The other day I found myself having to explain to yet another friend why it is that I enjoy listening to surf music, and I thought it would be cool to see everyone else's reasonings. I mean, we're all members here by means of a common interest/passion/obsession, so what is it about surf that makes everyone here tick? I know this is a pretty big, loaded question, but I figure we've all gotta be big enough fans to express why.
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Best-Of SG101 »
Why you like surf music
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Joined: Apr 24, 2006 Posts: 1618 Ithaca, NY 
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Posted on Aug 02 2006 10:04 PM
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1058 Berlin, Germany 
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 12:40 AM
Its thrilling and atmospheric. A very good combination in any kind of music. KK —The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy. Last edited: Oct 09, 2009 16:07:59 |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 4387 Under the Sun 
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 01:29 AM
I like what Dave Arnson said--"It doesn't suck." (Usually.) -Warren —That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it. |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 08:22 AM
It combines west coast hip-hop with east coast gangsta rap. |
Joined: May 16, 2006 Posts: 91 Florianopolis SC Brazil |
Posted on Aug 03 2006 08:58 AM
it´s got a good beat and you can dance to it —http://www.myspace.com/cochabambas |
Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19266 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 09:39 AM
I tried to answer this question to someone else recently too. It was very hard to do. I don't know, music is such a highly personal and subjective thing. There is just something about the sound, the moods, the danger of wave riding, the reverb, the intense emotions it can generate, the aggression, the exotic scales, the surf beat, the rolling toms, the glissandos...its just magical when it is done right. The lack of vocals has something to do with it too, allowing for more imagery I think. When done right it seems to transport you somewhere in time. —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 09:59 AM
it's timeless...and no words are required... |
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Joined: May 21, 2006 Posts: 62 |
Posted on Aug 03 2006 11:20 AM
Good intrumental music can act as a soundtrack to your life. Surf and it's related sub-genres is the soundtrack to the best bits in your life. And it sounds good. |
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Joined: Apr 24, 2006 Posts: 1618 Ithaca, NY
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 01:03 PM
I'll give my answer now. I just waited because I didn't want to be the first person to answer my own question. I agree that "it doesn't suck," but my personal answer is actually strikingly similar to Brian's:> the sound, the moods, the danger of wave riding, the reverb, the intense emotions it can generate, the aggression, the exotic scales, the surf beat, the rolling toms, the glissandos... Since first discovering surf I've always been struck by the range and effectiveness of emotions it can generate. All sorts of styles are compatible, from the "standard," "classic" sound (I'm gonna say the Lively Ones) to the incredibly exotic (The Madeira, who I haven't been able to stop listening to since July 30th). Sometimes you just need your face rocked off, and surf can fully accomodate (think Surf Coasters and Slacktone) or you can opt for gorgeous, ornate, and complex compositions (Pollo Del Mar and The Bambi Molesters). It even works with songs that have no real kick or soul, but can be just totally adorable and way too much fun (The Lively Ones' Rik a Tik and The Sentinals' Sunset Beach). The genre as a whole is so impressive because, even as a sub-genre of "rock music" it's still complex enough to hold its own further sub categories, and I like 'em all. Though now that I think about it I don't think anyone has ever written a surf song complaining about their parents. |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19266 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 01:51 PM
Good post Wooza. Another thing I like about it is the deceptively simple aspect to it. It seems to have such a limited vocabulary at first glance, yet it can be so expressive in the hands of the masters. I also like your assessment about the range of bands from the fun party rock type stuff, to the classic surf sound, to the people taking it as if 1964-65 didn't happen (Madeira). —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25540 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 07:30 PM
I like it because when it's done right it gives me goose bumps, and makes me shiver like I just got a chill. Jeff(bigtikidude) —Jeff(bigtikidude) |
Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 2344 San Jose, Ca.
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 07:44 PM
It's powerful, it's melodic, it evokes intense emotions, it's complex yet simple; to me it's deadly serious, but not full of itself; it's cool; it's innocent yet evil; and above all else....... it's FUN! Surf always puts a smile on my ugly mug. —Bob Last edited: Jul 10, 2016 22:29:39 |
Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 852 Connersville, Indiana, USA
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 08:30 PM
For me, it's hard to stay in a bad mood, when listening to surf guitar and instrumental rock. Matt —Fast Cars & Loud Guitars! |
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Joined: Apr 29, 2006 Posts: 22 Las Vegas NV |
Posted on Aug 03 2006 09:56 PM
Today I was buying some strings for a cheap guitar (I keep in my car to practice with) at the local Guitar Center. Some guy was shredding one riff after another, and quite well. However technically precise he was, it wasn't music, instrumental or ortherwise. It was more like yelling with a guitar. <i>"In the beginning there was Nothing. Then it Exploded"</i> |
Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1076 Columbus, OH
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Posted on Aug 03 2006 11:48 PM
It makes it less embarrassing when your mom walks in on you while you're pretending to surf on your futon if you're listening to it. |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands
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Posted on Aug 04 2006 03:43 AM
shit, dude, that's what you're afraid to get caught doin'? I had my mom walk in on me once - I was 16 and it was the first time my girlfriend slept over .... we were NOT pretending to surf on the futon, though one might mistakingly think we were practicing our body-board skills. as things turned out, I married this girl 14 years later. WR —Rules to live by #314: |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands
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Posted on Aug 04 2006 04:03 AM
.. oh, and why I like surf music? what's to tell. let the people who don't like surf music explain themselves, huh, they're the ones that have some explaining to do! WR —Rules to live by #314: |
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Joined: May 16, 2006 Posts: 91 Florianopolis SC Brazil |
Posted on Aug 04 2006 06:29 AM
Good point. By the way, in my experience, surf music is a crowd pleaser at gigs - even if people don´t exactly know what you´re playing, they find it fun, most of the time. —http://www.myspace.com/cochabambas |
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Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1076 Columbus, OH
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Posted on Aug 04 2006 05:56 PM
Well, I'm 23 years old, and I live in my mom's basement. Also, there are no girls anywhere near my room. Just me. In my underwear. Damn, I shouldn't have said that. |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 1778 Star, Idaho. Formerly lived in Surf City USA.
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Posted on Aug 04 2006 07:17 PM
I like surf because it's what I grew up with. Rap is crap, hip hop & pretty much everything on the radio sucks except for a few oldies & classic rock stations. |
I was also playing non-surf music at 3 am way too loud and I don 't think it would have been any less awkward had it been surf-music. 
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