Al Jardine has shared his first thoughts on the condition of the Beach Boys amid Mike Love’s ongoing health issues.

Love and Jardine were co-founding members of the Beach Boys and have been bandmates for over 35 years. The two had a disagreement in the late ‘90s regarding the group’s name. Since then, Love has continued to tour with the Beach Boys while Jardine has performed under various other names, including his current group, the Pet Sounds Band.

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Recently, Love canceled a series of Beach Boys performances due to ongoing health struggles. He returned to the stage for a performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Oct. 11, but appeared visibly frail and was only able to sing backing vocals.

Al Jardine Reacts to Mike Love Health Decline: ‘It’s Shocking’

In a recent conversation with Rolling Stone, Jardine expressed that it was hard to see his former bandmate in such a state.

“It’s shocking and I was really depressed,” he confessed. “I had to really shake myself out of it just to get onstage [that night]. Just the optics of it were just awful and I’m speechless.”

“Obviously, he’s a total pro,” Jardine continued. “He wants to be onstage, but he just doesn’t know how not to do it. He doesn’t know what else to do, so I think he’s trapped.”

Could the Beach Boys Continue Without Mike Love?

Love is currently the only classic Beach Boys member touring under the group’s famous name. When asked if he could see the band continuing without Love, Jardine was straightforward.

“I think the brand will go on and on and on,” he noted. “I don’t know about performing. Performance-wise, I haven’t a clue what would happen. We’ll find out. I don’t know if I want to be called the Beach Boys or not. But if it made sense, if there was some way to tie that into the Pet Sounds Band name. It’s hard to get all those words together. But if there’s a way to combine the bands in a way that made sense, that might work.”

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On the same night Love was back onstage in Nashville, Jardine reunited with some other former Beach Boys – Bruce Johnston and David Marks – during his performance in Southern California. Could that lineup continue as the Beach Boys if Love retired? Jardine admitted he’d “be honored,” but added: “I don’t know if I can get my buddies, the other Beach Boys, to come out at every show though.”

Still, Jardine mentioned that he may not be the one who is eventually handed the Beach Boys torch – a possibility he’s come to terms with. Instead, he believes the focus should be on Love getting well.

“I think he needs to repair himself,” Jardine remarked, acknowledging that this is easier said than done. “What we do is sing. That’s our job. That’s what we do. We sing; we’re professionals, and you can’t do that in his current condition. So I would think at some point, he’ll… He’s probably trying to pass the torch, is what I’m thinking. We’ve never really talked about it, but that’s what it feels like. Maybe to his son. And him being there is a symbol.”