to do) but when push comes to shove they can't comprehend or replicate those vocal arrangements. Why?

Because they..don't..have...the...f**king...talent...or...ability to do it.  

Don't get me wrong. I dig most of their early material. What I was trying to convey is that a certain type of fan will enjoy aspects of music that certain other fans might not. It's just curious how interests and political beliefs go hand-in-hand sometimes.

[CenturyDeprived]

....I believe Republicans should respect Pres. Obama just as Democrats should respect President Trump....

As a casual European observer, I would point out that this superficially fair assessment will not be followed by anyone, nor should it.

Obama, regardless of anyone's political opinion, has carried himself with dignity, decorum and respect for the office of the presidency. Despite this he has been villified and attacked on a personal level hard to fathom decent people would be capable of.

Trump, regardless of anyone's political opinion, has carried himself with reckless insult for human intelligence that disrespects not only himself but also his people and his country. Even across the ocean people dread your fat, orange monkey's imminent rise to power.

Obama worked to gain respect; he has never asked for it. Trump asks for it but has never worked for it. The contrast.

Trump should be opposed, shunned and humiliated as any awful excuse for a human being can be. Meanwhile we who recognise this can just hope nature cuts him short soon.

**Finally, f*** Mike Love. I see it often on the internet, but not as often as he deserves it.

Very well put.

[guitarfool2002]

Time for those brass tacks again. Someone already mentioned it, but it's worth repeating.

When all of this brou-haha was still bubbling up, a public statement was issued that said Brian and Al had nothing to do with this. What is one of the most unfortunate effects of all this, if not the most unfortunate in my opinion, is that because of the way Mike and his PR handled this going back weeks now, the musical legacy of Brian and Al as Beach Boys is being thrown into the mud. And again, they had nothing to do with any of this other than being founding members of The Beach Boys.

If Mike and/or his PR team had declined the invitation in private, and not leaked a comment to the press, none of this would have happened. It turned into a clusterfuck yet again because it simply was not handled the right way. And there is still no official word whether Mike and his band will or will not play this event.

Remove the political nature of this mess just for discussion purposes, and I cannot think of another time when the legacy of this great band has been called out across multiple demographics, media outlets, and among people who know nothing about BRI, licenses, "set end dates", phony historians and honored guests, and the like. Whether the reasons why are agreed with or not, the fact that a single event had the potential to generate such a backlash should have warranted a more careful plan of action in terms of comments to the press.

Now, we have all this.

And just a personal message to people suggesting this is all a symptom of the "Mike bashing" that originates with a very small minority of non-fans on this forum and blaming this forum in general as a toxic place for Mike-bashing: Get real. Enough of the bullshit. Read those reader comments on any news or web page that ran this story this week before trying to blame yet another fake boogeyman to try avoiding the reality of where this band's image has ended up. All the "campaigns" in the world to try changing and reshaping this one fan forum wouldn't have changed the overall tone of those web comments this week one iota.

[CenturyDeprived]

Time for those brass tacks again. Someone already mentioned it, but it's worth repeating.

When all of this brou-haha was still bubbling up, a public statement was issued that said Brian and Al had nothing to do with this. What is one of the most unfortunate effects of all this, if not the most unfortunate in my opinion, is that because of the way Mike and his PR handled this going back weeks now, the musical legacy of Brian and Al as Beach Boys is being thrown into the mud. And again, they had nothing to do with any of this other than being founding members of The Beach Boys.

If Mike and/or his PR team had declined the invitation in private, and not leaked a comment to the press, none of this would have happened. It turned into a clusterfuck yet again because it simply was not handled the right way. And there is still no official word whether Mike and his band will or will not play this event.

Remove the political nature of this mess just for discussion purposes, and I cannot think of another time when the legacy of this great band has been called out across multiple demographics, media outlets, and among people who know nothing about BRI, licenses, "set end dates", phony historians and honored guests, and the like. Whether the reasons why are agreed with or not, the fact that a single event had the potential to generate such a backlash should have warranted a more careful plan of action in terms of comments to the press.

Now, we have all this.

And just a personal message to people suggesting this is all a symptom of the "Mike bashing" that originates with a very small minority of non-fans on this forum and blaming this forum in general as a toxic place for Mike-bashing: Get real. Enough of the bullshit. Read those reader comments on any news or web page that ran this story this week before trying to blame yet another fake boogeyman to try avoiding the reality of where this band's image has ended up. All the "campaigns" in the world to try changing and reshaping this one fan forum wouldn't have changed the overall tone of those web comments this week one iota.

I can't wait until Trump himself blames his own low approval ratings on Wilson-based negativity.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

"Dammit, Pence, I told you don't f*** with the formula!"

[CenturyDeprived]

"Dammit, Pence, I told you don't f*** with the formula!"

The formula of racism, scare tactics, and homophobia is working...  don't change a thing!

Hang On To Your Electoral System
Make America Do It Again