Earlier this year, Beach Boys songwriter and founding member Brian Wilson publicly urged fans to boycott the band - or more specifically, Mike Love's version of the band - as they played a trophy hunting convention.
His fellow founding member (and cousin) Mike Love officially owns the rights to (and tours under) the band name 'The Beach Boys', while Wilson and guitarist Al Jardine split off into their own touring unit in recent years.
However, Wilson and Jardine are still not happy about what Love is doing to the band's legacy and now have publicly denounced him for playing a campaign benefit gig for Donald Trump at the weekend.
"We have absolutely nothing to do with the Trump benefit today in Newport Beach. Zero,” they told Variety. "We didn’t even know about it and were very surprised to read about it in the Los Angeles Times.”
Tickets for the gig at Newport Beach ranged from $2,800 per donor to a gobsmacking $150,000 a couple for co-chair status with the band.
Social media was quick to point out the difference between The Beach Boys and Mike Love's version of the band...
Dear World,
The Beach Boys are *NOT* playing for Donald Trump today.
Mike Love and his pickup garage band are playing.
Brian Wilson, the ONLY genius leader of the REAL Beach Boys has CONDEMNED Trump and this type of fake $$$ sellout concert BS.— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) October 18, 2020
If Brian Wilson and Al Jardine aren't gonna be there (they aren't), Trump isn't going to a Beach Boys concert. He's going to a Mike Love concert. https://t.co/vHqZWs8FER
— Allie Goertz (@AllieGoertz) October 18, 2020
Let’s be clear, this isn’t The Beach Boys. This is just Mike Love. Brian Wilson was the genius behind The Beach Boys, and he has repeatedly denounced them for performing at past Trump gigs. He won’t be there for this. pic.twitter.com/VeOIYC4t7A
— Aurora Dawn 🐝 🌻 (@AuroraO83) October 18, 2020
Brian Wilson -- heart and soul of The Beach Boys, one of the greatest pop composers of all-time, is the only reason anyone knows about The Beach Boys. Does not support Trump.
Mike Love -- Wilson's toolbag cousin who's been riding on his coattails forever + supports Trump.— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) October 18, 2020
I love how the Real Beach Boys had to come out and make a statement that the Fake Beach Boys were playing at the Trump Fundraiser.
— Laura Topliffe (@TheTopLife) October 19, 2020
Y’all beach boys is not performing at the trump rally, it’s fucking mike the shittiest member of The Beach Boys. He has the rights to the band even though he put basically nothing into the band. Brian wilson would never, fuck mike, piece of shit.
— f (@ceoofgoth) October 18, 2020
