Mike's most productive years

[Bicyclerider]

Whereas Brian reached his peak creativity in 65-67, Mike interestingly enough didn't hit his full stride until 1977-79.  I'd like to think it just took him longer than Carl, Dennis, and Al to work out writing and arranging songs on his own.  After collaborating with Al (and Ron Altbach) on the most consistent and best sounding beach Boys album since Surf's Up (MIU),  Mike was ready to branch out on his own, recording the Almost Summer soundtrack with Ron and Celebration and then recording TWO solo albums.  To my mind, First Love is by far the best solo Beach Boys album, released or unreleased.

First, there's the production.  Once again, Mike was there before anybody else - the synth - pop sound that would later dominate the airwaves in the 80's.  First Love expands and refines the raw sound of Love You into something far more pleasing to the ear and yes, more commercial - while it remains every bit as groundbreaking as what Brian acheived with Love You.  Brian is Back - which I prefer in the longer version here than the one on Endless Harmony - shows Mike can do the classic Beach Boys sound as well as anybody - and yes, that includes Brian Wilson.  The final song suite of Right Kind of Love/Sumahama/Daybreak is as breathtaking and impressive as Brian's final three songs on Surf's Up.  In fact, Daybreak is Mike's Surf's Up (perhaps combined with Been Way Too Long), an expanded atmospheric variation on a theme that is cinematic in scope and execution.  Right Kind of Love would clearly have been a hit had it been released by the Beach Boys.  Sumahama is as experimental as anything on Smile or Pet Sounds, an east-west fusion that is both highly personal and highly spiritual.  Mike brings a spirituality and religiousity to the songs without any of the overt references to TM or the Maharishi which sometimes marred his similar work with the Beach Boys.

Other highlights:  I don't Wanna Know, a great proto metal rocker that was later covered by Celebration, and Looking Better, and Too Cruel.  But there isn't a clunker in the bunch.  Even the outtakes that have escaped the vaults are amazing - I prefer the even more rocking I don't Wanna Know alternate take, and the even better versions of Looking Better and Too Cruel.  The only caveat I have about the album is the same one I have with Brian's solo work - First Love would be even better if the other Beach Boys were on it.  Carl is on several tracks - I guess he recognized the quality of Mike's work, just as he did Dennis's solo stuff - but the trademark BB vocal blend would only have improved the album.  Brian singing Daylight, or Carl the Right Kind of Love would have made a great album a perfect album.

Why wasn't it ever released?  My own theory is that when Carl and Bruce turned to Mike to help salvage the LA album, they convinced him to rerecord Sumahama (an inferior version to the solo one) for the Beach Boys.  Mike's artistic vision for First Love was irrevocably compromised with the removal of a centerpiece song, so he no longer pursued the album's release.  The worst part of it is that instead of also turning to Dennis, Carl and Bruce would have been much better served if they left Dennis's stuff for his solo album and got Mike to contribute songs like Right Kind of Love, Daybreak, and Looking Better (or I Don't Wanna Know).  This would have eleveated the L.A. album on a par with the Beach Boys' best, such as Sunflower.  And perhaps surpassed it.

The second solo album, Country Love, has much unfairly villainized.  Yes, there are a few clunkers here, but there are also highlights as good as any other BB solo effort.  Mike's affinity with and deep understanding of country music, and "roots" music in general, is obvious throughout.  He proved that with Big Sur eight years before.  The rocking Baby I'm a Changed Man (a top ten hit if it had been sung by Carl and put out by the Beach Boys), the beautiful acoustic Everything I Touch rank with Mike's best.  The scorned Wrinkles has been completely misunderstood - Mike was the comedian of the group, and this is a hilarious parody of a country song, tongue held firmly in cheek.  Reminds me of Johnny Carson and Mike lisping as he sang "he speaks in such a manly tone."  It's a joke, OK?  Don't take it so seriously.  Makes me think that when Brian wanted to do a humor album, he should have collaborated with Mike - oh wait, he already did - Smiley Smile.

It's unfortunate that First Love has never been released because I think it would force a reappraisal of Mike's role in the Beach Boys.  To quote Murry, "I'm a genius too" applies equally to Mike, as he's been trying to tell us all these years.  It makes me suspect that more of the musical credit on the Wilson/Love songs may properly belong to Mike than we've assumed all these years.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Great post, Bicyclerider! See, see what you've done. You forgot to mention the second Celebration album.

Hey, I'll PM you some phone numbers for some security guards.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Good... very good. You almost had me going there for a few seconds. 

[Sheriff John Stone]

Good... very good. You almost had me going there for a few seconds. 

No, he's serious. It'll be more fun that way!

[John]

The final song suite of Right Kind of Love/Sumahama/Daybreak is as breathtaking and impressive as Brian's final three songs on Surf's Up. [...] Sumahama is as experimental as anything on Smile or Pet Sounds, an east-west fusion that is both highly personal and highly spiritual.  Mike brings a spirituality and religiousity to the songs without any of the overt references to TM or the Maharishi which sometimes marred his similar work with the Beach Boys.

What?

Big Sur is a very, very good song. He produced some great lyrics for Today! in particular. Isn't that enough? Sumahama as good as Til I Die or Surf's Up or Day In The Life Of A Tree? That's just odd.

[adamghost]

Good... very good. You almost had me going there for a few seconds. 

ROTFLMAO

[Wirestone]

But you didn't cover Mike's creative rebirth in the late 90s, recording cover versions of Beach Boys tunes (as featured on the NASCAR disc). While they may have lacked something of the organic warmth of the 60s recordings, these tracks more than make up for it with the interpretive grit and fire that Mike has gained from years of not only singing these songs, but living them.

[Swamp Pirate]

And how could you gloss over Mike's rap masterpiece 'Summer of Love?'  Mike's always prided himself on having his fingers on the pulse of the audience.  He delivered a catchy suave-ish tune right out of the Usher/Babyface playbook that gave the Beach Boys much needed 'street cred.'

[TdHabib]

First Love expands and refines the raw sound of Love You into something far more pleasing to the ear and yes, more commercial - while it remains every bit as groundbreaking as what Brian acheived with Love You. 

This would have eleveated the L.A. album on a par with the Beach Boys' best, such as Sunflower.  And perhaps surpassed it.

I'm easier on Mike than most people, but I must disagree with these two points. IMHO, Love You and Adult/Child were far better than First Love because they not only have lots of creativity and fun, but a serious side as well. Mike can't really pull of a serious very well without a partner like Brian or Jardine. Also, Love You, disliked by many I know, is a rough-mix full of inventive and funny keyboard sounds, balanced with some more somber love songs. Completely Brian, and while FL may be completely Mike, I find completely Brian infinitely more pleasureable as a listening experience.

And also, the LA album would not be on par with more Mike, especially critically; it's already derided by most critics so more Love would've hurt the album in that respect.

I've always admired Love's lyrics of a certain period ("Warmth of the Sun," "Kiss Me Baby" and "Please Let Me Wonder" are as good as it gets); but his tunes written by himself or a non-BB collaborator have always seemed faceless to me...

[Aegir]

I can't tell if this thread is serious or not.

[Wirestone]

I once wrote an extensive essay on the topic of Mike's creative contributions -- including his brilliant yet minimalist interpretive dance moves (since replicated in style if not spirit by his cousin) and his spirited sax and theremin playing. Imagine the instrumental sax/theremin album Mike could have produced in the late 60s, when he was at the top of his instrumental form. It brings a tear to the eye.

Thankfully, he was able to rebound in the 1970s with some of the tightest, classiest songs ever written for the group and his scintillating offshoot -- Celebration. I must find that essay. Mike not only is the Beach Boys' front man, after all -- he has a creative spark that cannot be quenched.

[Chris Brown]

I can't tell if this thread is serious or not.

Couldn't be...I thought maybe it was at first, but there's no way...right?

[Jonas]

It's as serious as a heart attack.

[Wirestone]

From 98-99 or thereabouts, written for the Pet Sounds mailing list.

Mike Ignored
A Sincere Appreciation

I wholeheartedly agree with those who defend the torn and tattered flag of the Mike Love Nation.  Too long we have sat idly by, allowing those with little understanding of the greatest of all Beach Boys music to dominate the discussion with mean-spirited bashing. For what does hate accomplish, when confronted by the good cheer that imbues Mike's lyrics and performances?

Stalwart defenders of Dr. Love (for he no doubt deserves a doctorate in the romantic arts) have pointed out his lyrical contribution to the group, his graceful singing voice, and his lithe onstage dance moves.  I recall watching the 97 tour with my father and he making sport of the fact that Mr. Love (in his words) danced “as if the villagers were chasing him.” My father, of course, fell into the same trap as the elites on this list, ignoring the incredible feeling and passion that imbued Mike's jerky hip thrusts and Caucasian movements.  His dancing touched my soul, and the memory still lingers on within my brain, haunting my waking hours like some kind of strangely beautiful phantasm.

Yea, but I have barely scratched the surface of the artistry of Mr. -- no, Dr. -- Love.  No one has yet mentioned his instrumental contribution to the group's records.  Where would Shut Down (or Shut Down Pt. II) be without his robust saxophone bellows, so endearing in their single-notedness.  His streamer-bedecked tambourine added peppy sparkle to the band's seventies shows, and what about his stint as onstage Theremin player, long-remembered by aficionados as the time that “the little ribbon synth sang with the voice of ancient prophecy.”

I've listened to mindless repetition about Carl Wilson's skills as a surf guitar player -- but all have pointedly ignored the fact that the one album God has net yet seen fit to grace us with is an all solo-saxophone instrumental recording by Mr. Love.  What bliss that would be—hearing honked repetitions of notes over and over and over again. Mike’s embrace of the sax's noisy joy makes him a player to be loved and placed alongside such jazz greats as John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins.

So let you doubters be gone.  I have let the artistry of the great Michael Edward Love fondle my innermost soul.  I am all the richer for the fondling.

[Dutchie]

i say the years 1978-1983. There he did his 2 unreleased and 1 released solo albums and some studio stuff with Dean Torrence.

I like all this stuff. 

[Dr. Tim]

And yet something's missing.  Where's the exegesis on "Student Demonstration Time"?

[Shady]

My love for Mike Love makes me hate this thread!!

[Bicyclerider]

From 98-99 or thereabouts, written for the Pet Sounds mailing list.

Mike Ignored
A Sincere Appreciation

Yea, but I have barely scratched the surface of the artistry of Mr. -- no, Dr. -- Love.  No one has yet mentioned his instrumental contribution to the group's records.  Where would Shut Down (or Shut Down Pt. II) be without his robust saxophone bellows, so endearing in their single-notedness.  His streamer-bedecked tambourine added peppy sparkle to the band's seventies shows, and what about his stint as onstage Theremin player, long-remembered by aficionados as the time that “the little ribbon synth sang with the voice of ancient prophecy.”

I've listened to mindless repetition about Carl Wilson's skills as a surf guitar player -- but all have pointedly ignored the fact that the one album God has net yet seen fit to grace us with is an all solo-saxophone instrumental recording by Mr. Love.  What bliss that would be—hearing honked repetitions of notes over and over and over again. Mike’s embrace of the sax's noisy joy makes him a player to be loved and placed alongside such jazz greats as John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins.

I was puting out the 78-79 era as mike's zenith (or apotheosis), and so didn't touch on Mike's early contributions to the band - but Mike's saxophone stylings were really the first introduction of the avant-garde into the Beach boys music.  This is "out of the changes" free jazz dissonance, clearly influenced as you say by Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, and also by technical incompetence, which doesn't detract from it's importance.  Once again, Mike was there before Brian, and he didn't need illicit drugs to get there - probably just a sixpack of beers.  We wouldn't hear sax like this in rock again until Beefheart (an admirer of Mike, incidentally).

[Shane]

I find this thread really amusing, especially the "analysis" of Mike's saxophone playing "innovation".

But I must be serious for a moment.  Mike Love's creativity leaves me scratching my head.  About a year and a half ago, I had the opportunity to hear the unreleased 1970 version of "Big Sur".  As much of a Brian fan as I am, and as much as it pains me to say it- I think that song easily ranks among my top three favorite Beach Boys songs.  It is the only BB song that nearly brings me to tears every time I hear it.  Maybe those who haven't been to a California beach might not understand the full meaning behind it.  But that song is just absolutely sheer beauty, and wonderful poetry. 

It blows my mind that someone could create something like this, and then consistently spew forth nothing but musical B.S. for so many years thereafter.  I have two theories that could attempt to explain this.  Either Mike love was a genius for about 30 minutes back in 1970, or Brian was HEAVILY involved in the production and arrangement of this song. 

I personally tend to lean towards the latter, as Brian's voice is very prominent in the background vocals, so we know he was at least involved with the song.  But that's just my opinion. 

[KokoMoses]

Bicycle Rider is my new hero!!!!!!!!!

[KokoMoses]

And yet something's missing.  Where's the exegesis on "Student Demonstration Time"?

Read my criminally ignored thread: "Surf's Up - A concept album?"

[mikeyj]

Someone please tell me; this thread IS a joke, right?

[KokoMoses]

I thought it was serious, but now I'm leaning toward it being a joke but a valid points can't help but me made even if they're meant in a snide way......

it can be a tough thing learning to honestly appreciate Mike. It's kinda like quitting smoking or something.

[John]

I got hooked by it! Kudos to the original poster.

[The Heartical Don]

And yet something's missing.  Where's the exegesis on "Student Demonstration Time"?

Read my criminally ignored thread: "Surf's Up - A concept album?"

No one ever was more masterful at the megaphone. Yes, one could make a case for Captain Ahab, who made contact with every other ship he encountered with his Pequod with such a device, and Ahab cried out: 'Hast Seen The White Whale?'. Now, I'll readily concur that that must have been a true miracle - but the way Mike shouts: 'the pen is mightier than the sword but no match for bullets'. How he emphasizes the word 'bullets' is worth the price of the album alone.