Pray For Surf: Some Thoughts from my read of Mike's "Life as a Beach Boy"

I welcome, new Beach Boys content, and this is no exception. A full retrospective by an original Beach Boy! The task ahead is for fans and journalists to discern the veracity of Mike's recollections and assertions (so, he is just now claiming he was a surfing partner of Dennis when Surfin' was being recorded?).
Interesting to find out missing pieces of Mike's life, his family, even his failures in marriage, He goes into great detail telling his perspective of the chronology leading up to and though the suits regarding his lack of credit his experience, for example, during the
As a Jesus follower, I was glad to read how their family honored the savior born on Christmas Day. But, Maharishi and Transcendental Meditation receive much more attention and appear to be the focus of his faith.

MAD

I get angry when Mike-haters cannot distinguish between legitimate critical analysis and presuppositional uninformed opinion. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but mean-spirited, slanderous adjectives are not evidence of a correct nor accurate viewpoint. They reflect more on the typist than the person of whom they consider themselves so highly superior.
Having experienced the self-destructive episodes of Beach Boys history in real time (through news reports back in the day), it was no fun, even difficult at times, reliving the Capiiol Records lawsuit, the Monterey Festival decision, the evil Manson Family, empty concert venues, Dennis' downward spiral, Carl's draft difficulties ...

SAD

As much as listening to Beach Boy songs brings my joy and reading about their amazing musical victories makes me proud to be one of their vocal fans, reliving episode-after-episode of their fighting in the long history of the Beach Boys, best described as:

Neither Mike's dad nor Murry WIison won any father-of-the-year awards. And it seems "the sins of the father passed on to future generations" (biblica reference) as Mike and his brothers, and the brothers Wilson had both intra and inter family problems. Distance. Disagreement. Discord.

BAD

Mike is often criticized for making every story or circumstance about him, and that is certainly evidenced in a 400+ page book he has written about himself, but I was often surprised (pleased) when he also revealed his personal weaknesses and mistakes. At one point regretting how his mother, though proud of the Bach Boys, was disappointed in his personal life.
Early in the book, he cops to having "sarcastic" humor, which, in my opinion, has been a constant stone in Brian's shoe, causing Brian to reel from the pain of Mike's "joking" comments and miss the (supposedly) well intended message. While "Cassius" Love vs "Sonny" Wilson was meant to be Beach Boys humor on their Shut Down Volume 2 album (a filler cut), their seven decade relationship proves the (friendly?) competition to be painfully accurate.

"Hi, this is Al. This scene takes place at a typical beach boys practice session. We're in the midst of preparing for an upcoming show when a feud breaks out between Brian and Mike... "

Mikes use of alcohol and drugs was way beyond the image he portrayed over the years, especially as he decried the use of drugs by the Wilson brothers. His sexual infidelity ("dalliances") is presented as a decades long obsession, and often boasted about.

==> AGREE/DISAGREE

The story of the Beach Boys is like a California-blond version of Amadeus, with Brian Wilson as Mozart and Mike Love as Salieri–except that Salieri had talent. Love’s new memoir, Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy, seeks to prove his essential artistry and so recaps Wilson’s studio triumphs with detailed notes on how Love saved the day with an apt couplet or, in his finest moment, the lyrics to “Good Vibrations.” Love aches to be seen as a good guy with rough edges smoothed by Transcendental Meditation, but bitterness betrays him, from his toxic speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to a Rolling Stone interview earlier this year. He’s the guy who got the girls, co-wrote the Wilson-less No. 1 hit “Kokomo,” sued for millions in royalties and won rights to the Beach Boys name. Yet the notion that Wilson is a genius and he merely a journeyman gnaws deeply. Love’s most enduring scores are the ones this book is out to settle.

–I.G. This appears in the October 10, 2016 issue of TIME.

"Perhaps life has taught Mike a few things at this point, and being a fair (and old) man myself, I applaud his acting the same way."

Pray For Surf