Al Jardine has offered his first comments on the state of the Beach Boys in the shadow of Mike Love’s ongoing health problems.
Love and Jardine were co-founding members of the Beach Boys and were bandmates for over 35 years. The two had a falling out in the late ‘90s due to a battle over the group’s name. Since then, Love has continued to tour with the Beach Boys while Jardine has performed under various other monikers, including his current group, the Pet Sounds Band.
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More recently, Love canceled a run of Beach Boys performances due to ongoing health struggles. He returned to the stage for a performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Oct. 11, but was visibly frail and only able to sing backing vocals.
Al Jardine Reacts to Mike Love Health Decline: ‘It’s Shocking’
In a recent conversation with Rolling Stone, Jardine admitted it was difficult to see his former bandmate in such a condition.
“It’s shocking and I was really depressed,” he confessed. “I had to really shake myself out of it just to get onstage [that night]. Just the optics of it were just awful and I’m speechless.”
“Obviously, he’s a total pro,” Jardine continued. “He wants to be onstage, but he just doesn’t know how not to do it. He doesn’t know what else to do, so I think he’s trapped.”
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Love is the only classic Beach Boys member currently touring under the group’s famous name. Asked if he could envision the band one day continuing without Love, Jardine was forthright.
“I think the brand will go on and on and on,” he noted. “I don’t know about performing. Performance-wise, I haven’t a clue what would happen. We’ll find out. I don’t know if I want to be called the Beach Boys or not. But if it made sense, if there was some sense to tie that into the Pet Sounds Band name. It’s hard to get all those words. But if there’s a way to combine the bands in a way that made sense, that might fly.”
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On the same night Love was back onstage in Nashville, Jardine reunited with some other former Beach Boys – Bruce Johnston and David Marks – during his performance in Southern California. Could that lineup continue as the Beach Boys if Love retired? Jardine admitted he’d “be honored,” but added: “I don’t know if I can get my buddies, the other Beach Boys, to come out at every show though.”
Still, Jardine noted that he may not be the one who is eventually handed the Beach Boys torch – a possibility he’s at peace with. Instead, he believes the focus should be on Love getting well.
“I think he needs to repair himself,” Jardine remarked, admitting that was easier said than done. “What we do is sing. That’s our job. That’s what we do. We sing, we’re professionals, and you can’t do that in his condition now. So I would think at some point, he’ll… He’s probably trying to pass the torch, is what I’m thinking. We’ve never really talked about it, but that’s what it feels like. Maybe to his son. And him being there is a symbol.”
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Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
