I take Ray Lawlors thoughts on the C50 over Mikes any day. From a previous thread.
This is getting so g******n tedious. I finally caved in and read this interview, as I was avoiding it, figuring it was more of the same that we keep getting. But then I read this nugget ; that Brian is controlled; this time by being given prescribed medication . So apparently some of the better doctors on the planet are in on this shadow conspiracy And that Brian's people are tearing down Mike. I will paraphrase Guitarfool....show me the recent interview or statement from Brian saying anything negative about Mike .
I believe the Beach Boys C50 played 73 dates; I went to 20-25 of them ; I cant remember all of them; all US , except the final two shows in London. Melinda Wilson attended the first 3 , I am certain; she was at the Beacon in NY for two shows there , the Hollywood Bowl and the next night; then she attended the last two nights in London. So she attended roughly a little over 10 per cent of the C50 shows; so the other 88% or so of the C50 tour , who was "controlling" Brian and keeping him from Mike ? Can anybody identify the "controllers" ? There was all sorts of opportunity , every night of that tour for Mike and Brian to get together ; how about at catering , every night...as I said I was at 20-25 of the C50 shows; I was in catering at all of them....so was everyone else in the band and crew....not once did I see Mike and Brian sit together , or for either of them to initiate a dialogue with each other. Their respective dressing rooms were usually adjacent; within 15-20 feet of each other......Melinda Wilson wasn't there , so she wasn't keeping them apart; Jeff Foskett sure as hell wasn't keeping them apart....There was certainly no animosity between them , and ample opportunity to have time together, but it didn't ever happen ; at least not that I saw when I was there. There was even one last opportunity at the end of C50 in London. Brian and Melinda held a thank you dinner for all the band and crew at an Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge. There would have been one final opportunity for Brian and Mike to sit down and talk things out over a bowl of pasta , but unfortunately Mike and Bruce had a prior commitment and couldn't attend.....no "controllers " kept them apart there either.
I don't know what the end game is here for Mike in all these interviews with the constant rehash of Brian's long ago excessive recreational drug use ; is it the interviewer asking the "same old" questions or is it Mike wanting to rehash it ?
If I am in Brian Wilson's chair, I am fed up hearing about my past drug issues, especially as I have not touched a recreational drug in over 35 years;
I am fed up with hearing about how my dead brothers, whom I think about every day, made poor lifestyle choices (drugs, alcohol, cigarettes)which lead to their early deaths ;
I am fed up with hearing about how controlled I am ; first by non existent handlers , and now by medicine prescribed by ,arguably some of the best doctors in the world.
Here is how controlled Brian is.
I had dinner last Wed night with Brian and Melinda up in Beverly Glen. I called Brian and it went something like this: Me : " Hi Brian , how are you ? Brian: "doing ok , how about you ? " Me : "Great ; I am in town , do you want to have dinner tonight ?" Brian:" yeah , great. Where do you want to go ? " Me: " You pick " Brian:" ok , meet me at my house at 5:30 ". The three of us went to dinner in Beverly Glen; nice time. Brian was in good spirits ; we talked about the new album and upcoming tour. All was good. They played me the final mix of "Last Song"; all in all the same kind of evening I have had with him for the last almost 20 years.
My point ? I find it difficult ,if not impossible, to believe that it is easier for me to see Brian Wilson than it is for Mike Love to see him . Mike has the number; 9 times out of 10 , Brian will usually answer. It's just not that complicated.
Whatever happened to the follow-up question? Like this last interview, the statement is made that Brian is being "controlled"...then you ask a follow-up: "Who is controlling him?"...or "What exactly are they controlling?"...
And much like happened here a lot in the past months, someone makes that charge of Brian being controlled, or of Brian's people doing this or that...the simple question is asked: "Who are these people?"...and no one seems to know.
Everyone knows Brian is under control...yet the people controlling him cannot be ID'ed. But there are managers, agents, PR staff, travel staff...the same business structure a touring musician or artist has making certain decisions and handling business the artist doesn't do, including Mike.
Another follow up:
The statement is made that "Brian's people" or a variation thereof are somehow tearing Mike down.
Simple follow-up: "Who is doing this, and where is it being done?"
***Someone please find me an interview or a public statement of recent years where Brian has spoken negatively about Mike.***
And the ultimate follow-up: "Who are your people, Mike?"
And much like happened here a lot in the past months, someone makes that charge of Brian being controlled, or of Brian's people doing this or that...the simple question is asked: "Who are these people?"...and no one seems to know.
Everyone knows Brian is under control...yet the people controlling him cannot be ID'ed. But there are managers, agents, PR staff, travel staff...the same business structure a touring musician or artist has making certain decisions and handling business the artist doesn't do, including Mike.
Another follow up:
The statement is made that "Brian's people" or a variation thereof are somehow tearing Mike down.
Simple follow-up: "Who is doing this, and where is it being done?"
***Someone please find me an interview or a public statement of recent years where Brian has spoken negatively about Mike.***
And the ultimate follow-up: "Who are your people, Mike?"
This is getting so g******n tedious. I finally caved in and read this interview, as I was avoiding it, figuring it was more of the same that we keep getting. But then I read this nugget ; that Brian is controlled; this time by being given prescribed medication . So apparently some of the better doctors on the planet are in on this shadow conspiracy And that Brian's people are tearing down Mike. I will paraphrase Guitarfool....show me the recent interview or statement from Brian saying anything negative about Mike .
I believe the Beach Boys C50 played 73 dates; I went to 20-25 of them ; I cant remember all of them; all US , except the final two shows in London. Melinda Wilson attended the first 3 , I am certain; she was at the Beacon in NY for two shows there , the Hollywood Bowl and the next night; then she attended the last two nights in London. So she attended roughly a little over 10 per cent of the C50 shows; so the other 88% or so of the C50 tour , who was "controlling" Brian and keeping him from Mike ? Can anybody identify the "controllers" ? There was all sorts of opportunity , every night of that tour for Mike and Brian to get together ; how about at catering , every night...as I said I was at 20-25 of the C50 shows; I was in catering at all of them....so was everyone else in the band and crew....not once did I see Mike and Brian sit together , or for either of them to initiate a dialogue with each other. Their respective dressing rooms were usually adjacent; within 15-20 feet of each other......Melinda Wilson wasn't there , so she wasn't keeping them apart; Jeff Foskett sure as hell wasn't keeping them apart....There was certainly no animosity between them , and ample opportunity to have time together, but it didn't ever happen ; at least not that I saw when I was there. There was even one last opportunity at the end of C50 in London. Brian and Melinda held a thank you dinner for all the band and crew at an Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge. There would have been one final opportunity for Brian and Mike to sit down and talk things out over a bowl of pasta , but unfortunately Mike and Bruce had a prior commitment and couldn't attend.....no "controllers " kept them apart there either.
I don't know what the end game is here for Mike in all these interviews with the constant rehash of Brian's long ago excessive recreational drug use ; is it the interviewer asking the "same old" questions or is it Mike wanting to rehash it ?
If I am in Brian Wilson's chair, I am fed up hearing about my past drug issues, especially as I have not touched a recreational drug in over 35 years;
I am fed up with hearing about how my dead brothers, whom I think about every day, made poor lifestyle choices (drugs, alcohol, cigarettes)which lead to their early deaths ;
I am fed up with hearing about how controlled I am ; first by non existent handlers , and now by medicine prescribed by ,arguably some of the best doctors in the world.
Here is how controlled Brian is.
I had dinner last Wed night with Brian and Melinda up in Beverly Glen. I called Brian and it went something like this: Me : " Hi Brian , how are you ? Brian: "doing ok , how about you ? " Me : "Great ; I am in town , do you want to have dinner tonight ?" Brian:" yeah , great. Where do you want to go ? " Me: " You pick " Brian:" ok , meet me at my house at 5:30 ". The three of us went to dinner in Beverly Glen; nice time. Brian was in good spirits ; we talked about the new album and upcoming tour. All was good. They played me the final mix of "Last Song"; all in all the same kind of evening I have had with him for the last almost 20 years.
My point ? I find it difficult ,if not impossible, to believe that it is easier for me to see Brian Wilson than it is for Mike Love to see him . Mike has the number; 9 times out of 10 , Brian will usually answer. It's just not that complicated.
Yup...and if anybody knows Brian, it's Ray.
Ray remains one of Brian's closest friends through today, and he's quite clear that there are no "handlers," that any meds are from Brian's highly-respected doctors, that Mike could pick up the phone and get Brian, just as Ray does. So, since by Mike's and Brian's public accounts, it appears they haven't seen each other since 2012 (at least in any significant way, maybe not at all(, where does Mike get his information about Brian's "Landy-esque" conditions? I doubt he's on the phone to Melinda or Brian's support people on the road, so where does this information come from? He's clearly not on the phone with Brian. Is he listening to gossip from someone with an ax to grind? Or does he just make this up? In any case, it's despicable.