Looking back...

[Wilsonista]

Awwww, c'mon! Just cause Mike's bald shouldn't make it impossible for him to be a cool frontman! it just doesn't stand up to logic! I mean, the guy DID wear hats a lot of the time!

Remember who keeps replying to you with the Jean-Luc Picard pictures - the ultimate Mike hater of Beach Boys fandom. He's like Bill O'Reilly only nowhere near as relevant or even interesting.

Don't listen to the guy who has the dorkiest picture of Mike as his avatar.
 
Freddie Mercury vs the guy in that avatar? Roger Daltrey vs. the guy in the avatar?  Mike was a wannabe.

[Dancing Bear]

Mike's cool. And he's alive. Hehe

[Jason]

Mike's cool. And he's alive. Hehe

Ahhhhhh, this post reminds me of a good ol' musing I left on the Male Ego forum a while back.

[Dancing Bear]

Mike's cool. And he's alive. Hehe

Ahhhhhh, this post reminds me of a good ol' musing I left on the Male Ego forum a while back.

Oh, that one was a real show stopper. 

[the captain]

Mike's cool. And he's alive. Hehe

But as Freddie sang, "Who wants to live forever?"

Of course, he also sang "I wanna make a supersonic man out of you."

[Wilsonista]

A visit from Mike Love's historians!! We should all be honored!

But hey if you wanna think that guys who pathetically try to look cool but just come off as boorish dorks really are cooler than guys like Dennis Wilson, be my guest!

[KokoMoses]

Daltry is a great singer but has had his share of silly moments!

Plus Mike never had to bare his chest and flex his 6pack onstage in order to look cool! ...... Oh, wait, he did (minus the 6pack part)!

But how was Mike a wannabe? Who was he trying to be (besides a bit Mick Jagger)?

Who else in "rock" was bald bearded and with Mike's wardrobe?

Mike was just trying to be Mike! and it worked!

Who else in the history of music sounded or sounds at all like Mike? (ignoring the obvious question of even wanting to sound like him)

He kicks ass and wrote/co-wrote some of the greatest, genre defining lyrics in rock history! What have you done?

[the captain]

Grown men discussing what pop singers are cool is great. Homoeroticism at its finest.

I mean, hey dude. Heh heh. f*** dude. Yeah. Rawk.

[Dancing Bear]

Nah, nah, we're getting closer to the essence of Wilson Brothers fanboyism. We'll all find out who we really are and be able to move on. Finally. 

[Wilsonista]

Daltrey was rock's greatest frontman. The moment in The Kids Are Alright where he lets out the big scream in Won't Get Fooled Again (coupled with Pete's knee slide) is the quintessential rock and roll moment. Great rock frontmen, to me, should be slightly above us mere mortals. Mike, at  best has Everyman appeal. Nice and relatable, but I always found him incredibly smarmy which is something I never liked. Mike always reminded me of the arrogant high school jocks who would say anything to the girl that you secretly ljust to get laid. Some may think that's cool, but  I always thought guys like that were ruthless assholes.

[Wilsonista]

Nah, nah, we're getting closer to the essence of Wilson Brothers fanboyism. We'll all find out who we really are and be able to move on. Finally. 

Brian, Denny and Carl didn't even have to try to look or be cool. The fact that there weren;t any pretensions is exactly what makes them cool. Mike always tried too hard whether it be with the dorky dancing, the outrageous costumes, the tacky shirts or the smarmy stage patter.

My favorite Dennis moment comes at the end of Knebworth where he says very simply and sincerely, "thank you very very much".  The sweetness and warmth beats the holy hell out of "we mean it sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!"

[KokoMoses]

"Daltrey was rock's greatest frontman. The moment in The Kids Are Alright where he lets out the big scream in Won't Get Fooled Again (coupled with Pete's knee slide) is the quintessential rock and roll moment. Great rock frontmen, to me, should be slightly above us mere mortals. "




Luther, your comment on homoeroticism at it's finest has been proven correct! 

[Dancing Bear]

Oh Rob... Did those jocks hurt you at school? What a shame, man.  

[Wilsonista]

"Daltrey was rock's greatest frontman. The moment in The Kids Are Alright where he lets out the big scream in Won't Get Fooled Again (coupled with Pete's knee slide) is the quintessential rock and roll moment. Great rock frontmen, to me, should be slightly above us mere mortals. "




Luther, your comment on homoeroticism at it's finest has been proven correct! 

Whatever.

[Wilsonista]

Oh Rob... Did those jocks hurt you at school? What a shame, man.  

Not that it's any of your business., yeah.

[Jason]

Hey guys, let's calm down. If RobMac is in any way offended by the people slamming him, he can report their posts to the moderator.

[KokoMoses]

RobMac, I didn't mean to be offensive. It just gets annoying when I can have fun ribbing Mike just like everyone else, but while still respecting and defending him, and then someone always seems to come along and take serious offense at it!

My only point about Daltry (who I'd place as the 3rd best frontman in rock after Mick Jagger and Joey Ramone: weird, I know) is that the Beach Boys were never ROCK like The Who were and it's a bit unfair comparing Mike to these ROCK Gods we all worship!

[Wilsonista]

None taken. And I hope the Patrick Stewart pics didn't offend you.
 
In all seriousness, I get why people like him. He just doesn't have any appeal to me as a personality. As for whether it;s fair to judge him against Roger Mick, and Joey or whoever. I think it is fair, especially since Mike spent the better part of the 70's apeing Mick's moves.  Interesting that you mention Joey Ramone. The side of punk that worships the BB don;t even try to emulate Brian, Carl or even Dennis. They emulate Mike's singing which (despite my dislike of him) I've grown to appreciate and even love on occcasion.

[LittleSurferGirl]

Wow its crazy how these threads get so out of hand! Anyway...

I hate to say it but I kind of agree with Sciencefriction in the aspect that with this place it seems everyone does have to watch every little thing they say for fear of starting some long drawn out stupid argument. And I dont want it to be like that because I enjoy this board but I guess if it happens, it happens...

But anyway, I guess the bottom line here is opinions are not facts and what we have here about Mike are just opinions. I personally think he is super cool in his own way and I could really care less who disagrees with me or who thinks that was the most ridiculous thing they have ever heard. I do have some beef with Mike, yes but I still like him and think he has a great voice & he's part of pretty much my favorite band ever. And even now that some people may think those dance moves were dorky, but in the 60s they werent [And no I dont have to be born in 1943 to know that] Go back and look at alot of those old videos, thats the way they danced then!

Also as far as Mike's stage costumes and clothes, omg. Everyone has made a few fashion faux pas! If you going to rag on Mike, then you'd better rag on Elton John or Freddie with those glittery jumpsuits. Or how about the "ever so cool" Roger Daltrey with all that fringe!? Remember, what looks nerdy, stupid or tacky now was very hip & cool 30- 40 years ago. & I'm not bad mouthing any of the singers I mentioned but my point is if your going to keep knocking on Mike's outfits then ya better take a look back at some of historys finest musicians and you will see they ALL had fashion mishaps.


 

[LittleSurferGirl]

Oh yeah I dont think Mike is a dork either! People just always laugh at me when I tell them the story of how when I was little I thought the 80s-early 90s Mike was the cutest ever!

Yeah well I'm listening to The BB's, all my "peers" are listening to whatever is on the radio. But I could really care less because I wont pay attention to people who cant appreciate good music!

Just in case Mike is reading this, and considering your lovely avatar, I'd warn you to be looking over your shoulder for baseball caps, hawaiian shirts, sensuous nasal/tenor mumblings/geriatric leisure wear, and stay clear of state fairs or coorporate shindigs with a stage set-up!

But yes, Mike is cool! He's also a great frontman! None of the other Beach Boys were exactly Mick Jagger, but Mike was close!!!!

LOL....sensuous nasal mumblings..great post

Thank you for your compliment btw!

[KokoMoses]

[  Interesting that you mention Joey Ramone. The side of punk that worships the BB don;t even try to emulate Brian, Carl or even Dennis. They emulate Mike's singing which (despite my dislike of him) I've grown to appreciate and even love on occcasion.



Wow! That's really a good point that I hadn't ever really realized! It's so true!!!

Patrick Stewart is another cool bald guy (who's fashion mishaps were no fault of his own) the pics didn't offend at all!!!!

[KokoMoses]

Oh yeah I dont think Mike is a dork either! People just always laugh at me when I tell them the story of how when I was little I thought the 80s-early 90s Mike was the cutest ever!

Yeah well I'm listening to The BB's, all my "peers" are listening to whatever is on the radio. But I could really care less because I wont pay attention to people who cant appreciate good music!

Just in case Mike is reading this, and considering your lovely avatar, I'd warn you to be looking over your shoulder for baseball caps, hawaiian shirts, sensuous nasal/tenor mumblings/geriatric leisure wear, and stay clear of state fairs or coorporate shindigs with a stage set-up!

But yes, Mike is cool! He's also a great frontman! None of the other Beach Boys were exactly Mick Jagger, but Mike was close!!!!

LOL....sensuous nasal mumblings..great post

Thank you for your compliment btw!


It's a compliment well deserved!

I think Mike's fashion.....oddities... might be explained by him perhaps worrying that the audience would get bored. Because, let's face it, Carl, Al, Bruce, Brian..... none of those guys were exactly Mick Jagger. There had to be SOME sort of a front man, and who better than Mike who wasn't weighted down by a guitar or locked behind a drum kit! Also, in the early days, Mike and Dennis were the only ones who didn't look perpetually nervous/slightly embarassed on stage! And Mike was into the ladies as much as Dennis, so he had to do SOMETHING in order to not just look like a stage obstacle!!!

[the captain]

Quoting.

[Danimalist]

Just glanced at this thread but can't bare to read it because I fear someone actually compared Mike Love to Freddy Mercury. I so hope that I am wrong.