killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 08:10 AM
Noel, of all people on here, I am certainly not one who is super strict with the boundries of what defines surf. There are many bands, such as The Raveonettes, that I readily associate with the genre, as it is obvious where much of their musical influence is derived from. Hell, even my own band is constantly toeing the line as far as being able to even claim to be a 'surf band'.
But...anyway...it has been covered on here. There is 'surf music' and there is 'surf influenced music'. Then there comes a crop of hipster indi bands that have coopted the label 'surf' for music that has zero background rooted in the genre we know. I suppose this wouldn't bother me as much if there wasn't a thriving subculture of actual 'surf music' that is running parallel to this imposter. My fear is that any ability our beloved genre has to gain a little visibility is being overshadowed.
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 08:27 AM
killbabykill34 wrote:
Noel, of all people on here, I am certainly not one who is super strict with the boundries of what defines surf. There are many bands, such as The Raveonettes, that I readily associate with the genre, as it is obvious where much of their musical influence is derived from. Hell, even my own band is constantly toeing the line as far as being able to even claim to be a 'surf band'.
But...anyway...it has been covered on here. There is 'surf music' and there is 'surf influenced music'. Then there comes a crop of hipster indi bands that have coopted the label 'surf' for music that has zero background rooted in the genre we know. I suppose this wouldn't bother me as much if there wasn't a thriving subculture of actual 'surf music' that is running parallel to this imposter. My fear is that any ability our beloved genre has to gain a little visibility is being overshadowed.
That could be a big problem. But I believe surf music endures and will endure because the heart of it remains The Belairs, The Chantays, Dick Dale, Eddie & the Showmen and all the other great bands that made surf music in the first place. It survived being left behind my most surfers, it survived the British Invasion, Disco, Metal, Rap (I include this because Rap has infested other music styles but not surf!) and everything else that came along. I believe it will also survive this too.
Know the old saying, "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a duck?" The correlary is if it doesn't, it isn't. Well, if it sounds like surf music, it is surf music, but if it doesn't, it isn't.
I think surf music will survive the attempt to glue the surf music label to non-surf music. But I understand your concern. Just as real surf music is beginning to breakthrough again and gain recognition and some popularity, along comes something else altogether, riding on its' coat-tails and moving the audience away from the real thing.
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
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raito
Joined: Oct 16, 2008
Posts: 553
Madison, WI
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 10:19 AM
I'd have said that the Little Barrie was Psychobilly, until the chorus. At that point, I agree with the neo-garage label.
I can also somewhat see why The Drums thought they were a surf act. They'd probably been told that the Beach Boys were surf. I can hear that influence there.
Less sure of the Vaccines. Just putting a synth pad behind something doesn't make it New Wave. Then again, it was my elast favorite of the 3, so maybe that's influencing me.
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4054
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 10:21 AM
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kaijusaafu
Joined: Apr 04, 2006
Posts: 498
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 11:18 AM
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norcalhodad
Joined: May 25, 2006
Posts: 537
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 11:31 AM
I like the idea of a surf guitar centric sound being a major component of a more mainstream vocal fronted music act. None of these bands completely captures that though. Little Barrie sounded great, but I feel like I've heard it before. More Gary Usher, and less garage, is maybe what I would tell them. The Ravonettes are very charming with the wistful female vocals and cool guitar sounds, but a more testosterone fueled sound would be more than welcome.
—  > 
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klob
Joined: Apr 30, 2009
Posts: 344
Austin, TX
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 11:50 AM
This bugs me too, but there are so many similar arguments about subgenre names in rock that it's hard to get too worked up about it. "Surf" will always be associated with the '60s, and if I have to mention the Pulp Fiction soundtrack to get somebody to understand what I'm talking about, so be it.
I dig The Drums.
— The Spoils - FB - RN
Second Saturday Surf in Austin, TX - FB
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 11:55 AM
It is funny you mention Pulp Fiction. For nearly 20 years that has been the 'go to' way to describe surf music to the unfamiliar. But with that said, 20 years is a long time. My bandmates and I were recently having the discussion that the film has officially been around long enough that there is a new generation come of age. And it is no longer a near guarantee that naming that movie is going to instantly be an eye-opener to an individual.
klob wrote:
This bugs me too, but there are so many similar arguments about subgenre names in rock that it's hard to get too worked up about it. "Surf" will always be associated with the '60s, and if I have to mention the Pulp Fiction soundtrack to get somebody to understand what I'm talking about, so be it.
I dig The Drums.
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imafunkyman
Joined: Sep 16, 2007
Posts: 548
Utah
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 04:35 PM
I hope this lad comes back and sees what original surf music was all about. I'm more than just a little bothered by labeling this stuff surf. It's like calling Green Day a punk band. Doesn't fit!!!
— Either you surf, or you fight.
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 04:47 PM
imafunkyman, I have to defend the guys in Greenday. They started in 1987 and spent seven years playing the punk circuit, touring in a small van, sleeping on floors, playing to many empty rooms in punk clubs. That pretty much defines punk rock...at least my 25 years of playing it. They might have transcended punk rock since 1994, but they certainly paid their dues.
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NIB
Joined: Aug 02, 2010
Posts: 111
Vienna/Austria
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 05:09 PM
kaijusaafu wrote:
Here's an article on the whole phenomenon published back in 2010:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/salvatore-bono/2010-the-year-surf-rock-s_b_796244.html
From that article: "Not the surf rock that your parents and grandparents are accustomed to. This is not The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, The Surfaries or Dick Dale and His Deltones, this is surf rock done indie style. Just like the classic acts they are inspired by the summer and everything that makes for fun in the sun, however, the surf rock bands of today go a bit deeper and show more emotion."
I kind of feel offended by this xD
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 05:18 PM
Same here. I can accept an honest evolution of any genre. Midperiod and on Man or Astro-man? And Daikaiju are honest evolutions. I stand by the statement that 'surf' is simply being tacked onto this movement.
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togergo
Joined: Jan 23, 2012
Posts: 282
Budapest
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 05:23 PM
NIB wrote:
kaijusaafu wrote:
Here's an article on the whole phenomenon published back in 2010:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/salvatore-bono/2010-the-year-surf-rock-s_b_796244.html
From that article: "Not the surf rock that your parents and grandparents are accustomed to. This is not The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, The Surfaries or Dick Dale and His Deltones, this is surf rock done indie style. Just like the classic acts they are inspired by the summer and everything that makes for fun in the sun, however, the surf rock bands of today go a bit deeper and show more emotion."
I kind of feel offended by this xD
Everyone can be a blogger, but just some special people can become a surf musician!
— original compositions (low-level demo stuff /out of tune, etc) myStuff not my best, but i don't like to be in a musician community without anything to show
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pavlovsdog
Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 300
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 05:28 PM
Still better than:
"I like surf music."
"What, like the Beach Boys?"
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shivers13
Joined: Jul 29, 2009
Posts: 2605
Boss Angeles, CA
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 07:09 PM
pavlovsdog wrote:
Still better than:
"I like surf music."
"What, like the Beach Boys?"
Ummmm, NOT. The Beach Boys are actually cool AND played instrumental surf music early in there career.
This stuff makes my want to say something I've never said on this forum: This is not Surf Music! 
The first song isn't terrible but its not surf or psychobilly. Very garage influenced if anything. The other two songs sound like disposable indie pop to me.
I sometimes wonder if these new posters that come out of nowhere start threads like this just to kick off a frenzy that will inevitably happen. Pretty funny.
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 07:15 PM
I have noticed a surge in new members over the past week.
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Jay77
Joined: Nov 22, 2012
Posts: 71
Kitchener, ON
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 07:32 PM
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Richard
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1683
Georgia
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 07:59 PM
I haven't read this entire thread, but no. The first band was ok (as in I don't mind it at all and would even sit and listen to it) but I don't hear much surf in there. It's been established since the '60's. We all know what we're talking about when we talk about it. The spectrum along which we disagree is really freakin' narrow.
Not to be too dramatic, but if you let them own the terms, you let them own the argument.
I stand by my previous statements about The Drums.
— The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31
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Torch
Joined: Jan 23, 2013
Posts: 2
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 08:06 PM
Wow, well I sure seem to have stirred up the pot! I will attempt to support my statements below. (Bear in mind, I am but a student of this whole thing)
While I do have a decent amount of schooling in the traditional surf sound - Dick Dale, the Ventures, the Chantays, etc - I didn't really know there was a strictly defined style to the music (especially since some of the above had quite a few songs that strayed from the instrumental norm - "Surfer Joe", anyone?)
After a trip to youtube to research all the bands that Kill posted, it seems that I'm wrong. There is a fairly strict sound that defines "surf" (and there also seem to often be masks). I suppose what I saw was more an influence than strict adherence to the genre and style.
I guess a better way of putting it might have been, "See the surf influence in some of these bands, relative to the mainstream sound?" It may not be much, but you can't tell me that the low-fret riff-based structure and deep reverb in "surf hell" came from anywhere else, even if it's been bastardized along the way. And it might be a stretch to call it "surf" anything at all, but to me it was the first thing that popped in to my head when it came on in contrast to the typical over distorted electro-mess that these artists are in rotation with... And I think it is drawing some people deeper into discovering more traditional surf music. Look at me.
And as far as "hipster garbage", alright, everyone is entitled to their musical opinions and no, it probably isn't the most talented thing in the world, but these artists are getting kids out there buying guitars and drums again and starting bands, instead of sitting at home making music on their MacBooks or turntables. In my opinion, that's a good thing.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jan 24 2013 08:12 PM
Jay77 wrote:
I don't hear much, if any "surf" in any of those vids. It's all hipster garbage.
They aren't claiming to be a surf band as we know it. They probably don't know of our music as being called "surf".
It isn't hipster garbage. I don't like those songs, but I don't hate them. I don't ever want to hear them again though. But to call them hipsters makes me think you have never met a hipster before. I will not go on a rant about hipsters, but the term gets thrown about way too much for how one dresses. It is more on how they function as a human being and their relation with society.
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