Photo of the Day

Please take a moment to vote in our latest poll. Plans are being kicked around for a SG101 meet and greet, most likely in Southern California in the summer of 2008. Obviously we'd like to schedule this around some great music events. Thanks!

I received this via a long forwarded email chain... -BN

Happy New Year to Everyone,

I’m writing to let you all know that one of my Venture model Aria guitars will be auctioned off through eBay starting around 02/01/2008. The proceeds will be used toward a benefit fund for Tony Carbone a young friend and musician. Tony has been battling a virulent form of cancer for the past 3 years and all his friends are gathering together to provide the necessary support.

Tony has been my son Ian’s writing and musical partner for more than 25 years. They met in 4^th grade and became fast friends while beginning to play, sing, and write songs at the Spalding house. Tony also became intertwined in Ian’s story by introducing him to his future wife Sandra Abrahamian. Of course Ian and Sandra got married in 1998 with Tony as their best man. Tony and Ian recorded their first songs in the 5^th Venture’s home studio while young teenagers. It almost landed their first recording contract with Electra Records (they were only sixteen). They both evolved into accomplished musicians and artists. Tony’s group Bike Ride recorded several CDs released both in the US, Europe, and Japan.

Please let anyone know that may have an interest in this 5^th Venture autographed Ventures’ model guitar that was played by Bob Spalding on the Ventures Japan Tour of 2005. If you have any questions or interests in this auction please let me know. This is for a great cause to get Tony going again and back to his music.

I hope everyone will have a great 2008.

Sincerely,
Bob Spalding
The Ventures
BigDog/LittleDog Music
bob@bigdoglittledogmusic.com

Reposted from Reverborama -- BN

Hi all, Claudao here from Estrume'n'tal in Brazil.

Once again we are promoting the only Brazilian surf music/instro rock festival, the 8th Minas Gerais State Surf Music Championship www.aobra.com.br/campeonato - in Portuguese but you can find plenty of pictures, videos and songs there!

Last year we were honored with the presence and performance of Daddy-o Grande from Los Straitjackets! Check out the videos here:
Rockula: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR-_5RxS2NM
Wrong Planet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6umvhHfDR8

This year the festival will happen between 19-22 March in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and this is an open invitation to all surf bands who wish to participate. Unfortunately we have no cash to pay for airfare but we'll be glad to set any bands up who could come with hotel, food, some beer and great party opportunities. We can also try to set up a Brazilian tour for interested bands.

If your band of any surf band you know are interested, please drop me a line at claudao@aobra.com.br

Thanks to all and happy reverbs,

Claudao
Estrume'n'tal - Brazil

Duff Paulsen, drummer for the Torquays and designer of the latest SG101 T-Shirt, is scheduled for surgery to remove a benign brain tumor. Everyone please keep Duff and his family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time. We all hope you recover quickly Duff. All the best.

If you have ever been curious about music conferences, this is a good one to attend.  I'm not affiliated with them in any way except by prior attendance / performance...
Terrific music industry panels, lots of bands but not too many.   I have considered organizing a Surf Music Conference and this is the one I'd model it on...
Millennium Music Conference (MMC12)
Harrisburg, PA
Radisson Hotel

www.mmc12.com

Witches In Bikinis is performing on the main stage at the Radisson on Saturday night, 10:45 PM
We're not doing our surf song,  "Alien Surfer Babes" but we are doing "Moosejaw Millie", a kind of rockabilly song, and "Mermaids In Outer Space", just generally cool.
And another new song: "Freak Show Safari", and other favorites such as "Horror Flick Chicks" and "Zombie March"

Send me an email if you want to know more - we attended / performed last year.

julie@witchesinbikinis.com

I am passing along an email I received from Lou Brutus  -- BN

Hello!  I've been hearing from a lot of bands who I believe heard about myself and the surf music on play on XM Satellite Radio.  I host Kowabunga Uber Alles on the punk channel Fungus 53.  I also created the Wax Your Woody show that airs on XM 60's on 6.

If you could pass on to all the bands...they can mail their music to me at the following address:

LOU BRUTUS
C/O XM SAT RADIO
1500 ECKINGTON PLACE
WASHINGTON, DC 20002

Two copies of each disc is appreciated.  I collect stickers and pins too is you wanna send 'em!

Hang Ten,

Lou Brutus
XM Satellite Radio & Former Manasquan NJ Surfer

From an email from Dave Wood:

I have chosen not to renew web hosting and the domain registration for
Zptduda.Com, which will be effective at the end of January.  This will mean that
the Cowabunga links pages will be going away.  If you have not already, I highly
recommend that you join SurfGuitar101.com and add your site to their links pages.

I will also be closing down the Cowabunga webring.  If your site is currently a
member of the Cowabunga ring, please feel free to remove the banner graphic and
web ring controls from your pages.

Thanks and best regards,

Dave

The Cowabunga Web Ring was an important web ring in the 90's, back when search engines weren't as good as they are now. I fondly remember clicking on the random site link and discovering all kinds of bands and web sites. Thanks go out to Dave for all his hard work on this and his contributions to the surf music community!

After a break of almost one year SurferJoe web site is back online. Surf bands from all over the world join us now on surferjoemusic.com!

(what have I done during all this time??? probably just working too much...) SurferJoe web site is back with some changes. The main domain has gone from SurferJoe.it to SURFERJOEMUSIC.COM and from now on we will list bands from all over the world. As usual, it is possible to leave news, updates, gigs, suggestions, booking requests and so on. No registration required. We are still working on the activation of many sections...

We are working to go back organizing events in Italy for next summer, especially the 3rd edition of the SurferJoe Summer Festival that has seen in the past the participation of many friends: Charades, Slacktone, Bambi Molesters, Surfin' Lungs, Bitch Boys, all italian bands (from Cosmonauti to Pipelines, from Bradipos IV to Wet-Tones...). We will keep you up to date. Thanks also to all the other artists that have been booked with our help or by us directly such as Dick Dale, Surfaris, Beach Boys, 5678...

The online store is also re-opening and you will find a lot of stuff and updates, including the possibility to buy musical instruments (new and used) directly from Japan through us. Cool, cool, cool (trust me...).

Finally a great thank you to surfguitar101.com that is carrying on this brilliant community with so many surf music fans! We look forward to work together!

Seasonal Favorites - Volume 2 (Double Crown Records)

Just in time for the holidays - we are proud to announce the sequel to one of our most popular releases. This time we have gathered 20 songs from bands located all over the globe - sending their best wishes for the holiday season straight to your hi-fi!

Tracks:

From the Yep Roc mailing list:

Enter to win the "Turtlenecks Required" Los Straitjackets Photo Contest!

Big fan of Los Straitjackets? Remember the days when Jimmy Lester banged on the drums and Pete Curry shredded on the bass? Well, go to the attic and dig up your live concert photos from those days!

Send your live concert photos to LosStraitsContest@gmail.com by October 3rd and your picture may be selected to be used as the artwork for the upcoming Los Straitjackets DVD (out early '08)!

The grand prize winner and five others will receive a Yep Roc Los Straitjackets package, which will include the entire Yep Roc Records catalogue from Los Straitjackets, autographed by the band! 

Remember: If they aren't wearing turtlenecks and it's not a concert, the photo doesn't count!