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April Birthdays
R.I.P. Nick O'Malley of The Del-Tones
Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 1907 Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies 
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 10:04 AM
Nick O'Malley, rhythm guitar player for Dick Dale and his Del-Tones died a few days ago as the result of a car crash - I think Nick was the earliest Del-Tone, and was with the group through all the big years. I think it's safe to say that Nick had some influence on the way we all approach rhythm guitar in surf. —"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been" |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10331 southern Michigan
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 10:26 AM
From Stephen McParland's "Surf Beat: The Dick Dale Story": "Nick O'Malley, the folk-singing guitarist from the Rinky Dink, also remained a stalwart in Dale's band up until the group's East Coast trip in late 1963; opting to go into the retail clothing business with his mother while attending law school. According to the liner notes for King of the Surf Guitar CD, Art Munson but not Nick O'Malley played on that LP. I guess they were both on Surfers' Choice, though. RIP, Nick O'Malley. —Ivan |
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Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 1907 Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 10:47 AM
Very cool Ivan! On a related note, I really need to get that book. "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been" |
Joined: Mar 13, 2009 Posts: 2367 Twin Cities, MN
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 10:50 AM
RIP Nick O'Malley |
Joined: Aug 23, 2007 Posts: 611 Monterey County, California
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 11:13 AM
I'm stunned. I just spoke with Nick little more than a week ago. Where is the news story? Edit: OK, this was announced on Nick's Facebook page. Happened last Friday night. Nothing in the local newspapers. Really, really stunned... —www.johnblair.us Last edited: Feb 24, 2015 11:27:59 |
Joined: Mar 14, 2006 Posts: 2778 Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 02:37 PM
Several years back I heard a Dick Dale cover band (big group with keys, horns, the whole nine yards) doing a Del Tones presentation at the Huntington Beach Pier. Was that Nick playing with those guys? ed —Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps? |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10331 southern Michigan
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 02:53 PM
John wrote:
I'm very sorry, John. —Ivan |
Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19335 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 02:54 PM
Yes Eddie, I think Nick was playing with Norm & The Surf Rockers at the HB Pier show after the first SG101 convention in 2008.
Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
Joined: Mar 15, 2011 Posts: 8528 Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 02:55 PM
R.I.P. Nick. Very sad news. My condolences to all who new him. —This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got. |
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Joined: Mar 14, 2006 Posts: 2778 Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 04:15 PM
Thanks Brian, I thought so. Great band and cool afternoon. Great pix by the way! ed —Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps? |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19335 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 09:01 PM
R.I.P. Nick O'Malley. —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
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Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 1907 Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Feb 24 2015 09:10 PM
I was at that 2008 pier show - and I remember thinking I should go talk to Nick - but I was playing that day, and was too worked up about that to go talk to him ( and probably lots of other people that I should have approached)..... Not to mention that I recently got super surf nerdy about his Del-tones era Jazzmaster and the finish it has - and not reaching out to talk to him when I knew I could make that happen. Damn. All the first wave guys are slowly going away. That makes me sad. —"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been" |
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Joined: Aug 23, 2007 Posts: 611 Monterey County, California
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Posted on Mar 06 2015 01:38 PM
Nick O'Malley spent his 21st birthday recording "Let's Go Trippin'" on August 23, 1961!!!
www.johnblair.us Last edited: Mar 06, 2015 13:40:46 |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10331 southern Michigan
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Posted on Mar 06 2015 02:05 PM
Wow, that is so cool! Great find, John. Being on a huge hit record - and a record that was one of the most influential on a whole new genre - a few weeks after your birthday is a pretty good b-day present.... Ivan |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19335 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Mar 06 2015 02:11 PM
Amazing! Wow! —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
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Joined: Aug 23, 2007 Posts: 611 Monterey County, California
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Posted on Mar 06 2015 03:37 PM
The thing that's most disconcerting to me is that there was NOTHING in the largest Orange County newspaper (the OC Register)about Nick's passing. No obit, no article, nothing. Although Brian Carman certainly deserved to be eulogized in the media (because of being a founding member of The Chantays and co-writer of "Pipeline"), the Register ran a front-page article about his passing. Nothing at all about one of the founders of The Del-Tones, the band that helped Dick Dale put surf music on the map in 1961. Thankfully, it would appear that steps are being taken to secure and preserve Nick's '60 or '61 blue burst Jazzmaster. — |
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