AMNA NAWAZ: Tonight's Brief But Spectacular
features singer and songwriter Mike Love,
best known as one of the founding members
of the Beach Boys.
The band won over fans around the world with
infectious harmonies and their unique California
sound.
MIKE LOVE, Beach Boys: For our original fans,
it's nostalgic when we do "Wouldn't It Be
Nice." But if somebody is in grade school
and listens to the Beach Boys and hears "Wouldn't
It Be Nice" for the first time, it totally
relates to them at that stage of life.
The Beach Boys have always emphasized harmony.
And what brought us together is the love of
harmonizing, at Christmas parties and Thanksgiving.
My earliest memories of my cousin Brian sitting
on my grandmother Wilson's lap singing "Danny
Boy," and what an amazing voice he had. I
enjoy personally sing the bass parts, with
all the other parts above.
But the real specialness of it is when it
all comes together, all the various parts
and blending. That's the secret sauce there,
the blend, as well as the harmonies.
I remember the first time we ever heard our
record on the radio in 1961. Our song, "Surfin'"
was played on a radio station which played
like four or five brand-new singles by various
groups.
And the one that got the most call-in requests
would become the record of the week the following
week. And we had cousins and uncles and aunts
and everybody phoning in. And we easily won
the record of the week.
The problem was started with my uncle Murry
not being very ethical. And he actually took
and sold our publishing for a minuscule amount
compared to what it really is worth. That
was a tough thing to deal with. I know it
was tough on Brian, Dennis, and Carl. It was
tough on me, too.
He also didn't credit me with writing so many
of the songs that I created all the words
for. I, unfortunately, because of that, had
to go into a lawsuit situation to establish
my authorship.
These are unfortunate things that happened.
But if you focus on that stuff, it loses sight
on the incredible positivity that our music
has meant, transcended boundaries and borders
and ethnic groups.
To be able to just go out on stage and sing
these songs, and seeing that they're so appreciated
and people still love them, that is somewhat
of a precious miracle.
My name is Mike Love, and this is my Brief
But Spectacular take on my life as a Beach
Boy.
AMNA NAWAZ: And you can watch additional Brief
But Spectacular episodes on our Web site.
That's PBS.org/NewsHour/Brief.
