IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
|
Posted on Sep 24 2015 09:56 AM
This one is for the '60s completists only!
The Genteels is a pretty obscure first-wave band, even by the standards of obscure first wave bands! The main reason why their name was at all on my radar is that they did the original version of "Force of Gravity", covered by Jon & the Nightriders on Surf Beat '80, and played by the Blair/Pongracic band this summer. However, I had never heard the original! As far as I knew, it had never been comped anywhere.
I was talking to Alan Taylor of the Pipeline zine a few days ago about the new Birth of the Surf, Vol. 3 CD, and told him how excited I was to see that "Force of Gravity" will finally be on a comp of any kind and on CD, and Alan pointed out that it HAD appeared on CD before - some of the members of the Genteels joined up with members of the Tornadoes (of the Bustin' Surfboards fame, not Telstar fame) and the Truants to form a band by the name of The Gross Prophet later in the '60s. Well, Alan told me about a 2-CD anthology of the Gross Prophet that includes all four released Genteels tracks (both sides of their two singles). I found it on Amazon (though it's also available from the label directly for not too much money). Given that I don't have much interest in the Gross Prophet, already have the tracks by the Truants and the Tornadoes, and that "Force of Gravity" is coming out in a few weeks on that Birth of the Surf, Vol. 3 CD, I simply bought the mp3s the other three Genteels tracks - you can get them here:
http://www.amazon.com/Believe-Music-History-Gross-Prophet/dp/B001AVG6A6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1442887744&sr=8-3&keywords=I+Believe+in+Music%3A+The+History+of+The+Gross+Prophet
"Take It Off" and "Hitchiker" are fairly straightforward, blues/jazz-influenced surf tracks, but pretty cool. "Springboard", though, was a surprise - it's the same song as the Sentinals' "Big Surf"! A really excellent version of it, too! And now I'm wondering which came first? I'll have to ask John, he'll probably know.
Anyways, if you're into collecting the '60s stuff, I thought you might want to know about this. Like I said, for completists only!
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
|
John
Joined: Aug 23, 2007
Posts: 614
Monterey County, California
|
Posted on Sep 24 2015 01:02 PM
If you have a copy of my book, "The Illustrated Discography of Surf Music, 1961-1965," you can check the dates of "Springboard" (flipside of the "Force of Gravity" single) and "Big Surf." The latter came along in '63, the former in '64, so The Sentinals recording came first.
Speaking of the surf music discography, if you DON'T have a copy, Xmas is coming up (there's also my other book, "Southern California Surf Music." Hint, hint). Either, or both, can be ordered here: www.johnblair.us
john
— www.johnblair.us
www.soundofthesurf.com
|
IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
|
Posted on Sep 24 2015 10:11 PM
Thanks, John! I should have just checked your book but I got distracted and forgot. Thanks for setting the record straight! (Darn, I was hoping that the Genteels song came out first - that would have really blown some minds, eh???  )
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
Last edited: Sep 24, 2015 22:12:28
|
Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4537
Wisconsin
|
Posted on Sep 25 2015 06:21 AM
John wrote:
Speaking of the surf music discography, if you DON'T have a copy, Xmas is coming up (there's also my other book, "Southern California Surf Music." Hint, hint). Either, or both, can be ordered here: www.johnblair.us
john
I have begun dropping just such hints with a sledgehammer for the discography to the kids. Software, as it were, to go with the Fender "hardware" books on the shelf. Southern California Surf Music remains a joy to pluck off the shelf at any time, thanks for that one - highly recommended.
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
|
revmike
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3864
North Atlantic
|
Posted on Sep 25 2015 06:26 AM
Eddie Angel does an excellent version of Take it Off on his Guitar Party album. The guitar sound is almost identical.
Rev
— Canadian Surf
http://www.urbansurfkings.com/
|
May Birthdays 
