Thanks Rolling Stone

[Dave in KC]

What a nice tribute to the Beach Boys by highlighting the Hall of Fame nonsense, right along with a nice photo of the Lovester. I needed to be more brought up to date on what actually happened that night. Time has not been kind over this sour note in their history and perhaps Carl was right saying what he did afterwards.

[Destroyer]

The speech (cut & paste job from online):

"And I think it's wonderful to be here tonight, but I also think it's sad that there are other people who aren't here tonight. And, uh, those are the people who have passed away, those are the obvious ones. But the other not-so-obvious ones are people like Paul McCartney, who couldn't be here tonight because he's in a lawsuit with Ringo and Yoko. That's what he sent a telegram to some, uh, high priced attorney in this room, you know."

"And that's a bummer, because we're talking about harmony, right, and the world. If we can't get it together in America and in England, and harmony within our groups. I mean, believe it, you can believe it. The Beach Boys have their own 'interstescene' (not sure what Mike is trying to say here, and neither does Mike) or whatever you call it, squabbles. But that's a bummer when Ms. Ross can't make it, you know?" (referring to Diana Ross, who was having legal battles with the other 2 members of The Supremes.)

"The Beach Boys have continued to do, about, we did about 180 performances last year. I'd like to see the Mop-Tops match that! I'd like to see Mick Jagger get out on this stage and do I Get Around versus Jumpin' Jack Flash, any day now. And I'd like to see some people kick out the jams, and I challenge the Boss to get up on stage and jam." (during Mike's pause, someone in the house band plays the theremin line of "Good Vibrations" during the crowd's tepid response.)

"I wanna see Billy Joel, see if he can still tickle ivories, lemmee see. I know Mick Jagger won't be here tonight, he's gonna have to stay in England. But I'd like to see us in the Coliseum and he at Wembley Stadium because he's always been chickenshit to get on stage with the Beach Boys."

http://www.areuonsomething.com/love_comments.html

[hypehat]

I for one would love to see video of this.

[Dave in KC]

Trust me, it is not pretty. If Carl's looks could kill, Mike would have been in a pile. And Paul Shaffer, talk about starting up the band real quick!

[Rocker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIV7uaTqOYs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCOomdm24hU&feature=related

[hypehat]

eeeeeooouch 

[phirnis]

Have to say I absolutely love it.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The Beach Boys have their own 'interstescene' (not sure what Mike is trying to say here, and neither does Mike) or whatever you call it, squabbles.

Think he meant 'internecine', meaning of or involving conflict within a group or organization.

Oh, and 180 performances in 1987 ?  Not quite... but 140+ is still impressive.

[Alex]

Didn't he also challenge the MC5 to a fight ("Let's kick out the jams!")? And Elton John was pissed that Love didn't mention him!!

[KokoMoses]

Ya know, it was lame that all those lawsuits were going around at that time and those certain individuals decided not to show up, and it DID put a damper on the harmony aspect of the whole event. On that, Mike did have a point. He's Mike, sure, so it came out whacked, but at least someone had the nerve to say something.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

I think Mike had an interesting idea for a speech, but it was poorly worded, causing an extremely awkward moment. So much so, that we're still discussing it all these years later. Sorry, Mike. 

[KokoMoses]

But if he was to have gotten up there and made a proper, fawning, tactful speech, he wouldn't be Mike and we'd probably dislike him even more!!! Mike being nice seems to be taken with even more cynicism than him being a bastard!

[oldsurferdude]

His delivery both in text and manner was a bomb much like his solo recording career. And if anyone had any doubts about  this guy whether it be the serious or the casual observer, they were fairly put to rest with yet another episode of the Lovester's inane view of the state of rock and roll-Mr. Positivity for sure.

[hypehat]

I've said it once and i'll say it again.....


 if you want to call out a band for being terrible showmen, you couldn't pick worse targets then Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling fucking Stones.... 

[Wilsonista]

Ya know, it was lame that all those lawsuits were going around at that time and those certain individuals decided not to show up, and it DID put a damper on the harmony aspect of the whole event. On that, Mike did have a point. He's Mike, sure, so it came out whacked, but at least someone had the nerve to say something.

An award show was the least appropriate arena for that outburst. I read the sidebar in Rolling Stone which has quotes from Jeff Foskett who  was with the BB that night. If anyone thinks that Mike's rant was "no big deal", let me relate an incident that Foskett told RS. Carl gave Foskett his award after the ceremony and said "our career's over."   You don't spend your entire career kissing the elite's ass and then piss them off. This was Mike being a petty ass, not the Sex Pistols refusing their awards and not showing up.

[Dave in KC]

That's what I meant about Carl being right saying what he did after the fiasco.

[MBE]

It's only rock and roll folks and I remember being as angry as Mike when Paul didn't show. Should Mike have said something? Well he was the only one being real. He explained later that he felt the industry had the wrong values and that the no shows pissed him off. The problem was that Mike went on way too long and said Mick Jagger wouldn't show up when he was standing a few feet away. If he hadn't been fasting maybe he could have done something that would have goten his point across without making him look foolish.
Today it's just good comedy and no one was really hurt by it for long.

[Jay]

It's only rock and roll folks and I remember being as angry as Mike when Paul didn't show. Should Mike have said something? Well he was the only one being real. He explained later that he felt the industry had the wrong values and that the no shows pissed him off. The problem was that Mike went on way too long and said Mick Jagger wouldn't show up when he was standing a few feet away. If he hadn't been fasting maybe he could have done something that would have goten his point across without making him look foolish.
Today it's just good comedy and no one was really hurt by it for long.

Although I understand the anger towards Mike for this incident, I can kind of see where he's coming from. I was only about four or five when it happened, so I don't remember it as it happened. But as a twenty four year old today, it pisses me off that Paul McCartney let petty lawsuits and fighting get in the way of things. He had a chance to bask in the glory of what was "The Beatles" with his surviving bandmates and "friends". He blew it. If anything, he should have done it for John, but that's another can of worms. What pisses me off is that he could have played with George and Ringo one last time. But he didn't, and George died before they could have reunited. Not that they would have, but you know what I mean. John Fogerty did the same with snubbing his bandmates, and a member of CCR died before they could stop fighting like two year olds, and play a kick ass concert. Thank God Led Zeppelin had the presence of mind to go out on a high note, so to speak.

[Wirestone]

Um -- they did play together one last time. A few last times, actually. Only it was in the studio, not in front of people. And it was George who walked out that time.

It's very easy to rag on folks for things like this, but for goodness' sake -- rock stars are people too. Irritable, short-sighted and human. And it's human to carry grudges and do things that others might not like. Why does John Fogerty or Paul McCartney -- or Brian Wilson, for that matter -- owe us some sort of reunion? They were who they were, they are who they are now.

If it's just for one night, etc., etc., why not do it, right? Well, if it's for just one night, then why bother?

[MBE]

Nobody owes us a thing, and lord knows Mike (and Brian) have been petty but that night as a 11 year old Beatlemainic I was very let down by McCartney's actions. His actions really were a turn off to me.

[Dancing Bear]

Today it's just good comedy and no one was really hurt by it for long.

Well, they had a #1 hit the next year. Carl wasn't that right. 

I really doubt this single ocurrence was, is or will be relevant for anyone to make them like or dislike the band.

[Wilsonista]

Today it's just good comedy and no one was really hurt by it for long.

Well, they had a #1 hit the next year. Carl wasn't that right. 

{/quote]

The failures of Kokomo's followup singles were directly blamed on Mike's rant.

[TdHabib]

Re: the Macca thing, I found it very surprising watching the events on  the new (great!) DVD that George made a point to say "we all love Paul." It would've been very shocking to have Paul, George and Ringo all in the same room. Sadly the only time that happened was Linda's funeral.

I always really winced at Mike's speech and disliked him for it, but I don't think it really caused that much damage. Robmac, is it really true that the post-"Kokomo" singles were not successfull because of the Love speech. Personally, with the exception of "Japan," I though it was due to lack of quality.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Today it's just good comedy and no one was really hurt by it for long.

Well, they had a #1 hit the next year. Carl wasn't that right. 

The failures of Kokomo's followup singles were directly blamed on Mike's rant.

Bit of a problem with the chronology, there. Thus:

HoF induction - January 20th 1988

"Kokomo" released - July 18th 1988

"Kokomo" charts - September 3th 1988

"Kokomo" hits #1 - November 5th 1988

"Still Cruisin''" released - August 7th 1989

"Somewhere Near Japan" released - September 1989

Sorry, but it doesn't fly, Wilbur.

[Wilsonista]

Take that up with David Beard and ESQ, because that's where I read it, Wilbur.