Al Jardine Not Interested In A One-Off Beach Boys Reunion

[Jon Stebbins]

Al Jardine Not Interested In A One-Off Beach Boys Reunion
8-4-09

 by Howie Edelson
 
Al Jardine, who recently wrapped up a handful of solo shows with his Endless Summer Band, says that he's not up for any type of Beach Boys reunion shows without a long-term commitment attached. Jardine was forced out of the band in 1998 and not allowed any type of licensing agreement by the group's production company, Brother Records Inc., to use the words "Beach Boys" when advertising his solo projects or shows.
 
With the Beach Boys' inner-band lawsuits seemingly all settled at the moment, Jardine was asked if he -- like co-founder Mike Love -- would be up for playing one or two concerts to be specially filmed and recorded featuring the surviving bandmembers -- Jardine, Love, Brian Wilson, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston. Jardine was adamant that a full-scale tour -- rather than a TV special -- would be needed to see him take the stage as a Beach Boy again: "Of course, you don't have Carl Wilson there which would be a big minus as far as I'm concerned. There's ways to do it -- but again, that's like doing a one-off, isn't it? I wouldn't be interested in doing just a one show deal like that. If you want to create an organization that goes out and works and produces a show that's of high value, of high quality -- then you rehearse your ass off, make it the best you can, and you tour as a unit. You tour for a year. Like the Rolling Stones, they don't do one show for PBS, one show for... You do a tour. You either do it or don't do it. If it was going to be something like that it should be a worldwide tour, otherwise, no. I wouldn't be interested."
 
When pressed about the band regrouping in some way to commemorate their 50th anniversary in 2011, Jardine said: "I don't think it's going to happen. I find that a little annoying to be honest with you (laughs) just a tad, it's so self-serving (laughs). Y'know, had we made peace a lot sooner, these things need to matriculate, and they should happen and feel right -- not because it's number '5-0.' I mean that sounds so silly to me. 5-0, what does that mean? I mean, we're here now at 49, or 48, we should still be working. I mean, if we really wanted to work together, we'd work together now. But not to do it just for a... Unless it were to be a continuation of the good will. If the good will were there -- yeah."
 
In an exclusive interview back in 2006, Love and Johnston outlined their plans for a televised reunion with the surviving bandmembers: (Mike Love) "What I think is the right way to go about things, is to do a PBS special at the Hollywood Bowl with some guests and maybe one at Wembley Stadium (in London) with a couple of guests like Paul McCartney. If he likes Pet Sounds so much and if he likes "God Only Knows" so well -- then have him sing it with us at Wembley Stadium, along with Elton John singing something, so on and so forth. Maybe Eric Clapton will come out and do it for charity, do it for a really good cause and then the same thing at the Hollywood Bowl and that would be really cool." (Bruce Johnston) "That would be the great reunion."
 
Brother Records Inc. (BRI), was formed in 1967 and is owned and controlled by Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and the estate of the late Carl Wilson. Shortly after co-founder Dennis Wilson's death in 1983, his estate sold his shares back to the band to repay loans.
 
Mike Love, who continues to tour with Bruce Johnston, was granted the exclusive license by BRI to tour under the Beach Boys name. Although he is the only partner in the group out on the road, Brian Wilson, Jardine, and Carl Wilson's estate receive a percentage from each Beach Boys tour.
 
Jardine's Endless Summer Band features former Beach Boys sidemen Ed Carter, Bobby Figueroa, Richie Cannata, and musical director Billy Hinsche. Also on board are Jardine's sons Adam and Matt -- who was also a Beach Boys sideman in the 1990's. For the most recent shows, co-founder David Marks was featured on lead guitar while sharing center stage with Jardine.
 
One of the highlights of the recent dates was after Jardine's set at New York City's B.B. King Blues Club on July 20th, most of the ensemble -- including Jardine, his sons, Marks, Hinsche, and Figueroa -- headed downtown to sit in at Cannata's weekly jam at The Bitter End. Jardine, sans guitar, again stood center stage with Marks, and sang lead on "Help Me, Rhonda" before moving stage right to bang on an unmiked upright piano during "Surfin' U.S.A." while Matt Jardine led the band on vocals with Marks handling the signature guitar runs.
 
Jardine is gearing up for the release of his long-delayed first solo album, called A Postcard From California. Apart from cameos by Brian Wilson and David Marks, the album also includes contributions from David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, America, Flea, and Steve Miller. No release date has been announced for the set.

[STE]

Well, I love Al but I think he should really get off his horse this time.
Or he can keep playing at pumpkin fairs with the Endless Summer Family & Friends Beach Kokomo band.

[Steve Mayo]

i kinda side with al on this one.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Jardine is gearing up for the release of his long-delayed first solo album, called A Postcard From California. Apart from cameos by Brian Wilson and David Marks, the album also includes contributions from David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, America, Flea, and Steve Miller. No release date has been announced for the set.

Oh well, so much for the 9/4 street date, then.

[Shady]

Well that's every ex memeber not interested in a reunion now

[Cam Mott]

It deosn't take everybody to make it a reunion I guess.

[Andrew G. Doe]

It deosn't take everybody to make it a reunion I guess.

I'm thinking, minimum of two. 

[Emdeeh]

Unless it were to be a continuation of the good will. If the good will were there -- yeah.

Qualifier noted. 

[tpesky]

I kinda side with Al here too, I don't agree with everything he says for sure, but I dont want guests to come out and sing the Beach Boys songs, thats called a tribute show! I don't want to hear McCartney and Elton John sing lead on songs! If they want to join the chorus fine. Look back at the 4th of July concerts when they started doing that and the 25th anniversary show, they don't hold up over time. No one gives a crap about McCartney singing God Only Knows once! Beach Boys singing Beach Boys songs for a reunion!

Also Al, just release the stupid album for crying out loud!

[Sheriff John Stone]

Al says things that sound good, sound right, but I don't think he believes a word of it. Al needs a good dose of reality. Those things that he would like to see happen are nice (frankly, I'd love to see a long-term deal), but unrealistic. If Al was honest with himself, he'd say, "If the phone rings, I'll come running..."

[Howie Edelson]

I have no doubt that if a reunion is in the works EVERYBODY will be there. But as we all know, there are still a lot of sore feelings and dry bank accounts due to these lawsuits. On Al's part I've sensed a tremendous amount of humiliation in regards to the licensing agreements, etc.

Opinions change rather quickly with this band. In 2006 Bruce Johnston was gung-ho on a reunion while sitting next to Mike, but less than a year before told me in an interview, quote, "I told Mike, if there's a reunion tour, I'm going to be there -- in the fifth row. I would not be there. Why would I do a reunion tour without Carl and Dennis? Y'know, where's the reunion? Go buy the albums."

That said, let's hope that any reunion -- whatever shape it may take -- definitely includes Billy, Ed Carter, Bobby Fig, Jeff, Carli, and of course... KENYATTA.

[DonnaK]

Well that's every ex memeber not interested in a reunion now

I knew I wasn't hearing things when he said "No way" at Mayfest!!!!! I'm with Al here too!!!! Without Dennis and Carl, there IS no reunion.......

I will not attend any type of scham like this.

[JR]

Well that's every ex memeber not interested in a reunion now

I will not attend any type of scham like this.

Well, there's at least one plus to having one.

[Dutchie]

Well they can release a double cd with re-recording of their songs from 1961 to present. No guest singers just the boys. Now you can sing your part in NY and the other member sings his part at the Montery ranch  These are songs they all know i guess.

[grillo]

I admire Al (something I never considered saying before ) for telling it like it is. If the BB were gonna get back together, why are they not already together, or STILL together? Getting together just for money sounds to me like a bad idea. If they want to be creative with each other then nothing but management can stop that, and since management can be replaced, nothing can stop it. Clearly no one is interested in creativity. Money maybe, but a reunion based solely on $$$ would suck nearly infinitely.

[Beach Boy]

The perfect solution would be to do about two dozen shows and every gig they play another album. First concert with whole Surfin' Safari album, then Surfin' USA and so on ... .  Release them all to DVDs.  

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I think the main problem is, most people don't even know who the hell was in The Beach Boys besides Brian, so there will be no huge push in any direction for a reunion!

Most people have no knowledge of the other Beach Boys, and if you're not in the know, if you ask anyone about The Beach Boys, you get told that "Brian IS the Beach Boys" and that's it.

 

Naturally, I'm not a big fan of this being the case.

[Dancing Bear]

Well, Al wants something in return for making Mike's dream of a reunion a reality. Totally normal. What he said in this interview is very different from "It will never happen".

Anyway, Brian is the man who will make our dreams or nightmares of a reunion possible.

[hypehat]

Imo, the absolute worst thing they could do, given studio time with a reunited group, is re-record the old stuff. Knowing Mike though, that'd likely be the first choice.
They want different things, i'm guessing. Mike wants to stop being regarded as a novelty (although he goes about this in completely the wrong way), to earn a fast buck, as reunions are fashionable, and play some bigger gigs, which i don't blame him for.  Bruce and Al probably want to steer away from some kind of schmaltzy mess they suspect it might turn into, but not opposed to a reunion in itself, and Brian probably would enjoy it, but not do much more than that. We know Dave would just like to play music with them again...

Meanwhile, we'll be bemoaning the lack of Blondie and Ricky and placing bets on who Mike will sue first....  

[Dave in KC]

The rooftop get-together at Capitol Records was so stilted that it is pretty obvious it will never happen. The sand is almost gone in the hourglass anyway.

[Cam Mott]

Imo, the absolute worst thing they could do, given studio time with a reunited group, is re-record the old stuff. Knowing Mike though, that'd likely be the first choice.
They want different things, i'm guessing. Mike wants to stop being regarded as a novelty (although he goes about this in completely the wrong way), to earn a fast buck, as reunions are fashionable, and play some bigger gigs, which i don't blame him for.  Bruce and Al probably want to steer away from some kind of schmaltzy mess they suspect it might turn into, but not opposed to a reunion in itself, and Brian probably would enjoy it, but not do much more than that. We know Dave would just like to play music with them again...

Meanwhile, we'll be bemoaning the lack of Blondie and Ricky and placing bets on who Mike will sue first....  

It seems to me any of the group who have expressed anything about the group doing anything as a group recording-wise has talked in terms of "new" material.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

Well that's every ex memeber not interested in a reunion now

I knew I wasn't hearing things when he said "No way" at Mayfest!!!!! I'm with Al here too!!!! Without Dennis and Carl, there IS no reunion.......

I will not attend any type of scham like this.

I will.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Besides, Brian has the market on re-recording old Beach Boys' songs cornered.

While I , too, would love to see an "extended" reunion including a new album(s) and tour(s), I don't think a single "reunion concert" cheapens or illegitimizes anything. If done properly, and I believe with the right producers it can be done right, a Beach Boys' 50th Reunion Concert can be an emotional and entertaining experience, one that any level of Beach Boys' fan could appreciate. It doesn't have to be any more than that.

[the captain]

Besides, Brian has the market on re-recording old Beach Boys' songs cornered.

Somebody better let Al know that before he releases his album.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Besides, Brian has the market on re-recording old Beach Boys' songs cornered.

Somebody better let Al know that before he releases his album.

I'm slipping; forgot about that one....