The current iteration of the Beach Boys played a fundraiser event held by Donald Trump in Newport Beach, California today. Brian Wilson and Al Jardine, former members of the group, were not aware of the act that was performing and had some things to say about the event. Wilson and Jardine stated “We have absolutely nothing to do with the Trump benefit today in Newport Beach. Zero. We didn’t even know about it and were very surprised to read about it in the Los Angeles Times,” according to Pitchfork.

Mike Love, co-founder of the Beach Boys, is still a current member of the group unlike Wilson and Jardine who of which haven’t been a members of the band since 2012. Love decided to carry on with the band after the separation following their last tour together, which also happened to be their 50th anniversary tour. Since Love has continued on with touring, Wilson has had other issues with Love’s actions involving the group in events.

The current iteration of the Beach Boys, which also consists of Bruce Johnston, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Jeffrey Foskett, Keitch Habucher, Christian Love and Scott Totten, had also performed at the Safari Club International Convention in Reno, Nevada earlier this year. Wilson responded to the current members performing at the convention by expressing his opposition, as well as Jardine’s, to the organization. He stated that they are an organization that supports trophy hunting and that is not something neither he nor Jardine supports.

Love responded to Wilson’s statement on the Reno event by saying, “We look forward to a night of great music in Reno and, as always, support freedom of thought and expression as a fundamental tenet of our rights as Americans,” Pitchfork reported. Love has made his position of where he stands rather clear as he spoke at the signing ceremony at the White House back in 2018 when the Music Modernization Act was passed.

Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna