Mike Love now blames the hovering hand of some mysterious overlord for Brian Wilson's removal from The Beach Boys

Though many people blamed him for The Beach Boys’ internal troubles last year, band member Mike Love says he had nothing to do with it. Rather, he tells Billboard that it was “the people who were running” the 50th anniversary reunion tour that were ultimately responsible for the firing of Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, and David Marks from the touring Boys. Love had previously denied firing Wilson, but now says the giant, unseen hand of some evil overlord thwarted some other mystery project he had going with Wilson as well, and that—while the group was “supposed to be allowed to get together to write songs from scratch like we did in the ‘60s”—“that was never to be, and it wasn’t because of me.” Love says he’s also upset that band never really got rolling, but acknowledges that working with Wilson, his cousin, is “not that uncomplicated.” Still, he said he’d be open to another reunion—something that, considering he regularly plays even state fairs and small-town bars, isn;t all that surprising.

The Love-fronted version of the Beach Boys is still touring well into October, while Wilson played shows with Jardine and Marks earlier this summer. Wilson also has a new solo album due out, as well as a tour with Jeff Beck. Also, all of The Beach Boys will presumably profit in some way from Made In California (1962-2012), a career-spanning box set due out Aug. 27.