LA JOLLA LIGHT – SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
by Maria Jose Duran
A line of rock ‘n’ roll fans waited outside Warwick’s bookstore Friday, Sept. 23 to meet musician Mike Love and have him sign copies of his new book, “Good Vibrations, My Life as a Beach Boy.” Before the event, La Jolla Light got the chance to spend a few minutes with the singer/songwriter to see if he has any memories of the Village.
When was the first time you came to La Jolla?
“With my parents, on the way to Ensenada. We went there every other weekend, cruising down the coast in our trailer, and La Jolla being the beautiful spot on Earth that it is, it was one of our favorite places to have lunch.”
You mention La Jolla in “Surfin’ USA.” How did you come up with that verse?
“I did mention it, didn’t I? I thought surfing was ‘All over La Jolla; At Wa’imea Bay,’ (quoting the song). I combined La Jolla with Hawaii, because I thought there were similarities there.”
What’s your opinion of our Village?
“I love it, other than the traffic, it’s one of the most beautiful spots one could go. There’s Carmel, and then there’s La Jolla. It’s a beautiful enclave of Californiana.”
Did you ever surf in La Jolla?
“We were South Bay-based surfers, meaning Hermosa, Manhattan, Redondo, those areas … although we would take an occasional ‘surf safari’ and go south, probably here or at Swami’s (Encinitas).”
Do you still surf?
“Only when the waves are kinder and gentler. Only then.”
What’s your book about?
“It’s one of the best Christmas presents you can probably give a dad or a grandfather. We started the Beach Boys 55 years ago, if someone was 15 years old then, they would be 70 now. Someone younger who wants to know what it was like during the 1960s to be in a group — and what you should and shouldn’t do — yes, there’s all that in there, too. It’s also a good gift for a mother or a grandmother, because surfer girls were important to the story (laughs).”
