Beach Boys star Mike Love is facing “serious health challenges”, according to actor John Stamos, after a worrying video of the 85-year-old went viral on social media.
Love, one of two surviving original members from the 60s band along with 84-year-old Al Jardine, was shown sitting in a chair on-stage during the band’s latest performance in Cincinnati. He struggled to raise his arms to dance after being helped to walk onto the stage by Stamos. Love occasionally joined in on songs throughout the evening, but his vocals were mainly covered by other band members.
Stamos breaks silence
Stamos, who sometimes performs with the band’s current line-up, confirmed the news in a statement: “I’m boarding a plane to Nashville to play with the Beach Boys at the Ryman Auditorium, struggling to put my feelings into words. My beloved friend, father figure, musical hero and mentor, Mike Love, is facing serious health challenges. We hope he’ll be doing what he loves for years to come, but we don’t know what the future holds. We have tonight.”
He added: “Mike is a fighter. Despite doctors, family and friends urging him to focus on his health, he insists on being on stage. He says he needs his band, the audience, his friends and drummer surrounding him to lift him up.”
Band's recent schedule
The band was previously forced to take a hiatus on their summer tour dates in July to give Love time to “recharge”. They now have a limited schedule of dates still advertised to be going ahead, including November dates at Walt Disney World in Florida and the Hard Rock Hotel in Virginia.
Reflecting on their long association, Stamos said: “I’ve played with Mike for 41 years. I never imagined how deeply it would affect me to see someone larger than life face something so human and fragile. The Mike Love we see tonight may not be exactly the Mike we’ve always known. But he’s still every bit the Mike we love.”
Legacy and final words
Stamos praised Love’s career, noting: “His lyrics, optimism, unforgettable hooks and more than 7,000 concerts have brought joy to generations. What he’s given me personally is immeasurable.”
He concluded: “Tonight, at the Ryman, sharing the stage with Mike, I want to be completely present. Hear every harmony, familiar joke and cheer. Feel that first chord hit and watch age, illness and time disappear. Just a bunch of guys making music together. Maybe the hardest part of loving someone is becoming so accustomed to the miracle of having them there that you forget it’s a miracle at all. Tonight, I won’t forget. I want to cherish every second without feeling those seconds slipping away. That’s what I’m giving him. We don’t know what tomorrow brings. But we have tonight.”
