Al Jardine says he was left “speechless” after seeing footage of longtime Beach Boys bandmate Mike Love performing amid ongoing health issues.
Love, 85, recently returned to the stage after several months of canceled and postponed dates, appearing seated throughout shows in Cincinnati and at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
Speaking to Rolling Stone after seeing footage of the performances, Jardine said Love’s condition hit him hard. “It’s shocking and I was really depressed,” he said. “I had to really shake myself out of it just to get on stage. Just the optics of it were just awful and I’m speechless.”
Jardine added that he hopes Love doesn’t continue performing in his current condition. “That’s just not right, that I can see. Obviously, he’s a total pro. He wants to be on stage, but he just doesn’t know how not to do it,” he said. “He doesn’t know what else to do, so I think he’s trapped.” Love has not publicly disclosed a diagnosis, though John Stamos recently said he is “facing serious health challenges” and has continued performing despite doctors and loved ones encouraging him to focus on his health.
While Love was performing at the Ryman on October 11th, Jardine was roughly 2,000 miles away in Cerritos, California, sharing the stage with former Beach Boys Bruce Johnston and David Marks, along with guests including Marilyn Wilson and Dean Torrence. The appearance marked Jardine’s first performance with Johnston in more than a decade.
Love’s health has been a growing concern throughout 2026. The Beach Boys canceled a number of shows over the summer and again in September before Love returned for the Cincinnati performance on October 10th, where he was helped onstage and remained seated as other members handled most of his usual lead vocals.