Mike Love, the enduring voice of the Beach Boys, has a unique perspective on the band’s storied past. At 82, Love continues to keep the spirit of the Beach Boys alive, performing over 150 shows annually. Reflecting on the band’s early days, Love recalls the formation of the Beach Boys in 1961 with his cousins, the Wilson brothers—Brian, Carl, and Dennis—and their friend Al Jardine.
In the beginning, their music captured the carefree essence of Southern California. Songs about surfing, cars, and youthful adventures resonated with audiences and have stood the test of time. “We realized back then that not everybody had an ocean,” Love says. “So we did songs about cars which we lusted after or fantasized about.”
The Beach Boys’ music has a timeless appeal, with hits like “Fun Fun Fun,” “Surfing USA,” and “I Get Around” still popular today. These songs have been featured in contemporary movies, keeping the band’s legacy alive for new generations. Love attributes their lasting popularity to the lyrical innocence and distinctive harmonies that define their sound.
However, the band’s journey wasn’t always smooth. Internal conflicts, legal battles, and personal struggles marked their path. Love, who co-wrote many early hits with Brian Wilson, often found himself at odds with Wilson’s more experimental musical direction. Despite these challenges, Love’s commitment to the band’s original sound never wavered.
Love’s legal battles for songwriting credits in the late ’90s cast him in a controversial light. “My uncle Murry deleted my name from the credits on ‘California Girls,’ ‘Help Me Rhonda,’ ‘Surfing USA,’ and ‘I Get Around,'” Love explains. “Eventually, I had to go to court, and I did prevail and got credit on several of those songs.”
Despite the legal disputes, Love and Wilson occasionally reconnect. “Brian and I have a chemistry,” Love says. “Were we to get together to write or perform, there would be no problem.”
In his personal life, Love is far from the litigious figure he’s often portrayed as. He is active in environmental and humanitarian causes, having donated $100,000 to the Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina. The Beach Boys frequently perform charity shows, and Love continues to practice meditation, a habit he picked up from the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968.
Love’s passion for music extends to his family. His son Brian Love is a founding partner in Club Kokomo Spirits, a brand that offers award-winning rum and gin-based cocktails. “This is a family-owned brand,” Brian Love says. “We’re in charge of pretty much everything, soup to nuts.”
Reflecting on his career, Love cherishes the experiences and lessons learned on the road. “We wanted to have them experience, not only just the music, the road, and performing,” Love says. His son Brian recalls being homeschooled while touring with the band, selling autographs to fans for spending money.
Traveling has always been a significant part of the Love family’s life. “One year, we went to Bali for Christmas,” Love recalls. “We had a little Christmas tree that wasn’t very pine-looking, but it was fantastic.”
Brian Love credits his father for instilling a love of travel and culture. “Just having an open-mindedness to culture, and really like being able to dive in,” Brian says. He has traveled extensively, capturing stunning landscapes through his photography.
Mike Love’s favorite places to perform include iconic venues like the Royal Albert Hall in London and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. “The main thing is the people,” Love says. “I once sat next to the U.S. ambassador from Algeria, and he said, ‘You have no idea how much your music has meant to all of us around the world.'”
When asked about his favorite Beach Boys song to perform, Love finds it hard to choose. “It’s ‘Fun, Fun, Fun,’ ‘I Get Around,’ ‘Surfing USA,’ ‘Be True to Your School,’ ‘Kokomo,’ ‘Good Vibrations,’ ‘God Only Knows,’ ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice,'” he says. “I don’t have a favorite because it has to do with your mood.”
Love’s legacy is one of enduring music and family values. “I want to contribute to the creation of world peace through doing concerts in the name of world peace,” he says. As the Beach Boys continue to tour, Love’s commitment to their music and message remains unwavering.
