Mike Love of the Beach Boys talks about Christmas songs, playing the Benedum Center

When most people think about the Beach Boys, images of surf, sand and summer come to mind. But carving out their signature, sunny California sound did not prevent them from getting into the Holiday spirit each year when Christmas came around.

In a phone interview with the Tribune-Review from Los Angeles, founding Beach Boys member Mike Love remembered getting together with his cousins Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson to sing Christmas carols when they were growing up.

“Christmas was the time we all got together and would sing,” Love said. “We literally Christmas caroled around my neighborhood growing up. My dad would bring a truck home from ‘Love Sheet Metal’ and we’d get on the truck and cruise around our neighborhood and sing Christmas carols.

“Family and Christmas and birthdays and Thanksgiving was all about music. What started as a hobby became a profession and a long lasting one at that. Now, we’re caroling around the neighborhood called the United States of America. So, we’ve expanded our reach.”

Indeed, the Beach Boys have been touring for six decades and the current version of the group – which includes Love as the only original member – is bringing its holiday show “‘Tis the Season with The Beach Boys featuring The Holiday Vibrations Orchestra” to the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh this Friday.

The show features familiar Beach Boys songs with a mix of Christmas carols in a two hour performance with a 20-minute intermission, according to Love.

“I think it’s great when families can come out together, and the unique thing about the Beach Boys is that you can have four generations at a Beach Boys concert,” Love said.

In addition to the caroling they did as kids, the Beach Boys released a Christmas album, their seventh studio album, in 1964. It features seven standards and five original songs including “Little Saint Nick,” “The Man with All the Toys,” “Santa’s Beard,” “Merry Christmas, Baby” and “Christmas Day.”

Love also released a solo album in 2018 called “Reason for the Season” and plans to perform songs from that one as well.

When asked about which holiday song is his favorite, Love didn’t hesitate.

“My favorite one of ours is ‘Little Saint Nick,’ I think,” Love said. “First, of all it’s a very successful single and it’s fun because we’re doing a song about Santa working on his sled and ‘he’s got to wear his goggles ‘cause the snow really flies and he’s cruisin’ every path with a little surprise.’ It’s a cute little song and I think it’s fun and upbeat and it’s like one of our car songs.”

Love turned 81 this year and credits his daily Transcendental Meditation ritual — something he began on a 1968 trip with the Beatles to study under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India — with giving him energy and vitality. In fact, Love asked to delay our interview for an hour so he could meditate.

“In my case, I’ll meditate and then we’ll go out and do a show,” Love said. “We’ll do a two hour show and that’s my main source of energizing and it’s very easy to do. You just commit yourself to take the time to do it. It’s very healthful and valuable.”

Long held tensions within the Beach Boys have led Love to tour without the other surviving original members, Brian Wilson, and family friend Al Jardine. Still, Love said he misses performing with them.

“You miss the guys you created these songs with. It’s a sad reality that Brian doesn’t sing like he used to,” Love said. “We were so successful in song writing together and we were best friends in our high school years. Without Brian, there wouldn’t be the success level of the Beach Boys. We have a tremendous history together, but his lifestyle choices (drug and alcohol problems) just got him into trouble and it’s sad and he’s not in very good shape these days and I regret that.”

On this tour, Love is joined by longtime Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston, son Christian Love, musical director Scott Totten, Brian Eichenberger, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Keith Hubacher, and Randy Leago.

After 60 years of touring, one is likely to wonder what keeps touring fresh and exciting for Mike Love.

“The audience response that our music gets from people, the happiness generated by the performance of our music, that’s pretty special,” Love said. “And the fact that we’re in this sixth decade of performing is kind of miraculous. It’s a blessing.”

On the same day as their Pittsburgh performance, the Beach Boys are scheduled to release a deluxe six CD box set entitled “Sail on Sailor.”