Sign a petition to cancel a concert by your own group? The idea is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Not in the eyes of Brian Wilson anyway. The former Beach Boys leader called on his fans to boycott the Californian squad of which he is no longer a member by signing a petition on Change.org. The reason? The Beach Boys, now guided by Mike Love, have committed to give a concert Wednesday at Reno as part of a pro-hunting convention.
Read also: Smile, the pocket symphony of the Beach Boys
"It has been reported to me that on Wednesday, February 5, the Beach Boys group led by Mike Love will perform at the Safari Club International convention in Reno , Nevada ," said the 77-year-old musician on social media. This organization encourages hunting in order to collect trophies, a practice to which Al [Jardine] and I oppose. There is nothing we can do personally to cancel this performance, so please support us by signing this petition. ”
His plea is accompanied by the petition, titled "Tell the Beach Boys to Stop Supporting Hunting Trophies". The manifesto contains a letter to manager Elliott Lott threatening to boycott the group if it occurs in Nevada. We also see a photo of Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son and member of the Safari Club International, posing in front of a leopard corpse.
Read also: Beach Boys, Brian Wilson's life on screen
A few hours before the show on Wednesday afternoon, the petition had collected some 120,000 signatures. Despite these vehement protests, Mike Love has decided to continue the concert, as shown by several publications on social networks. "We look forward to participating in this wonderful musical night in Reno and, as always, supporting freedom of thought and expression, a fundamental principle of our rights as Americans," he said in a statement. before the concert. Brian Wilson has not reacted publicly since.