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A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:38 pm
by Sarah93003
In September I'll be attending the annual NorCal/NorNav Gretsch Roundup. Generally it's just a real fun jam. This year they are adding a theme element which means for one of our sets it will be surf music. I'm embarrassed to say...I don't know any. :oops: I know a couple of Beach Boy tunes (Little Deuce Coupe, 409, etc) but I don't know if they are really "surf" music, as I understand it anyway.

I'm sure someone will be doing Pipeline, and other mega hits, but I'm wondering if someone can suggest 1 or 2 songs that I can learn by then. Is The Shadows "Apache" considered surf music? They also did "Riders In The Sky". Is that surf music?

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 2:45 pm
by Veenture
"Surfs up" Sarah, You could try this one:



As a matter of fact, at the moment I'm teaching myself to play it ;)
[The original is by The Belairs ----------> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvY9akXFUko ]

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:20 pm
by vjf1968
Sarah93003 wrote:In September I'll be attending the annual NorCal/NorNav Gretsch Roundup. Generally it's just a real fun jam. This year they are adding a theme element which means for one of our sets it will be surf music. I'm embarrassed to say...I don't know any. :oops: I know a couple of Beach Boy tunes (Little Deuce Coupe, 409, etc) but I don't know if they are really "surf" music, as I understand it anyway.

I'm sure someone will be doing Pipeline, and other mega hits, but I'm wondering if someone can suggest 1 or 2 songs that I can learn by then. Is The Shadows "Apache" considered surf music? They also did "Riders In The Sky". Is that surf music?


Sarah one time my old band was sharing a bill with a surf group called Dragstrip. They did a surf instrumental versions of "Don't Fear The Reaper". This made it concrete in my mind that any song can be made into a surf song.

Just add a "twist" beat, staccato bass (picked and all downstrokes), a few glissandos down the low E string, and minor chords and your on your way to SURF CITY.

Comparing groups like The Shadows and The Ventures can be problematic. Yes, they are both instrumental bands (even though The Shadows did vocal tracks too with killer vocal harmonies) and tended to do the same songs at times. But where they differ is in the "beat" and arrangements.

You have to remember that The Shadows had some talented members. Their second drummer Brian Bennet was also a composer and arranger as well as being a great drummer. Hank Marvin and Bruce Welsh were working musicians and semi-pro long before Don Wilson tried to sell Bob Bogle a car.

The Ventures also tended to simplify the songs they recorded. If you heard their version of "The Savage" and then The Shadows version, The Shadows version trumps it because The Ventures totally drop a section of the song and the tempo on The Ventures version doesn't work IMHO. Plus The Shadows were great a re-arranging a song where The Ventures would try to cop the feel of the original. In other words The Ventures would just play a cover.

Don't get me wrong, I love both groups dearly but both groups are guilty of heading into SCHLOCK CITY on more that a few occasions.

You can easily download the following Shadows songs you will be ahead of the game. Because some "surf" bands do the same songs or manages to make every one of them sound the same. You will be the one to break up the monotony.

The Savage
Apache
36-24-36
Shotgun

Don't get hung up on what is "surf" music and what it is not. Go with your gut and think outside the box.

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:04 pm
by Sarah93003
Thank you! I DO like thinking outside the box. :D

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:13 pm
by FritzCat
Sarah, how about "Jack the Ripper" or "Ace of Spades" by Link Wray? It's not really surf, but a lot of surf bands play his stuff since it's mostly instrumental.

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:40 pm
by yahl01
hello Sarah-what about LINK WRAY,S RUMBLE!!! regards dave

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:56 pm
by Sarah93003
I like Link Wray! Do you think that will work for a surf set though? I think I should try to pick one that is more surflike, since the theme is Surf.

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:36 pm
by yahl01
hello again Sarah- i think a medley of hits will knock them out-even a bit of "surfer bird' (TRASHMEN) thrown in(and appropriate!) play them the unexpected!!! Dave

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:22 pm
by MWaldorf
various surf/instro classics:

Pipeline - Chantays (which you mentioned, here for completeness sake)
Wipe Out - Surfaris
Misirlou - Dick Dale
Walk Don't Run - Ventures (WDR 60 is more common, WDR 64 is surfier)
Baja - Astronauts
Mr. Moto - Bel Airs
Surf Rider - Lively Ones (aka Spudnik by the Ventures)
Squad Car - Eddie and the Showmen
Apache - Shadows (also mentioned, and also played by many surf bands)
Penetration - Pyramids
Diamond Head - Ventures
Surf Party - Astronauts

Re: A little surf guidance please

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:37 pm
by Sarah93003
Thanks Mel! That's a great list. I'll start listening to them. I think I only need two of them.