re: THE BEACH BOYS:
Last week we told you to Google "Mike Love is ..." ... and quite a few of you did. (Let's just say that the results were slightly less than complimentary!)
THIS week it sounds like Mike's trying to explain himself!
Mike Love: 'I would never fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys'
by Kyle Anderson
Image Credit: Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images
Love was deeply upset when people reacted badly to the idea that he had dismissed Wilson, so he clarified the situation in the pages of the Los Angeles Times. “Let me get right to it: I did not fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys,” he wrote. “I cannot fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I am not his employer. I do not have such authority. And even if I did, I would never fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I love Brian Wilson. We are partners. He’s my cousin by birth and my brother in music.”
Love explained that the dates he’ll be playing without Wilson were already booked prior to the big reunion, and that he was never supposed to play those dates in the first place. “It is not feasible, both logistically and economically, for the 50th anniversary tour to play these markets,” Love wrote. “It’s vitally important for the smaller markets to experience our live shows, as this is how we’ve maintained a loyal fan base for 50 years. You can’t sustain a fan base on a great catalog alone. You must take your music directly to the people.”
He drove home the fact that his own splinter version of the Beach Boys has been on the road for over a decade, and he reminded everybody that he is the Axl Rose of this operation. “The name ‘The Beach Boys’ is controlled by Brother Records Inc., which was founded by the original members of the Beach Boys and whose sole shareholders voted over a decade ago to grant me an exclusive license to tour as ‘The Beach Boys,’” he explained. “With it, I’ve felt a great responsibility to uphold, honor and further our legacy.”
Love is missing the point, though: Purists have never liked the idea of his charlatan Beach Boys cashing checks on the back of Wilson’s songs, and if the reunion tour proved that the actual Beach Boys can coexist and perform together, then why would anybody want to go back to watching Love and a bunch of hired hands? Who is in that Beach Boys anyway? Is Buckethead there?
Mike Love: 'I Did Not Fire Brian Wilson From the Beach Boys'
'This tour was always envisioned as a limited run,' Love writes
October 5, 2012 2:35 PM ET
Mike Love says that "divisive and ugly rumors" that he sent Brian Wilson packing from the Beach Boys are all the result of a misunderstanding. "I did not fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys," Love writes in today's Los Angeles Times. "I cannot fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I am not his employer. I do not have such authority. And even if I did, I would never fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I love Brian Wilson. We are partners. He's my cousin by birth and my brother in music."
Love reiterates that the Beach Boys' 50th-anniversary tour, which also included surviving members Al Jardine and David Marks, was "always envisioned as a limited run" and that none of the band "wanted to do a 50th anniversary tour that lasted 10 years."
"It was meant to be special," Love writes. "In fact, very early on, Brian was just going to join the tour for a few dates in big cities. We finally settled on 50 dates in 50 major markets."
Positive reviews and demand from fans and promoters prompted the band to add another 25 shows, and Wilson and Jardine were keen to keep going after that. But Love says an ongoing reunion tour is "impossible" because of other Beach Boys shows he had already booked that started to bump up against the reunion dates.
"To avoid public confusion, and at the request of Brian's representative, we had a press release sent out detailing the differences between the two Beach Boys tours and its varying lineups," Lovee writes. "I was surprised that Brian and Al said they were surprised by this announcement. Some media outlets interpreted all of this as me firing the band."
Despite the split of the reunited Beach Boys, Brian Wilson remains optimistic about recording new material with the band. "I wouldn't mind getting together with Mike [Love] and the guys and making an exciting rock & roll album. . . I'm sure by early next year we'll be ready to rock," he said at a Q&A session at the Grammy Museum last month.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/mike-love-i-did-not-fire-brian-wilson-from-the-beach-boys-20121005#ixzz28TDbsecXAnd, from WCBS-FM:
Mike Love is fighting back against those have vilified him with claims that he “fired” original Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks. Love has penned a lengthy, pointed and emotional open letter to the Los Angeles Times in an attempt to set the record straight.
RELATED: Is Beach Boy Mike Love Music’s Biggest Villain?
To recap, Wilson, Jardine and Marks are no longer a part of the “Beach Boys” that will be touring the world in the coming months, despite a desire to do so. “I’m disappointed and can’t understand why he [Love] doesn’t want to tour with Al, David and me,” Wilson told CNN in frustration. “We are out here having so much fun. After all, we are the real Beach Boys.” Months ago, Wilson told us that he’s already thinking about the Beach Boys’ next album, a follow-up to June’s That’s Why God Made The Radio. Meanwhile, Al Jardine urged fans to sign a petition to Love, asking him to allow original members to continue the reunion tour following last week’s final show in London.
Love, on the other hand, explained in a press statement issued several weeks ago that the Beach Boys reunion was always “designed to be a set tour with a beginning and an end.” He reiterated that in his letter, of which you can read in its entirety here.
The pertinent passages about the band’s business structure and power dynamics are below:
Let me get right to it: I did not fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I cannot fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I am not his employer. I do not have such authority. And even if I did, I would never fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I love Brian Wilson. We are partners. He’s my cousin by birth and my brother in music.
This tour was always envisioned as a limited run. None of us wanted to do a 50th anniversary tour that lasted 10 years. It was meant to be special. In fact, very early on, Brian was just going to join the tour for a few dates in big cities. We finally settled on 50 dates in 50 major markets.
Brian, Al and I signed an agreement outlining the beginning and end of the tour. Then, thanks to glowing reviews, the support of our loyal fans (and the prodding of promoters), we amended our agreement to add 25 more dates. As the year went on, Brian and Al wanted to keep the 50th anniversary tour going beyond the 75 dates.
Like any good party, no one wanted it to end. However, that was impossible, given that we had already set up shows in smaller cities with a different configuration of the band — the configuration that had been touring together every year for the last 13 years. Brian and Al would not be joining for these small market dates, as was long agreed upon.
Initially, there was to be plenty of space between the two tours, but then we added 25 more dates and the two tours bumped up against each other. To avoid public confusion, and at the request of Brian’s representative, we had a press release sent out detailing the differences between the two Beach Boys tours and its varying lineups. I was surprised that Brian and Al said they were surprised by this announcement. Some media outlets interpreted all of this as me firing the band.
The plan was always to go back to our respective lives post the 50th anniversary run. Brian is writing a new album. Al often tours with his band — they are terrific. And my job hasn’t changed in 50 years. I’m the lead singer of the Beach Boys and an ambassador of this amazing music that touched a generation.
The name “The Beach Boys” is controlled by Brother Records Inc., which was founded by the original members of the Beach Boys and whose sole shareholders voted over a decade ago to grant me an exclusive license to tour as “The Beach Boys.”
On the topic that he hated Pet Sounds:
And to clarify another misconception, I was enormously proud of “Pet Sounds” back in ’66, and I am even prouder of it today.
And finally, in a touching moment for the group’s realist businessman:
The Beach Boys are bigger than those who created it. When all of us remaining founders have turned to dust, the band will live on in the hearts of those who relish the sounds of summer. So you see, summer’s never really gone. And neither are the Beach Boys.
To recap, Wilson, Jardine and Marks are no longer a part of the “Beach Boys” that will be touring the world in the coming months, despite a desire to do so. “I’m disappointed and can’t understand why he [Love] doesn’t want to tour with Al, David and me,” Wilson told CNN in frustration. “We are out here having so much fun. After all, we are the real Beach Boys.” Months ago, Wilson told us that he’s already thinking about the Beach Boys’ next album, a follow-up to June’s That’s Why God Made The Radio. Meanwhile, Al Jardine urged fans to sign a petition to Love, asking him to allow original members to continue the reunion tour following last week’s final show in London.
Love, on the other hand, explained in a press statement issued several weeks ago that the Beach Boys reunion was always “designed to be a set tour with a beginning and an end.” He reiterated that in his letter, of which you can read in its entirety here.
The pertinent passages about the band’s business structure and power dynamics are below:
Let me get right to it: I did not fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I cannot fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I am not his employer. I do not have such authority. And even if I did, I would never fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I love Brian Wilson. We are partners. He’s my cousin by birth and my brother in music.
This tour was always envisioned as a limited run. None of us wanted to do a 50th anniversary tour that lasted 10 years. It was meant to be special. In fact, very early on, Brian was just going to join the tour for a few dates in big cities. We finally settled on 50 dates in 50 major markets.
Brian, Al and I signed an agreement outlining the beginning and end of the tour. Then, thanks to glowing reviews, the support of our loyal fans (and the prodding of promoters), we amended our agreement to add 25 more dates. As the year went on, Brian and Al wanted to keep the 50th anniversary tour going beyond the 75 dates.
Like any good party, no one wanted it to end. However, that was impossible, given that we had already set up shows in smaller cities with a different configuration of the band — the configuration that had been touring together every year for the last 13 years. Brian and Al would not be joining for these small market dates, as was long agreed upon.
Initially, there was to be plenty of space between the two tours, but then we added 25 more dates and the two tours bumped up against each other. To avoid public confusion, and at the request of Brian’s representative, we had a press release sent out detailing the differences between the two Beach Boys tours and its varying lineups. I was surprised that Brian and Al said they were surprised by this announcement. Some media outlets interpreted all of this as me firing the band.
The plan was always to go back to our respective lives post the 50th anniversary run. Brian is writing a new album. Al often tours with his band — they are terrific. And my job hasn’t changed in 50 years. I’m the lead singer of the Beach Boys and an ambassador of this amazing music that touched a generation.
The name “The Beach Boys” is controlled by Brother Records Inc., which was founded by the original members of the Beach Boys and whose sole shareholders voted over a decade ago to grant me an exclusive license to tour as “The Beach Boys.”
On the topic that he hated Pet Sounds:
And to clarify another misconception, I was enormously proud of “Pet Sounds” back in ’66, and I am even prouder of it today.
And finally, in a touching moment for the group’s realist businessman:
The Beach Boys are bigger than those who created it. When all of us remaining founders have turned to dust, the band will live on in the hearts of those who relish the sounds of summer. So you see, summer’s never really gone. And neither are the Beach Boys.
re: THIS AND THAT:
Now how cool is this?!?!? FH Reader David Lewis just sent in these awesome commercial clips recorded by John Lennon in 1974 for Tobias Casual Sportswear during his "lost weekend". Who even knew that these existed?!?!? Catch 'em before they're gone! (kk)
And speaking of The Beatles, we just passed another milestone anniversary this week ...
