Into the pop courts, and Beach Boy Mike Love has filed a lawsuit against his cousin and former bandmate Brian Wilson over the release and marketing of the album 'SMiLE' last year.
'SMiLE' was the long lost Beach Boys album that was famously scrapped in 1967. Following his return to performing, Wilson finally recorded and released the album on his own last year. In his lawsuit Love claims that Wilson was not faithful to the never-released original Beach Boy recordings of the album. He also objects to the way Wilson's people promoted 'SMiLE', claiming they misappropriated his former band's likeness and trademark to sell the new album.
Despite the lawsuit, Love's people stressed this weekend that the new legal action did not signal any personal strife between the two former bandmates. Love's lawyer Phil Stillman told reporters: "Mike has a lot of affection for Brian and they have a good relationship and cordial relations. There's obviously some problem with the way Brian's [associates] have promoted the albums. [But] they remain family and the co-founders of a very important band in rock'n'roll history."