JS : When I spoke with Kool , he talked about being the last man standing out of the original members , and he also talked about how he integrated new members over the years . Obviously , you ’ re an original member of The Beach Boys . When you integrate new touring musicians into a Beach Boys tour , what kind of orientation do they go through ?
ML : The songs are very complex , in terms of the harmonies , and we are obsessed with recreating those harmonies and those chord progressions perfectly . Therefore , a person has to either play the instrumental part or sing that part as close to the original as possible . For instance , we lost Carl over 25 years ago to lung cancer . But obviously , we still want to do “ God Only Knows .” We still want to do the verse of “ Good Vibrations ,” and we still want to do “ Darlin ’,” and some other great songs that he did , like “ Wild Honey .” My son , Christian , has a similar timbre to Carl . Not the same , but similar . And he does “ God Only Knows ” beautifully . So , it ’ s kind of like that . If the person can sing the part and do it , it doesn ’ t have to be identical , but it has to be very close to the original . If it ’ s not broke , don ’ t fix it , right ? I mean , how are you going to improve on “ Good Vibrations ”? It was voted by psychologists in Sheffield , England to be the number one song for making people feel good .
JS : I love the fact that you brought your son into the act . That ’ s very cool that you ’ re touring together , and keeping the family legacy going .
ML : Brian , Dennis , and Carl Wilson are my first cousins . There was never a time in my life when there wasn ’ t music in our family . My grandmother wanted to be a concert pianist , but instead she had eight children that grew up to maturity . But we had cousins and nephews and neighbors and everything . We ’ d get together for birthday parties , Thanksgiving , Christmas , New Year ’ s , and it was always all about music . So yeah , it ’ s just a family tradition . And my son , Christian , is a great singer . My youngest daughter , Ambha , is a fantastic singer . Everybody can sing in the family . I did a Christmas album with four of my kids , so it ’ s really , really fantastic . We used to Christmas carol around the neighborhood with the kids running around , and the parents in a big truck that my dad would bring home from Love Sheet Metal .
JS : I interviewed Judy Collins recently , who just celebrated her 85th birthday in May . I asked her about life , and she gave some great advice . You ’ ve had a long career and an extraordinary life with ups and downs . What ’ s your advice on handling the big waves of highs and lows in life and in the music industry ?
ML : Well , I watched my dad work hard every day at Love Sheet Metal .
FEEL THE LOVE
He would leave early in the morning and work many hours to get the job done , seven days a week . My work ethic came from him . My mom woke us up with her opera music . Music and hard work have always been a part of my life . What I do isn ’ t hard , but there ’ s a lot going on . We have a crew that sets everything up , we do a sound check , and then we perform . We ’ re blessed to do what we love for a lifetime . My mom came from Kansas during the Dust Bowl days in the Great Depression , and they camped on the beach because they had no money . A generation later , we sang songs about that environment and became a worldwide phenomenon . I guess my advice is this : Lifestyle choices are crucial . My cousin Dennis passed away in 1983 because of drugs and alcohol . Carl started smoking young , and it shortened his life . Brian is still alive , but not in great shape . I meditate every day , practicing Transcendental Meditation , which I learned from Maharishi in December 1967 . It gives me energy , clarity , and a deeper level of consciousness that enhances creativity and well-being . JS : Last question – and it ’ s “ fun , fun , fun !” ML : Great ! JS : You ’ re called “ The Beach Boys .” How often do you get to the beach ?
ML : Not as often as I ’ d like , but we do go to the Caribbean quite a bit , and Hawaii . My wife and kids and I spend quite a bit of time in the Caribbean . If we have some shows in Florida , we make sure that we go somewhere in that part of the world and just chill there . I ’ ll sometimes get in the water and do some body surfing . It ’ s been a while since I ’ ve gone surfing , but I ’ m looking to get back into it . Believe it or not , I ’ m 83 years old , and I ’ m still in decent shape , so I ’ m going to force myself to get into it . It ’ s just something that is so healthy to do , and it ’ s such a thrill to catch a wave .
Enjoy some “ Good Vibrations ” with The Beach Boys on August 3 , 2024 at Stratton Mountain Resort . Doors open at 6pm with music from 7pm to 9pm . Concert tickets should be purchased online at stratton . com . Tickets are RFID enabled and can be picked up at Courtyard / Guest Services PUB locations as well as The HUB and Guest Services windows day of concert . Ticket prices are $ 75 in advance /$ 89 day of purchase for Adults ( 11 +) and $ 20 in advance /$ 25 day of purchase for Children ( ages 3-10 ). Kid ’ s 2 & under are free , but must be seen at the ticket window to receive their free ticket .
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