Archive for June, 2010

“Secret” free gig at Debaser on Wednesday

Miscellaneous, Music: June 30th, 2010 by VT

Christian Love may not be instantly recognizable, but perhaps the name of his father Mike Love’s band might ring a bell.

The Beach Boys are celebrating their 50th anniversary as a band next year. There has been speculation that founding members Brian Wilson and Al Jardine would reunite with the band ahead of the 2011-12 tour season, both among fans and in the media.

Christian is in Sweden right now, both with his band 5 Alarm, which is performing for free at Stockholm’s Debaser Slussen tonight with Japandroids at 8pm, as well as for the Beach Boys’ four dates in Sweden this weekend and later next month.

In a statement on the Beach Boys’ website from June 22nd, Mike Love wrote, “The Beach Boys continue to tour approximately 150 shows a year in multiple countries. At this time there are no plans for my cousin Brian to rejoin the tour.

“…We have had some discussions of writing and possibly recording together, but nothing has been planned. I, as I’m sure he is, am proud and honored that The Beach Boys music has endured these 50 years, but felt the need to clarify that there are no current ‘reunion’ tour plans.”

The major surviving Beach Boys have not performed together since September 1996, but reunited for a public appearance four years ago for the 40th anniversary of the album Pet Sounds.

The current touring lineup includes Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, who joined in 1965, as well as Christian on rhythm guitar. On this leg of their summer season, they will perform at three concerts in Sweden this week before departing for a festival in Spain and return to Västerås the following weekend.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he told The Local. “The concerts will be really good. The shows were very energetic.”

Christian last played in Sweden around the same time last year, both in central Sweden’s Töreboda and northern Sweden’s Piteå. On Tuesday, Christian learned of some Swedish ancestry among the Wilsons and Loves dating back to 1870s through some distant relatives. Christian also has Danish roots.

Ahead of the Beach Boys tour, 5 Alarm, which began 16 years ago, will perform at Debaser. The name was coined by the wife of the drummer, who is also a fireman. In firefighting parlance, a five alarm denotes that five engine companies have been called to respond to an incident.

Unlike his father’s band, Christian’s describes sound as reggae/pop-rock, but the band is firmly rooted to its member’s southern California origins. The band’s first album, Dancing with the Sun, released one and a half years ago, is available on iTunes.

Basketball is another passion in the Love family. Mike Love’s younger brother, Stan Love, was an NBA player, as is his son Kevin. Stan Love was employed as a full-time bodyguard and assistant to Wilson in the mid-1970s and 1980s and filed a petition to be appointed as his conservator in 1990.

As to whether he watches Kevin play in person, “I tried to see him play at UCLA,” Christian told The Local. “I can see him play on TV. It’s too far to see a home game,” as Kevin plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Touring is clearly a family affair, with Mike Love’s wife and Christian younger sister joining them for their Sweden dates. Having already done some sightseeing and “walking around” on Tuesday, they are ready for their upcoming shows.

There may also be a special surprise appearance at 5 Alive’s free gig. As it turns out, Matt Volsky, brother of The Local’s Dana Wikström and current Stockholm resident, is a (former) member of the band.

Beach Boys 2010 Swedish Tour

Thursday: Kungälv, Bohus fästning
Friday: Karlstad, Mariebergsskogen
Saturday: Målilla, G&B Arena
July 10: Västerås, Power Big Meet