I have an idea that I think could lead to increased attention towards surf/instro and perhaps increased sales and show attendance. I've run this by some NESMA folks (Mike Rosado, Rattlesnake Ralph, Blue Stingraye, Unsteady Freddie) and they all thought it was worth posting, so here goes:

Do surf/instrumental covers of contemporary top 40 hits. Then video tape your band playing one and post it on youtube.

From what I can tell youtube takes a hands off approach to posting covers of songs. Some covers of songs like "Umbrella" have achieved nearly as many hits as the original song itself. Most of the videos I've posted have been covers of published songs, and I've never heard anything from youtube about it being a problem.

Here's my logic: quite simply, a helluva lot more people are googling and youtube-searching a song like "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay (currently #7 on Billboard's top 100) than they are "Walk Don't Run" or "Misirlou". Why not take advantage of that by doing a cover of that song, so people who have never been exposed to surf/instrumental music see your band show up when the search results come in?

From what I've observed by searching on youtube, this is already a trend among singer/acoustic-guitar-player types and they have been getting hits in the millions, which have translated into real record contracts and sales.

Check out this article about a singer for Disney's Hollywood Records label. She (apparently with Disney's blessing) promoted herself by posting simple acoustic covers of contemporary hits: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118903788315518780.html

Her big breakthrough came with a cover of the song "Umbrella". An Italian pop-punk group called Vanilla Sky did a cover of the same song in a rock style and it too was a huge hit on youtube (although this band already did have a contract and promotion).

Why shouldn't this work as a way to promote surf/instro?

Doing covers of the day are nothing new in our little genre anyway. The Ventures very skillfully used covers of all the contemporary hits to sell their records, but filled the records out with their own brilliant originals.

Like probably many of you, I don't listen to the top 40 stations (hell I don't listen to the radio or watch MTV) and most of today's music leaves me cold. But there's no reason why a great surfed out instrumental couldn't be made from even the most banal Britney Spears or Madonna song. (I never ever thought I'd like "My Heart Will Go On" until I heard Los Straitjacket's version). And there's no reason you shouldn't take advantage of the possible new audience that could stumble upon your cover of that song.

So here's my suggestion - look at what's on the charts now. Here's the link to the Billboard Hot 100:

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/chart_display.jsp?g=Singles&f=The+Billboard+Hot+100

Find a song that you think you can make sufficiently surfy, tape yourself playing it live (I have a video camera and would be happy to go anywhere in the metro NYC area to tape you), and post it up on youtube. Maybe it will lead to nothing, or only marginally more attention than you had before. Or maybe it will be popular enough that you (or a surf friendly label) can release a licensed version on ITunes and make some real money.

It's worth a try!

David Bernstein

Thanks! I'll have to get that CD - it looks great! I've always loved the Thurston Lava Tube's covers and that Bohemian Rhapsody is fantastic (I think I heard it at their site), and the Bitch Boys playing "Take On Me" has got to be great.

It's not EXACTLY what I'm suggesting, since the most recent song on that CD is at least several years old. I'm talking about taking the most recent songs on the charts, whats on there right NOW.

Here's the current top 10:
1. "Whatever You Like," T.I. Grand Hustle/Atlantic.
2. "Disturbia," Rihanna. SRP/Def Jam/IDJMG.
3. "So What," Pink. LaFace/Zomba.
4. "Forever," Chris Brown. Jive/Zomba.
5. "Paper Planes," M.I.A. XL/Interscope.
6. "Dangerous," Kardinal Offishall feat. Akon. KonLive/Geffen/Interscope.
7. "Viva La Vida," Coldplay. Capitol.
8. "Closer," Ne-Yo. Def Jam/IDJMG.
9. "I'm Yours," Jason Mraz. Atlantic/RRP.
10. "I Kissed a Girl," Katy Perry. Capitol.

Some of those might be hopeless, but I can practically already hear "Paper Planes" as a surf instrumental.

Now your talkin' my language Bro!
You just have to be a little bit smart and a little creative on what songs you pick to surf out.
There's alot of top 40 crap out there.
Lots of bands, including us, have covered Green Day, REM, Pink Floyd, etc.
There's a couple tunes by 3 Doors Down I wouldn't mind experimenting with, and a few others, but I think the melody has to be there in whatever you choose to be successful.
My two cents.
Billy

Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent...........................

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Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 19:11:45

Don't we like surf rock because the "Top 40" really has nothing to offer. Most of it is over-produced garbage with a sugar coating. BTW the MIA song paper planes uses a sample from the Clash's "Straight to Hell." And what about the Black Eyed Peas sampling "Misirlou," did that get surf rock any recognition?

Maybe my musical roots are too firmly planted in my punk rock adolescence.

-km

I also agree and play surf as my way of avoiding shitty music like this. If you haven't noticed, quite a few of us are aging punks. Playing surf isn't as ridiculous as us still trying to chop steak in a punk or hardcore band, but we still want to kick it to the pricks and flip off the man (like Tim:D) with a smile on our faces.
In the 60s, the Ventures pulled off (sometimes) raiding the top 40 list, but when that list had songs like "Secret Agent Man" on it, which had all of the elements in place, and it made a lot more sense. Top 40 is utter crap now and has been for ages. Don't waste your time.
Respectfully,
Ted Pilgrim
PS Are you Strange Dave?

http://www.satanspilgrims.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Satans-Pilgrims/8210228553
https://satanspilgrims.bandcamp.com/
http://www.surfyindustries.com

spskins
I also agree and play surf as my way of avoiding shitty music like this. If you haven't noticed, quite a few of us are aging punks. Playing surf isn't as ridiculous as us still trying to chop steak in a punk or hardcore band, but we still want to kick it to the pricks and flip off the man (like Tim:D) with a smile on our faces.
In the 60s, the Ventures pulled off (sometimes) raiding the top 40 list, but when that list had songs like "Secret Agent Man" on it, which had all of the elements in place, and it made a lot more sense. Top 40 is utter crap now and has been for ages. Don't waste your time.
Respectfully,
Ted Pilgrim
PS Are you Strange Dave?

yep, and I guess that the worst era of our music heros was when they try to do that............just take a look on the Shadows version of "Africa" from Toto, the ventures version of "The Bodyguard song" of Whitney Houston and many others........I guess that the only one that saves is "My heart will go on" from los straitjackets.........they make with that shity song a GREAT instrumental , with the Meek-style arrangements and a lot of soul in the guitar solos

El Papu & los Fantasticos Reverberantes

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Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 19:12:13

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Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 19:12:25

emerpus01
Do surf/instrumental covers of contemporary top 40 hits. Then video tape your band playing one and post it on youtube.

Sorry, it's just not an idea I'm down with. Sure, if I hear a decently written song that inspires me to play it instro style, perhaps I will do so, but I have not been so inspired in quite some time.