Mike Love facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Love
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Love performing in 2022
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| Birth name | Michael Edward Love |
| Born | March 15, 1941 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Origin | Hawthorne, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1961–present |
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Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter. He is a founding member and one of the lead singers of the famous rock band the Beach Boys. He started the band with his cousins Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Carl Wilson, along with their friend Al Jardine.
Love is the only member who has been with the band since the very beginning. He is known for his unique nasal singing voice and sometimes sings in a lower range. For many years, he has been the frontman for the band's live shows.
In the mid-1960s, Love worked closely with his cousin Brian Wilson to write lyrics for some of the band's biggest hits. These include "Fun, Fun, Fun" (1964), "I Get Around" (1964), and "California Girls" (1965). He also helped write the famous song "Good Vibrations" (1966).
His lyrics were often about the fun youth culture of California, including surfing, cars, and romance. This helped create the popular idea of the "California Dream." In the 1990s, Love went to court to get official credit for helping write 35 songs, which he won. After Carl Wilson passed away in 1998, Love was given the exclusive license to tour with a band under the Beach Boys' name.
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Early Life and Family
Michael Edward Love was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 15, 1941. He was the oldest of six children. His mother, Glee, was the sister of Murry Wilson, the father of Brian, Dennis, and Carl. This made Mike and the Wilson brothers first cousins.
His family was close with the Wilsons and often had get-togethers. During these family gatherings, especially at Christmas, Love would sing with his cousins. Guided by Brian Wilson, they practiced singing harmonies together. This was the beginning of the Beach Boys' unique sound.
At first, their only instrument was Brian's piano. Soon, Brian's college friend Al Jardine and his younger brother Carl Wilson joined in on guitar. After high school, Love wasn't sure what career to follow. He worked at a gas station and for his father's company for a short time before the band formed.
Music Career with The Beach Boys
How the Band Started
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When the Beach Boys first started as a garage band, Love played the saxophone. He quickly became one of the main lyricists, working with Brian Wilson to write the band's original songs. Love was inspired by the storytelling in Chuck Berry's songs. He said, "I was always into poetry."
Love also helped create the band's vocal arrangements. He was a big fan of doo-wop music and influenced Brian to listen to Black R&B artists. This added a "funkier" sound to their music and helped shape their style.
Changing Music and New Ideas
In 1964, Brian Wilson wanted to move the band's music beyond just surfing songs. Love supported this change. He once said his favorite Beach Boys album was Pet Sounds (1966) because of its beautiful orchestrations and emotional themes.
However, there were reports that Love was worried about the band's new, more experimental music, like the album Smile. He has said these stories are not entirely true. He explained that he always wanted the band to make music that would be successful and popular.
Brian Wilson himself said that Love's concerns were not the reason the Smile project was stopped. Over the years, some people have blamed Love for the album not being finished, but others involved have said this story was misunderstood.
Learning Transcendental Meditation
In late 1967, Love discovered Transcendental Meditation (TM), a type of meditation made popular by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The Beatles had also started practicing it. In 1968, Love traveled to Rishikesh, India, to study with the Maharishi. The Beatles were there at the same time.
Love said he even helped Paul McCartney with the lyrics for the song "Back in the U.S.S.R." while they were in India. This experience with TM influenced Love's later songwriting, which sometimes included themes of meditation and spirituality. He became a TM teacher in 1972.
Solo Work and "Kokomo"
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In the 1970s, Love wrote several songs for the Beach Boys on his own. He also started a band called Celebration, which had a hit song called "Almost Summer." In 1981, he released his first solo album, Looking Back with Love.
In 1988, the Beach Boys had a huge number 1 hit with the song "Kokomo". It was the band's only number 1 single that was made without Brian Wilson's involvement. Love co-wrote the song and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Grammy Award for it. That same year, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beach Boys.
Later Years and Touring
After Carl Wilson passed away in 1998, Love continued to tour with a new lineup under the name the Beach Boys. He and the band's corporation, Brother Records, Inc., made an agreement that gave him the exclusive right to use the band's name for touring.
In 2012, Love reunited with Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, and other original members for a 50th-anniversary tour and a new album, That's Why God Made the Radio. After the tour ended, Love and musician Bruce Johnston continued to tour as the Beach Boys, while the other members did not.
Love published his autobiography, Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy, in 2016. He said he wrote it to correct what he felt were inaccurate stories about him. He has released several solo albums in recent years, including Unleash the Love (2017) and Reason for the Season (2018).
Personal Life
Family and Lifestyle
Love has been married to Jacquelyne Piesen since 1994. He has eight children from his five marriages. He lives in Incline Village, Nevada, near Lake Tahoe.
Love is a vegetarian and continues to practice Transcendental Meditation. His brother, Stan Love, was a professional basketball player in the NBA. His nephew, Kevin Love, is also a famous NBA player.
Political Views and Charity Work
Love has been friends with political figures like Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump. In 2020, his touring version of the Beach Boys performed at a fundraiser for Trump's re-election campaign. This caused some disagreement, as Brian Wilson and Al Jardine stated they had nothing to do with the event. Love has said that being friends with someone doesn't mean you agree with all of their views.
Love is also a strong supporter of environmental causes and other charities. He helped create the Love Foundation, which supports environmental and educational projects. He has helped raise millions of dollars for different causes, including disaster relief, juvenile diabetes research, and schools.
Discography
Studio albums
- 1981: Looking Back with Love
- 2017: Unleash the Love
- 2018: Reason for the Season
- 2019: 12 Sides of Summer
- 2023: Mike Love, Not War
With Celebration
- 1978: Almost Summer
- 1979: Celebration
- 1979: Disco Celebration
Images for kids
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Love at an Earth Day conference in 2001.
