Not necessarily lesser-known, but at least lesser-known as a guitarist, is Bob Bogle. I think his playing on the first Ventures albums was first-rate. For someone who'd only been playing a short time, he played some beautiful, clean, tasteful stuff! Blasphemy I know, but I prefer his playing to Nokie's.

Nah, you guys are not alone. Bob was an amazing player. Impeccable tone, killer timing and expression. Those early Ventures' records wrote the book on guitar instrumental taste.

My biggest influence was Richard Otis Fifield. Especially on the tracks the Astronauts did later as a bar band on steroids.

Ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

Some more or less under-known surf guitarists from the 60s that I've found rather enjoyable are Randy Holden (Fender IV), Dave Myers (Dave Myers and the Surftones), Al Casey (his "Surfin' Hootenanny" LP is killer even with that, uhhhhhhh, goofball title), and Merrell Fankhauser (The Impacts, who even had a steel guitarist in the band and it WORKS). I know at least three of those guitarists are "known" in a somewhat broader sense, but it's probably safe to say surf isn't the main thing they're known for.

Johnny Barakat!

T H E ✠ S U R F I T E S

Well known to surf geeks, but little known to the general public, was one of my very favorites, Richie Podolor. Under the pseudonym, Richie Allen, Podolor did two brilliant albums as Richie Allen and the Pacific Surfers. A lot of his work was under the names of bands like Bruce And Jerry, La Batterie, The Ghouls, The Hondells, The Renegades, The Super Stocks, and with drum wizard, Sandy Nelson. In fact, Podolor wrote and played lead guitar on one of the greatest surf songs, ever, "Casbah" which was issued as a Sandy Nelson single. After the first wave ended, Podolor did some brilliant psychedelic rock with the Chocolate Watchband, particularly, "Dark Side of the Mushroom". Probably his greatest claim to fame was as a producer for ABC Records, producing hit bands like Steppenwolf, and Three dog Night.

Bob

One of my favorites is Mike Campbell, the former lead guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. In 1997, Mike, who was and probably still is a dyed-in-the-wool surf music fan, came up with a project that included a non-existent band called Blue Stingrays-SURF-N-BURN that was headed by him, along with maybe two of the Heartbreakers along with a couple of members of a previous band that Mike had been with earlier called Mudcrutch. I am pretty certain that Mike wrote all or mostly all of the songs in The Blue Stingrays album. I bought the album as soon as it was released in 1997 and I still love it, especially "Blue Venus" and "Green Sea".

The album was re-released in 2021, and I don't know if it was re-received in a positive manner. I still have my early version and IMO it is still a great one - REAL surf music, just like it was back then, maybe even better.

Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)

Paul Johnson and Jim Masoner ... I think by now there are no lesser known ones at least inside this forum.

When you have to shoot ... shoot! Don't talk.

"Los Grainders" > https://losgrainders.bandcamp.com
"The Strings Aflame" > https://thestringsaflame.bandcamp.com
"Planeta Reverb" > www.instagram.com/planetareverb

Last edited: Oct 17, 2024 20:45:56

Emilien03 wrote:

WoodyJ wrote:

One of my favorites is Mike Campbell, the former lead guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. In 1997, Mike, who was and probably still is a dyed-in-the-wool surf music fan, came up with a project that included a non-existent band called Blue Stingrays-SURF-N-BURN that was headed by him, along with maybe two of the Heartbreakers along with a couple of members of a previous band that Mike had been with earlier called Mudcrutch. I am pretty certain that Mike wrote all or mostly all of the songs in The Blue Stingrays album. I bought the album as soon as it was released in 1997 and I still love it, especially "Blue Venus" and "Green Sea".

The album was re-released in 2021, and I don't know if it was re-received in a positive manner. I still have my early version and IMO it is still a great one - REAL surf music, just like it was back then, maybe even better.

I think he still around playing and active on social media.

Mike Campbell is very active with his solo band, the Dirty Knobs. Unfortunately, I have not seen any setlists of them playing surf songs. I did see him perform stellar live versions of "Goldfinger", and "Diamond Head" when he was with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Bob

Last edited: Oct 18, 2024 02:16:35

This is so retarded. Since when is Mike Campbell a "Favorite Surf Guitarist from the 1st wave?".

T H E ✠ S U R F I T E S

^^nice one!^^ he's one of mine too, along with Ralph Geddes

The Nobles

http://www.satanspilgrims.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Satans-Pilgrims/8210228553
https://satanspilgrims.bandcamp.com/
http://www.surfyindustries.com