Danny,
As a fellow "fast and loud" band member, I know what you mean. It's funny, we've played shows where people have raved almost exclusively about our slower stuff, most of which tends feel "draggy" just because of the relaxed tempo.

A few examples of songs that really do it right in my book:

Last Date - written by Floyd Kramer, I always think of the Los Straitjackets version off their live CD

Night Surf - The Diamondheads, a great slower tune with some tasty arpeggios setting up a beautiful melody

Pictures of your Girlfriend - The Infrareds, a nice, straightforward slower tune with a solid melody from another notoriously fast band

Supernova - The Nebulas, a solid rhythm part anchors the whole song, and the vibrato on the lead guitar, along with the tone, makes this one of those songs that gives me the chills.

Other than that, a lot of the Blue Hawaiians stuff is a good example, particularly "Experiment in Terror" which is on the Savage Night album - but any version of "Experiment..." is great. Also, the whole "Guitar Noir" album from the Aqua Velvets has a lot of cool surfy/spy/lounge type stuff on it.

Hope that helps - it's a start at least.

~B~

As a listener I really appreciate tempo changes from one song to the next. It gives the faster songs more power and makes the slower songs more interesting.

The Pyronauts do an instrumental arrangement of Surfer Girl that I think works really well, partly because everyone knows the melody and that gives them something to latch on to. Maybe instrumental versions of other familiar ballads is an idea you can use?

Don

albatross by fleetwood mac?? boderline surf music but i reckon it has the vibe.

langhorns version of the Quiet Surf was the first i heard, i really like that song.

Club Gabardino by langhorns starts of nice and slow then builds up.

The Endless Summer Theme by The Sandals....?

Midnight Oil have a surf instrumental tune from an early EP(Bird Noises) called Wedding Cake Island,
it is a mellow surf tune and you could find it online, or pm me and i'll email you a copy of it...

all the best
adam

I think "Surfer's Lament" is slow too, if I'm thinking of the right one.

You can't go wrong with Latinia--one of my personal favorites!

Kristena

"Turn the knob to 10 and break it off!" -Baja Marty

Oh...No covers!

Here's a few that haven't been mentioned yet:

Huntington Cads - "Forbidden Shores"
Davie Allan - "Beyond the Blue"
Crossfires - "Fiberglass Jungle"
Bob Vaught & The Renegades - "Surfin' Tragedy"
Metalunas - "Terror in Space"
Surf Coasters - "Adventures in Paradox"
Fender IV - "Little Ollie"
Insect Surfers - "Polaris" (closer to midtempo, but it's a great tune)

For stuff on the more evil side of things, check out Dick Dale's "Angry Generation," the New Dimensions' "Big Soul Beat" and the Centurians stuff on the Surf War comp.

Oh, and the Wailers' "High Wall" and the Frantics' "Werewolf." Maybe not really "surf," but still really cool. And evil.

-Warren

That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it.

As suggested by wooza, The Bambi Molesters slow ones/ballads always get me. And they do Latinia taboot I miss them so.

Rick

Rick

For me,
Anything done in 6/8 time is automatically a winner.

Also, listening to The 'Verb's EP, their tune "When it Rains" is a great slow song. It's got most everything I look for in a slow tune.

~B~

My favorites are:

Jerry Cole - The Bronze Surfer
Jerry Cole - Deep Surf
Jack Nitzsche - The Lonely Surfer
The Atlantics - Return Of The Dolphins
The Eliminators - The Lonely Sea
The Sandals - Wingnut´s Theme (slow version)

Herbert

Danny,

If you're looking for inspiration _ rather than tunes to cover _, I'd suggest that you do some genre jumping and check out how other musical styles embrace slow songs.

Andrea Bocelli's _ Con Te Partirò _ (Time to Say Goodbye) is a slow song that simply aches with beauty. I'd love to draw the response from an audience that he does with that song.

B.B. King has a tune entitled _ How Blue Can You Get _. He uses passion, humor, and mounting tension in the context of a slow song. That tune has worked for him for years.

Go to a rehearsal of a local barber shop group. Tell them that Kojack thinks you should hear On the Banks of the Wabash Far Away sung in 4 part harmony. They'll love you! That song has a simple melody that just won't quit.

I could go on (and suggest John Denver songs) but you get the idea. Try looking beyond the usual suspects and expose your ears to something new. Then bring it back, make it for your own and claim it for surf.

Have fun! Good Luck!

Cheers,
Chuck
_"Kojack"_

Last edited: Dec 10, 2006 11:41:57