There is an article by ex-Beach Boy manager Jack Riley (1971-1973). Mike was pushing for just playing past hits. Riley had told the Wilson Bros. to join together as a united front to prevent the Beach Boys from becoming just an oldies band as they writing and recording new songs. The result was a meeting with Mike, Al Jardine & Bruce Johnson were Mike told him to but out because I am The Beach Boys.
I'm sure there are millions of BB fans like myself who wouldn't be fans if not for Mike Love's bass/baritone voice and showmanship. I remember vividly how "square" the BB's seemed to me initially in '64 (I'd say dorky, but it didn't have today's meaning). It wasn't until the irreverent and interesting Mike Love caught my eye on TV that I started to become a BB fan. It appears he became greedy later, but that in no way erases his contributions nor the impact of the BB's on my life's memories.
I don't particularly like Mike as a person or his political beliefs; but the raw fact is that Mike wrote ALL of the lyrics and some music for the top grossing songs. Brian wrote VERY few lyrics and still required a collaborator. E.g. "In My Room". Mike has his claim. It's all very sad. -Friends for 50 years and then suddenly not. Carl was the force that kept it all together -& Carl had the best voice. God Bless Carl Wilson. V.D. Parks wrote most of Heroes and Villains. Life taint so simple.
This is great. This showed up in my "suggested" area, along with a ton of other Beach Boys suggestions. Since I'd never seen this, and being a Brian Wilson fan, I had to watch. "Heroes and Villains" is one of my top favourite Beach Boys songs. Awesome video, Suparni. *Mike Love is a Douchebag*
Ah-h-h-h, thanks, suparni! The pictures and words sung in the songs go together so well. I love the part where the words "dance Margarita" are sung as Mike Love is dancing onstage. Very clever!
No, it was not shown on SNL. Here's the info about that skit, taken straight from the SNL website: "Lorne Michaels was a Beach Boys fan and later that year (1976) produced a Beach Boys special for television that chronicled the story of the band and featured a comedy skit where John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, dressed as cops, accosted Brian in his bed and took him surfing (Brian Wilson did not surf and was famously afraid of the beach)."
The "police" were Saturday Night Live comedians John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, who were good friends of the Beach Boys. It was filmed for a 1976 TV special called "The Beach Boys: It's OK." Belushi and Aykroyd are credited as writers on the special. The woman who answers the door is Brian's first wife, Marilyn.
Nope. Mike wrote most if not ALL of the lyrics to Good Vibrations. Everyone still misses my point, so I'll make it an oil painting: "F Mike Love" is in poor taste and plain dumb. -Particularly for someone you don't know squat about. Mike Love was one of the finest lead and bass harmony singers in rock and roll. Those sliding bass lines were beautifully executed. For 20+ years, He & Brian were cheated out of a LOT of publishing royalties by Murry Wilson perfidy (i.e, Sea of Tunes).
Amen! I love the new song "midnights another day" I love Van Dyke Parks and Brian together again and free of Mike Love. Let Brian create in peace... and go tour alone as "the beach boys" with cover bands love...
Mike added a little bit here and a little bit there to Good Vibrations... thereby making it cornier. VDP knew exactly what he was doing... on some level.
The Beach Boys would never have come into existence without Brian. SMiLE would of come into completion and release if Mike didn't actively sabotage it. Mike apparently doesn't like changing one iota from a proven formula that sells. A lot people have commented that every time Brian presented any innovation was met with Mike's admonishment, "Brian, don't fuck with the formula". If Mike had his way, as long as multiple releases of "Surfin" charted, he would never enter the studio again.
GREAT! Heroes & Villains is a good analogy for Brian and Mike. All that nastiness! And imagine firing AL JARDINE, then suing him for using the name "Beach Boys Family & Friends" in a group that included Brian's daughters and Al's son? That's Mike Love for ya. Brian & Mike wrote great songs together, too bad Mike is such a soulless jerk. Let's give a shout-out to Van Dyke Parks, SMILE lyricist and Brian's friend, and to the incomparable music of the Beach Boys. Mostly, thank you, Brian.
@wussupichu - I agree with your thoughts on Brian Wilson but he didn't play bass on Pet Sounds at all - he wrote the bass parts but the Wrecking Crew recorded all the music - Brian was too deep into producing at that time to concern himself with performing - Brian Wilson is my hero!
dorkhunter1, if Mike was/is such a sterling creative person, then his two, count em, two outside Beach Boy albums "Celebration" has a member of Celebration, and "Look Back with Love"* would not only out shine Brian in critical stature, they would have popular success that would still be in print or at least re-issue. *is regarded as the absolute nadir of Curt Boettcher's career as a producer. Curt produced "Along Comes Mary" for the Association.
What is your major music interest? With the screen name BixLives32 it would suggest Jazz, 1920's/Paul Whiteman era Jazz in particular. It may be of interest to seek out the CD, "Wouldn't It Be Nice: A Jazz Portrait Of Brian Wilson" performed by various artist. As I've been reading various articles, reviews and interviews over the last three decades, I have a fair degree of confidence in what I state. That said, not everyone in every instance imparts the the same information and opinion.
oh and I love the music of Brian Wilson - so my social life has nothing to do with it... I mourn the loss of music that I personally feel love had a part in destroying and stifling - it has nothing to do with me thinking these people replace real friends or whatever your sick mind came up with... its everything to do with Achetypes, what they represent and reflect in society, and with wonderful music that love aborted - the former being the most concrete reason to detest him.
Brian can write a complete songs on his own but prefers to bring in people who can do it better after they have conferences on what he wants them to communicate, which may be why he jettisoned Mike on "Pet Sounds" & "SMiLE". Mike probably wrote what he wanted without any consideration of Brian's input. Mike & the guys generally considered "Pet Sounds" & "SMiLE" as Brian music when they were new.
dorkhunter1, I assume you own and treasury the only Beach Boy album, with absolutely any partcipation from Brian, "Summer In Paradise", an album hated by critics and BB fans alike. According to Wkipedia, it sold less than 1,000 copies and bankrupted Navarre who pressed and distributed. I have admit it does have great artwork, I'd buy it as a frameable print. By the way Stan Love is Mike's brother.
Why isn't clip credited as either The Beach Boys or Brian Wilson & Van Dyke Parks (the Writers)? It seems Mike Love's major contribution was to get in the way any time Brian tried something new. For Mike, this fell under the heading "Brian Music", i.e. self indulgent that wasn't in the best interest to the band or chartable hits.
you're right brabon .. I met Mike Love and he was indeed a prick to me. I also met Brian Wilson and he was absolutely the coolest guy... funny how the guy that reserves the right to be snobby was the nicest guy in the world.... and the "jack" that was riding Brian's coat tails was the prick!....lol.
I never did like Mike Love and I was a fourteen and living in Lompoc California when the real Beach Boys started. I would never go to a Mike Love beach boy concert!
Mike didn't want to write lyrics beyond "surfing", "fast cars" or "cute girls". Top grossing doesn't always mean it's great music. John Q. Public is notoriously shallow. Brian worried that such music would pidgeonhole the group(he was correct)and that's why he moved on to other collaborators. Sorry if Mikey was jealous but he did it to himself. And I would love to hear ML create the wonderful music and harmonies that made Brian famous. Sorry, but I don't think he has it in him!
You did not read my comment. It had nothing to do with "Art". It had everything to do with hard work and money. -Ever been in a money-earning band? And who says Mike didn't write any fair lyrics? California Girls & Good Vibrations are not exactly chopped liver. If you can explain the lyrics of Heroes and Villains, you should ring up Van Dyke, because he admits not really understanding those lyrics. With the BBs the lyrics were always meant to support the vocals.
Mike's contributions seem to be, he's a great front man on stage, has voice that is needed in the vocal tapestry woven by Brian of been arrange, and has on some occasions written worth lyrics, but he seems to have a reputation of bullying and bulldozer over people to get his way. Any money Mike has made from Pet Sounds and SMiLE, independent of tampering with lyrics to get his name on the copyright, is immoral, unjust, and even with successful litigation, thief.
Like Looking Back with Love? First Love? Mike Love Not War? Wait wait, nobody likes that crap...2 of them were released and did terribly and the other will never be released.
Please stop writing. You don't get "it" & you don't know Mike Love nor any of these people. Meeting someone once in a publicity setting doesn't count You know nothing of their relationship over the years and now. Don't you have real friends? Can't you just listen to the records and enjoy them? Why do you feel as though you must be a part of their lives? You're not a part of their lives, so get on with YOUR life and stop posting foul language about someone you don't know.
actually I am a professional photographer and have plenty of work... thanks... what did I expect from a Mike Love fan anyway... other than somebody who thinks they know everything. Jerk.
settle down you idiots. Stop gay bashing and keep to the issues or you will be blocked and comments removed. No i am not gay, in fact I am a heterosexual woman, but I am not going to stand for this fly over state ignorance on my video. Idiots.
Well i am going to make a photograph for your oil painting... He sued brian and Al and is an arrogant, limited, JERK (as John Lennon put it) and his condemnation and arrogance probably played the biggest part in aborting the SMILE project. He is and was artistically limited and socially overbearing, he is obnoxious and musically mediocre.
