Mike Love
Encyclopedia
Michael Edward "Mike" Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer/songwriter and musician
with The Beach Boys
. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian
, Carl
, and Dennis Wilson
, and their friend Al Jardine
, and continues to perform with the band to the present day. Love, along with the other founding Beach Boy members, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1988.
had moved with their parents to Los Angeles
in 1922. Emily married Milton Love, and Mike was born in Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles, in 1941. Murry Wilson was a songwriter and musician with a few minor triumphs to his credit, including a song performed on the Lawrence Welk
radio show in 1952. The Wilson family home in nearby Hawthorne
was a musical one, and Mike often sang with the Wilson family at get-togethers at the Wilson home during his childhood.
styled voice was heavily influenced by classmates at the predominantly black high school, Dorsey High
, and the songs he listened to on two of Los Angeles' R&B radio stations. Love sang the lead vocal on many of the Beach Boys' biggest hits, mainly fast-paced rock'n'rollers (while Brian Wilson handled the early ballads), including "Surfin' Safari
", "Surfin' USA
", "Shut Down", "Little Deuce Coupe
", "Be True to Your School
", "Little Saint Nick
", "Fun, Fun, Fun
", "I Get Around
", "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)
", "Little Honda
", "Dance, Dance, Dance" and "California Girls
". His lead vocal roles later diminished as other members' voices began to be heard more, but he remained one of the most recognized voices in the group, due in part to his nasal sound, on songs such as "Do It Again". He is also known for his bass vocals, such as the vocal break in "I Can Hear Music
" and the bass line in "Good Vibrations
". Brian Wilson once stated that band members Mike and Carl had voices from heaven. Onstage, Love has always served as the Beach Boys' MC
, introducing songs and band members.
Love also wrote or co-wrote lyrics to many of the Beach Boys songs, mostly with the themes of surfing, cars or love, but also memorable ballads such as "The Warmth of the Sun
". In the 1990s, Love initiated and won a legal proceeding to gain co-authorship credit for many of the Beach Boys hits.
Love was one of the first pop musicians to become involved in the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique
, through his meeting with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
. As a result he accompanied The Beatles
, Donovan
, Prudence Farrow
, and Mia Farrow
on their famous trip to the guru's ashram
at Rishikesh in India
in early 1968. Love later received training in advanced techniques, including Yogic Flying, and became a "Governor of the Age of Enlightenment" at a reported cost of up to $1 million.
In 1988, the Beach Boys had a US number-one hit with "Kokomo
", the only number-one song the band had without Brian Wilson's involvement. Mike Love (along with "Kokomo" co-writers Scott McKenzie
, Terry Melcher
, and John Phillips
) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award (1988) in the Original Song category, and was nominated for a Grammy Award as well.
Currently, Love continues to tour with The Beach Boys, along with Bruce Johnston
and a supporting band of new musicians. He leases the right to tour under the Beach Boys name. Love is the only original member in the present band lineup.
' oblique lyrics to Smile, reserving particular scorn for the song "Cabinessence
." During a heated argument at a recording session, Love demanded that Parks explain the song's meaning; Parks demurred and walked out, which led to Parks officially terminating his partnership with Wilson. Although Love allegedly had nothing personal against Parks, he apparently feared the lyrics were too abstract for a Beach Boys record.
Love later stated that he was suspicious of the new friends with whom Brian was associating, and that his opposition to these people was another major source of conflict. Love has suggested that some of those who have since been critical of him did so because he had told them to "take a hike".
Love denied disliking Pet Sounds, also claiming that he liked the Smile music and only disliked the lyrics. However, this is strongly disputed by several other participants, including Van Dyke Parks. Responding to Love's claims in a letter to the editor of UK music magazine Mojo, Parks was strongly critical of Love's comments – which he described as "revisionism" – and he was unequivocal in citing Love's hostility to Smile as one of the major factors in Brian's decision to abandon the project. On the DVD that accompanied the 2004 Smile release, Brian himself also states that Love's antagonism was one of the major deciding factors in the cancellation of the album:
Love contributed lyrics to their 1966 single "Good Vibrations", although the song also has an earlier set of lyrics written by Wilson's main Pet Sounds collaborator, Tony Asher
, which Wilson restored on the 2004 Smile version.
Writing for The Guardian
in December 1999, Will Hodgkinson summarized the main reasons for the demise of Wilson's project:
, which owned the copyrights to most of the Beach Boys' hit songs. The suit stemmed from Wilson's forced decision to sign over his publishing rights to his father Murry Wilson
in 1969, but when the suit came to court it was found that the contract Wilson had signed was not valid because of the mental problems he was suffering from at the time. (It was even suggested that Murry had signed his son's name on the document.) Wilson failed to regain the copyrights, but won a $25 million settlement.
Following Wilson's win, Love launched his own lawsuit, claiming that he had made significant writing contributions to many Beach Boys songs, including two titles on Pet Sounds and "California Girls", and never received due credit (or the accompanying royalties). Love won the case, due in no small part to Brian's statements that Mike's assertions were correct (although Tony Asher has unequivocally stated that Love had no input into at least one song involved, "Wouldn't It Be Nice
"). As a result, he was granted $13 million of Wilson's award, and his name was retroactively added to the writing credits on all subsequent releases of those songs. (Love and Wilson reportedly had no malice toward each other in the lawsuit; unable to come to terms, they resorted to going to court to settle matters.)
Love initiated a second successful lawsuit against Al Jardine
(mostly the Beach Boys' company, Brother Records
, suing Jardine at Love's instigation, but also personal lawsuits) for Jardine's use of the band name Beach Boys Family And Friends in his solo work.
Most recently, Love initiated a third lawsuit on November 3, 2005 against Brian Wilson and the Mail On Sunday newspaper, arguing that both misused the Beach Boys' name and Love's image in a promotional CD that was given with the paper to promote the 2004 Smile release, and also arguing that Wilson has misused the Beach Boys' name in other promotions relating to Smile, resulting in loss of income for the band. He sought several million dollars in damages plus a million dollars to cover costs of advertising to correct the perceived damage to the band's reputation. The lawsuit was thrown out of court on May 16, 2007 on the grounds that it was without merit.
In 1981, he released a solo album, Looking Back With Love
. Consisting mostly of cover versions, the album was neither critically nor commercially successful.
He confined himself to guest spots on recordings alongside artists such as Dean Torrence of Jan And Dean
and The Association
, contributing to the albums "Rock'n'Roll City", "Rock 'n Roll Again," "Winter Party On The Beach (aka "Scrooge's Rock'n'Roll Christmas")" and "New Memories". He also developed a penchant for re-recording old Beach Boys' hits, released on packages like "Catch a Wave" and "Salute Nascar" with Adrian Baker
. He has also lent his vocal abilities to a 2003 Bruce Springsteen tribute CD (singing "Hungry Heart"), and a Bruce Johnston–produced album for the Kings Singers, amongst others.
Also, in 2003, he announced plans for a new solo album. This album, which has been announced under the working titles Unleash The Love and Mike Love, Not War (not to be confused with the Beach Boys bootleg of the same name), is still a work in progress (although bootleg recordings have appeared) and, to date, one new track from these sessions, "Cool Head, Warm Heart", has appeared on an official Beach Boys–related collection.
, the son of Emily Glee (née
Wilson) and Edwin Milton Love. In addition to being cousin to the Wilson brothers, Love is the brother of former NBA basketball player Stan Love
and of Pink Martini
harpist Maureen Love, and the uncle of Minnesota Timberwolves
basketball player Kevin Love. Love's son Christian Love tours with The Beach Boys in their backing band.
Love has been married five times -
, Brandi Carlile
, and Creedence Clearwater Revisited
. Proceeds from this album go to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
with The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, Carl
Carl Wilson
Carl Dean Wilson was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys...
, and Dennis Wilson
Dennis Wilson
Dennis Carl Wilson was an American rock and roll musician best known as a founding member and the drummer of The Beach Boys. He was a member of the group from its formation until his death in 1983...
, and their friend Al Jardine
Al Jardine
Alan Charles "Al" Jardine is a founding member of top-selling American music group The Beach Boys, a guitarist and occasional lead vocalist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life:...
, and continues to perform with the band to the present day. Love, along with the other founding Beach Boy members, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 1988.
Early years
As young children, Mike Love's mother Emily and her brother Murry WilsonMurry Wilson
Murry Gage Wilson was an American musician and record producer, best remembered as the father of The Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Carl Wilson, uncle of bandmate Mike Love, and the husband of Audree Wilson...
had moved with their parents to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1922. Emily married Milton Love, and Mike was born in Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles, in 1941. Murry Wilson was a songwriter and musician with a few minor triumphs to his credit, including a song performed on the Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
radio show in 1952. The Wilson family home in nearby Hawthorne
Hawthorne, California
Hawthorne is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. The city at the 2010 census had a population of 84,293, up from 84,112 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
was a musical one, and Mike often sang with the Wilson family at get-togethers at the Wilson home during his childhood.
Role in The Beach Boys
Although Love played the saxophone in the first years of the band, he was mainly the co-lead singer, along with Brian Wilson, of the Beach Boys. His R&BRhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
styled voice was heavily influenced by classmates at the predominantly black high school, Dorsey High
Susan Miller Dorsey High School
Susan Miller Dorsey High School is a high school located in Los Angeles, California.Dorsey is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school serves Baldwin Hills, Baldwin Village, Jefferson Park, Leimert Park, and portions of Crenshaw....
, and the songs he listened to on two of Los Angeles' R&B radio stations. Love sang the lead vocal on many of the Beach Boys' biggest hits, mainly fast-paced rock'n'rollers (while Brian Wilson handled the early ballads), including "Surfin' Safari
Surfin' Safari
-Musicians:*Alan Jardine - vocals, acoustic bass *Mike Love - vocals*David Marks - rhythm guitar, vocals *Brian Wilson - bass guitar, piano, vocals*Carl Wilson - lead guitar, vocals*Dennis Wilson - drums, vocals...
", "Surfin' USA
Surfin' USA
-Singles:* "Surfin' USA" b/w "Shut Down" , 4 March 1963, US #3; #34 UK-Personnel:*Brian Wilson - Vocals, bass, keyboards*Mike Love - Vocals, saxophone*Dennis Wilson - Vocals, drums...
", "Shut Down", "Little Deuce Coupe
Little Deuce Coupe
Little Deuce Coupe is The Beach Boys' fourth album, and third overall LP release in 1963. Almost unintentionally, the album was rush-recorded and compiled when leader Brian Wilson sought to protect his band from exploitation from Capitol Records....
", "Be True to Your School
Be True to Your School
"Be True to Your School" is a song by The Beach Boys. The album version of this song was recorded on Monday, September 2, 1963. It appears on Little Deuce Coupe and Endless Summer....
", "Little Saint Nick
Little Saint Nick
"Little Saint Nick" is a Christmas song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and originally performed by their group The Beach Boys. It was first released as a single in December 1963, reaching number three on the Billboard Christmas charts and peaking at #69 on the regular weekly sales chart...
", "Fun, Fun, Fun
Fun, Fun, Fun
"Fun, Fun, Fun", written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, was a hit single by The Beach Boys that was released in 1964 on the band's album Shut Down Volume 2.- Composition :...
", "I Get Around
I Get Around
"I Get Around" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for The Beach Boys. The song features Love on lead vocal for the verse, and Wilson for the chorus. It is noteworthy for its back-to-front structure - it starts with a chorus and has two short verses...
", "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)
When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)
"When I Grow Up " is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1965 album Today! and as a single the previous year hit number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, number seven in Cash Box. It spent two weeks at number one in...
", "Little Honda
Little Honda
"Little Honda" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1964 album All Summer Long, and it was also featured on their EP, Four by The Beach Boys. It was covered by The Hondells, whose recording peaked at #9 on the U.S. pop...
", "Dance, Dance, Dance" and "California Girls
California Girls
"California Girls" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys, featured on their ninth studio album Summer Days . Written by band-members Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the song features contrasting verse-chorus form...
". His lead vocal roles later diminished as other members' voices began to be heard more, but he remained one of the most recognized voices in the group, due in part to his nasal sound, on songs such as "Do It Again". He is also known for his bass vocals, such as the vocal break in "I Can Hear Music
I Can Hear Music
"I Can Hear Music" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector. It was originally performed by the Ronettes in 1966, and later covered by the Beach Boys in 1969, by Larry Lurex in 1973, by José Hoebee in 1983, and by She & Him in 2010.-Beach Boys version:"I Can Hear Music"...
" and the bass line in "Good Vibrations
Good Vibrations
"Good Vibrations" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys. Composed and produced by Brian Wilson, the song's lyrics were written by Wilson and Mike Love....
". Brian Wilson once stated that band members Mike and Carl had voices from heaven. Onstage, Love has always served as the Beach Boys' MC
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
, introducing songs and band members.
Love also wrote or co-wrote lyrics to many of the Beach Boys songs, mostly with the themes of surfing, cars or love, but also memorable ballads such as "The Warmth of the Sun
The Warmth of the Sun
"The Warmth of the Sun" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1964 album Shut Down Volume 2 and as the B-side of the "Dance, Dance, Dance" single, which charted at number eight in the United States and number twenty-four...
". In the 1990s, Love initiated and won a legal proceeding to gain co-authorship credit for many of the Beach Boys hits.
Love was one of the first pop musicians to become involved in the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique
Transcendental Meditation technique
The Transcendental Meditation technique is a specific form of mantra meditation often referred to as Transcendental Meditation. It was introduced in India in 1955 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi...
, through his meeting with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
. As a result he accompanied The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, Prudence Farrow
Prudence Farrow
Prudence Anne Villiers Farrow Bruns is an American author, meditation teacher, and film producer. She is the daughter of film director John Farrow and actress Maureen O'Sullivan, and the younger sister of actress Mia Farrow...
, and Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model.Farrow first gained wide acclaim for her role as Allison Mackenzie in the soap opera Peyton Place, and for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra...
on their famous trip to the guru's ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
at Rishikesh in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in early 1968. Love later received training in advanced techniques, including Yogic Flying, and became a "Governor of the Age of Enlightenment" at a reported cost of up to $1 million.
In 1988, the Beach Boys had a US number-one hit with "Kokomo
Kokomo (song)
"Kokomo" is a song written by John Phillips, Scott McKenzie, Mike Love and Terry Melcher and recorded by The Beach Boys in spring 1988. Its lyrics describe two lovers taking a trip to a relaxing Caribbean island called Kokomo. It was released as a single in July 1988 by Elektra Records and became a...
", the only number-one song the band had without Brian Wilson's involvement. Mike Love (along with "Kokomo" co-writers Scott McKenzie
Scott McKenzie
Scott McKenzie is an American singer. He is best known for his 1967 hit single and generational anthem, "San Francisco ".-Life and career:...
, Terry Melcher
Terry Melcher
Terrence P. Melcher was an American musician and record producer, who was instrumental in shaping the sound of American West Coast rock music. His greatest contribution to the culture of the time was producing The Byrds' innovative hits "Mr Tambourine Man" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and his...
, and John Phillips
John Phillips (musician)
John Edmund Andrew Phillips , was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter and promoter . Known as Papa John, Phillips was a member and leader of the singing group The Mamas & the Papas...
) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award (1988) in the Original Song category, and was nominated for a Grammy Award as well.
Currently, Love continues to tour with The Beach Boys, along with Bruce Johnston
Bruce Johnston
Bruce Arthur Johnston is a member of The Beach Boys and a songwriter, remembered especially for composing "I Write the Songs". Johnston was not one of the original members of the band...
and a supporting band of new musicians. He leases the right to tour under the Beach Boys name. Love is the only original member in the present band lineup.
Smile
Love is reported to have objected to Van Dyke ParksVan Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....
' oblique lyrics to Smile, reserving particular scorn for the song "Cabinessence
Cabinessence
"Cabin Essence" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1969 album 20/20...
." During a heated argument at a recording session, Love demanded that Parks explain the song's meaning; Parks demurred and walked out, which led to Parks officially terminating his partnership with Wilson. Although Love allegedly had nothing personal against Parks, he apparently feared the lyrics were too abstract for a Beach Boys record.
Love later stated that he was suspicious of the new friends with whom Brian was associating, and that his opposition to these people was another major source of conflict. Love has suggested that some of those who have since been critical of him did so because he had told them to "take a hike".
Love denied disliking Pet Sounds, also claiming that he liked the Smile music and only disliked the lyrics. However, this is strongly disputed by several other participants, including Van Dyke Parks. Responding to Love's claims in a letter to the editor of UK music magazine Mojo, Parks was strongly critical of Love's comments – which he described as "revisionism" – and he was unequivocal in citing Love's hostility to Smile as one of the major factors in Brian's decision to abandon the project. On the DVD that accompanied the 2004 Smile release, Brian himself also states that Love's antagonism was one of the major deciding factors in the cancellation of the album:
- "The reasons that I didn't release Smile: One, Mike didn't like it...".
Love contributed lyrics to their 1966 single "Good Vibrations", although the song also has an earlier set of lyrics written by Wilson's main Pet Sounds collaborator, Tony Asher
Tony Asher
Tony Asher is an American lyricist who co-wrote much of The Beach Boys 1966 album Pet Sounds in conjunction with front man Brian Wilson, including such classic songs as "God Only Knows" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice"...
, which Wilson restored on the 2004 Smile version.
Writing for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
in December 1999, Will Hodgkinson summarized the main reasons for the demise of Wilson's project:
- "[A] combination of factors, including litigations against the record company and increasing animosity between Wilson and the rest of the band, meant that in May 1967 Wilson pulled the plug on the record... [Mike] Love had already dismissed 'Good Vibrations' as "avant-garde shit" and objected to the way Wilson, Parks and a group of highly skilled session musicians were creating music way beyond his understanding... By March 1967, the bad feeling got too much for Parks and, having no desire to break up The Beach Boys, he walked out."
Legal controversies
In the late 1990s, Brian Wilson went to court to regain his rights to the publishing company, Sea of TunesSea of Tunes
Sea of Tunes was a music publishing company, founded in 1962 by Murry Wilson, father to three of the Beach Boys , and uncle of another member , to publish and promote the original songs written by Brian and Mike....
, which owned the copyrights to most of the Beach Boys' hit songs. The suit stemmed from Wilson's forced decision to sign over his publishing rights to his father Murry Wilson
Murry Wilson
Murry Gage Wilson was an American musician and record producer, best remembered as the father of The Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Carl Wilson, uncle of bandmate Mike Love, and the husband of Audree Wilson...
in 1969, but when the suit came to court it was found that the contract Wilson had signed was not valid because of the mental problems he was suffering from at the time. (It was even suggested that Murry had signed his son's name on the document.) Wilson failed to regain the copyrights, but won a $25 million settlement.
Following Wilson's win, Love launched his own lawsuit, claiming that he had made significant writing contributions to many Beach Boys songs, including two titles on Pet Sounds and "California Girls", and never received due credit (or the accompanying royalties). Love won the case, due in no small part to Brian's statements that Mike's assertions were correct (although Tony Asher has unequivocally stated that Love had no input into at least one song involved, "Wouldn't It Be Nice
Wouldn't It Be Nice
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" is the opening track on the 1966 album Pet Sounds and one of the most widely recognized songs by the American rock band The Beach Boys...
"). As a result, he was granted $13 million of Wilson's award, and his name was retroactively added to the writing credits on all subsequent releases of those songs. (Love and Wilson reportedly had no malice toward each other in the lawsuit; unable to come to terms, they resorted to going to court to settle matters.)
Love initiated a second successful lawsuit against Al Jardine
Al Jardine
Alan Charles "Al" Jardine is a founding member of top-selling American music group The Beach Boys, a guitarist and occasional lead vocalist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life:...
(mostly the Beach Boys' company, Brother Records
Brother Records
Brother Records, Inc. is a record label and holding company formed in October 1966 that holds the intellectual property rights of the Beach Boys, including the "The Beach Boys" trademark....
, suing Jardine at Love's instigation, but also personal lawsuits) for Jardine's use of the band name Beach Boys Family And Friends in his solo work.
Most recently, Love initiated a third lawsuit on November 3, 2005 against Brian Wilson and the Mail On Sunday newspaper, arguing that both misused the Beach Boys' name and Love's image in a promotional CD that was given with the paper to promote the 2004 Smile release, and also arguing that Wilson has misused the Beach Boys' name in other promotions relating to Smile, resulting in loss of income for the band. He sought several million dollars in damages plus a million dollars to cover costs of advertising to correct the perceived damage to the band's reputation. The lawsuit was thrown out of court on May 16, 2007 on the grounds that it was without merit.
Solo career
Love has attempted several times to have a career outside the Beach Boys. In the mid 1970s, he recorded and released two albums with side band Celebration, including the top 30 hit single "Almost Summer" (co-written with Brian Wilson and Jardine), along with further songwriting contributions to the band's third (unreleased) album "Disco Celebration". In the late 1970s, he also recorded two unreleased solo albums, First Love and Country Love. Some tracks from First Love were used on later Beach Boys releases.In 1981, he released a solo album, Looking Back With Love
Looking Back with Love
Looking Back With Love is Mike Love's only solo album. It was released in 1981 under Boardwalk Records. The track "Be My Baby" was produced by Brian Wilson, who also sings background vocals on the cut....
. Consisting mostly of cover versions, the album was neither critically nor commercially successful.
He confined himself to guest spots on recordings alongside artists such as Dean Torrence of Jan And Dean
Jan and Dean
Jan and Dean were a rock and roll duo, popular from the late 1950s through the mid 1960s, consisting of William Jan Berry and Dean Ormsby Torrence...
and The Association
The Association
The Association is a pop music band from California in the folk rock or soft rock genre. During the 1960s, they had numerous hits at or near the top of the Billboard charts and were the lead-off band at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival...
, contributing to the albums "Rock'n'Roll City", "Rock 'n Roll Again," "Winter Party On The Beach (aka "Scrooge's Rock'n'Roll Christmas")" and "New Memories". He also developed a penchant for re-recording old Beach Boys' hits, released on packages like "Catch a Wave" and "Salute Nascar" with Adrian Baker
Adrian Baker
Adrian Baker is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer.-Career:Baker made his debut as a singer on Magnet Records/Epic Records in the United Kingdom. In 1975, he released his first solo album, Into a Dream...
. He has also lent his vocal abilities to a 2003 Bruce Springsteen tribute CD (singing "Hungry Heart"), and a Bruce Johnston–produced album for the Kings Singers, amongst others.
Also, in 2003, he announced plans for a new solo album. This album, which has been announced under the working titles Unleash The Love and Mike Love, Not War (not to be confused with the Beach Boys bootleg of the same name), is still a work in progress (although bootleg recordings have appeared) and, to date, one new track from these sessions, "Cool Head, Warm Heart", has appeared on an official Beach Boys–related collection.
Discography
- Looking Back with LoveLooking Back with LoveLooking Back With Love is Mike Love's only solo album. It was released in 1981 under Boardwalk Records. The track "Be My Baby" was produced by Brian Wilson, who also sings background vocals on the cut....
(1981) - Mike Love: Catch a Wave (Limited Edition CD 1996) MELECO – MEL CD 101 – 1996
- Mike Love, Bruce Johnston & David Marks: Salute NASCAR (Limited Edition)
- Mike Love & Bruce Johnston: Summertime Cruisin (Limited Edition CD 2001)
- "Santa's Goin' To Kokomo" (single) (iTunes download 2006)
- "Hungry Heart" (single) (iTunes download 2007)
Family
Love was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, the son of Emily Glee (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Wilson) and Edwin Milton Love. In addition to being cousin to the Wilson brothers, Love is the brother of former NBA basketball player Stan Love
Stan Love (basketball)
Stanley S. Love is a retired American basketball player. A 6' 9" forward, Love graduated from Morningside High School, Inglewood, California, then played collegiately for the University of Oregon Ducks from 1968 to 1971.Love was the 9th pick in the 1971 NBA Draft, chosen by the Baltimore Bullets...
and of Pink Martini
Pink Martini
Pink Martini is a 13-member "little orchestra" from Portland, Oregon, formed in 1994 by pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale. They draw inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop.-History:...
harpist Maureen Love, and the uncle of Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
basketball player Kevin Love. Love's son Christian Love tours with The Beach Boys in their backing band.
Love has been married five times -
- Susan Forrista, divorced
- Suzanne Belcher (October 14, 1965 – 1969) two children
- Tamara Fitch (October 18, 1971 – 1974) divorced
- Catherine Linda "Cathy" Martinez (September 17, 1981 – July 30, 1984) divorced, one child
- Jacqueline Piesen (current).
Charity
In 2010, Love contributed to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: More Hope For The Holidays album with vocals on its first track "Closing of the Year" as well as his own "Santa's Goin' To Kokomo". He appears alongside many other names such as WeezerWeezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, Brandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile is an American singer and songwriter.-Early life:At age eight, Carlile performed a rendition of the country music song "Tennessee Flat Top Box" with her mother. She began to play the guitar and write songs at fifteen. At sixteen, she began to perform as a backup singer for an Elvis...
, and Creedence Clearwater Revisited
Creedence Clearwater Revisited
Creedence Clearwater Revisited is a band formed in 1995 by former Creedence Clearwater Revival members Stu Cook and Doug Clifford .-The band:...
. Proceeds from this album go to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes research. Driven by volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research...
.