Hi Bill,
3rd wave (IMO)
1st '58-'65
2nd "79-'84
3rd '88-89(insect surfers and Mermen) to present..
experts and historians check me for accuracy.
thanks,
Gary

Considering the state of the planet, I'd say we're in the last wave.

Last edited: Nov 27, 2022 16:29:49

Deke said Untamed youth started in 86.
And that they didn’t feel like part of the 2nd wave.

Phantom Surfers started in 88.
same for them not feeling like 2nd wave.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Last edited: Dec 01, 2022 19:54:14

Due to no memory, I can't remember exact dates but in the late 80's and early 90's, finding surf anywhere wasn't easy. With the advent of the internet, I was able to find some sources. There was some guy in Utah that had some stuff and I found Phil Dirt. I listened to his show on dial up. Then I found POP records with Ference and Deep Eddy records with Ted James. Since then, there has been a steady stream of music and bands. I don't care what number it is, I'm just thankful that it is. I never thought I would have music from around the world. When NSSR was up, the exposure was wonderful. The dj's from everywhere was a delight to no end. I hope it keeps going so the rest of the world can see what we have.

Sorry, for the late response. I had to leave the country quickly ha-ha. Thanks for the interesting perspectives. I believe we are in a new 4th wave, that started in the teens, mostly because of the new generation Z's bands embracing and interpretations of surf. I have a declination mark. I think the fourth wave started with one band - Daikaiju. With their unbelievable hard rocking prog-like surf music and never-ending touring, they brought surf to the millennial and gen Z masses. (Saw them here a month ago).

Here in Duval, we have some cool new surf bands. The Creepy Tikis are wild. I miss playing out.

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We are on Instagram under "@shootthepiersurfband"

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https://floridadirtfire.bandcamp.com/album/florida-dirt-fire

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SurferBill wrote:

Sorry, for the late response. I had to leave the country quickly ha-ha. Thanks for the interesting perspectives. I believe we are in a new 4th wave, that started in the teens, mostly because of the new generation Z's bands embracing and interpretations of surf. I have a declination mark. I think the fourth wave started with one band - Daikaiju. With their unbelievable hard rocking prog-like surf music and never-ending touring, they brought surf to the millennial and gen Z masses. (Saw them here a month ago).

Here in Duval, we have some cool new surf bands. The Creepy Tikis are wild. I miss playing out.

I also vote for the 4th wave. It’s all became different with internet, streamers, digital home studios and other stuff. Now you may record album on iPad and it will be pretty decent. Literally so many surf releases annually that you cannot listen to them all, who could imagine it in 90th for example?

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

New Single is out!

https://waikikimakaki.bandcamp.com/album/rhino-blues-full-contact-surf-single

Waikiki Makaki

https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki

Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin

Last edited: Dec 02, 2022 09:06:16

Speaking of surf music historians, I'd like to hear some input on this topic from John Blair and JonPaul.

Patrick

I used to think 3rd wave with Pulp Fiction but now I just kind of think 2 waves... original and revival in the late 70's early 80's to present.

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Call me crazy, but IMO (and everyone has one), we’re not in any wave of surf music. There’s never been a time when surf music was as present in popular culture as it was during the early 1960s before The Beatles appeared. It was part of the retro pop cultural zeitgeist during the mid 1990s due in no small part to the popularity of Pulp Fiction and it’s sound track which everyone had along with the grunge band CDs of the day. The handful of indie bands already playing surf/instro music, an aspect of indie rock that had been gaining momentum for over a decade, were not household names and did not suddenly have songs in charts.

Going back further, starting in the very late 1970s when surf music begins to appear again it’s more of a sonic influence on punk rock bands rather than a genre itself. The Dead Kenedys and Agent Orange, to name the obvious, are both surfy as heck but they aren’t surf bands. John Blair and bands like The Raybeats (who begat Los Straitjackets), The Halibuts and Lawndale, arguably truly surf or close to it, seem more like outliers in the 1980s rather than part of a larger happening. It makes more sense to say that surf was a component of “new wave” rather than its own wave because that guitar sound and way of playing pops up all over the place (bad pop music and hair bands not withstanding). As with pretty much all the interesting music of the past 45 years, it took the punk rock thing to open it up and create the space where things like retro instrumental rock bands could happen and exist as more than a fad (the ultimate culmination of the influence of surf in the post punk years, to my ears, is the Pixies and they even influenced Nirvana). Deke Dickerson wrote an article (I don’t remember where It was) about surf where he categorized the original surf rockers as the true first wave of punk rock due to it being a raw, loud, DIY thing being played by very young kids. From that point of view it makes sense that surf flourished in indie scenes following the punk explosion.

Perhaps it is easy to get the impression that there is more of an “nth wave” of surf than there actually is because everything is so hyper-curated and it’s easier for like minded people from around the world to find each other. For the passed thirty years it seemed like there’s always a surf-ish band or two in a scene. Now, because recording is easier than ever and people can go on the internet and participate in communities such as this forum, it’s easier for that surf band or two to be connected to other enthusiasts. It creates the impression that there is a big new wave of surf music happening. What’s really going on might be more along the lines of like minded people being in a position to keep checking each other out and getting inspired rather having their tastes dictated by record companies. That’s not a 2nd, 3rd or 4th wave. It’s more like a small river that keeps flowing.

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Last edited: Dec 05, 2022 09:05:51

Well said Electric Limnology and kudos to Hunter for all the great things he does for surf fans and musicians.

Danny Snyder

Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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