Welcome to the new SurfGuitar101.com! This format was launched on February 25, 2006.
This site combines my love for all things computer geekery and my other passion: instrumental surf music. I hope this site is useful for both surf fans and musicians, as it offers the following:
Users can submit news, show announcements, show reports, reviews, etc. These stories can then be ranked and commented on by others. These stories are then archived on this site.
Web based forum area to discuss all things related to surf music.
A database of useful links.
Surf music FAQ's.
Photos of surf bands in action.
An event calendar so people can quickly see what shows are coming up.
There are several exciting books and a DVD that every surf music fan must know about. We are very lucky these all seem to have hit about the same time.
First of all, John Blair (from Jon & The Nightriders) has just released the 4th Edition of his book The Illustrated Discography of Surf Music 1961-1965. Please check out our news story and forum thread.
Secondly, everyone should run out and grab a copy of The Pounding Surf, a combination surf music history and surf drumming instructional video. You can check out this story, this one, and this forum thread.
And finally, another new book: Pop Surf Culture Music, Design, Film, and Fashion from the Bohemian Surf Boomby Brian Chidester and Domenic Priore. Check out the publisher's website, and you can find it on Amazon.
Check Out Our Forums:
Join us in our forums for some lively discussions. Here are the latest forum threads with new posts:
Surf guitar legend Eddie Bertrand (Belairs, Eddie & The Showman) recently traveled to Spain to play a festival. He was interviewed on El Sotano (The Basement), a program hosted at Spanish National Radio. Check out the whole interview here. It's a very interesting interview interspersed with Eddie's music, and don't worry, the interview is in both Spanish and English. Well worth a listen!
Posted by Brian on Thursday, March 11, 2010 @ 19:22:26 CST (3 reads)
In an effort to build a stronger audience for surf music and the bands that have been performing the Midwest Surf Spy and Spaghetti Syndicate, Dave Davies of the AmpFibians and Don Schott of Don't Fear the Reverb have teamed up with Bob, the owner of the Mahogany's (formerly known as Lucille’s - the blues club) in LATONIA SPRINGS KY. The monthly SURF NIGHT will try to feature a minimum of 3 performance groups per night with one of them being "friends of surf" vocal groups. This would include Rock- A - Billy and Link Wray style bands. The SURF EXPLOSIONS need to be better attended and this is one way of consistently increasing audience awareness in the area, we have BIG plans. Right now there is minimal money on the table to be able to get groups in from other cities that are not direct "neighbors" to the area. We plan to keep the invitations open though, as the SURF EXPLOSIONS have had groups like: Roger and the Wraybands, The Surge, The Madeira, The Volcanos among the local favorites. We want to continue having great regional talent appear as well but because MAHOGANY'S is a small capacity family owned establishment, we intend to keep it as a home base for "fans" of surf in the area. These show's happen at 8 to 8:30 right after the WAIF 88.3 ROCKIN' & SURFIN" SHOW (6-8 each Saturday) and streaming here.
We hope to get an area fan and festival base going here not unlike the Blues Society (that Don had a part in).
Our next show is :
27 MARCH 2010
cover charge - minimal (3-$5)
featuring: (so far - see updates at www.Kokopellistages.com )
the AmpFibians
Don't Fear the Reverb
TBA - a third group
http://www.dontfearreverb.com/
http://www.reverbnation.com/theampfibians#/dontfearthereverb
http://www.donschott.com OR email : don@donschott.com
http://www.reverbnation.com/theampfibians
for involvement and booking of shows on this event :
http://www.kokopellistages.com
Mahogany's - 3715 Winston Avenue, Latonia, KY 41015 · (859) 261-1029 http://www.mahoganyslive.com/
Posted by Brian on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 @ 20:57:49 CST (9 reads)
The third Annual SurfGuitar101 Convention is confirmed August 5-8 at various location in Southern California. The main event is planned for Saturday, August 7th at The Starting Gate in Los Alamitos. Please save these dates, and make your plans now to come to California for this celebration of Surf Music! Details about the events surrounding the convention will be posted soon.
Venue: The Starting Gate www.thestartinggate.us
5052 Katella Avenue
Los Alamitos, CA 90720-2802
(562) 598-8957
A "60's Legends of Surf" Jam and The SG101 Members Jam.
Huge back room at The Starting Gate will host the Vendors area.
Meet and greet SG101 members from around the world
Meet legendary Surf Musicians
Many more shows planned around the main convention show.
I hope many of you can come out to California to soak up the sun and reverb of this ongoing tradition of shows.
- Your host Jeff "Big Tiki Dude" Hanson
A few notes about each band:
The Space Cossacks– Originally from Washington D.C., The Space Cossacks are widely recognized as one of the most popular and influential bands of the 1990's great surf revival, if not all time. We are honored that The Space Cossacks, with their original line-up intact, will appear at the SG101 Convention as part of their 10th anniversary reunion tour.
Frankie and the Pool Boys- This Bay Area group was never supposed to perform live, but agreed to come together for the SG101 Convention. Featuring Ferenc Dobronyi from Pollo Del Mar with Danny and Tony from The TomorrowMen, Karen of Meshugga Beach party, and Naotaka Seki from Japan's Surf Coasters on drums with several special guests.
The Wadadli Riders- The Surf Music Kings of the Caribbean! Lorenzo Valdambrini, the leader of the band is also the founder of the hugely successful Surfer Joe Festival in Italy. This will be the Wadali Riders second tour of California.
(Along with the Space Rangers from Germany, we are pleased to have The Wadadli Riders as our first international bands at the SG101 convention.)
The Insect Surfers- Planet Earth's longest running modern surf bands has been preforming since the Summer of 1979. They have released 3 CDs, and a best-of album, with appearances on about 30(!) compilations. The Insect Surfers strive to bring you the best in modern surfadelic sounds.
The Space Rangers- From Ulm, Germany, The Space Rangers' stomping beats and bass lines are the solid reef on which the delayed guitar riffs break, topped with whitecaps of organ harmonies. If Godzilla had a favorite band, it would be the Space Rangers.
The Atomic Mosquitos- From Washington D.C., The Atomic Mosquitos are led by the twin reverb guitars of Joe Marencic and Paul Carson with Stephen Blickenstaff adding theremin touches and driven along by Sean Rush on bass and Craig Stang's drums. They deliver a full-on, uptempo surf assault. They have released three CDs.
The Surfside IV- With fans numbering in the dozens, these surf rockers from Sonora, Arizona have managed to thrill themselves and audiences alike, despite their willingness to don a fez. Never afraid to make a true spectacle and always providing an ample target area for empty beer cans, a Surfside IV show is a veritable reverb-soaked cavalcade of high-speed guitar, bass and drum acrobatics.
The Men of Mystery- A tribute to England's legendary Shadows, this group features members of The Detonators, joined by Marty Tippens (The Planktones, The Trespassers), and Abdel Khineche (a long time Shadows devotee.)
The Legends of Surf Jam - We have asked members several First Wave groups to join a fantastic, all-star backing band, to perform the music we cherish. This a very rare opportunity for you to see the songs performed by the people that first recorded and wrote them.
Starting the day's music will be the very popular SG101 Members Jam.
I am thinking of trying something different to organize it this year.
Look for a separate thread on that later.
Please plan on coming 4PM, Thursday, August 5th to a BBQ at my place, followed by a show in nearby Anaheim.
Monday, August 9th will be a day of sight seeing and field trips.
Thanks for all your enthusiasm and support over the years.
Jeff(bigtikidude)
Posted by Brian on Wednesday, March 03, 2010 @ 18:44:49 CST (91 reads)
Frankie and the Pool Boys Announce August 2010 Tour
Received from Sean @ Double Crown Records:
Frankie and The Pool Boys, the Bay Area surf super group, has announced plans for an August 2010 tour. Eight shows are being scheduled with stops in San Francisco, the Central Valley, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County. There will also be radio performances and record shop in-stores as the schedule allows.
Frankie and The Pool Boys is a project band put together by Pollo del Mar's lead guitarist and songwriter Ferenc Dobronyi. The concept was to get together some of the best players in the surf genre and have a lot of fun. Members from the bands The Ventures, Slacktone, The Surf Coasters, The Madeira and many more contributed performances to the 2008 self titled release. It was never the intention to try and take the band on the road but an invitation to perform at the 2010 Surf Guitar 101 Convention in Orange County got the ball rolling and Dobronyi began to assemble a touring unit.
The live band will feature Dobronyi on guitar with the incredible Naotaka Seki from Japan's Surf Coasters on drums. (This will be especially interesting as Seki has just started to learn English!) Also on guitar will be Danny Snyder, and on bass Tony Bald from the Bay Area's The TomorrowMen. Karen Dobronyi from Meshugga Beach Party will be playing keyboards. Of course, any of The Pool Boys who performed on the CD will be asked to join the band on stage.
The Frankie and The Pool Boys CD (released on Double Crown Records) was very well received and quickly sold out it's first pressing. Davy Peckett of New Gandy Dancer said, "This is quite definitely our album of the year - my God is it good!" and Dan Forte of Vintage Guitar called the CD a whacked out, throbbing party album.
Arcata, CA – Robbie Allen and The Outer Edge have been invited to perform at the Arcata Theatre in Arcata, CA on Saturday, March 13, 2010. The show's proceeds will be donated to the Surfrider Foundation, Humboldt Chapter to aid them in their cause. Joining or renewing Surfrider members will get a free cotton Surfrider tote bag with killer goodies inside. Expect bitchin’ surf visuals, prizes and whole lot more! Sponsored by Greenhouse Boardshop!
Sundazed Records is reporting that Richard Delvy, the drummer for first wave surf bands The Belairs and The Challengers has passed away. Richard later became a record producer and businessman and was involved in some of the great hits of the genre. An extensive interview with Richard conducted by fellow Belair Paul Johnson can be seen on the recent Pounding Surf DVD. More information will be posted here as it becomes available.
Posted by Brian on Tuesday, February 09, 2010 @ 19:23:14 CST (263 reads)
On the web site www.surferjoemusic.com it is finally available the calendar of concerts for the next great SURFER JOE SUMMER FESTIVAL.
Like anticipated, the line-up is extraordinary, take a look and send us comments!
2 stages for non-stop music.
We wait you at the festival, entrance is FREE everyday and fun is guaranteed. There will be a nice american cars exhibition, various attractions, music instruments, records and so on.
Posted by Brian on Friday, February 05, 2010 @ 23:00:52 CST (162 reads)