Even when he couldn't speak, Brian and I still sang together

Mike Love movingly reveals his last visits with his cousin and bandmate and the poignant moments they shared before the legendary Beach Boy's death last month at 82

- By John Earls

As writers of some of the most magical hits ever, Beach Boys Brian Wilson and Mike Love were famed for the harmonies that created such classic pop moments as California Girls, I Get Around and the timeless wonder of Good Vibrations. With Brian writing the music and Mike the lyrics, chemistry forged as cousins growing up together in Los Angeles emerged in songs which captured the glamour of their surroundings.

Sadly, Brian suffered from dementia in his later years. He also endured sepsis and cystitis before his death last month, aged 82.

But Mike has movingly revealed how Brian's love of singing endured right up until the end of his life, even when he struggled to speak. Talking to the Daily Express from his home in California, Mike reveals: “I was able to visit Brian three weeks before he passed. What Brian wanted me to do was to sing for him.

“Brian asked me to sing Fun, Fun, Fun, so I sang that. Then he said: ‘Sing Surfin’ USA!’, so I sang Surfin’ USA to him. I sang I Get Around for Brian, too.

“We even harmonised on a song called Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring. That was a song by The Four Freshmen, a group which was a huge influence on The Beach Boys' harmonies.”

Despite Brian's health problems, Mike says his cousin and bandmate loved their final moments together. Smiling as he describes that last visit, Mike says: “Brian had trouble forming a sentence. But he had no problem asking me to sing, and he had no problem with that harmony. It was a very sweet moment.”

The cousins' closeness in their final days belies longstanding claims that Mike, 84, is resentful of Brian's reputation as the genius of The Beach Boys.

Over our video call, Mike has nothing but warmth and admiration for his cousin's talents, enthusing: “I'd think up concepts for the lyrics and hooks in our records which would make people feel good. That was my contribution to Brian's brilliant music.