In these days of overproduced so-called music, I strongly doubt that surf will ever have the kind of appeal it once had. I also don't really think that's a bad thing. Thanks to the internet and people like Brian we can find and listen to surf, so we don't need the mass market appeal to make it available, and it isn't getting watered down in an attempt to reach the lowest common denominator.

Does this mean I qualify as a curmudgeon?

Ralph
The Storm Surfers

Be at one with the universe. If you can't do that, at least be at one with your guitar.

You know madonna has taken up the guitar as a prop/fashion accessory in her current reincarnation. If she started playing surf ,that would definitely suck !

Used record stores are the best as far as I am concerned. Always find some gems in there.

MadScientist

donsdad
You know madonna has taken up the guitar as a prop/fashion accessory in her current reincarnation. If she started playing surf ,that would definitely suck !

What if it were REALLY good? Would you be open to liking it? I think that's the bigger question.

That's a big IF , but IF it was REALLY good , yes I'd give her credit.

I find it funny that advertising uses surf music when it wants to portray cool. Like the Nattie lite beer ads playing here in california. Seems like people like the "image" of surf music yet don't seem to want to seek it out as a listening choice. I really think it's time for a surf movie ala Frankie and Annette, but with contemporary actors, and major bikini clad hotties. Imagine Jack Black, Seth Rogan or Adam Corolla, along with the deal or no deal models. Add weed humor and new surf tunes and the whole genre would get a bump.

THe NEpTuNeS

Surf music - chances of full on revival?

Less than zero, nada, none, zip, null, blank, naught, void, diddly-squat, a snowball's chance in hell, never gonna happen, wake up you're dreaming.

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I think that surf music, if given a mainstream bump would thrive. I have always had a love for surf music, but it is a very inaccessable genre, to the average joe. I really just didnt know where to start. I seriously thought back in the 90s MOAM were the only ones doing this surf type stuff, and I hit on them totally by accident. You cant just go to your local CD mega store and pick up some good surf music. You actually have to put forth some effort, to get the really good stuff. People these days do not want to wait. They want to buy now.

I am fairly new to the surf genre, and it is really hard to get some of the good stuff, and not to mention very expensive, Right now, I would really love to get my hands on some early Satans Pilgrims (the real cds-not downloads) and some surf coasters material, and Its hard for me to justify spending in some cases over $50 for a cd. On the other hand I also understand, why the prices are high, they are either imports or out of print, but a mainstream bump would get people interested in the older stuff, which would in turn make it profitable to reissue some great stuff.

It is really sad that bands like the surf coasters can't survive playing the music they are so damn great at. I would love to see these truly talented musicians actually get the credit they deserve.

Look at punk music, it was revived by the likes of green day, blink 182, the offspring, and other so called mainstream punk bands. They brought a group of people into the genre, and revived punk rock. All of a sudden, you could go into any CD store and pick up the Adolescents, Minor Threat, Circle Jerks etc.. I mean how many people started listening to the Germs, because that guy in the Offspring wore a germs t shirt.

Grant it, most of the shit that would go on mtv and the radio would be total crap, but when something hits mainstream, the whole genre gets a boost, and otherwise lost and forgotten bands, have a chance for revival.

surferXmatt
Hey, not sure if this has been covered here before, but do you think that surf music ever stands a chance of being as popular as it was as in the 1960's? I think right now it has a great following, but I doubt it will ever have mass appeal again.

In a way, I hope it never becomes too popular again. Maybe I am selfish and do not want to share it with every one (even though there is a pretty good surf scene currently).

From my perspective surf music is probably more popular now than it was in the 60s. As someone else here mentioned before, back then it was mixed in with everything else on the radio, you didn't hear just surf and hot rod music and much of the most popular stuff being played was vocals by groups like the Sun Rays, Jan & Dean and of course the Beach Boys. Instrumental music in general was already popular (Ventures, Duane Eddy) and everyone knew Pipeline, Wipeout, Surfbeat because they were big hits on the radio. Singles were more common than albums, I didn't know anyone who had any surf music records, probably because most of them had all the same songs as everyone else!
I grew up in Southern California in the early 60s and I just don't remember surf music ever being as popular a the sport itself. On the other hand, it seems to be here to stay like so many other styles.

There have been some great (and depressing!) points made here.

Wanting the genre to remain small and niche could be for reasons of purity or snobbery (and I don't exclude myself from that :D) or both, but it does mean that it's much harder to make a living playing it. I don't bemoan not being to find recordings in the stores because they're pretty freely available over the net, but I can't recall the last time a surf group played within 100 miles or more of where I live in NC and I can't imagine trying to make a living playing surf around here.

Ralph
The Storm Surfers

Be at one with the universe. If you can't do that, at least be at one with your guitar.

There are way too many issues that will prevent surf from becoming mainstream popular. It isn't just one major hurdle, there are dozens of them. Some very very crippling.