Double-Crown-Records
stuff

I'm about to send you an e-mail then!

I hope I didn't come off as insulting when I said that Double Crown and Golly Gee don't do much radio promotion. I don't know how you operate, and I assumed that there was probably good reason, and looks like there is. I guess what I was saying was that the real power of exposure lies in the hands of larger labels with a wider range of appeal. That's OK, because I doubt any larger labels could rival Double Crown's selection for good surf (though I'd love to see them try!), and I think we enthusiasts will continue to recognize that

Here's another thought about surf exposure (I shouldn't be thinking at 4 am, why am I still up?). I remember back when I was first getting into punk, a lot of the kids also sorta getting into it (they never got much further) were really amused by punk covers, and I sort of see it happening again with bands like the Minibosses and The Advantage and other nerd-core acts covering Nintendo songs.

So more covers. It cheapens the genre, but I think we're pretty kitschy anyway and it can be a great gateway to the sound. Sure, we play covers a lot, but a lot of the time they're old surf classics. What's really blown my friends away are covers like the Treble Spankers' The Model (Kraftwerk) and Tremolo Beer Gut - Death Valley '69 (Sonic Youth... my old favorite band but I like the cover more). When I bought my first LSJ CD the clerk said "Oh yeah, they've got this awesome cover of 'My Heart Will Go On'" which is always fun to pop into the cd player when friends are around. I know from these forums that a lot of you have REALLY good taste outside the genre, so why not flaunt it? Again, I know a lot of you do this, but I'm just saying it's a great way to grab a new listener.

Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio

On the subject of covers. I'm not a huge fan of the more popular cover, even though we play Pipeline and Misirlou. I just can't take most bands versions. I forgot we do Squad Car as well.

I am, however, a big fan of non-surf songs turned into covers. With that said you need originals to back yourself up.

ThePacificHeadhunters
Just curious... Would you like to see more of the same in surf rock music, or would like to see something different. There's nothing better than putting on an old 60's Surf garage record. The sound is so raw and gripping, but do you think Surf music has any more room for evolution. If so, what would you like to see! I'm anxious to hear everyone's answers!
SURF'S UP
-Travis

I'd like to see more iMax films with surf- Digital Dolby surround sound.

Before I can clearly indicate any direction for "Surf Music" I think one needs to provide one's own personal definition of Surf Music. Keep in mind this is stricly PERSONAL and I dont' pretend to represent the general Surf crowd (i.e. I don't own a surfboard and have never been on one). So:

I divide Surf Music into two categories - The Guitar dominated Instrumental MUSIC of the early 1960's that was a counterpoint/ offshoot of the Swinging London Scene on the other side of the pond (pre-Beatles). This music was spawned and heavily influenced by everything guitar based from 1940's Cowboy Music to Country Swing and (like it or not) heavily influenced by the Hollywood Studio Musicians and TV and Movie soundtrack Guitarists of that same early 1960's era.

The OTHER side of Surf is what exists today as a sort of Vintage Guitar and Amp collectors cabal / market where middle aged guys (like me) and older are playing this "style" of Music on Vintage Amps and highly sought after collectable period guitars - filled with a sort of reverence and nostallgia for a purity and perfection of a time gone by. This is something completely different and separtate from the music IMO. There is nothing wrong with it - it's what middle aged guys do... but it should not be confused with any potential for Surf MUSIC to grow and develop.

The only area for SURF MUSIC to grow (once again IMHO) is for its influence to be felt by YOUNG Players (The younger the better) who then do whatever the hell they want with it - but hopefully incorporate it into their sound - and pay some homage to it in their song structure and guitar licks. Nobody who is fixated on nostalgia or reverence is ever going to create any terrific Rock and Roll - so to hell with us old farts!

I hear strong surf influences all over the place - for example I was listening to a MUSE song recently and it opened with a great heavily reverberated and echoed descending guitar line that sounded VERY SURF to me. MUSE proceeded to pour on some heavy Brian May/ QUEEN style chords and voila - sounded good to me. Nostalgia be damned.

Also check out THE STROKES - they do a ton of SPY SURF sounding tunes - but nobody is ever going to confuse them with the Ventures.

I think Surf is terrific but even Dick Dale doesn't sound like he did in 1965 - the audience is too sophisticated to wallow in the past.

Remember ROCK AND ROLL isn't supposed to be safe and parents aren't supposed to like it - that's why thrre are no great Jitterbug bands anymore.. and golyy gee what about all those great Ragtime bands that used to rock the house - NOT!

But I can't wait to hear some 16 yr old urban DJ cut some Scott Joplin into the latest dancefloor hit... that would be sweeeeet...

Laphillyboy

Laphillyboy
I divide Surf Music into two categories - The Guitar dominated Instrumental MUSIC of the early 1960's

The OTHER side of Surf is what exists today as a sort of Vintage Guitar and Amp collectors cabal / market where middle aged guys (like me) and older are playing this "style" of Music on Vintage Amps and highly sought after collectable period guitars - filled with a sort of reverence and nostallgia for a purity and perfection of a time gone by.

The only area for SURF MUSIC to grow (once again IMHO) is for its influence to be felt by YOUNG Players

Laphillyboy

I disagree about your two catagories of surf. There are a lot
of really great surf bands that fall outside of those catagories.
Without getting into whether the Mermen, Pollo Del Mar, the
Insect Surfers, and the like are surf bands or not, look at all
the great YOUNG surf bands out there. Check out the Pyronauts,
the Lava Rats, Django Twango and the Verb, to name just a
few. (My apologies to the many other great young bands and
players not mentioned). There is a ton of young blood being
infused into surf, and IMHO, it is what keeps surf alive.

Bob

Bob

Awww Robbie,
You're making me blush...

I do think that youth does indeed play a major part in the "next generation" of surf music -- there are relative "kids" my age (almost 26), who really go ape for this music, and come from such varied musical backgrounds, that we're bound to bring that to the table as well. Speaking personally, I have this weird thing for playing fast... really fast. I'm talking... really really fast. Folks who have seen us play live, you know what I'm talking about. No offense, but there are a lot of older fellas who just can't rip out that kind of stamina. This is where youth plays a factor. Granted, guys like IvanP and the Wronski can play circles around me, and at times, make me look like I should be playing guitar in the right-hand lane, but I'm speaking of the general populous here.

~B~

Jim, I think we all appreciate what you're saying and can see the love for the genre that you have. But you can't ask for it to be held back in suspended animation. Music is alive, and it must be allowed to grow and change/adapt/mutate whatever, it's the natural order of things. You don't have to like everything you hear, but don't discount what new things are happening under the big umbrella of surf music, you may be cheating yourself out of some great music. There's room enough for all of us, and we're the better and stronger for our diversity.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

Jim, is your '73 Tele a Deluxe or Custom or regular? I love those early/mid 70s teles.

As for wishing the sounds of the future would be more like the sounds of the 60s. I can't say I agree but I do... if that makes sense. I think it is more of my abhorring what some people are calling surf these days. Surfabilly is a term that makes me want to choke people to death. I love the sounds of the 60s although I'm not a huge fan of most of the bands from that era compared to some of the stuff since then.

JimBailey
I do like the more traditional sounds. I sure wish that the future would be more in the sounds of the early 60's.

. . .

PLEASE keep the Surf Music original, and traditional OR IT JUST WOULDN'T BE SURF MUSIC. It would be something else.

I'm gonna have to respectfully but profoundly disagree with you Jim. I think I'm one of the more progressive-leaning surf fans out there (or in here, whatever) and I don't mind seeing the music tweaked or twisted in just about any direction. Whether or not I enjoy the outcome each time is a different story. There are plenty of surf songs I've come across that I just don't like. Sometimes it's the melody or the sound that doesn't do it for me and sometimes it's the style of surf. But regardless of how little I like it I can't brush that style off as not being surf. Surf's potential for incorporating--though sometimes failing to incorporate--new styles is part of what makes it so great. It's not a great genre because the guys in the sixties played fender guitars through fender amps. That's NOT the soul of the genre. It's got a feel and a certain power to it that can be felt and interpreted in so many different ways. I think it's awesome to hear all the interpretations of "surf" that people have to offer. Granted they do owe it all to the road paved by the 1st wavers. I can't deny that. Nobody let me try to. In fact, an understanding and appreciation of surf's roots is essential before you can go out and successfully mold it. If the guys playing progressive surf nowadays didn't like the surf music of old, they wouldn't be trying to build off the genre, and they certainly wouldn't be calling their own music "surf." They do so out of love of the music, and you can still feel that connection to the original "real thing" which is what in fact makes it "real" surf as well.

That was preachy. I'm getting misty eyed.

JakeDobner
I was just saying I don't like the term. Did you think i was saying something about the poster Surfabilly?

It certainly looked that way. I'm more than willing to give you the benefit of the doubt that you meant no harm, but look at your post objectively, keeping in mind we have a member who's name is 'surfabilly'. We know that Surfabilly is a nice guy, but this could easily erupt into a flame war, why go there? Did you have to be so antagonistic with your statement? When you make declarations like that, it appears that you're close minded and egotistical, and I don't really think you are. But again, everyone is only able to read your post, not your mind.

Just take it down a notch, eh?

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF