Hello Eddie!
EddieBertrand_
Ivan, have not heard a peep out of you for days. I kinda sorta asked you a question while answering your questions. Not that important, I was mostly just curious. Would you be good enough to read them again? It's on page 6. Thanks pal.
My apologies, but I didn't see the question - did you add the question later? Cause I don't remember seeing it the first time I read through the post. I also have more questions, but it's been a very busy weekend. Nevertheless, here we go!
EddieBertrand_
I visited your site Ivan....It's very cool. Now I can put a face to the man writing to me.
Wow, thank you VERY much, Eddie. I'd be happy to send you my band's CDs, if you're at all interested, just say the word.
OK, now to answer your question:
EddieBertrand_
Some things Leo gave me, but mostly I just paid for parts, if that. Leoâs cost. I will say this....Mr. Fender was very generous to me.
Boy, it sounds like it! What a wonderful man.
I had 4 or 5 Showman Amps, but I played out of the same one all the time. It had the best wood.
Do you mean the speaker cab had the best wood? The wood wouldn't affect the head, right? Did you start playing Showman amps with E&TS or already with the Belairs?
As far as Dale goes........I was more interested in every word Leo spoke, so I tried to stay focused on what he was teaching me. I never mentioned Dale nor did Leo. Why do you ask Ivan? Just curious.
The main reason I asked is that of course DD also talks about working closely with Leo Fender in the early sixties, and talks about him in similar terms to you. So, given that here were two of the main guys from a new, emerging popular genre, both working with Leo, I just thought it might come up. The more general reason why I'm asking is because so much stuff I read puts a kind of a 'rivarly' spin on you and DD, so I'm curious how true it is. For example, besides that Dumb Angel Gazzette story on you and DD that I already asked you about, just reading through Paul Johnson's liner notes in the Belairs' CD "The Origins of Surf Music", he writes about E&tS starting to play at Retail Clerk's Hall: "After all, was challenging the supremacy of Dick Dale on his own turf; the Deltones still packed them in at Harmony Park Ballroom, very near to Retail Clerk's.... As it turned out, Eddie prevailed." So, even there Paul presents it as a rivarly between the two of you. And obviously, you both have blazing, reverb-heavy guitar styles. So this is the more general reason why I'm asking - just trying to figure out how real was this rivalry.
I heard Mexico somewhere. It stayed in my subconscious, I am sure. I thought I had something. But as it turned out I didnât. I should not really claim authorship. BorderTown is way too close to Mexico! If I made a mistake as a kid I am sorry. Going public with this is a load off, because when I realized what I had done, and how very close Border Town is to Mexico I was very embarrassed, and I still am.
Oops, sorry, I certainly didn't intend to embarrass you! I kinda see what you mean, but Border Town ultimately sounds Mexican without being a rip-off of the song Mexico. What I was asking about was whether Dale ripped YOU off since his version of Mexico seemed to feature a very similar arrangement and playing style, and it came out after Border Town.
Anyway, I'm sure the above has happened to all songwriters. It's happened to me before. No way to avoid it, and no reason to feel embarrassed by it.
Also to set the record straight, I never claimed that I wrote Dark Eyes (an old Russian folk song) or any other standard that was released by The Bel Airs or Eddie and the Showmen. Not going to point fingers at how some of that came about, but record companies and publishers should be more on top of that kind stuff.
I don't think the E&tS CD provides any songwriting credits - could you give us those, Eddie? Here they are:
Toes on the Nose (Bertrand?)
Border Town (Bertrand?)
Squad Car (Johnson)
Scratch (Edwards)
Las Olas (?)
And the Angels Sing (trad?)
Showmen Stomp (Bertrand?)
Movin' (Hazlewood)
Mr. Rebel (Bertrand)
Lanky Bones (Johnson)
Far Away Places (?)
Dark Eyes (trad)
We Are the Young (?)
Young and Lonely (?)
Break Time (?)
The He Kissed Me (Spector?)
Wayward Wind (Lebowsky/Newman)
I did concerts with some of the surf bands like The Lively Ones. There was really no reason to sweat, they had there sound, I had mine.
That makes sense.
I basically just did my thing. I surfed every day and played music everyday and or night. That was my life at the time.
Sounds pretty damn good! You were a lucky young man.
The guy that impressed me the most was Jim Masoner from The Lively Ones.
I can see that. Your two bands would play shows together pretty often, right? Was their live show as active as some sources have said? Lots of jumping around, jumping on the amps, etc.?
Keep in mind DUANE EDDY was the man. He was everything to me. I would say he is why I play rock instrumental music.
Thanks for that. I do enjoy Duane Eddy a lot. In fact, the last couple of weeks I've been listening to him quite a bit. What a true pioneer and innovator. The guy was amazing. It's funny though, cause your playing really doesn't sound like him at all - I guess that's the way it should be.
Finally, I have a question about something you wrote in the Squad Car CD booklet: "I would like to thank Rob Edwards, the backbone of The Showmen, for being my pal then and now, "Mr. Rebel" Reb Foster, Kathy Marshall whom I wish I married and lived happily ever after with and a very special thanks to Leo Fender for everything."
First, did you really mean that about Kathy? Did the two of you ever date?
Second, I've been thinking after reading spskins (Ted's) post about the Belairs being a band first and foremost, in E&tS it seems to me the role of rhythm guitar is absolutely huge. E&tS tracks have some of the best rhythm guitar playing of the sixties surf. I guess that's all Rob Edwards? He did seem to be a very important part of your band, and I believe he was the only fully permanent member besides yourself (is that right?). Can you talk about your relationship in a bit more detail? Did he help you out creatively? What has he been doing since then?
Thanks, Eddie, you're the BEST!
Ivan
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Ivan
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