Today In Music History

[BananaLouie]

On this day in 1988, The Lovester makes his infamous speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when The Beach Boys are inducted, he basically insults Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and other inductees, very holy behavior Mike.

[Jonas]

is there a transcript of said speech?

[Aegir]

from http://www.areuonsomething.com/print_rockhall.html

Excerpts from Mike Love's acceptance speech
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1988

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees in 1988 were The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan, and The Supremes. At the time, inductees Paul McCartney and Diana Ross were involved in major lawsuits involving their former groups, and they, among others, were targets of Mr. Love's address that evening. At the conclusion of his verbal attacks, Bob Dylan was quoted as saying "I'm glad he didn't mention my name in that speech." Here are some of his comments:

"And I think it's wonderful to be here tonight, but I also think it's sad that there are other people who aren't here tonight. And, uh, those are the people who have passed away, those are the obvious ones. But the other not-so-obvious ones are people like Paul McCartney, who couldn't be here tonight because he's in a lawsuit with Ringo and Yoko. That's what he sent a telegram to some, uh, high priced attorney in this room, you know."

"And that's a bummer, because we're talking about harmony, right, and the world. If we can't get it together in America and in England, and harmony within our groups. I mean, believe it, you can believe it. The Beach Boys have their own 'interstescene' (not sure what Mike is trying to say here, and neither does Mike) or whatever you call it, squabbles. But that's a bummer when Ms. Ross can't make it, you know?" (referring to Diana Ross, who was having legal battles with the other 2 members of The Supremes.)

"The Beach Boys have continued to do, about, we did about 180 performances last year. I'd like to see the Mop-Tops match that! I'd like to see Mick Jagger get out on this stage and do I Get Around versus Jumpin' Jack Flash, any day now. And I'd like to see some people kick out the jams, and I challenge the Boss to get up on stage and jam." (during Mike's pause, someone in the house band plays the theremin line of "Good Vibrations" during the crowd's tepid response.)

"I wanna see Billy Joel, see if he can still tickle ivories, lemmee see. I know Mick Jagger won't be here tonight, he's gonna have to stay in England. But I'd like to see us in the Coliseum and he at Wembley Stadium because he's always been chickenshit to get on stage with the Beach Boys."

Who is he to be talking about lawsuits?

[JRauch]

I know I´m in the minority here, but I think this speech is about the coolest thing Mike has ever done. Yes, it's embarresing, drunken sh*t, without any direction. But that´s ROCK'N'ROLL!!!

[Aegir]

I don't know, I think he was just being mean for no reason.

[Jason]

That speech was awesome. Mike's a badass. Always was.

[Jonas]

I dont see anything really mean about it...then again I dont see any sense in it either. I think someone was boozed up for the ceremonies.

[Jeff Mason]

Rock and Roll attitude only works if you can back up that attitude.  Mike Love can't back any of that up.  Even then, the BB band had softened into an oldies jukebox with little power.  So they tour together.  Whoopdie doo.  Don't you think that Mike's point seem hypocritical in light of the fragmentation of the BB since 1997, and in light of his lawsuit and very personal slams against Al and Brian?

Not to mention that he was doing some type of fast or something at the time -- he wasn't in the most stable of mindsets.

[Mitchell]

That's only an excerpt. Isn't there more where he talks about how great music is and how it should be celebrated? I'm going on memory from last time this was discussed.