A defense of Mike Love

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by 80steen, Apr 22, 2022.

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  1. 80steen

    80steen John McClane Thread Starter

    Location:
    West Virginia
    I read so much hate about Mike Love on various sites and yes, I know, he certainly has always had an over inflated opinion of himself. Sometimes the way he expresses it is amusing and funny, other times it's a bit cringe worthy. All that being said, on so many classic Beach Boys songs is voice is a key part to the sound of the group, and a lot of the lyrics are as well. He no doubt brings some of the insults on himself. If he were more humble, I'm sure people wouldn't say things like He's just lucky to be born Brian Wilson's cousin or anyone could have sang lead on those songs or written decent lyrics and we would have been used to them that way. But the reality is, he is the one that sang on them and wrote many of the lyrics. Therefore, I don't speculate on what someone else would have done. His voice is burned in my brain and so are the various lyrics he wrote. You can never just assume someone one else would have easily filled someone else's shoes. And on top of all of that, thank the heavens he rewrote the lyrics of Good Vibrations for the band. For as much as it's a musical masterpiece by Wilson, terrible lyrics, like the ones they had, could have made the musical greatness not as noticeable.
     
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  2. danasgoodstuff

    danasgoodstuff Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    He contributed, no doubt. And his voice was exactly right, at least for much of the early material. But he brought much of the scorn upon himself.
     
  3. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

  4. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
  5. Penny24

    Penny24 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco, Ca
    I adore the guy and his nasally voice. Long live Love!
     
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  6. zen

    zen Senior Member

    Love likes you, 80steen
    ......[​IMG]
     
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  7. danasgoodstuff

    danasgoodstuff Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Also, I gotta love someone who's a worse sax player than I am.
     
  8. flyingdutchman

    flyingdutchman Senior Member

    I don't know. I like the original lyrics. Works well on SMiLE
     
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  9. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Mike doesn't need defending. Without Mike, No BB's! Simple as that.
     
  10. 905

    905 Senior Member

    Location:
    Midwest USA
    I'm a big Mike Love fan. His street poetry was key for the early Beach Boy songs.
    And I don't blame him for the Smile problems.

    Sunflower's All I Wanna Do has one of my favorite vocals as well.
     
  11. HotelYorba101

    HotelYorba101 Senior Member

    Location:
    California
    I don't deny Mike Love's musical contributions from long ago, but the dude himself is a giant douche canoe so I think that is probably what turns a lot of people off regarding anything Love related
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2022
  12. Ryan Lux

    Ryan Lux Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, ON, CA
    People love a villain. I’ve got to realize that the same tribalism you see in politics is what infected the Beach Boys world for awhile. Fortunately, I see less and less of that. Thanks in large part to David Leaf, I too once believed the other Beach Boys were somehow responsible for Brian’s problems and evil opportunists using his talent for their own selfish needs. Pretty ridiculous.
     
  13. Zalted

    Zalted Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    I miss the early '70s gentle, introspective hippie persona Mike Love. No doubt an affectation to appeal to contemporary audiences, but he leaned into it very well and wrote some beautiful lyrics. "All I Wanna Do", "Sound of Free", "All This Is That", "Big Sur", "Only With You", etc.
     
  14. majorlance

    majorlance Forum Resident

    Location:
    PATCO Speedline
    A true artiste, fer shure...

     
  15. Lexhibit

    Lexhibit Forum Resident

    Just listen to anything acapella Beach boys related (wondermints) or Wilsons new recording of smile attempted without Mike's strong bass harmony voice right on pitch and it's pretty much pointless. My brother (Mike love hater) always tries to convince me how great the wondermints are, yeah but you don't have to convince anyone how great Mike is on "a young man is gone" and "our prayer" he was a stunning harmony singer and the necessary "bitter" to Brian's "sweet"
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2022
  16. 80steen

    80steen John McClane Thread Starter

    Location:
    West Virginia
    Yes sir, agree fully, and thanks for unlocking the thread, if it was you or whoever. I can see where it might have looked like it could go the wrong way.
     
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  17. Lexhibit

    Lexhibit Forum Resident

    Big Sur is amazing
     
  18. beccabear67

    beccabear67 Musical omnivore.

    Location:
    Victoria, Canada
    I don't get the hate and have no major issues. He was just in the role of the bigger jock among a group of young guys and didn't really stray or grow as much away from that within that bunch of friends as some might've liked. As a listener I do appreciate many things he brought, and I don't have to live or work with him, so I really don't care about the behind-the-scenes situation. A bit of a bully sometimes is the worst I've ever heard, he expressed a legitimate point of view about the approach for the group, seemed very flexible about non-touring Brian and studio musicians... well, compared to Brian's Dad that's not much of a devil! :confused:
     
  19. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM

    Location:
    Pacific
    All I Wanna Do ...........
     
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  20. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    You try existing and working alongside a massively dysfunctional family/business enterprise.

    Mike might be annoying in some ways, but he was often the voice of sanity in an insane world.

    And he did contribute positively to the Beach Boys' sound and music.
     
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  21. Rich-n-Roll

    Rich-n-Roll Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington State
    Looks like there is no love for love here
     
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  22. pocketcalculator

    pocketcalculator Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Gotta agree. Mike gave the band their biggest hit, "Kokomo" - none of the other Beach Boys could have been responsible for that.
     
  23. pocketcalculator

    pocketcalculator Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Never learn not to love Love.
     
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  24. dalecooper

    dalecooper Forum Resident

    Location:
    Athens, GA
    He's fine. He did add to the group. I think what people have a problem with is that his sense of his own importance is badly overinflated compared to what he personally contributed to rock music. His attempt to call out Mick Jagger at the Hall of Fame induction is a perfect illustration of what a pompous ass he can be, and Jagger ignoring him while showing exactly how good the Stones are, contrary to Love's jab, was the least of what he deserved.
     
  25. pocketcalculator

    pocketcalculator Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
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