Good Vibrations

by Mike Love

Mike Love’s Good Vibrations is his story of his life as one of the founders of the Beach Boys, a band best known for classics like Good Vibrations, Surfin’ USA, and Help Me Rhonda. Most people’s impression is that they are a fun-loving, goofy band. And a lot of the time, they are!

For people who dig a little deeper into the history of the band, though, they know that while the music was fun, their personal lives were a lot more complicated: Brian Wilson suffered from serious mental illness, Dennis Wilson was taken advantage of by Charles Manson, and the whole family was in an abusive family situation with the Wilsons’ father. These complications made the band’s internal situation especially complicated: Mike Love didn’t always appreciate the musical direction of the band. He wanted hit after hit, and he believed that the formula worked. Write surf songs. Get on the charts. Make money. Live the rock n’ roll lifestyle. Ignore all those other issues for the sake of a hit.

All this paints an ugly picture of the man: Love knows how many of his statements and behaviours are on the public record, including a rant at the Beach Boys’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when he bad-mouthed a whole series of rock legends and stars. He sued Brian Wilson for control of the band and tried to get a larger financial stake from Wilson’s rights to the music he wrote. Mike Love claims everything he has said and done was out of Love for his family, about his deep respect for Brian and was only trying to protect him from himself.

Good Vibrations is a fascinating look at a man trying to reclaim his reputation. Mike Love doesn’t really come across as a sympathetic figure, even in his own words. As much as he knows that no one seems to respect him that much, he doesn’t seem to really understand why he comes across as the villain in the Beach Boys’ story, as a man who resisted the band’s efforts to grow and move ahead of the times.

Every Note Played

 by Lisa Genova

Every Note Played is the latest novel from Lisa Genova, neuroscientist turned bestselling author of titles such as Still Alice and Love, Anthony, stories that deal with early onset Alzheimer’s and parental loss and grief.  This latest gem goes inside ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, as we follow the decline of Richard who has been recently diagnosed with the illness. 

Richard is a renowned concert pianist and this diagnosis signals the end of his career and life as he knows it. His career defines him; it is his life, his reason for living. We meet Richard living with the loss of his right hand, the cancellation of his upcoming tour and his attempts at finding left-hand piano pieces. While mostly in denial about the progression of the disease, he knows it is only a matter of time before his left hand will also become paralyzed. As the disease moves through his body, he will have to come to grips with his loss of the piano, his livelihood and the ability to care for himself.

Karina is Richard’s ex-wife. It has been three years since Richard moved out, but she dwells on the past and has not moved on with her life. She blames Richard for the life she has, having given up on becoming a successful concert pianist in her own right, to support him in his career. She spends her days teaching piano and hiding behind the blame instead of pursuing her dream.

As Richard’s disease advances, Karina becomes his caregiver, eventually moving him back into their family home. Their sharing of the same home again brings up many of the past conflicts that neither of them has resolved. Richard’s deteriorating health becomes a ticking clock for Karina and Richard to reconcile the past before it is too late.

This story delves into the human side of ALS and how it affects those afflicted, not only the disease ridden Richard, but those around him who care for and about him. As a neuroscientist, Genova has a deep knowledge of the things she writes about. She creates real characters in real situations and does not gloss over the nasty bits. Whether you love them or hate them, the reader genuinely feels for the characters and is right there with them as they deal with their lot.