Mike Love & The Beach Boys

That Love would continue under the “Beach Boys” moniker probably wasn’t news to anyone who has followed the various paths original members Wilson, Al Jardine and Love have followed since the group’s original 1960s incarnation. Love’s Beach Boys, which includes Bruce Johnston, has been a regular presence in the touring world, a situation that was expected to continue long after the reunion trek played its last date.

Now Love has penned a rebuttal to all those reports claiming turmoil in the group and that he had “fired” Wilson and Jardine. Writing in today’s Los Angeles Times, Love said he “wanted to set the record straight on the recent stories regarding the family” he loves and the music that has been a major part of his life for 50 years.

“This tour was always envisioned as a limited run,” Love wrote. “None of us wanted to do a 50th anniversary tour that lasted 10 years. It was meant to be special. In fact, very early on, Brian was just going to join the tour for a few dates in big cities. We finally settled on 50 dates in 50 major markets.

“Brian, Al and I signed an agreement outlining the beginning and end of the tour. Then, thanks to glowing reviews, the support of our local fans (and the prodding of promoters), we amended our agreement to add 25 more dates. As the year went on, Brian and Al wanted to keep the 50th anniversary tour going beyond the 75 dates.

“Like any good party, no one wanted it to end. However, that was impossible, given that we had already set up shows in smaller cities with a different configuration of the band – the configuration that had been touring together every year for the last 13 years. Brian and Al would not be joining for these small market dates, as was long agreed on.”

Love’s message continues, explaining that it wouldn’t be “feasible, both logistically and economically” for the reunion tour to play the smaller markets. He also said there was originally going to be some space between the reunion tour and his own touring plans, but when 25 dates were added to the reunion outing “the two tours bumped up against each other.”

“To avoid public confusion, and at the request of Brian’s representative, we had a press release sent out detailing the differences between the two Beach Boys tours and its varying lineups,” Love wrote. “I was surprised that Brian and Al said they were surprised by this announcement. Some media outlets interpreted all of this as me firing the band.

“The plan was always to go back to our respective lives post the 50th anniversary run. Brian is writing a new album. Al often tours with his band – they are terrific. And my job hasn’t changed in 50 years. I’m the lead singer of the Beach Boys and an ambassador of this amazing music that touched a generation.”

Love barely missed any time getting his own Beach Boys on the road. Upcoming shows include tonight’s gig in Waco, Texas, at the Extraco Events Center; an appearance at the “Firefest” in Austin Texas, Oct. 6 and two nights in Biloxi, Miss., at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Oct. 12-13, as Love’s endless summer keeps on catching that wave.