J
Joined: Sep 26, 2006
Posts: 37
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 12:48 PM
I have been given the opportunity to write a small article on a local music magazine and I'm thinking surf! 
I have a 200 word limit so this is what I came up with. I chose to give a general insight in the genre since most people around here don't even know it exists. What do you guys think?
Surf!
far from over
When you hear someone talk about surf music chances are that the first thing that comes to mind is California, white, sandy beaches, surf boards, and huge crowds dancing to the rhythm of a local band. Surf music or instrumental surf dates back to the 1950s and contrary to popular belief it still survives.
Surf music has been evolving ever since it was first introduced by instrumental rock band, The Ventures, in 1958. While most musicians agree The Ventures engineered surf music, Dick Dale is considered to have completely redefined the genre. His staccato melody lines and dripping sounds of his reverberated guitar were said to have captured the essence of what we all now know as surf music.
Thanks to the technological advances of today, such as the Internet and globalization, surf music is still alive and kicking. With bands like Man or Astroman?, Satanâs Pilgrims, The Madeira, and Les Baronics playing and selling millions of records worldwide, there is definitely no doubt that surf music is far from being a thing of the past. The best may be yet to come.
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Last edited: Aug 19, 2007 13:47:09
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19298
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 01:17 PM
It is a good start, but I'd put the date in the 1960's, not the 50's. And it was The Belairs and Dick Dale that introduced surf music to the world. The Ventures jumped on the trend when it became popular (nothing wrong with that). You may be thinking of Walk Don't Run, but that wasn't a surf song per-se, just part of the large number of instro rock-n-roll songs that pre-dated (and influenced) surf music.
Man Or Astro-Man? are pretty much defunct and I'm not sure I would mention Les Baronics. I'd say something about Dick Dale still performing and Los Straitjackets.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 01:22 PM
Nobody is selling millions of records around the world. Recently have a thousand surf bands sold 1000 copies each? Not likely. Also, I have no idea who Les Baronics are. However, I would suggest mentioning The Bambi Molesters.
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J
Joined: Sep 26, 2006
Posts: 37
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 01:30 PM
Brian
It is a good start, but I'd put the date in the 1960's, not the 50's. And it was The Belairs and Dick Dale that introduced surf music to the world. The Ventures jumped on the trend when it became popular (nothing wrong with that). You may be thinking of Walk Don't Run, but that wasn't a surf song per-se, just part of the large number of instro rock-n-roll songs that pre-dated (and influenced) surf music.
Man Or Astro-Man? are pretty much defunct and I'm not sure I would mention Les Baronics. I'd say something about Dick Dale still performing and Los Straitjackets.
Brian, thanks for clearing that up to me. The people who I've talked with had agreed that WALK DON'T RUN was the first surf introduction to surf music and that later on Dick Dale redefined the genre... But then my resources where not big surf enthusiasts
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J
Joined: Sep 26, 2006
Posts: 37
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 01:46 PM
Surf!
far from over
*Revised
When you hear someone talk about surf music chances are that the first thing that comes to mind is California, white, sandy beaches, surf boards, and huge crowds dancing to the rhythm of a local band. Surf music or instrumental surf dates back to the 1960s and contrary to popular belief it still survives.
Surf music has been evolving ever since it was first introduced by surf rock band, The Bel-Airs, in 1960, with their famous hit Mr. Moto. While most musicians agree The Bel-Airs engineered surf music, Dick Dale is considered to have completely redefined the genre. His staccato melody lines and dripping sounds of his reverberated guitar were said to have captured the essence of what we all now know as surf music.
Thanks to the technological advances of today, such as the Internet and globalization, surf music is still alive and kicking. With bands like Los Straitjackets, Satanâs Pilgrims, and The Madeira playing and selling millions of records worldwide, there is definitely no doubt that surf music is far from being a thing of the past. The best may be yet to come.
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J
Joined: Sep 26, 2006
Posts: 37
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 01:48 PM
JakeDobner
Nobody is selling millions of records around the world. Recently have a thousand surf bands sold 1000 copies each? Not likely. Also, I have no idea who Les Baronics are. However, I would suggest mentioning The Bambi Molesters.
I meant all together
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 01:51 PM
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J
Joined: Sep 26, 2006
Posts: 37
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 02:08 PM
JakeDobner
Like, ever?
Well...
The world population is estimated to be about 6,602,224,175. If only 1% of the whole world population listened to surf then there would be about 66,022,241 surf fans around the world. If only 40% of those 66,022,241 surf fans ever bought A SINGLE ALBUM you would be looking at about 26,408,896 copies sold world wide.
So my short answer is yes.
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WR
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 3832
netherlands
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 02:27 PM
J - imo it's not about math per se, but the image "are selling millions of records worldwide" provoques. cause in reality, let's face it, surf leads a very marginal existence. Personally Id only include the acts that really were indy-mainstream (if there's such a thing) for a while, and afaik that would be Dick Dale, Man or Astro-man Los Straitjackets and the Bambi Molestors. MoAM might be defunct but they were pretty big outside surf circles so it's worth including them. anyway, I might well be wrong here.
You could however include a reference about the current scene as a whole, something like "While Surf bands aren't selling millions of records, and it's only a few bands like Man or Astro-man and Los Straitjackets who managed to appeal to a larger audience, a quick search on the internet reveals that there are in fact hundreds if not thousands of surfbands worldwide playing out, puutting out records, and building a small but dedicated following. Google just might come up with a surfshow in your town tonight!"
anyway, just blabbering, feel free to ignore. I like your refference to the net though, it's true, the internet has taken hundreds of 5-piece surf followings and threw them all together.  
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J
Joined: Sep 26, 2006
Posts: 37
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 02:51 PM
WR
J - imo it's not about math per se, but the image "are selling millions of records worldwide" provoques. cause in reality, let's face it, surf leads a very marginal existence. Personally Id only include the acts that really were indy-mainstream (if there's such a thing) for a while, and afaik that would be Dick Dale, Man or Astro-man Los Straitjackets and the Bambi Molestors. MoAM might be defunct but they were pretty big outside surf circles so it's worth including them. anyway, I might well be wrong here.
You could however include a reference about the current scene as a whole, something like "While Surf bands aren't selling millions of records, and it's only a few bands like Man or Astro-man and Los Straitjackets who managed to appeal to a larger audience, a quick search on the internet reveals that there are in fact hundreds if not thousands of surfbands worldwide playing out, puutting out records, and building a small but dedicated following. Google just might come up with a surfshow in your town tonight!"
anyway, just blabbering, feel free to ignore. I like your refference to the net though, it's true, the internet has taken hundreds of 5-piece surf followings and threw them all together.
I see where you are coming from and I agree. I really wish I could go more in depth there but I've been given a 200 word limit. Regarding the stats, I just wanted to present a fact that cough peoples attention, hoping that some will want to learn more about it.
It's like when they say "a dozen of criminals have been captured" A DOZEN... sounds bigger and more dramatic that simply "twelve"
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Spud
Joined: Jul 23, 2007
Posts: 666
Oz
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 08:06 PM
I can't speak for the U.S.A. but over this side of the lake in OZ the Atlantics were No:1 for 8 straight weeks in 1963 with 'Bombora' I'm guessing they sold a few copies elswhere around the world as well.
A mention of the world wide phenomenon that is "Surf' music would be cool.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 08:12 PM
_J_
JakeDobner
Like, ever?
Well...
The world population is estimated to be about 6,602,224,175. If only 1% of the whole world population listened to surf then there would be about 66,022,241 surf fans around the world. If only 40% of those 66,022,241 surf fans ever bought A SINGLE ALBUM you would be looking at about 26,408,896 copies sold world wide.
So my short answer is yes.
I totally don't doubt 1,000,000 records have been sold. I believe Dick Dale has done it himself.
I was just asking if you meant all-time.
And you can't take the world population and base record sales. How much of the world's population lives in utter poverty and could buy food for a month for the price of a surf record?
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pyrobob
Joined: Apr 27, 2006
Posts: 251
Auburn, CA
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Posted on Aug 19 2007 11:58 PM
I totally don't doubt 1,000,000 records have been sold. I believe Dick Dale has done it himself.
I was just asking if you meant all-time.
And you can't take the world population and base record sales. How much of the world's population lives in utter poverty and could buy food for a month for the price of a surf record?
off topic?? 
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