A Sunny Reunion
Beach Boys
Fun, Fun, Fun
After decades of family tragedies, legal
squabbles, and personal setbacks, the Beach Boys are once
again pickin’ up good vibrations. Led by founding members Brian Wilson, 70,
Wilson’s cousin Mike Love, 71, and high school pal Al Jardine, 69, the band has
embarked on a 50th-anniversary tour and recorded songs for an album due out
in June. (The other original members, Wilson’s brothers, Dennis and Carl, died
in 1983 and 1998, respectively.) “It’s such a special milestone—it made sense to
get together,” says Love. He and Wilson spoke to AARP The Magazine about
music, memories, and the renewed wave of popularity they’re riding today.
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: ROBERT MATHEU; MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
Q: How did the reunion come
about?
Love: We basically got together
and did a rerecord of Do It Again,
and Brian said, “Hey, how can a
70-year-old sound that great?”
Q: What did it feel like being back
together in the studio?
Love: It was just like old times. Brian
would sit at the piano and deal out
the parts. It sounds like 1965 again.
Wilson: It’s a real thrill for me.
It’s great to see the guys again.
Love: It brought back memories. We’ve
had some sad losses in our family,
but there’s a lot to be thankful for.
Q: How would you describe the
new material?
Wilson: Most of it is very mellow
music. We haven’t gotten into the
hard rock yet, but we might!
Q: Why do you think your music
is still popular after 50 years?
Love: I think the harmonies are our
special ingredient. Someone recently told me he was going to bring his
grandkids to our Hollywood Bowl
show. He said, “I want them to see
and hear what I’ve loved all my
life.” It’s pretty neat that our music
transcends generations.
—Fannie Weinstein
