1974 Mike Interview by Harvey Kubernik

[Ganz Allein]

I came across this article today and can find no references to it on the board: http://www.sonicboomers.com/pastprint/beach-boys-mike-love-stepping-out-surf  Forgive me if it's already been posted.

It's a very interesting 1974 interview with Mike.  Among other things, he says that Sunflower is one of the best albums they've ever made, that the band's new album is coming out in January (1975), and that they've recorded about 40 tracks between the Colorado and Santa Monica studios. Did they really cut that many in 1974?

[MBE]

Great interview! How David Leaf could write what he did about Mike still amazes me. Obviously he didn't read many of Love's comments or bother to talk to him.

[Jason]

Wow. I'm speechless.

EXCELLENT interview. A lot of great information in there, and Michael seemed very warm and inviting with his answers.

[phirnis]

"The album's a combination between Sunflower and Holland. It's got some of the feel that Holland had, but also sounds a bit like Sunflower in certain respects."

I'd probably kill to hear an album like that.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

"The album's a combination between Sunflower and Holland. It's got some of the feel that Holland had, but also sounds a bit like Sunflower in certain respects."

I'd probably kill to hear an album like that.

Now that's a true fan!

[Nicko]

Agree that it's an excellent interview and the comments about the new material they were all working on make it even more frustrating that they eventually only released 15BO. At this point they clearly had a lot of confidence in themselves and their abilities...

[Ian]

Well-one of the songs worked on was "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and it does not inspire confidence in the quality of 1974 recordings.  Probably one of the worst recordings I have heard

[PongHit]

It is really accurate to say they had never done "In My Room" live before 1974?

[Nicko]

No. I guess he wasn't speaking absolutely literally but mean that they'd played them infrequently.

[shelter]

Brian is very involved with the LP.

Brian "very involved" circa 1974? Really?

We weren't going to be stepped on by a record company that still promoted us in 1968 as the, No. 1 surfing group in the U.S.

And 41 years on, they're still putting surfboards on the cover of pretty much every BB comp they release - even the new christmas comp.

Carl played the stand up bass.

He did?

[shadownoze]

This interview also substantiates some revisionist history which has always bugged me. Mike states here (and in several other articles from this period) that Warmth of the Sun was written BEFORE the Kennedy assassination. In recent years, it has been changed to take place AFTER the assassination. Just another example of choosing the "better story" over the truth.

[punkinhead]

"'Catch A Wave,' from the Surfin' album which has always been a favourite of mine."

Really? When did this Surfin' album release? around the same time of Surfer Girl? 

[Wirestone]

Mike still says WOTS was written before. Brian says it was written after.

I believe Mike.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Mike still says WOTS was written before. Brian says it was written after.

I believe Mike.

As I recall, we did a dissection on this some time back and the concensus was before was unlikely as they were on the road.

Fascinating interview, but with enough errors of fact to warrant an advisory sticker. 

[punkinhead]

We need to have a Smiley newsletter that goes over main topics from the past month.   

[Fall Breaks]

Mike still says WOTS was written before. Brian says it was written after.

I believe Mike.

As I recall, we did a dissection on this some time back and the concensus was before was unlikely as they were on the road.

Fascinating interview, but with enough errors of fact to warrant an advisory sticker. 

This thread? http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php?topic=4677.0

[oldsurferdude]

Wow. I'm speechless.

EXCELLENT interview. A lot of great information in there, and Michael seemed very warm and inviting with his answers.

A moment in history! "...Michael seemed very warm and inviting."    Yeah especially with a comment like "...it won't be CSN&Y-they're too busy fighting with each other." Sounds like a leftover from his award winning HOF speech. And we all know who won the award in the category for best in group fighting-Michael Love and the Beach Boys with best yet to come.

[Amanda Hart]

Wow. I'm speechless.

EXCELLENT interview. A lot of great information in there, and Michael seemed very warm and inviting with his answers.

A moment in history! "...Michael seemed very warm and inviting."    Yeah especially with a comment like "...it won't be CSN&Y-they're too busy fighting with each other." Sounds like a leftover from his award winning HOF speech. And we all know who won the award in the category for best in group fighting-Michael Love and the Beach Boys with best yet to come.

Seriously, why even read it if you are going to be such a hater?  Besides, this interview was from '74, so it couldn't have been "leftover" from the HOF speech

[MBE]

I don't like getting upset or involved about comments I disagree with on the internet, but how about posting what you like about the guys and letting people who like Mike like him. I don't mean this insincerely or to come off as bossy but we understand you don't dig Mike Love you don't need to hammer that point over and over.

[oldsurferdude]

you've got a point there, MBE,

[Magic Transistor Radio]

It seems to me that Mike has always been likeable in interviews and speaches, except for the HOF speach. I can't think of any others. In fact, isn't he one of the easiest, barring maybe Al to talk to in an interview? At least that is the impression I get. Plus, the notion that he was anti-proggressive music has been refuted by him many times. Outside of Smile. But, hey when Smile was being recorded, it was unlike anything else, and seemed a bit far out. It seems that a few years later, Mike was promoting that Smile would come out soon. But Brian wasn't interested.

I think that around 1977 or 78, Mike and the other BBs realised that the audience responded best with the oldies. But they fought that image for 12 years (66-77). Mike was part of trying to fight the old image.

I sort of look at the 1980s on as a group that retired in pushing foward creatively, as Brian had done around 1967. Perhaps, it became a group taking the easy road for financial security.

[Smilin Ed H]

"He also wrote another tune which is very up and bouncy. Only he can write things like that."
Ding Dang?

[MBE]

you've got a point there, MBE,

Thank you for taking my comments the right way.

[Jim V.]

"He also wrote another tune which is very up and bouncy. Only he can write things like that."
Ding Dang?

Probably "It's Ok", I remember Brian talking about it in some late '74 interview.

[runnersdialzero]

Seriously, why even read it if you are going to be such a hater?  Besides, this interview was from '74, so it couldn't have been "leftover" from the HOF speech

*WHOOSH*, that joke went right over your head.