PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5089
San Francisco
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Posted on May 11 2018 08:54 AM
In June of 1997, a monumental tour of surf bands was planned for the Southeast. I remember being so jealous, stuck on the West coast as we heard the plans and show being set up. I was so happy when Rip Thrillby started a daily journal (this was before the word blog was invented) on the original Cowabunga surf forum (cowabunga@.netapp.com). Sean Berry kept an archive of Rip's notes, so here they are for you to relive.
Let's just say that things didn't go exactly as planned.
If you have memories or photos, please post.
Rip Trilby writes:
Okay folks, there've been a few other reports so far on this whole Surfer USA extravaganza. Here's what really happened, or how I remember it at least, which is the most important thing to me, anyway:
Friday, June 20, Tuscaloosa AL -- The Chukker
Woke up bleary-eyed and hungover at 10:30 to hear Trace announce the arrival of The Atomic Teen Idols, in our book the coolest four guys ever to go truant from school. Neal, Johnny, Russ and Andy were even more bleary-eyed than I was, coming off a 10-hour haul from Charleston, South Carolina. The guy who's doing our video, a future famous filmmaker named Paul Mayne and I had to go check out a shooting location, so we left the guys to bag some well-deserved Zs. The shooting location is going to be incredible -- a 1/8 mile dragstrip called Holiday Beach about 20 miles outside of Tuscaloosa, where they have races for drunken gear heads every Saturday night. We're shooting this Saturday the 28th for anyone who wants to come down and be immortalized on 35mm color film stock.
Anyway, we got ready to play later and headed to The Chukker, where I was greeted by Sean Berry in possession of the sleeves for our impending Continental Records release "Hit the Jet Stream with The Penetrators," and were thrilled with the way they came out. Sean is one helluva cool guy, and flew in from Bellingham to witness the entire spectacle. An interesting side note -- Sean is actually an Alabama native, being born in "Rocket City USA," Huntsville, when his dad worked for NASA, so I guess it makes he's put out one of records, which were pressed yesterday morning. Thanks again, Sean!!
Not long afterwards we met up with Ted and the gang from Squid Vicious, as well as Alabama's two newest surf bands, Johnny and the Shamen from Mobile and The Mysterymen from Birmingham. Johnny and the Shamen kicked things off smokin' -- Johnny plays a cherry red Gretsch 6120 that is one cool Twang Thang, and the band wore ultra-swank blue sharkskin suits. We're going to try to get them to Atlanta with us soon. The Mysterymen were up next, with youthful enthusiasm and a real love of surf music -- very traditional cool stuff, and I'm sure we'll be gigging with them a lot in the future. Alabama has produced four surf bands now!
We got up next, with special guest Bobby Corvair and his Raging Organ on
the Farfisa, as well as two of our go-go dancers, Babs and Midge, who made it difficult for us to concentrate, as usual (but this is a good thing). Finally added "Telstar" to our repertoire, and played it for the first time anywhere as a band -- everyone learned it from CDs. Paul shot some 16mm
footage for the video that he thinks turned out really well. Spanky was in rare form -- he has a new megaphone and a clean conscience, as he described it, and it showed. I expected him to start speaking in tongues during some of his rants from the pulpit/stage. I think it was a full moon too, and Mr. Twangler's physiology is very susceptible to lunar forces. Appropriately, we started with "High Tide."
The Atomic Teen Idols hit the stage next, and were a revelation. These cats COOK, daddy-o! Great originals, very trad, with tinges of ska at times -- their take on "Perfidia" is incredible, and are a ball to watch on stage. Makes me wish I was 17 again. Squid Vicious closed the night as the most
modern-sounding band of the whole tour, as a trio without their rhythm
guitar player, but still filled out the sound nicely. Especially dug their version of "Egypt, Texas." (Though I still think you should get a Fender, Ted -- heh heh)
It was a great evening of surf music and lively conversation between a bunch of surf-obsessed lunatics. We put up more guests than ever before, and the place looked like a youth hostel there were so many folks crashing out. Watched some of the Sleazefest '95 video as a nightcap, and we all had a big laugh over the evening's festivities.
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Last edited: May 12, 2018 11:35:01
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5089
San Francisco
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Posted on May 11 2018 09:01 AM
Rip Trilby writes:
Saturday, June 21, Atlanta -- The Variety Playhouse
Woke up bleary-eyed and hungover to get ready to head east to Atlanta. Talk about a Cowabunga Surf Music Mutual Admiration Society -- I could hang out at this kind of scene every day. Backstage with the beer and pizza was like a surf freak who's who. There's John Blair talking to Pamita Neptune. There's Ivan StratoJazzmaCossack talking shop with Dave Wronski. And look -- there's Spanky standing by the keg (as usual) talking to Moon Dawg and Sean Berry. There's Greg Nicoll talking to Pete Curry. Hey, there's Volcano Chris shooting the bull with Leslita (a VERY popular gal). Assorted go-go dancers, band members, record biz folks (I know of at least two indies and a major represented there) were in and out all day. Everyone had a big laugh over the scene.
In attendance I saw the aforementioned as well as Art from Musick, Greg Sutter, Greg Fleeman, Rockin' Rob from Cincinatti, Budd Stidom from Kentucky, Dave Becker, John Crooks, Keith Xenos, as well as dozens of other folks I knew from various places.
I missed The Atomic Teen Idols' and Squid Vicious' sets since I had stuff to take care of in Tuscaloosa, but walked to catch our pals from Columbia, SC Los Perdidos hitting the stage with wildly gyrating dancers. These guys have a great sound -- sort of mix of Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet and melodic Man or Astroman. They wowed 'em good.
The Volcanos were up next, and I'd been looking forward to seeing them for a long time -- they did not disappoint, delivering the goods with gusto!! Wearing matching azure bowling shirts and playing Fenders and Miseries, they played all my faves from their Surfquake CD -- one of the best releases of the 90s, in my opinion, and some stuff I hadn't heard before but was just as good. Chris and his crew have the chops and the stage presence to slay an audience -- can't wait to gig with them again. Incredibly catchy, energetic stuff. Way tough act to follow, no doubt about
it!
But we tried any way. We were up next, and broke out the crimson lame' jackets, as has been mentioned. Paul was shooting more footage for the video, with explained why there was a mysterious-looking glob of what could have been C-4 with a timing device attached to Stix's kick drum. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. In addition to Eve, a little red-headed firecracker wearing a custom go-go costume with spangles on her breasts and thighs and Sandy, wearing a way-cool little black number with black boots, we brought two of our own go-go dancers from Alabama, Babs and Pepper, who had every guy in the house drooling puddles, us included. Pepper showed up wearing white go-go boots and a white mini-skirt with the Southern Surf Syndicate patch on her thigh. With her long brown hair and white eye shadow, the effect was devastating. My god... "Damn, Pepper --- have you been spying on our dreams again?" Trace asked her. Babs has black boots, and is having a matching black miniskirt with patch made as we speak. You see, here at the Syndicate we do see the world in black and white. We were joined on stage by Bobby Corvair for the closing songs of the set, knocking out "Telstar," "Hubba Hubba," "Redlined," "What Kinda Suit You Call That, Fella?" "Speed Bump," "Night of the Drunken Cheerleaders" and our traditional show-closer, "Bikini Drag." Only seemed like we were on stage for ten minutes, it flew by so quickly.
Next up were the Southern Surf Syndicate's Mid-Atlantic Strike Team, The Space Cossacks. Man, they just get better and better and better every time I've seen them, and they were white-hot the FIRST time I heard them last September. Ivan has got The Sound down! Or course, maybe it was because he was playing through my reverb tank -- his quit working the night before for some reason, then spontaneously fixed itself when he dropped it the next day. Gotta love Fender gear. (Quick sidebar -- the cooperation and comradery between the bands was incredible -- everyone letting other folks borrow their gear, looking out for each other in strange towns, etc. I've never seen anything like it before.) They blazed through a bunch of their new material, which were all instant classics. I particularly liked "Adventures in Morocco," an Ivan composition of staggering maturity -- mode changes, rhythm changes -- the works, without ever getting "artsy" or non-hummable. They debuted a new one by Catherine, who is giving Ivan a run for his money as a riff writer, so watch out, fella! Anyway, they blew me and everyone else in the room away (again), and muhahahahaha -- I even heard Ivan flub a couple notes for the first time in "Hava Nagila." Welcome to the human race, bro! We all had a big laugh about it afterwards.
Up next were the life of the party, The Neptunas, whom I'd also eagerly awaited. These chicks are Fun in the biggest way, Jack. Pamita taunted the crowd with racey wisecracks, turning the tables on all of us knuckle-dragging sexist Neanderthals, getting "go-go boys" including one Big Wave Dave Becker on stage dancing with them. Pamita was hellcat hopping around the stage, and Leslita was a site to behold in her miniskirt and blonde hair. Their new drummer (Stephanita?) is a ringer, and they were a refreshing blast of fun. I'd drive 100 miles to see them anytime.
Then came the main event: Jon & the Nightriders. Holy friggin' cow. With Halibut Pete Curry on bass, Slacktone Dave on rhythm, Huntington Cad Jeff on skins and the man, the myth, and true gentleman John Blair on lead, Juan y Los Paseros De Noche showed everyone how it's done. So, some of you ign'rent folks might ask, "Why should I listen to what John Blair says?" Well, I'll tell ya why -- because he knows what the hell he's talking about, and he knows what the hell he's doing! Really cool to see someone like him, with that kind of rep, get up there and take us back to school -- as Spanky said, he talks the talk AND walks the walk. When they roared through "Banzai Washout" I told Trace that THIS is what I wished Dick Dale still sounded like. I wished they could have played a three-hour set, for it was the most enjoyable set of surf music I had yet heard -- and I've seen a LOT of fantastic surf bands. One of the brightest of the many highlights of the day for me was getting John to autograph my first edition copy of "The Illustrated Discography of Surf Music." His girlfriend had never even seen a first edition before, and I teasingly chided her to give her man the respect he deserves -- her duty to know these things. "Don't you realize who you're dating here?" We all had a big laugh about it afterwards.
Agent Orange finished up the night in high style. I had never seen them live before, and immediately understood why their following is so fanatical. Incredibly powerful stuff, both the instros and the punk vocals. Now I can say I've played with Agent Orange, an honor I'm extremely proud to crow about.
No one could believe how much money we all made. As members from various bands and their managers went over the business at the end of the night, promoter Steve Heflin broke out the caviar, a jereboam of '48 Dom Perigean and a box of Cubano cigars to celebrate, and as wacky joke we all lit our contraband cigars with some of the numerous $100 bills laying around. Imagine a the locker room of a World Series champion team, and you'll get the picture -- champagne spraying on everyone, flashbulbs going off, TV cameras, Bob Costas interviewing people (no one could figure out what he was doing there). I think the champagne made us a little loopy, especially after we found ourselves making paper airplanes out of treasury notes and floating them out the window to the street hippies and panhandlers in Little Five Points. We all had a big laugh about it afterwards.
I arrived at Stix's pad to see another youth hostel scene, with Atomic Teen Idols and Penetrators passed out everywhere. Thankfully, Spanky saved me a sleeping bag. He and I kicked back a couple Red Stripes and went over the day's events, having a big laugh about it.
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DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio
Last edited: May 12, 2018 11:35:19
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5089
San Francisco
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Posted on May 11 2018 09:04 AM
Rip Trilby writes:
Sunday, June 22, Chattanooga, TN -- The Bay
Woke up bleary-eyed and hungover, as everyone got off to Chattanooga like the rebels escaping the ice planet in the Empire Strikes Back, except it was hot and humid and we didn't have any robots or space ships (Ivan stayed somewhere else). Stix took off ahead and called back to warn us of traffic delays on the interstate, so I got going. He was right, and traffic was snarled from an accident and construction. I was a man with a mission, so I knocked over one of the barrels and took off down the blocked-off access lane. It wasn't long before I saw blue lights flashing in my mirror, with a Georgia state trooper on a Harley on my tail. He looked pissed, and I figured he could use a chuckle, so as he walked up to the window I handed him by Southern Surf Syndicate ID card instead of my driver's license. He took it and stared at it for a good ten seconds. Finally he said, "You're the ones who do that song about the farting under a kilt, aren't you?"
"Well, uh, I guess so, officer. Do you mean 'The Wind Beneath My Kilt'?" I asked.
"Hell, yeah!" he said. "My kids love you guys! Me and the wife like you too, because we don't have to worry about them listening to swear words and devil worshipping on your records. You all are okay in my book." He asked me for my autograph to give his kids (Darlene and Chipper), which I thankfully obliged, explaining that I took emergency driving measures becuase I had to get to Chattanooga. "Oh yeah! Are you playing that big surf festival up there?" he asked. I nodded yes, and he said simply to follow him.
He then gave me a high-speed escort all the way to the state line! I smiled at all the civilians stalled for miles in their cars as we whisked down the closed lane's fresh asphalt. He apparently radioed ahead and had one his buddies in the Tennessee highway patrol meet me and the state line to
finish the escort into Chattanooga. I waved at the Georgia trooper as he turned back south.
Nothing could prepare me for what awaited in Chattanooga. So impressed were the good citizens of Chattanooga by being picked as a surf music hot spot, they put together an impromptu parade for the bands (riding in vintage convertible cars) downtown, declaring Sunday as "Chattanooga Beach Surf Appreciation Day," and giving all the band members keys to the city engraved with the town's new tourism slogan: "Chattanooga: So Much More Than Just A Choo-Choo." And indeed they were right, as the many hundreds of Chattanoogans were some of the most enthusiastic surf fans I've ever met, offering us tables of free food and refreshments. One Cowabungan who asked to remain anonymous got quite a surprise when someone explained to them what "chitterlings" were after they consumed a plate of them. We all had a big laugh over that one.
The real character of the day was the mayor of Chattanooga, "Big" Woody Slocum. At 6'5" and probably 275-300 pounds in overalls, tab-collar shirt and tie, Stetson hat and snakeskin boots, he cuts quite a figure. He's been the mayor for over 20 years, and everyone in town seems to love him and the colorful public stunts he pulls, like riding around on one of the killer whales at the Chattanooga Aquarium, while wearing only a Speedo during his last reelection campaign. ("A Whale of a Good Mayor" was the campaign slogan.) Anyway, Big Woody really seemed to get a kick out of the fact that a "woodie" is also a surfer's vehicle when John Blair explained that to him. He had never heard that before, but he sure was impressed by the coincidence, as he kept asking everyone at the show if they'd ever seen or had a woodie as big as him. No one said they had. We all had a big laugh about it afterwards.
The Bay, where the show was, was packed to capacity by 2:00, with a real swell from families who came immediately from church, ready to dance and drink. Apparently Big Woody has an interest in Chattanooga's Spiffy Hair Pomade Company, as they were signed on as a sponsor for the show, giving everyone a free tube as they entered. If you actually used it, you got a discount on beer at the bar, so it didn't take long before every guy (and a few women, too) in the joint was wearing a ducktail, and if you squinted you could believe you stepped back to 1960, except for a few random doubleknit leisure suits in the crowd.
A major score for me: on Phantom 5ive Todd's advice and Ivan's urging, the promoter drove us over to see a guy named Bruce Bass' Sound Barrier amp shop, and this place was unbelievable. Right as I walked in, there it was: a Dual Showman head. Almost too easy, after vainly searching for a long time now. I got it for $550, and am picking it up this week after some wiring is done to it. Ivan was looking at Echoplexes, and I cringed when I heard a crash behind me. How can a guy who plays guitar with such strength and precision have such buttery fingers? And then, it wouldn't work. Whoops... Finally we figured the thing out and it worked though, much to Ivan's relief, as they wanted $1000 for it, a figure he quite reasonably balked at. But geez, you think he sounds like Hank Marvin now, you should have heard him on this thing. Find a cheaper one, Ivan, like soon.
— Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp
Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp
My Blog- Euro Tour Blog
Pool Boys on Spotify
INSTAGRAM
Frankie & The Pool Boys on FB
Pollo Del Mar on FB
DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio
Last edited: May 12, 2018 11:35:37
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5089
San Francisco
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Posted on May 11 2018 09:08 AM
Rip Trilby writes:
Sunday, June 22, Chattanooga, TN -- The Bay (continued)
The lineup Sunday was The Atomic Teen Idols, Squid Vicious, Thee Phantom 5ive, The Penetrators, The Space Cossacks, The Neptunas, and Jon & the Nightriders. Great sets from everyone again, and it was fun to have Thee Phantom 5ive on board, bringing their insanity into the fold. For the hell of it, we decided to play a bunch of covers, since the atmosphere was a little more relaxed here, with a lower stage. Bobby joined us again on the Farfisa. The Space Cossacks did the same thing, opening with a bunch of Shadows tunes, which were stellar. Ivan proved himself as the class act we all know, thanking each band on the tour by name personally to enthusiastic applause.
The single most surreal moment of the entire weekend was during The Neptunas' set, as Pamita got even more ribald than the night before with the few hundred now liquored-up Chattanoogans. She delivered a series of double entendres about eating Neptunas and about feminine hygiene after being on the road. There was a brief pause while she picked up the set list, so Todd filled it by shouting out "MY pussy's clean!" Then things took the surreal turn, when Pamita said she wanted to see some teenage go-go boys on stage, so Atomic Neal and Keith Xenos obliged and hopped on stage as the music cranked, and began stripping. Yes, stripping.
"Gimme that teen-boy titty!" Pamita shouted several times. It was like being in a David Lynch movie, as the realization sets in that you're in Chattanooga, Tennessee on a Sunday, getting drunk, listening to an all-girl surf band, while underage guys are taking their clothes off. Good thing Big Woody (very amused, I might add) was there in case the law arrived, or who knows what would have happened. We all had a big laugh about it afterwards.
Jon & the Nightriders got up again and were even better than the night before, no shit. I think John was psyched that he got to play through Phantom 5ive Jeff's Showman, because man, he did not let up for their long set. I think I liked this set even better because you could hear the amps without coloring through the PA if you got up close. Everyone was so blown away we demanded an encore and got one. Unbelievable stuff. Todd hadn't heard them yet and his expression was priceless -- wide eyed, agape jaw. "I could listen to this all night long!" he told me into their second song. No doubt about that.
Things to a disturbing turn when management of the bar got a cryptic hand-written note at the close of J & NRs' set that read as follows, verbatim: "Make them Space Cadets play again or I'm going to go punckchure tires and key cars in the parcking lot. I mean it and you wont ketch me. A fan." We were all bewildered and little alarmed, until someone figured out they meant they wanted The Space Cossacks to play again, or they'd damage cars. No one wanted to see anyone's cars get vandalized, and we wanted to hear them again anyway, having stolen the show earlier in the night, so The Space Cossacks got up and delivered another smoking set, a perfect cap to the night. We all had a big laugh about the fan note afterwards.
Again, no one could believe how much cash everyone made again, and there was much backslapping and celebrating. Big Woody put all the bands and their entourages up at his enormous spread on top of Lookout Mountain that night, but the night wasn't over, no way. Lookout Mountain sits about 2,000 feet over Chattanooga, basically straight up over it -- very steep. We told Big Woody about our planned upcoming single called "Skeet Golfing with The Penetrators." (Hey label types -- we're soliciting offers on this one, so contact us via private email if you want to step up to the tee) Skeet golfing is one of our favorite pastimes for unwinding at the Syndicate, and we invented the game ourselves. The rules are simple: One person hits a golf ball, and the other tries to blow it out of the sky with a shotgun. The closer the ball falls to the tee when shot, the better the gunman's score. If the ball isn't shot, then the further away from the tee the ball lands (in bounds) the higher the golfer's score. It is one time in golf when a slice or a hook can be to your advantage, as long as it lands within and stays in bounds. A game consists of nine rounds of nine balls for each player or team.
Anyway, Big Woody, being both an avid golfer and a dove hunter/skeet surfer was intrigued. He poured us all some bourbon, which we drank from Mason fruit jars, grabbed buckets of range balls and clubs, and went out to his skeet range on the grounds of his estate. What a view -- it overlooks the north side of Lookout Mountain, with a straight drop to the river below. It's not as populated below this side of the mountain, so he said it was safe to shoot here. Does it all the time, apparently. He turned on the floodlights and we all stayed up until three in the morning skeet golfing. We didn't keep score since we were shooting off a cliff. Big Woody (with his Big Bertha driver, natch), Spanky, and Pete Curry turned out to be the real long drivers of the group, each of them clearing the interstate below a few times. Atomic Andy proved himself to be a real prodigy with the shorgun -- he was nailing everyone's drives, right off the tees, though Trace, Catherine, and Sean were no slouches either. My slice was under control for once and I shot Stix's balls out of the sky twice, so I was happy. (He's beat me the previous two times we've played) We all had a big laugh about it afterwards.
— Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp
Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp
My Blog- Euro Tour Blog
Pool Boys on Spotify
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Pollo Del Mar on FB
DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio
Last edited: May 12, 2018 11:35:53
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5089
San Francisco
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Posted on May 11 2018 09:12 AM
Rip Trilby writes:
Monday, June 23, Nashville
Woke up bleary-eyed and hungover the next morning. Big Woody gave us a tour of the place, showing us his mounted big game animal heads (the manatee drew some raised eyebrows) and butterfly collection, and bought us all brunch at The Waffle House on our way out after a quick tour of Rock City, a major tourist attraction on the mountain. We said goodbye to The Space Cossacks, who were off to Charlotte, and soon we were all on our way to Nashville, Trashville, Nash Vegas, Music City, for the gig at The Exit Inn, one of the town's major clubs. The lineup was Squid Vicious, The Atomic Teen Idols, Thee Phantom 5ive, The Penetrators, and Jon & the Nightriders. The Neptunas showed up for moral support, as did Danny Amis, Eddie Angel and Jimmy Lester of Los Straitjackets. There were a few other celebrities lurking in the crowd as well.
Squid Vicious kicked things off, and The Atomic Teen Idols followed them. The Neptunas hopped on stage and returned the previous night's favor as their go-go dancers, driving the crowd wild, especially with Leslie's new shorts: red leather hot pants with stars and stripes down the sides. Holy moley -- her bare midriff and washboard stomach were making every red-blooded male in the house think impure thoughts. You durn tootin'. And then, to take things over the top, who should walk up on stage to sit in with them but Nashville session man/former Venture Nokie Edwards! He ran through "Perfidia" with them, and seemed to be having so much fun he even tapped his foot with the beat!! This stage movement is a bold new direction for Nokie, as most of you know, and we were excited to see it firsthand.
After their set, we discussed becoming legal guardians of The Atomic Teen Idols in a joint-custody deal with The Neptunas, who were positively enamored with the charming lads from Olympia. Our attorneys are looking into it. Also heard some wild news from Danny Amis: he prefaced it by announcing that his life was now complete. The news -- The Ventures are recording "Calhoun Surf" for their upcoming CD, no kidding. This was the first song he ever wrote, while learning to play guitar from -- what else -- Ventures records. Hats off to Los Straitjackets for yet another coup!
Thee Phantom 5ive, hometown heroes, got up and blew it out again, with yet another guest celebrity hopping on stage with them, none other than Mr. Duane Eddy!!! They ran through "40 Miles of Bad Road," "Rebel Rouser" and "Peter Gunn," though Duane seemed a little rusty on "Peter Gunn." They stopped the song and Jeff whispered the chords to him, and then they pulled it off with big success. Thee P5 also whipped out "University Blvd." for the Straitjackets in the house, who really dug it.
We were up next for our final show of the tour, and I played through the Showman. Good lord, that's a different experience, feeling those 15" JBLs pounding the back of your legs. Took me a couple songs to get used to being able to hear myself so well! We played "Stampede" and dedicated it to Jon & the Nightriders, then dedicated "Triple Dog Dare" to Los Straitjackets, being a tune heavily influenced by them. Bobby was on board again, and former Phantom 5iver Blair G. Lover sat in for "40 Miles to Vengeance" and "High Plains Surfer Theme." As he left the stage to cheers, imagine our shock when out of the corner of my eye I see Chet Friggin' Atkins walking up on stage carrying a guitar!! I couldn't believe it. I became concerned, however, when I got a lethal blast of liquor on his breath as he plugged into an amp and asked what we wanted to play. We quickly decided on "Walk, Don't Run" (since The Ventures first heard it on one of his records), "A Taste of Honey" and "Harlem Nocturne." Oh man, it was a disaster, as Chet couldn't remember any of the chords until the last verse of WDR. "A Taste of Honey" should have been renamed "A Waste of Money," because Chet TOTALLY fucked that one up. Finally we asked him to please leave the stage before the last tune, 'cause he was really making us look bad. After the set I told him he could play with us again, but for god's sake, lay off the gin and buy a chord book already, Chet. We all had a big laugh about it afterwards.
Last up were Jon & the Nightriders, who once again blew our collective minds. High points were when they played "Tailspin" for Los Straitjackets and "Horror Hayride" from Webb Wilder's appropriately titled "It Came From Nashville" and which Jimmy Lester drummed on. I could listen to J & NRs play every night, and it was a real honor for us to play these dates with them. This set may have been even better than Sunday's -- it's hard for me to even say, I enjoyed them all so much.
The Atomic Teen Idols and us crashed at our buddy Charles Earle's pad, who's going to do write-up of the show in his column in Nashville In Review, a Music City bi-weekly tabloid similar to LA Weekly or Creative Loafing in Atlanta. Contributing to the delinquency of minors again, we introduced the Teen Idols to the joys of scotch, but we had no success ordering a deliver-a-stripper from the many ads in the Nashville Yellow Pages. All were booked up for the evening -- we were kind of bummed about that, but it was getting late anyway.
Woke up the next morning blear-eyed and hung over, again. Had a beer for breakfast, and we discussed the the numerous insane events of the whole adventure so more, now that Surfari USA was over for us. It really was thrill and honor for us to share the stage and spotlight with so many stellar bands, all there for their love of surf music. Stunning performances every night. Lots of new friends and fans were made by all the bands, and lots of fun was had. We all had a big laugh afterwards.
Respectfully submitted,
Rip
The Penetrators
— Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp
Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp
My Blog- Euro Tour Blog
Pool Boys on Spotify
INSTAGRAM
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Pollo Del Mar on FB
DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio
Last edited: May 12, 2018 11:36:23
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Emilien03
Joined: Jul 16, 2008
Posts: 1368
Coyoacán, Distrito Federal
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Posted on May 11 2018 09:15 AM
In '97 I was only 9 ... so this is gonna be a fun reading!
— When you have to shoot ... shoot! Don't talk.
"Los Grainders" www.facebook.com/losgrainders
"Planeta Reverb" www.facebook.com/planetareverb
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John
Joined: Aug 23, 2007
Posts: 594
Monterey County, California
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Posted on May 11 2018 11:35 AM
And that's exactly how it all came down. Sort of. We all had a big laugh afterwards.
jb
— www.johnblair.us
www.soundofthesurf.com
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5089
San Francisco
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Posted on May 11 2018 12:02 PM
My friends had a crazy tour, and all I got was a dumb t-shirt:
— Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp
Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp
My Blog- Euro Tour Blog
Pool Boys on Spotify
INSTAGRAM
Frankie & The Pool Boys on FB
Pollo Del Mar on FB
DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio
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John
Joined: Aug 23, 2007
Posts: 594
Monterey County, California
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Posted on May 11 2018 12:43 PM
Lucky Ferenc to have one of the same t-shirts that the bands received from the promoter as our cool "parting gift." The backside:
— www.johnblair.us
www.soundofthesurf.com
Last edited: May 11, 2018 12:43:44
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bigtikidude
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25523
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on May 11 2018 03:56 PM
Cool, I had only heard about this afterward. Will be interesting to read.
Thank you.
— Jeff(bigtikidude)
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MadScientist
Joined: Jan 17, 2008
Posts: 2188
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on May 11 2018 03:58 PM
This is an absolute treasure!
—
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Staredge
Joined: Sep 27, 2008
Posts: 1149
Damascus, Maryland
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Posted on May 11 2018 08:44 PM
The fact that I never got to see the Penetrators (and never got to be a SSS agent) ranks right up there as one of my life's greatest disappointments.
— Will
"You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater
The Luau Cinders
Last edited: May 11, 2018 20:44:43
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ICantSurf
Joined: Dec 05, 2017
Posts: 3
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Posted on May 11 2018 08:50 PM
John from Via Combusta here... I was in The Atomic Teen Idols and we drove from Washington State to play these... I literally graduated high school and hopped in an SUV and drove to South Carolina with the boys. Some of the shows were poorly attended but the bands were having a blast. The Penetrators and Neptunas were class acts and took us under their wing... I’ll try to find some photos. I do have my Southern Surf Syndicate ID card which The Penetrators bestowed on us.
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on May 12 2018 06:22 AM
Just Wow! Thanks so much Ferenc!
— 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.
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Richard
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1683
Georgia
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Posted on May 12 2018 06:36 AM
Hey, John. Any other artifacts you can share? Did you guys record? I've always heard stories about"the ill-fated Surfari Tour" but somehow missed Rip's complete log. I grew up in Georgia but was tragically unaware of The Penetrators or any other modern surf bands until '99 or so.
— The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5089
San Francisco
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Posted on May 12 2018 11:34 AM
Much as I love Rip's gonzo Hunter Thompson influenced tale,I'd love to here some other show reports.
Atomic Teen John - how on earth did a high school band from WA get asked to be on this tour? that's really wild. did the Atomic teens play a lot of while you were in High School?
— Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp
Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp
My Blog- Euro Tour Blog
Pool Boys on Spotify
INSTAGRAM
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Pollo Del Mar on FB
DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on May 12 2018 05:25 PM
I've just scanned the photos that I have from the Surfari USA tour, about 20. Hope you enjoy them!
Starting with two of Rip with two of the three of the Penetrators' go-go dancers backstage before the festival started. And those of you that didn't know Rip now may have some insight into his legend. 
The Penetrators at the Surfari USA Main Event at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta on Saturday, June 21st, 1997:
The Space Cossacks:
Jon & the Nightriders (John Blair, Dave Wronski, Pete Curry, Jeff Utterback):
The Volcanos with Todd of the Phantom 5ive (left), Mark English of the Space Cossacks (crouching left), and me:
Day 3: Sunday, June 22, 1997, Chattanooga, TN - The Neptunas:
Jon & the Nigtriders in Chattanoooga:
Jon & the Nightriders, the Space Cossacks and Rip Thrillby!
Finally, a bonus: the Space Cossacks on Day 7, on a beach in Wilmington, NC:
— 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
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on May 12 2018 05:36 PM
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on May 12 2018 07:23 PM
Ivan, thanks so much for sharing all that. Holy Cow!
— 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.
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midwestsurfguy
Joined: Mar 19, 2006
Posts: 946
Oxford, Ohio
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Posted on May 12 2018 08:18 PM
Sadly I was not there, but thankfully Rockin' Robert did leave a few artifacts. Thanks for posting all of this stuff about the show. I had searched the net for information about this show and found very little. About the only thing I found was on Double Crown Records blog. I will work on what I have from Bob and posts them.
Thanks
Guy
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