Fashion Police Called For Beach Boy Mike Love

[DJ M]

Enjoy these pics.............

http://www.gigwise.com/news/38678/fashion-police-called-for-the-beach-boys-mike-love

[smile-holland]

how difficult can it be to even distinguish the 2 only "original" Beach boys? From the 6th picture of, Bruce suddenly is called Mike and vice versa...

[RickD]

that shirt is a Mambo shirt - quite iconic in Oz -

http://www.regmombassa.com/

whoever wrote the article certainly missed the point!!


This review from Sydney didn't miss much though!! -

http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/surfs-up-sounds-blown/2007/11/15/1194766868010.html

BEACH BOYS
Entertainment Centre, November 14

TO HIS very public resentment, Mike Love's claim to be the voice and spirit of the Beach Boys has been consistently overshadowed by the popular notion of Brian Wilson as the band's genius auteur.

Wilson has latterly toured the world with brilliantly reproduced and marketed re-creations of the Beach Boys catalogue and, in particular, his masterworks, the Smile and Pet Sounds albums. In Love's eyes his cousin has been the critics' pet, the peccadilloes and obscurities championed by beard strokers while he, Love, gave the people what they really wanted: the fun, fun, fun of that idealised summer of yore.

So how does this version of a Beach Boys show (Love is joined by the long-time member Bruce Johnston and five hired hands) compare with Wilson's version (one original Beach Boy and eight hired hands)?

This lot aren't even on the same patch of sand as Wilson's mob. The sound is thin and the song selection weighted heavily, if unsurprisingly, to the early years of the band; they play efficiently but lack the skill and the enthusiasm of Wilson's fans-turned-backing musicians; and the tempos of their most vibrant songs are a little too slow, so an audience keen to dance all night spends a good portion of it sitting down nodding faithfully.

But crucially, unforgivably, for a group whose name was based on vocal adroitness, the vocals fall short. The harmonies were poor or plain bad and only two of the band offered real strength.

With Love and Johnston doing less than half the lead vocals (a historical fact which somewhat undermines Love's claim to be the Voice) it's a bit like watching a covers band. This sensation is reinforced by the bizarre decision to include non-Beach Boys songs such as And Then He Kissed Me, Why Do Fools Fall In Love and California Dreaming in the set. Aren't there enough Beach Boys songs to fill the night?

There is a creeping cynicism beneath the whole Beach Boys facade as the night wears on, a glib, emotionless attitude that has an outer shell of bonhomie and an inner emptiness. Of course, the audience applauded wildly. But having paid not insubstantial sums for tickets, don't they deserve better than this?

[TonyW]

that shirt is a Mambo shirt - quite iconic in Oz -

http://www.regmombassa.com/

whoever wrote the article certainly missed the point!!

I once shared a "few drinks too many" post midnight flight from Darwin to Bali with Mambo founder Dare Jennings and on that flight we talked about the "Brian Wilson Surfing Challenge" which Mambo ran in the very early 80's - it was a surf industry company event made up of teams from the different surf companies in Oz - I was particularly keen to see if I could get my hands on an event T-Shirt which featured the Brian fire helmet photo from the Smile era - alas no luck. Date told me that the inspiration to name the event after Brian came from the collective consciousness of the art room ...    ... very creative places in the early 80's!!!

[Aegir]

This sensation is reinforced by the bizarre decision to include non-Beach Boys songs such as And Then He Kissed Me, Why Do Fools Fall In Love and California Dreaming in the set. Aren't there enough Beach Boys songs to fill the night?

Umm... too bad those are Beach Boys songs, two of which were arranged by none other than Brian Wilson.

[mikeyj]

This sensation is reinforced by the bizarre decision to include non-Beach Boys songs such as And Then He Kissed Me, Why Do Fools Fall In Love and California Dreaming in the set. Aren't there enough Beach Boys songs to fill the night?

Umm... too bad those are Beach Boys songs, two of which were arranged by none other than Brian Wilson.

Yeh but I'm assuming he meant that they aren't Beach Boys originals.

[tpesky]

The fashion police showed up about 4o years too late!

[SG7]

They should have showed up, especially during the Sunflower era.... 

[Uncomfortable Seat]

As a frontman, Mike shouldn't have been so silly.  He should have taken his role very seriously.  That would have been a better fit for the spirit of the music

[Jonas]

They should have showed up, especially during the Sunflower era.... 

[Amy B.]

Mike has gone through many fashion phases... maybe the Hawaiian shirt phase is nearing its end?  Maybe next he'll wear all black. 

Let's see...Mike had the striped shirt phase, the Freud phase (short hair, beard, and newsboy cap, based on photos probably taken in winter, and my favorite phase), the Maharishi phase (long hair, long beard with the robes), the flamoyant phase (glitter and turbans), and then the Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap phase, which continues to this day. I'm probably missing a few phases. I guess the Hawaiian shirt phase worked in the 80s, but now he looks like he ought to be on a golf course with Rodney Dangerfield (RIP). But I guess it's all part of marketing the Beach Boys.

[Alf64]

  Mike being the Beach Boys frontman, I believe feels he should put on a visual show as well. The only phase I didn't care for was the long beard and robe era. One video in particular scares me to see him up close. It is "Don't Go Near The Water". That close up  Though Mike was a reflection of what might have been "Hip" for the time. Now, I am not quite sure of his fashion direction. Maybe if he came out in a "gangsta" hip-hop style, it would fit for now. Though he, doesn't exactly fit that style. So he may already be aware of that and resigns himself to the Hawaiin shirts.

[Alex]

Mike has gone through many fashion phases... maybe the Hawaiian shirt phase is nearing its end?  Maybe next he'll wear all black. 

Let's see...Mike had the striped shirt phase, the Freud phase (short hair, beard, and newsboy cap, based on photos probably taken in winter, and my favorite phase), the Maharishi phase (long hair, long beard with the robes), the flamoyant phase (glitter and turbans), and then the Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap phase, which continues to this day. I'm probably missing a few phases. I guess the Hawaiian shirt phase worked in the 80s, but now he looks like he ought to be on a golf course with Rodney Dangerfield (RIP). But I guess it's all part of marketing the Beach Boys.

Mike's Maharishi phase is actually my favorite one. All the BBs except Brian looked their coolest in the early 70s. (Brian's best period fashion-wise had to be the PS/SMiLE era)

[Pretty Funky]

I note Bruce has been wearing a cap for the last few years in concert. Is he now going through a Mike phase?

[Eric Aniversario]

Mike has gone through many fashion phases... maybe the Hawaiian shirt phase is nearing its end?  Maybe next he'll wear all black. 

Let's see...Mike had the striped shirt phase, the Freud phase (short hair, beard, and newsboy cap, based on photos probably taken in winter, and my favorite phase), the Maharishi phase (long hair, long beard with the robes), the flamoyant phase (glitter and turbans), and then the Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap phase, which continues to this day. I'm probably missing a few phases. I guess the Hawaiian shirt phase worked in the 80s, but now he looks like he ought to be on a golf course with Rodney Dangerfield (RIP). But I guess it's all part of marketing the Beach Boys.

Don't forget the short-lived open-vest, hairy-chest phase around 1992! 

[Alf64]

  Or the short lived Pendleton shirt era of 61-62.

[Aegir]

I note Bruce has been wearing a cap for the last few years in concert. Is he now going through a Mike phase?

More like a bald phase.

[Ian Mansfield]

I'll be honest, its hard to be able to match your hat, shoes, shirts and pants.  Having asked mike about his wardrobe one time, he takes great pride in the part.  From what I gather he does not do much of his shopping I know the wife does alot of his wardrobe ensable.  Hey for 66 he's not that bad.  The man does have alot of unique hawiian shirts a very nice collection.

[Pretty Funky]

Mambo 'LOUD' shirt's as worn by the Lovester.

3 pages.

http://www.rubberchickenforthesoul.com/mamboloud.html

[Robav63]

I note Bruce has been wearing a cap for the last few years in concert. Is he now going through a Mike phase?

More like a bald phase.

Heh......just what I was thinking

[Mark H.]

I was struck by the fact that from a distance, the older Mike and Bruce get...the more they do look alike.  If the "band" keeps going long enough maybe they will reverse roles.

My favorite Mike phase...by far the gold vest and turbin.   

[smile-holland]

I was struck by the fact that from a distance, the older Mike and Bruce get...the more they do look alike.  If the "band" keeps going long enough maybe they will reverse roles.

now that would explain my first remark on this tpoic...

how difficult can it be to even distinguish the 2 only "original" Beach boys? From the 6th picture of, Bruce suddenly is called Mike and vice versa...

[Pretty Funky]

I was struck by the fact that from a distance, the older Mike and Bruce get...the more they do look alike.  If the "band" keeps going long enough maybe they will reverse roles.

Judge for yourself!


http://www.stuff.co.nz/4280719a1860.html

[donald]

Dress for success.  Question is; in what way do you want to succeed? 

[summerinparadise.flac]

  Maybe if he came out in a "gangsta" hip-hop style, it would fit for now. Though he, doesn't exactly fit that style. So he may already be aware of that and resigns himself to the Hawaiin shirts.