Former Beach Boys Brian Wilson and Al Jardine say they want to make one thing clear — they had nothing to do with ex-bandmate Mike Love’s headlining performance at a President Trump fundraiser over the weekend.
“We didn’t even know about it and were very surprised to read about it in the Los Angeles Times,’’ the pair said through a rep to Variety — referring to Love’s appearance with his “Beach Boys’’ group on behalf of Trump in Newport Beach, Calif., on Sunday.
“We have absolutely nothing to do with the Trump benefit today in Newport Beach. Zero,’’ the musicians said.
Love has the touring rights to the Beach Boys name — which has created controversy with his ex-bandmates in the past.
Wilson, a one-time star of the former mop-topped surfer-boy band, and ex-group singer and guitarist Jardine disavowed Love’s “Beach Boys’’ group in February when it performed for an international safari convention. The president’s son Donald Trump Jr. was the keynote speaker.
Wilson and Jardine, who sometimes still play together, started a protest change.org petition urging people to boycott the convention appearance.
“This organization supports trophy hunting, which both Al and I are emphatically opposed to,” Wilson, referring to the safari club holding the convention, said at the time. “There’s nothing we can do personally to stop the show, so please join us in signing the petition.”
Love’s performance on behalf of Trump on Sunday was the main attraction for the event, according to the LA Times. Tickets ran from $2,800 per person to up to $150,000 for a couple to be considered “co-chairs’’ of the event.
Lead singer Love has been a longtime Trump supporter.
He sang at one of the president’s inaugural balls in 2017, telling Uncut magazine afterward, “I don’t have anything negative to say about the president of the USA.
“I understand there are so many factions and fractious things going on. The chips will fall where they may,’’ Love said.
“But Donald Trump has never been anything but kind to us. We have known him for many a year.’’