The bitter feud that tore apart The Beach Boys
How do you even begin to describe The Beach Boys? The band created music that transcended ordinary pop, pairing the excitement of surf rock with sweet harmonies that made gospel choirs turn their heads, all in a bid to create something entirely unique. It’s often described as the sound of summer, which is true, but there is so much more to it than that. The Beach Boys were responsible for the sound of summer, while pairing it with glee, longing and all things in between. It’s indescribable and timeless for a reason.
Don’t just take our word for it. Their song ‘God Only Knows’ is often dubbed one of the greatest tracks ever written, as musicians worldwide frequently cite it as their favourite song. “’God Only Knows’ is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it,” said Paul McCartney when discussing the song, “It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian [Wilson].”
It’s ironic, then, that despite having such angelic vocals, The Beach Boys’ inner workings were very rarely operating in perfect harmony. When Brian Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown in 1964, he decided to stop touring with the band and focus predominantly on writing music instead. This contributed to a creative divide within the band, particularly between Wilson and Mike Love, which has caused problems ever since.
It begs the question: Does Brian Wilson hate Mike Love? Hate is a strong word, but there is a bitter feud between the two of them that lies at the centre of the Beach Boys and has led to multiple debates, splits and legal battles. Here’s everything you need to know.
Who are the original members of the Beach Boys?
The original members of the Beach Boys were the Wilson brothers, Brian, Dennis and Carl. While it took them some time to officially decide to start a band, when Brian Wilson received a reel-to-reel tape recorder in 1958 for his 16th birthday, the stage was set for the band to take, as he started working on recording different parts of music. When recording these different parts of music, the Wilson brothers also worked with their cousin, Mike Love, and their high school friend, Al Jardine.
The band were making music under the name The Pendletons at first. There wasn’t much creative direction until Dennis Wilson urged the band to write a song about surfing. They did just that with the tracks ‘Surfin’’ and ‘Surfin’ Safari’, which caused such a storm for their publisher that they were asked to record the songs right away. The band continued to work on this sound and developed a new form of harmonious surf rock in the process that we know and love today.
Why did the Beach Boys split up?
It’s hard to pinpoint an exact date when the Beach Boys split up, as there have been multiple lineups for the band over the decades. In the process, they amassed over 50 members and have gone on tour with a range of different variations of the band. However, one of the most bitter feuds that plagued the band was the one between Brian Wilson and Mike Love.
A common question is: Did Brian Wilson leave the Beach Boys? Well, it’s complicated. Brian Wilson has never technically “left” the Beach Boys but has distanced himself from them over various periods. This first occurred in 1964 when he suffered a nervous breakdown and decided to step away from touring with the band. Wilson enjoyed being at home and working in the studio, so that’s exactly what he did. He perfected his songwriting ability and took the band to new heights as a result.
One of his biggest contributions to the band as a whole was his work on the album Pet Sounds, which saw him knuckle down in the studio and work out how to use the whole room as an instrument rather than just a means to record music. The unique sound of that album resonated throughout the music industry, as bands like The Beatles were so moved by it that it influenced the music they proceeded to make.
“I played it to John so much that it would be difficult for him to escape the influence. If records had a director within a band, I sort of directed [Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band] and my influence was basically the Pet Sounds album. John was influenced by it, perhaps not as much as me,” said Paul McCartney when discussing the album, “It was certainly a record we all played—it was the record of the time, you know? I’ve often played Pet Sounds and cried. It’s that kind of an album for me.”
While there is no denying the influence of Pet Sounds, the creative dynamic within the Beach Boys soon became a problem. He constantly pushed the band with what they had to do live, and the sound Wilson grew excited about in the studio differed from that the band liked on the road. The creative differences within the band meant that friction grew between Mike Love and Brian Wilson, as Wilson hardly joined the band on the road and yet seemed to call a lot of the shots.
Throughout the band’s trajectory over the past few decades, Mike Love continued to tour under the name The Beach Boys, while Brian Wilson played solo shows that included some old classics. “The post-50th-anniversary configuration will not include Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, and David Marks,” said Mike Love when announcing a run of shows in 2012.
“I’m disappointed and can’t understand why [Love] doesn’t want to tour with Al, David and me,” said Wilson when the announcement was made, “We are out here having so much fun. After all, we are the real Beach Boys.”
The Beach Boys legal battle
The feud between Mike Love and Brian Wilson was at its worst when Love took Wilson to court over songwriting credits and the publishing rights for Beach Boys songs. Mike Love didn’t feel as though he received enough credit for the songs he wrote for the band and for what he contributed to the group as a whole. Subsequently, he took Wilson to court.
It was ruled that Wilson was cooperative in giving Mike Love the credit that he deserved; however, the judge ruled that Love should have been paid more money for his songwriting and contribution. Subsequently, Love was awarded more than he had originally sought. The legal battles are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the bitter feuds that lie at the heart of the Beach Boys.
