NEWS: Reunited Beach Boys to split after tour

The reunion of The Beach Boys looks to be short lived as Mike Love has announced he and Bruce Johnston are to leave Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks after the current 50th anniversary tour comes to an end. Love and Johnston will then cash in on the recent reunion of the proper band by touring with their third-rate cabaret version of "The Beach Boys".

A press statement reads: "As The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour enters its last week culminating in its final shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall on September 27 and Wembley Arena on September 28, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston will be keeping The Beach Boys’ music in front of live audiences by touring in the configuration that they have been touring in for 14 of the last 50 years. The post 50th anniversary configuration will not include Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks. The 50th Reunion Tour was designed to be a set tour with a beginning and an end to mark a special 50-year milestone for the band.

“As we move on, Bruce and I look forward to performing live for Beach Boys fans everywhere,” says Mike Love.

Several North American dates in October have already gone on sale and concert dates will continue to be announced for The Beach Boys which include Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Mike Love and Bruce Johnston supported musically and vocally by Christian Love, Randell Kirsch, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill and Scott Totten, who serves as musical director. It is in this configuration that The Beach Boys have been bringing the legacy of their music and the American lifestyle, with which they have become synonymous, since 1998 when Carl Wilson passed. For 50 years Love has lead The Beach Boys live on stage breaking Guinness Book of World Record numbers for attendance and touring along the way. The Endless Summer will continue for fans everywhere who want to see The Beach Boys live."

A blindsided Wilson said, "I'm disappointed and can't understand why he (Love) doesn't want to tour with Al, David and me. We are out here having so much fun. After all, we are the real Beach Boys."

The writer of the Facebook Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan page reckons this is Mike Love's way of trying to his own way... "Mike has always been all about the money. It's difficult to imagine his truly not wanting to continue touring with all five longtime band members, at least for a while. He doesn't want to continue playing large arenas and receiving the adulation people around the world have showered on the full band? He doesn't want to rake in more bucks, just until Brian decides he is no longer up to touring? I believe he does. I think Mike's press release was a power play and a negotiation tactic, to put the idea of the entire group's continuing to tour on the table--officially, publicly, legally, and with notice of his continuing control of all things "Beach Boys."

Think about this: Why did Mike issue that press release when he did? He had not just scheduled the dates; that was done months ago. The tour isn't over; they still have the London concerts to go. So why then? Why in conjunction with the Grammy Museum appearance? Because the Grammy event got them some press, ensuring that the release would be publicized; and because the reunion tour is not over, so there still is time for negotiation.

I believe Mike's press release, as intended, resulted in many legal and financial wheels beginning to turn. I think Brian and Melinda, Al, David, and a gang of attorneys, all talked about this the following morning. I think we'll hear more about it, possibly an announcement from London. Will the entire band go on? It depends on the negotiations: who demands what, who agrees to what, and, above all, that Mike gets as big a piece of the pie as he wants. If Brian, Al and Dave are having enough fun to want to continue, and if they can agree to Mike's terms...we may get to see them again in concert! The show I attended was one of the best I've ever seen, and I would buy another ticket in a heartbeat. Here's wishing Good Vibrations on the negotiations..."

Let's hope that he's right. I would love to see the real Beach Boys live just once, and a Mike Love-led version of the group with no Brian would just be a very poor substitute. But if he does indeed ditch the rest of the group to fuel his ego and make money off of Brian's superior talents, then I for one won't have any interest in seeing them live...