Claim: Mike Love was a founding member of The Beach Boys.

Michael Edward `` Mike '' Love -LRB- born March 15 , 1941 -RRB- is an American singer , songwriter , musician , and activist who co-founded the Beach Boys . Characterized by his nasal , sometimes baritone singing , Love has been one of the band 's vocalists and lyricists for most of their career , contributing to each of their studio albums . He is often regarded as a malign figure in the band 's history , a reputation he acknowledges : `` For those who believe that Brian -LSB- Wilson -RSB- walks on water , I will always be the Antichrist . ''   In the 1960s , Love collaborated with Wilson and was a lyricist on singles including `` Fun , Fun , Fun '' -LRB- 1964 -RRB- and `` California Girls '' -LRB- 1965 -RRB- . During this period , his lyrics primarily reflected the youth culture of surfing , cars , and romance , which helped fashion pop culture 's perception of the `` California Dream '' . Starting in 1968 , Love became a teacher of Transcendental Meditation under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi . The experience influenced his lyrics to take on themes of astrology , meditation , politics and ecology . Following this , Love 's lyrical direction shifted to attempt to recapture the band 's earlier , lighthearted sound . In the late 1970s , Love began working on solo albums , releasing his first and only in 1981 : Looking Back with Love . In 1988 , he , along with the other founding members of the Beach Boys , was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . The same year , the song , `` Kokomo '' , co-written by Love , reached number one in the United States and was nominated for a Grammy .   In 1998 , following the death of cousin Carl Wilson , Love and longtime Beach Boy Bruce Johnston were given an exclusive license to tour under the name the Beach Boys . The other surviving Beach Boys , Brian Wilson and Al Jardine , embarked on solo endeavors . In 2011 , the group reunited to produce a new album and embark on a tour for their 50th anniversary . Following the 50th anniversary reunion shows , Love resumed touring only with Johnston .