MantisRex_
Joined: Oct 22, 2014
Posts: 38
Eastern Seaboard
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 01:52 AM
I'd just like to gush about this record for a second. It is SO damn awesome. Super inspiring.
He Never Came Back
The whole album just sounds so... electric. Early 60's electric. I can just smell the solder iron off of that guitar tone. Drums and guitar are basically as loud as each other and it seems like you're in the garage with them.
The guitar work is great too, that guitar has some serious attitude. It just gets insane sometimes.
Love Goddess of Venus
I love how this track is half 1960's gymnasium slow-dance, half spacey and experimental. The Ventures were trying to get people laid with this track for sure, but it's also pretty interesting and dare I say "trippy" for the time. It's a good line between experimental for the musicians and executing it with finesse so people would want to listen.
Can anyone point me in the direction of more of this stuff? Many of the surf bands copied each other so I was wondering if there was some other 60's space-surf album out that I'm not aware of?
— https://soundcloud.com/mantisrex
Youtube
Download my rock cover of Diamond Head
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simoncoil
Joined: Sep 28, 2012
Posts: 926
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 02:45 AM
Not sure, if there was another full space themed album in the 60s, but the Nocturnes took a lot of inspiration from the 'Ventures in Space' LP. Their collected recordings can be found on the compilation 'Rare Surf Vol. 2: The South Bay Bands', which was reissued as 'American Surf Treasures Vol. 2'.
I would also encourage you to check out SG101 pocast #7 with lots of space surf tracs from the 60s and later.
— Los Apollos - cinematic surf music trio (Berlin)
"Postcards from the Scrapyard" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 NOW available on various platforms!
"Chaos at the Lobster Lounge" available as LP and download on Surf Cookie Records!
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2288
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 02:53 AM
favorite Ventures album from long ago
terrific and sounds fresh and bright even now, 50 years later...
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
Last edited: Dec 19, 2014 02:53:41
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 911
New York City area
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 06:23 AM
Mantis,
That album was my personal "kick in the ass" to learn guitar and save my pennies for my first Mosrite guitar. It is the only album I can say I know lead guitar to every tune. "Love Godeess" (is that hoakey?) was actually an instrumental version of a vocal tune called "Donna" written by Don Wilson.
At the 2013 Ventures Fest in Pennsylvania, I played "War of the Satellites". I didn't think I did that great a job, but Bob Spalding, who attended the Fest, thought it was great. He commented that he'd never heard any cover of it by anyone or any band. My 5 seconds of fame.
"Ventures In Space" still holds up (to me, anyway) 50+ years after the fact. I have several CDs of it. I try to keep spares of what I like - guitars, cars, CDs...etc.
J Mo'
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 10:06 AM
The Ventures have such a vast catalog. But Ventures in Space stands above all the others. It was just so revolutionary. Even more, it really does hold up, some 50 years later. The only other Ventures album that gets nearly the same amount of play from me is Live in Japan 65, which seems like the prototype for what was to become the modern movement of surf punk.
— THE KBK ... This is the last known signal. We offer Sanctuary.
www.thekbk.com
http://www.deepeddy.net/artists/thekbk/
www.reverbnation.com/thekbk
www.facebook.com/thekbkal
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josheboy
Joined: Mar 13, 2009
Posts: 2367
Twin Cities, MN
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 10:07 AM
Here's an interesting little SG101 related factoid about this album:
Bill Karp, the Father of SG101 member Jason, and drummer for The Counselors (who are scheduled to play the Winter Surf Fest) is the guy sitting in the car on the album cover.
Small world, eh?
And yes, the album is fantastic! One of the best instro albums ever.
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 11:17 AM
Ventures In Space was really the main reason behind the 'space' in the Space Cossacks. Hearing stuff like War of the Satellites (which was one of the first songs we ever played, along with Journey to the Stars - I know, not on that album, but almost was - both appearing on our self-released cassette debut) and The Bat was truly eye-opening. Nokie's tone and playing on that album are just astonishing. I'm one that would definitely agree it's their best release by far.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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simoncoil
Joined: Sep 28, 2012
Posts: 926
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 12:09 PM
JohnnyMosrite wrote:
At the 2013 Ventures Fest in Pennsylvania, I played "War of the Satellites". I didn't think I did that great a job, but Bob Spalding, who attended the Fest, thought it was great. He commented that he'd never heard any cover of it by anyone or any band. My 5 seconds of fame.
The Sir Finks did a nice version of the song on the 'Swingin Creepers' tribute comp, which also includes a version of 'Moon Child' by no other than Ivan P.
A bit off topic, but I strongly remember a record release party from a surf band here in Berlin (Plan9), who handed a tablet with liquor shots from the stage while they played 'The Forth Dimension'. Classic!
— Los Apollos - cinematic surf music trio (Berlin)
"Postcards from the Scrapyard" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 NOW available on various platforms!
"Chaos at the Lobster Lounge" available as LP and download on Surf Cookie Records!
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 12:20 PM
MantisRex_ wrote:
Can anyone point me in the direction of more of this stuff?
The Fathoms did a song title "The Haunted Shore" on their "Overboard" album, which is clearly influenced by the Ventures' "Fear". See below (just hit play, I cued up the song from the entire album). That's really the only thing I can remember where a band clearly referenced Ventures in Space. The Ventures themselves had a lot of other songs around '64-'65 that sounded similar to their stuff on "In Space".
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
Last edited: Dec 19, 2014 12:22:31
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 12:25 PM
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dirkkahuna
Joined: Dec 21, 2012
Posts: 77
Willow Street, PA
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 12:31 PM
The Ventures In Space album, more than any other, inspired me to take up bass and later guitar. I bought my 1st Mosrite four years later...
— give me 3-fingers of 1st Wave SURF
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Rob_J
Joined: Sep 29, 2007
Posts: 500
Sacto, CA
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 12:38 PM
This one of the first albums that I ever bought back when The Ventures albums first started coming out. I still remember going to the record rack in anticipation of finding that a new Ventures album had been released. This was also one of the best album covers they ever had. I still have my original copy.
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websurfer
Joined: May 14, 2007
Posts: 1753
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 12:46 PM
MantisRex_ wrote:
Can anyone point me in the direction of more of this stuff? Many of the surf bands copied each other so I was wondering if there was some other 60's space-surf album out that I'm not aware of?
Not from the '60s, but there are two more modern space-themed albums you might check out besides those already mentioned:
The Interstellar Sounds of the Thunderchiefs--The Thunderchiefs
Escapades in Space--The Surfites
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websurfer
Joined: May 14, 2007
Posts: 1753
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 12:53 PM
IvanP wrote:
The Ventures themselves had a lot of other songs around '64-'65 that sounded similar to their stuff on "In Space".
My favorite "Journey to the Stars" certainly fits that description. It should have been on the Space album!
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eltwang
Joined: Feb 26, 2008
Posts: 543
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 02:54 PM
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4537
Wisconsin
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 04:22 PM
IvanP wrote:
How about a "Disco" War of the Satellites? 
You mean Bill Veeck's stunt didn't get 'em all 35 years ago? 
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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MantisRex_
Joined: Oct 22, 2014
Posts: 38
Eastern Seaboard
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 05:17 PM
Love the recommendations all, thanks.
I have to speculate that the time period influenced this album as well. With people being all juiced up on the space-race, technology was advancing in ways it never really has before, A-bomb was still in recent memory, etc.
To add to the fond personal anecdotes on this topic: I've mentioned a few times that I basically grew up with Walk Don't Run. But I was younger and didn't look too much further into the Ventures who, as it is, has hundreds of albums anyway so it's easy to not know of certain things.
Went to my friend's house who was collecting vinyls who showed me the Ventures in Space and that shit was an experience. I didn't even know the album existed and it blew my mind because it literally sounded like.... The Ventures in Space. Good stuff.
J-Mo mentioned War of The Satellites. Another great, quirky song. I hear many people talking about Moserite guitars and supposedly this album marks the switch from Fender to Moserite... this may be for another topic but I imagine it playing a big role in how unique this album is. Seems like Fender is for the Surf-Samurai, Moserite is for the Surf-Sensai.
Also, honorable mention to Fear and Exploration in Terror. That's pretty damn avant-garde for the time, imo. The Bat, etc. They're all great.
— https://soundcloud.com/mantisrex
Youtube
Download my rock cover of Diamond Head
Last edited: Dec 19, 2014 17:22:08
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MantisRex_
Joined: Oct 22, 2014
Posts: 38
Eastern Seaboard
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 05:19 PM
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Nokie
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
Posts: 550
So Cal
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 06:50 PM
MantisRex_ wrote:
Can anyone point me in the direction of more of this stuff? Many of the surf bands copied each other so I was wondering if there was some other 60's space-surf album out that I'm not aware of?
The album that followed, "The Fabulous Ventures" had a few tracks that were left over from the "In Space" sessions. They were not throw-aways. The tunes include "Eleventh Hour", "Ravin' Blue", "Walkin' With Pluto". The a fore mentioned "Journey to the Stars" is also on Fabulous Ventures but it's hard to believe a track that good was held from In Space for the next album.
-Marty
-Marty
— "Hello Girls!"
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 911
New York City area
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Posted on Dec 19 2014 08:43 PM
Mantis,
"this album marks the switch from Fender to Moserite... this may be for another topic but I imagine it playing a big role in how unique this album is. Seems like Fender is for the Surf-Samurai, Moserite is for the Surf-Sensai."
You said it. The edgy sound on that record came from the early Mosrites. More so was the '65 Live from Japan album. You could try getting that sound on a Fender, Gretsch, or Gibson.....you could try....you could keep trying.....try again....Nahhh!
I like the Samurai/Sensai analogy. Another analogy is a truck versus a high end sports car.
J Mo'
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