It may be September, but it's still an endless summer for some folks. While Brian Wilson and company have been dazzling summer concert goers with his live version of Smile, Mike Love and The Beach Boys were, and are still, out on the road doing what Love has been doing since 1961.

Love is the only original Beach Boy in the band, but Bruce Johnston, who joined way back in 64, is still present. Some purists have a problem with Mike being out there with a group called The Beach Boys since he is the only original left in the band but hey, it's no different from The Temptations or The Four Tops, who both currently tour with only one original member. It would be another story if somewhere along the way The Beach Boys ceased to exist and Mike started the group up again with all these different guys, but that didn't happen. If you check out their history you'll see that this lineup is what the group evolved into over the course of many years. A lot has happened since 1961; Carl and Dennis Wilson passed away and Brian and Al Jardine left the band. Can you fault Mike Love for keeping it going? They are nothing short of sensational live. They not only recreate the hits perfectly, they also capture the Fun, Fun, Fun spirit of the Beach Boys. It's 2005 and they are The Beach Boys! I imagine it would be nice – not to mention a huge money maker – if Brian and Al decided to join Mike and Bruce for a tour, but until that time you can't fault Mike Love for being on the road doing Beach Boys tunes. Brian and Al are doing the same thing.
I guess some people are just controversial and Mike has fallen into that category for years. Just the other day there was an article in The New York Daily News by Phil Roura where Love commented, "…of all the genres of music from the 60's, only The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and Motown remains tremendously popular today." When he was reminded that The Rolling Stones were currently on a sold out tour he said, "They're a great band but musically speaking, their arrangements can't compare to The Beatles arrangements and Brian Wilson's ability to arrange the hits he did." We love you Mike, and you certainly are entitled to your opinions, but after reading that, I had to wonder if, maybe, you've been out in the sun a little too long. 44 years as a Beach Boy seems to have messed with your mind a little, but, like I said, we love you.

The Stones, who now consist of three original members, Mick, Keith, and Charlie, plus the Bruce Johnston of their band, Ronnie Wood, are on the road once again and from all reports kicking butt. The point is, we've arrived at the juncture in the history of rock where, like blues and jazz, we now have some elder statesmen out there, and they said it would never last. Hard to believe that both The Stones and The Beach Boys are now over 40 years old.

Speaking about the passage of time, this month all of us here at the site are celebrating our first anniversary online, so thanks for your continued support and keep on rockin'!


   

1967 - The Doors were banned from The Ed Sullivan Show after Jim Morrison sung the words "Girl we couldn't get much higher." The show's producers had warned him not to sing it.

1978 - Keith Moon, original drummer of The Who, died of a drug overdose 9/7/78.

1981 - Simon & Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York's Central Park 11 years after they initially split up.

1991 - The new Guns 'N Roses releases, Use Your Illusion II and Use Your Illusion I debuted on the U.S charts at numbers 1 and 2 respectively.

1995 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in Cleveland, Ohio.

What's new this month . . .

Features:
A special article on The Epitaph Summer Nationals including a photo gallery of the bands that performed at the 1997 event, plus:

Concert Reviews:
A Tribute To Mike Smith (formerly of the Dave Clark Five) – BB King Blues Club, NYC / Mötley Crüe – Jones Beach Amphitheater, NY / Gogel Bordello, Throw Rag, Flogging Molly – House Of Blues, Atlantic City, NJ including a photo gallery of all 3 bands

CD Reviews:
State Of Discontent - The Unseen / The Warrior's Code - Dropkick Murphys / Out Of Exile - Audioslave / Commit This To Memory - Motion City Soundtrack / Prince of Darkness - Ozzy Osbourne (4-CD Box Set) / Detonator - D-Day 4-Ever

Slew-O-Reviews:
A new feature to the site for mini-reviews: Lonely Starts and Broken Hearts - Left Alone / Death For Life - Death By Stereo / Welcome to the World of . . . Orange - Orange / Van's Triple Crown of Surfing - Various Artists / Djibi - Mamadou

DVD Reviews:
Give 'Em The Boot - A Film by Tim Armstrong / Live from Bonnaroo 2004

Also, The Runaways and Soundgarden have been added to our ever popular and increasingly expanding Best of the Best section.
 
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