Yeah, it's a travesty. No group without a Wilson brother in it can be The Beach Boys. No matter how many versions of Bruce Johnston they can come up with.
Speedy - Thank you. That is exactly the way I phrased it when someone asked if I wanted to go see the Beach Boys: "Not unless a Wilson brother is on the stage."
I hope the court b*&^hslaps Mike Love for this. Brian waged a very, very expensive battle back in the early 90's to get better compensation for the rights to his songs that his abusive father sold off for peanuts in the early 1970's. After it was over and Brian won, Mike Love, POS Extr'ordinaire, sued BRIAN to get money owed him (rather than stand with Brian in the initial lawsuit).
Love probably SERIOUSLY needs the money. The gigs are falling off. Wait'll they start parading Van Dyke Parks, Andy Paley, and the rest of the talent that tried to put SMiLE out back in the 60's to the witness stand and they start talking about Mike Love's serious objection to it. Van Dyke Parks' testimony ALONE would be worth the price of admission.
Best line I ever heard about Mike Love: "He should get on his knees every night and thank Brian Wilson, because he gave him a job that no one else would have: singing in a band."