Thought I should start a new topic to announce this special podcast. There has been a rumor running around the surf community that Jim Messina (Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Logins & Messina) is not proud of his surf music days back in the 60's with Jim Messina and His Jesters. Not only is it a bad rumor but nothing could be further from the truth.

About a week ago I got on the phone with Jim and his high school friend (and former Jester) Ron House. Jim was quite happy to discuss his high school days and how The Jesters helped kick start his amazing career.

There are many threads here on SG101 that discuss Jim and the band. I had lots and lots of questions for him but I pretty much let the interview run its own course. The interview runs about 45 minutes then I play a few Jesters songs at the end... theirs and covers.

Jim was very gracious and friendly. Hopefully this will end all rumors that he does not like talking about his "surf" days. Enjoy!

Listen to the podcast here:
https://www.austinribbonmicrophones.com/adayatthebeach/podcasts/BeachPodcastn166.mp3

Check out the playlist and more info on the podcast here:
https://www.facebook.com/BeachPodcast

Here's the thread to all my playlists here on SG101:
https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/869/

Very cool! Thanks.

He also has plenty of pics of the old Jesters days on his website, to further dispel this odd myth.

Thanks Clint,

my opinion,
Jim wandered into post surf territory too much.
But I expected this ahead of time.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

I'm glad you were able to get this.

Me... not so lucky. I spent about a $1,000 to rent a hotel room, equipment and crew to get an interview with him.

Then he refuses to sign the release. Nice guy!?!?

Sound of the Surf, the movie
Facebook SOTS

For me, not surprisingly , the Messina money quote : "The Stratocaster has always been, I think, a great guitar for playing lead on surf music. The Jazzmasters were great for doing rhythm, but they weren't really great instruments to play the double-picking on, they didn't seem to have the physical coupling that the Strat did, and neither did the Telecasters, so it just worked out great."

Ivan
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Last edited: May 03, 2020 14:54:37

Looks like he's seen the light and switched to maple fretboards!

"as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there"

https://www.facebook.com/reluctantaquanauts/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDragstripVipers/

I think we all owe you one, Clint. That was a big get. I'm impressed that Messina recalls some of those details...the names and places, the scene at that time. Also yes, no dismissal of those days--or even bitterness because of the disappointing way his album was treated--just more of a live and learn sort of attitude. Why should he when he went on to a lucrative career and fame?

I almost couldn't believe it when he said he thinks about getting some people together to play surf music again and is interested in hearing modern covers of his Jesters songs. I suppose like Clint alluded to, I had been conditioned to believe that he wanted to forget he ever did that stuff.

I have a bit of a different take regarding his remembrance of Dick Dale. He might have taken a different view about his lack of energy at the show he saw had he knew Dick had a long standing battle with cancer. But I also hear a man remembering the hero of his youth in his prime and feeling frustrated at the feeling that he could be so much better. From what I have seen on video DD could be a little spotty and sloppy in those days, and he may have seen one of those shows. He also had times when he was "on", like the live radio show on KEXP about 10 years ago.

Thanks again Clint and for speaking up for SG101 and asking the questions we wanted to.

BillAqua wrote:

Are all the takes different on the 1982 reissue?!

Bill, as far as I know, the tracks on the reissue are all different takes with notable variations in the arrangement and not just different mixes.

There are actually two different reissues, which use these alternate takes without the car noises. There are some more details, including the different track sequences in this thread:
https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/15649/

Los Apollos - cinematic surf music trio (Berlin)
"Postcards from the Scrapyard" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 NOW available on various platforms!
"Chaos at the Lobster Lounge" available as LP and download on Surf Cookie Records!

simoncoil wrote:

BillAqua wrote:

Are all the takes different on the 1982 reissue?!

Bill, as far as I know, the tracks on the reissue are all different takes with notable variations in the arrangement and not just different mixes.

There are actually two different reissues, which use these alternate takes without the car noises. There are some more details, including the different track sequences in this thread:
https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/15649/

Thanks!

"as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there"

https://www.facebook.com/reluctantaquanauts/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDragstripVipers/

Thank you everyone for the nice comments. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the final interview. After listening to it MANY times as I edited out all the "hmmms" and "ya knows", etc., I wish I would have kept the conversation a bit more focused on "surf". I do not foresee a follow up. I feel fortunate to have gotten this one, I don't think I'll push another... unless Phyllis hits me up again.

I've interviewed lots of guys in the surf world but never anything like this. I'm glad he was willing to do it. Thanks to John Blair for the idea of adding Ron House to the interview. I think that put Jim (or Jimmy as Ron called him) much more at ease talking about topic. His publicist was really the driving force behind doing the interview. She contacted me well over a year ago when I played a Jesters song then posted the playlist on Facebook... tagging Jim. My follow up conversation (back then) included the rumor of Jim not liking to discuss his surf days... that the lack of any mention of the Jesters on his website only bolstered that hearsay. Shortly after that conversation The Jesters were on there.

This virus lock-down has had a tremendous negative impact on all of us but if it wasn't for this I'm not sure if the interview would have ever happened. (I recall something about lemons and lemonade... whatever.)

Thanks again.