“Pisces Brothers” makes soundtrack appearance

[“Big Daddy”]

As I’m sure many are aware, Mike released “Pisces Brothers” for streaming a couple years ago. I saw on YouTube that it’s now on the soundtrack album for a documentary called Rooted In Peace. The soundtrack looks like it’s available on all of the usual digital vendors, and since I have a problem I actually sought out a CD copy from the documentary website. Mike apparently is interviewed in the movie too. Anyways, just spreading the word.

[Jim V.]

Well I will say that it is interesting that Mike is finally gathering the appropriate  amount of courage needed to finally release some more of his solo work. And so that means as far as his solo sessions from last decade, "Cool Head, Warm Heart", "Love Like In Fairytales" and "Pisces Brothers" have all gained official release (meaning you can actually purchase them, and not just a listing on Soundcloud), along with fellow session track "Daybreak" being amended with vocals from Brian, Al, Bruce and Jeff to include on That's Why God Made The Radio.

I still don't think he has the balls to release a new solo album though. Or to digitally reissue Looking Back with Love or the Celebration material.

Lastly, I gotta give him props that at least lately on these releases he isn't being labeled as "Mike Love of The Beach Boys" for a change. Seems like he's trying to let go of his Beach Boys security blanket a bit. Maybe he will actually go out and tour under his own name!*



*Yeah right.Why do that when he can pretend he himself is The Beach Boys.

[SMiLE Brian]

Sweetdude, you need to coach Mike some more!

[bonnevillemariner]

I'm torn on this track. On one hand, I love the idea of Mike penning something a) new (novel freaking idea!), and b) sincere. He and the band played that live at a show I attended in SLC a few years ago and it was a touching performance.

On the other hand, the one aspect of Beach Boys/Mike Love history that I couldn't possibly care less about is TM and the Maharishi connection. I just don't care, and am thus quite nonplussed by a track about it.

I can't comment on the lyrics overall, as I can't understand most of them. The English lines are simplistic as always. The music and instrumentation are likewise simplistic and boring. It's not a great song.

And yet I bought the track yesterday when I heard this news. Probably because Mike's concert performance of the song seemed so genuine to me, and I've been longing to see something genuine from Mike for decades.

[Jim V.]

I'm torn on this track. On one hand, I love the idea of Mike penning something a) new (novel freaking idea!), and b) sincere. He and the band played that live at a show I attended in SLC a few years ago and it was a touching performance.

On the other hand, the one aspect of Beach Boys/Mike Love history that I couldn't possibly care less about is TM and the Maharishi connection. I just don't care, and am thus quite nonplussed by a track about it.

I can't comment on the lyrics overall, as I can't understand most of them. The English lines are simplistic as always. The music and instrumentation are likewise simplistic and boring. It's not a great song.

And yet I bought the track yesterday when I heard this news. Probably because Mike's concert performance of the song seemed so genuine to me, and I've been longing to see something genuine from Mike for decades.

Great post.

However, I gotta add another thing. While I think the song is sincere, it's also kinda crass in that classic Mike Love way. And by that I mean, I don't think him and George Harrison had any real connection at all besides TM. And while yes, there is a photo or two with them in the same shot, I never once heard anything really positive in any way from any of The Beatles about Mike in India. Then again, nobody says you have to be close to somebody to pen a tribute (i.e. Elton and Taupin's "Candle in the Wind").

[jiggy22]

Seriously, I don't think George ever brought up his "deep, spiritual" friendship with him like Mike does in every single interview nowadays.

[HeyJude]

I'm not sure there's a single interview where George utters the name of Mike Love. There may be some interview where he references Mike being there in India in '68, I dunno.

What's more apparent is that they were not buds. Yes, of course a tribute song doesn't require a relationship with the subject. But Mike's song is more than just a tribute. He's treating George as a peer and contemporary that he knew. It's isn't like Elton John singing about some far-off icon like Marilyn Monroe or something. He's joining himself at the hip with someone who isn't here to comment on whether such a connection makes any sense.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

What's more apparent is that they were not buds. Yes, of course a tribute song doesn't require a relationship with the subject. But Mike's song is more than just a tribute. He's treating George as a peer and contemporary that he knew. It's isn't like Elton John singing about some far-off icon like Marilyn Monroe or something. He's joining himself at the hip with someone who isn't here to comment on whether such a connection makes any sense.

Along those lines, I've long thought that Mike putting an S at the end of "BrotherS" was particularly telling.

If the song were called "Pisces BROTHER", I could reasonably get more of an Elton/Marilyn vibe from it -- i.e. "I felt a deep connection to you and thought of you like a brother whether you knew it or not".

But as it's called "Pisces BROTHERS", it does seem to be saying more directly "we were like brothers back in those days", which does tend to call into question whether or not George might have agreed with that.

[The Lovester]

I'm torn on this track. On one hand, I love the idea of Mike penning something a) new (novel freaking idea!), and b) sincere. He and the band played that live at a show I attended in SLC a few years ago and it was a touching performance.

On the other hand, the one aspect of Beach Boys/Mike Love history that I couldn't possibly care less about is TM and the Maharishi connection. I just don't care, and am thus quite nonplussed by a track about it.

I can't comment on the lyrics overall, as I can't understand most of them. The English lines are simplistic as always. The music and instrumentation are likewise simplistic and boring. It's not a great song.

And yet I bought the track yesterday when I heard this news. Probably because Mike's concert performance of the song seemed so genuine to me, and I've been longing to see something genuine from Mike for decades.

I feel the same way. People also harp on Brian's Back for being cheesy, but hell at least it seems sincere. Same with Pisces Brothers, we all know that him and George weren't "brothers," but at least he seems proud of an original song and he sings it with genuine emotion. That's a hell of a lot more than we can say about DIA'17 *shudders*

[MikestheGreatest!!]

Well, Harrison appeared to be a pretty big Beach Boys fan, I remember seeing him listing some of their songs as personal faves in some listing in a mag article, probably an old NME or Melody Maker.  Also don't know for sure if Harrison participated or not off the top of my head, but there is the little ditty "Happy Birthday Mike Love" sung by Beatles in India that would suggest at least a bit of fondness for him, though we really don't know for sure.  In any case, it does not seem to indicate any antipathy toward him...

Having spent time together in India, it would seem a bit odd if they did not interact in a friendly manner during that time.

As far as getting worked up about the extra S on the end of Brother, whatever.   Mike haters say the darnedest things but after awhile you come to accept their pathology and laugh about it.  I think it was only meant to indicate that they both shared the same astrological sign and both had a similar commitment to Indian based spirituality, not trying to indicate that they were truly brothers, duh, or some sort of closer relationship than that.

[Love Thang]

Thanks, I'll be sure to avoid that movie.

[jmc]

To me, it seems obvious that Mike latches onto the story about George every chance he can simply to boost his own image...rubbing eblows with Beatles. Much like reminding everyone that he wrote the words to this song or that song or working on Kokomo without Brian......  All about legitimizing himself. After the HOF induction night, I doubt any of the Beatles would think anything of him other than lame.  Also, Brian was invited to perform at George's celebration (My Sweet Lord)...Mike was not.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

To me, it seems obvious that Mike latches onto the story about George every chance he can simply to boost his own image...rubbing eblows with Beatles. Much like reminding everyone that he wrote the words to this song or that song or working on Kokomo without Brian......  All about legitimizing himself. After the HOF induction night, I doubt any of the Beatles would think anything of him other than lame.  Also, Brian was invited to perform at George's celebration (My Sweet Lord)...Mike was not.

This

[CenturyDeprived]

Also, Brian was invited to perform at George's celebration (My Sweet Lord)...Mike was not.

Hey! We don't know this is true. Mike could very easily have been invited and turned it down due to scheduling conflicts.

</sarcasm>

[jiggy22]

Hell, Mike would have skipped out on his ninth wedding if it meant a chance to perform at the concert for George!

[HeyJude]

Well, Harrison appeared to be a pretty big Beach Boys fan, I remember seeing him listing some of their songs as personal faves in some listing in a mag article, probably an old NME or Melody Maker. 

I think this came up in another thread. George Harrison having a BB song in his jukebox or something does not equate to him being a "big Beach Boys fan."

George was a big Dylan fan, a big George Formby fan. Heck, I don't even think Harrison was a huge ELO fan by anybody's account even though he had a huge musical partnership with Jeff Lynne. The most they could cajole out of Olivia Harrison is that George had "Telephone Line" on his jukebox.

McCartney was by far the biggest fan of the BBs in the Beatles, and even he wasn't a "hardcore" BB/Brian fan by any stretch, his fascination being mainly focused on "Pet Sounds" and a few other things.

[Juice Brohnston]

Filledeplage had mentioned some time ago that Pisces Brothers was quickly becoming a huge fan favourite at the live shows. Now with an official release, maybe it will be Mike's next Number 1.