The top names never change when it comes to determining the best rock and pop artists in history. Only the final ranking is up for debate.
The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones 鈥 thatsa国际传媒 the final four, no matter the metrics being used. Where things get interesting is the occupants of spots five through 10, which often include everyone from Michael Jackson and Led Zeppelin to Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. But one thing is for certain: if The Beach Boys aren鈥檛 in the conversation, such a list has no business being published.
Though its motivation to make new music has long since disappeared, the California band remains an ongoing entity, thanks to a revolving door of lineup changes. More than 60 members have passed through the ranks of The Beach Boys since 1962, but as long as one or two original members are in the group, fans will always assemble to hear their never-ending stream of hits.
The one member present since the beginning is co-founder Mike Love, who was granted the legal rights to tour under The Beach Boys name in 1998. Hesa国际传媒 currently leading a version of the group that features Bruce Johnston, who joined two Wilson brothers 鈥 Dennis and Carl 鈥 cousin Love, and friend Al Jardine during the bandsa国际传媒 peak in 1965. Johnston (who was effectively the replacement for Brian Wilson) eventually left the group in 1972, but has been back in the lineup since 1978, and is now the most tenured Beach Boy behind Love.
Over the decades, hit singles kept coming and audiences kept buying them, so the band’s long-term viability wasn’t something Love fretted about, he told during a recent interview.
鈥淚 never looked that far in advance,鈥 Love, said who turned 84 on March 15. 鈥淲e were just going day by day, and the record company Capital Records would be saying, we need a new album, we need a new album.鈥
He may not have planned for a cross-Canada tour in 2025, either, but thatsa国际传媒 where the band finds itself today 鈥 on the cusp of Endless Summer Gold, a 12-stop cross-country run that opens tonight in Victoria and winds down April 5 in Sudbury, Ontario. The performance tonight will be the first by The Beach Boys in Victorial since Nov. 10, 2016, when Love and Co. performed at the Royal Theatre.
That date took place just two days after the 2016 U.S. presidential election, which Donald Trump won.
Love is a longtime friend and avowed supporter of the divisive U.S. president, and The Beach Boys have performed for Trump at a variety of his events, including as recently as December at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The gestures Love has made in support of Trump have been denounced by Brian Wilson and Jardine, who remain shareholders and directors (along with Love and the estate of Carl Wilson) in Brother Records, Inc. a holding company and record label that owns the intellectual property rights of The Beach Boys. Wilson and Jardine have not performed with Love and Johnston since a one-off 2012 reunion tour, and have been publicly opposed to Love and The Beach Boys performing at charity and campaign fundraisers benefiting Trump and his son, Donald Jr.
鈥淚 understand there are so many factions and fractious things going on 鈥 the chips will fall where they may,鈥 Love told Britainsa国际传媒 Uncut magazine during an interview, in defence of his friendship with the fractious politician.
鈥淏ut Donald Trump has never been anything but kind to us. We have known him for many a year. We鈥檝e performed at some of his venues at fundraisers and so on.鈥
The Beach Boys鈥 current lineup includes Lovesa国际传媒 son, Christian, who handles lead vocals in concert on God Only Knows, a song that was named by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to its list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.
It was one of five entries by The Beach Boys, joining Don鈥檛 Worry Baby, California Girls, Good Vibrations, and Surfin鈥 U.S.A.
Love said the bandsa国际传媒 two-hour set list for the Canadian tour will include the aforementioned hits, along with a clutch of surf songs (Catch a Wave, Surfin鈥 Safari, Surfin鈥 USA, Surfer Girl), car songs (Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Shut Down, I Get Around, Fun, Fun, Fun) and the inimitable No.1 smash from from 1988, Kokomo, the last Top 40 hit of the bandsa国际传媒 career.
Love is cited as the chief lyricist of The Beach Boys, and in June will be inducted into the 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Itsa国际传媒 a well-earned achievement: Over the course of their record-setting career, Love and the band put 37 songs into the Top 40 of the Billboard pop charts, the most ever by an American band. His role was a pivotal one in the group, and while it is Brian Wilson who receives the most acclaim, Lovesa国际传媒 legacy as a musician was ensconced long ago.
His abilities as a showman are top-notch, too. 鈥淲ell, in the final analysis, whatever could be said, the love between us is what itsa国际传媒 all about,鈥 Love told Goldmine magazine during a recent interview.
鈥淎 Beach Boys concert helps us get through what we have to get through. I call it a sonic oasis. Itsa国际传媒 a way to get away from all the problems of the world and have you feel some joy in life. Thatsa国际传媒 always been my focus, to accentuate the positive.鈥
--
The Beach Boys play at sa国际传媒’s Prospera Place on Monday. Visit:
