Kokomo Spirits

[Pretty Funky]

Club Kokomo. The brand I thought was dead is now back on life support!

https://clubkokomospirits.com/

Crafted and produced in San Diego, California and founded by Mike Love of the Beach Boys, Club Kokomo Spirits focuses on providing consumers with a top shelf sensory visit to the islands of the Caribbean. Years ago Mike enjoyed a particularly well-made Mojito as he hummed the chorus of his co-authored hit song Kokomo. His penchant for wordplay took over as he uttered the word, “Kokomojito”. Ever since, Mike’s dream has been to share the spirit of Kokomo to the world. From that original state of mind to a present day reality, Welcome to Club Kokomo.

[SMiLE Brian]

Club Kokomo sure like its booze...

[Tony S]

I remember years ago, late 80s when Kokomo hit and gave their career a real shot in the arm, they tried the Club Kokomo restaurant thing. Probably Mike's idea, it flopped quickly and died a quick death. Wonder what will happen with this attempt.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Club Kokomo sure like its booze...

It'll most likely die a quick death just like THE VIBE ROOM did. 

[guitarfool2002]

Mike has been trying to "brand" the Kokomo name for several decades now, and nothing has ever worked. Remember the original Club Kokomo restaurant chain? How about the proposed luxury resort chain and "lifestyle brand" that never got off the ground? Wasn't there a "Club Kokomo" package for his concerts that got you into a lounge with a drink ticket or something at his concerts a few years ago? And there are more.

I confuse the parodies of these projects with the actual realities, maybe that says it all.

I still find it ironic (not using the 'h word' yet) that Mike has railed against substance abuse for years, as recent as in the past months, and how it ruined his cousins and his band...now he's actually selling booze himself as a lifestyle brand.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

I still find it ironic (not using the 'h word' yet) that Mike has railed against substance abuse for years, as recent as in the past months, and how it ruined his cousins and his band...now he's actually selling booze himself as a lifestyle brand.

Right? The site actually features a clip of him holding an adult beverage onstage! Wow, just wow.

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

That quote is horrendous....vacation in a can....get away from it all.....fire the marketing team. I don't think anyone is allowed advertise an alcohol brand like that? not in Europe anyway.

[bossaroo]

what a douchebag.

[Lonely Summer]

what a douchebag.

I don't get upset about these things - and I know I should, because as God is my witness, Mike Love is the most despicable creature on the planet!
 
These things just make me chuckle. It's no more upsetting that seeing him invite Jimmy Buffett on stage - a man with songs like Boat Drinks, God's Own Drunk, and Why Don't We Get Drunk (and Screw).
Mike likes to talk the talk about drugs and alcohol, but clearly he enjoys a good stiff drink as much as the next drunkard.
 
Maybe he can sell Dylan's whiskey at his bars.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

 Well said LS!

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=596244765199333&set=a.347880756702403&type=3

[HeyJude]

The whole motivation behind the "Kokomo" branding solves a big problem for Mike. How do you brand something with the Beach Boys without actually using the Beach Boys trademark? It's the quickest, most succinct single-word branding that says "Beach Boys" without using the trademark (and thus, without having to cut in fellow trademark holders).

The only question is whether all of the "Kokomo" co-writers are somehow looped into the trademarks and copyrights that were surely filed on "Kokomo" back in the late 80s.

Rest assured that if Al Jardine had copyrighted "Good Vibrations" in the 80s and tried to sell Good Vibrations-branded energy drinks and shaving cream, a lawsuit would quickly follow outlining how the title still evokes the Beach Boys. It's not 100% dissimilar to the lawsuit around Brian's "Smile" back in 2004. Which is why most such lawsuits fail, and certainly "Kokomo" was name that existed prior to the song in 1988 anyway.

But it's interesting nonetheless.

Also, obviously, the "Kokomo" branding not only allows for doing a pseudo-Beach Boys branding without actually doing it, it also has the fringe benefit of stroking Mike's own ego as everything to do with "Kokomo" has since 1988.

Ironically, the best chance for this new iteration of "Kokomo" branding to work is on its own as a product; clearly "Beach Boys" branding just doesn't have the reach of other similar types of branding. This "Kokomo" stuff looks generically alcohol-ish and tropical-ish enough that maybe it'll sell as just another brand. It's trendy in recent years to essentially make alcoholic mixed packaged drinks that look and taste like candy and soda. That "Club Kokomo" can looks like it could be soda or an energy drink. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up doing cross-branding with actual candy and food flavors like other alcoholic drinks have. Get ready for "Sour Patch Kids Blue Razzleberry" flavored "Kokomo."

I wish someone could get into Mike's brain more and get more answers; this all can get quite fascinating. He's busy touring all year, he's raking in money from that and just got a huge payday from selling off half of BRI, yet I guess he's still bored enough and wants more money enough to do cheesy branding opportunities like that. Make no mistake, it *could* be lucrative in the long run. But to what end? I don't know, maybe he really is trying to build a nest egg for his family. Though, isn't his hunk of the BB empire enough? Is this really a case like the recent years of Bruce Willis cranking out a dozen extra awful movies per year while he still could? (Not suggesting Mike has the health issues Willis does of course, but just in terms of age and years left for moneymaking opportunities).

[SMiLE Brian]

Well said LS!

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=596244765199333&set=a.347880756702403&type=3

What a hypocrite...

Drinking is okay if its kokomo themed...

[BJL]

I mean, God forbid an 81 year old American both deplore how drug and alcohol abuse have hurt people in his family while also celebrating casual drinking as a fundamental part of American culture. It's only the default position of literally everyone in our society. Our whole culture is filled with people who drink casually and celebrate alcohol as a way to unwind and kick back... and also who know people who haven't been able to handle that and have suffered for it. Maybe it would be better if we all, as a country, had a little more maturity and sense on this topic, but its sort of ridiculous to single out Mike Love on this of all things... especially since the real issue, obviously, is not the hypocrisy, it's the feeling that he's cheapening the Beach Boys brand. And he is. But he's been doing that since 1975, I don't think he's going to change now!

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

I mean, God forbid an 81 year old American both deplore how drug and alcohol abuse have hurt people in his family while also celebrating casual drinking as a fundamental part of American culture. It's only the default position of literally everyone in our society. Our whole culture is filled with people who drink casually and celebrate alcohol as a way to unwind and kick back... and also who know people who haven't been able to handle that and have suffered for it. Maybe it would be better if we all, as a country, had a little more maturity and sense on this topic, but its sort of ridiculous to single out Mike Love on this of all things... especially since the real issue, obviously, is not the hypocrisy, it's the feeling that he's cheapening the Beach Boys brand. And he is. But he's been doing that since 1975, I don't think he's going to change now!

Sure, but no one else in society... trots out anti-alcohol comments as reliably as Mike. A quick google search on 'mike love meditation alcohol' brings up *dozens and dozens* of interviews where he boasts of practicing TM and not needing alcohol to relax... it's almost like a nervous tic with him at this point. So I'd say at best it's a bit "quirky" that he's pursued this venture given his long, long history of making these comments. Other than that, your points are reasonable.

[HeyJude]

Look, it’s absolutely true that Mike Love is not alone in the million forms of hypocrisy many people exhibit when it comes to alcohol (and a million other things), and I do think it’s worth pointing out that the (understandable, justified) ire aimed towards Mike on this count is something that is prevalent through much of society, and has obviously been engrained in Mike among many others. So yeah, I don’t think it’s out of line to kind of point out “If you’re going to get mad at Mike for this, you’re going to be getting mad at A LOT of people!”

But, setting aside that “everyone does it” is not exactly a primo defense, I do think there are some factors that set Mike and Mike’s situation apart from the average, typical person whose use of alcohol kind of contradicts their espoused feelings about the ills of the stuff. Simply put, “alcohol ruined lives and careers, including my own” is like part of Mike’s brand at this point. And he’s kind of an outlier in that this sentiment is a big part of his brand, but he’s not talking about his own use. Many rock stars have come around and talked about how booze ruined their life. Those stories are often (hopefully) capped off with now being sober. And yes, some famous rock stars and celebrities have lamented those around them, including bandmates, being taken in with alcohol.

But with Mike, how *others* drank and did drugs is something he *relentlessly* repeats over and over. As I said, it’s part of his brand at this point. You ask him the time of day, and he’ll tell you it’s The-Wilsons-did-drugs-and-drank-o’clock. There’s one interview from a few years ago where he was asked about a regret HE had, clearly meaning a regret about *himself*, and he said his regret was that the Wilsons did drugs and drank.

Also, often when someone does lament others in their life (professionally or personally) doing drugs and drinking, they can at least sometimes muster some compassion/empathy/sympathy, especially when all of the people in question are either dead, or dead after going sober, or are still alive and sober. But Mike usually goes pretty hard, and goes pretty well into blame-game status for this. It’s an air of “Dennis f*cked his life up, and I didn’t, and therefore, I’m better.”

So, when all of THAT is factored in, which I think is what happens when longtime, knowledgeable fans look at this, Mike just casually not only drinking, but pushing a line of alcoholic beverages does seems a bit extra icky. It’s tempting to draw hypothetical analogies, like Paul McCartney pushing a line of guns or something (e.g. something that is an ill of society that *some* people can also use responsibly), and I’m loathe to do that, but I’m not sure what other analogy works.

[Lonely Summer]

Would we be happier with Mike if he was fronting a campaign to bring back prohibition?

[Pretty Funky]

I think Mike was promoting it at a club in NJ.

6:20

https://youtu.be/4duGT98FI8U

[HeyJude]

Would we be happier with Mike if he was fronting a campaign to bring back prohibition?

I mean, the alternative to this is obviously not literally prohibition, but if forced to choose between the two, I guess, yeah.

But seriously, I think more reasonable alternatives would be campaigning for abstaining from alcohol, or campaigning to not drink and drive, etc.

Or, just not celebrating in song and in products the very thing that he also claims in interviews was one of the biggest problems the band faced.

Or, just enjoying his money and fame and attention from touring, releasing music, and selling off the BB empire.

Or, do all the booze tie-ins you want, but then maybe *not* harp on the Wilsons' drug and alcohol abuse in every interview?

It's worth noting that while I can only speak for myself, I think myself and many fans are not like frothing at the mouth outraged by stuff like this. It's just another "meh, wow, that's tacky for a multitude of reasons."

Separate from all of this, I think Mike's relationship with alcohol could be an interesting topic to study. I recall a backstage report from the 80s (perhaps reprinted in the "Add Some Music To Your Day" fanzine reprint book?) where Mike was drinking alcohol, but (in the opinion of the writer) was trying to hide it in a soda or generic drink cup.

To be clear, I don't think Mike has often if ever tried to hide that he drinks. He was literally *encouraging* Brian to have another beer during a tour night off in that 2012 Rolling Stone article covering the C50 tour.

[Pretty Funky]

Forgetting the alcohol/ Mike thing for a minute, I just googled ‘Hit Songs 1988’. As well as Kokomo, ‘Simply Irresistible’ by Robert Palmer came up.
Just how successful would a aftershave or cologne be named after a 35 year old song? Every year hundreds of products are released using much more relevant artists and they still fail. The young liquor buyer will see a name that means nothing to them with a picture of some old guy who they don’t know and walk right on pass. I also don’t think October is the season for this product and I doubt it will be around next summer. Just my 2 cents.

[Lonely Summer]

Forgetting the alcohol/ Mike thing for a minute, I just googled ‘Hit Songs 1988’. As well as Kokomo, ‘Simply Irresistible’ by Robert Palmer came up.
Just how successful would a aftershave or cologne be named after a 35 year old song? Every year hundreds of products are released using much more relevant artists and they still fail. The young liquor buyer will see a name that means nothing to them with a picture of some old guy who they don’t know and walk right on pass. I also don’t think October is the season for this product and I doubt it will be around next summer. Just my 2 cents.

But Kokomo is Mike's last big hit, and in his eyes, his crowning jewel. I'm sure he'll be onstage at 100 still bragging how "I wrote a #1 song WITHOUT Brian, who was busy putting out a big turkey of an album with his doctor".
I would throw that back at Mike as "yes, Brian and his collaborators gave us a complete album, while you, Mike, could only cough up 1 SONG for all of 1988".

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Forgetting the alcohol/ Mike thing for a minute, I just googled ‘Hit Songs 1988’. As well as Kokomo, ‘Simply Irresistible’ by Robert Palmer came up.
Just how successful would a aftershave or cologne be named after a 35 year old song? Every year hundreds of products are released using much more relevant artists and they still fail. The young liquor buyer will see a name that means nothing to them with a picture of some old guy who they don’t know and walk right on pass. I also don’t think October is the season for this product and I doubt it will be around next summer. Just my 2 cents.

But Kokomo is Mike's last big hit, and in his eyes, his crowning jewel. I'm sure he'll be onstage at 100 still bragging how "I wrote a #1 song WITHOUT Brian, who was busy putting out a big turkey of an album with his doctor".
I would throw that back at Mike as "yes, Brian and his collaborators gave us a complete album, while you, Mike, could only cough up 1 SONG for all of 1988".

Exactly. And on top of all of that is the fact that Mike Love did not write the stupid song.