Sorry, but whoever brought keyboards into Surf music should be shot at sunrise. It just doesn't seem to fit. Ok, start your hate mail now!
Billy
Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent...........................
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Music General Discussion »
I could be shot for sayin' this. (I hate keyboards)
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1070 Ventura County, Calif. 
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 12:42 AM
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Joined: Oct 12, 2008 Posts: 580 San Antone, TX
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 12:44 AM
Keyboards or organs? Cause organs fit amazingly well in surf. —The Phantomatics on Facebook |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1070 Ventura County, Calif.
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 12:46 AM
That's a matter of opinion, but I do respect your opinion. Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent........................... |
Joined: Sep 01, 2006 Posts: 2739 New Orleans, LA 
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 12:49 AM
I'm guessing you mean organs in which case I half agree with you, but I kind of think that for garage rock in general. There are some bands that do it extremely well, but at least 3/5 just throw it in there for 60's "authenticity" and play dull chords to sit underneath the guitar, though volume is often not at an underneath level. — |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1070 Ventura County, Calif.
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 12:53 AM
P.S. You don't have to give me examples of classic surf tunes like Moto and Pipeline, etc. having keyboards, organs, or whatever. I'm well aware. I just never thought it compared to just guitars and drums. Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent........................... |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle 
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 12:55 AM
Any instrument should work in music as long as it is played well and fits in the song. I think any keyboard can work quite well in surf. |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1070 Ventura County, Calif.
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 12:59 AM
Note taken. How about the harmonica or violin? Would that work with surf music too? —Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent........................... |
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Joined: Sep 01, 2006 Posts: 2739 New Orleans, LA
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 01:07 AM
I take it you haven't heard the Barbwires' new album — |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 01:12 AM
Absolutely, and I'm sure both have been used. No strings ever on a surf recording? I can think of some that do. Classy playing yields classy results. |
Joined: May 25, 2006 Posts: 537 
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 01:13 AM
The Bomboras used some harmonica on It Came From Pier 13. — |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1070 Ventura County, Calif.
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 01:21 AM
I love hearing the guitars in Surf. The minute I hear any organs or keyboards I start to yawn, and go into an instant Elton John downer and make my way to the bar. Does anybody else have this crisis? Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent........................... |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 01:32 AM
95% of surf makes me yawn these days. |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1070 Ventura County, Calif.
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 01:34 AM
Hmnnnnn......... Then why do you post here? —Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent........................... |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1138 Northern CA
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 01:37 AM
The other 5% must be really worth it! Seriously though, how many surf bands are out there right now? A couple hundred??? How many are really great? 10? |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 01:40 AM
Yep, that sounds about right. Although, I assumed a larger number of surf bands as I was less discriminating than most. |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11058 Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 02:02 AM
Oh Billy, you've wounded me. We take back our blessing you're no longer an honorary meshuganah. Just goes to show you, I love the organ - when done well. There has to be a point to it, not just to throw down some long chords in the background. We just saw Laika together last year, you didn't dig that farfisa? I know I did. —Danny Snyder Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
Joined: Jan 24, 2008 Posts: 376 Santa Monica, Ca.
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 03:04 AM
Billy, there is crazy cool organ stuff out there... This is coming from your "did the trad nazi thing in the 90's" drummer." Lets hang and see where we can get funky. FWIW, Chris Barfield wants me to work up something like the Spencer Davis Group's "I'm a Man" for some nothing show we are doing this summer... —Jeff Utterback |
Joined: Jul 23, 2008 Posts: 488 Edge of the East China Sea
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 07:56 AM
I'm also biased against keyboards for rock in general -- the addition of a keyboard seems to have a softening influence on the band. But I'll agree with Jake's point about practically anything being tenable if used with care and inspiration -- viz the keyboards in Juicy Punch (Husky and the Sandmen), Baha-Ree-Bah (Laika & The Cosmonauts), or Law of the Jungle (Link, but admittedly not surf). It's hard to imagine those songs without the keyboards. The Beat Tornados' use of slide guitar is pretty successful; I wouldn't call it indispensable, but they make it fit. Still, perhaps these exceptions prove the rule. In my heart of hearts, something just tells me that surf is for guitars. |
Joined: Aug 23, 2006 Posts: 2123 The jungle 
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 08:57 AM
To me keyboards in rock and roll are a touchy business. I probably like more of this instrument than I am conscious of. In surf, I consider the keyboard and sax to have an equivalent role. And to my ears it falls into one of two categories: a great accent and/or necessary carrier of a phrase...or pure evil. I suppose now that I think of it, I feel the same about accordian, bagpipes, pedal steel, etc., in other genres. Getting back to surf, though, nothing is more grating than some shrill combo organ blaring away where it is not needed, stepping all over a tune and making a mess. Same for sax; it can get "yackety" in a hurry and nobody likes that. Both instruments have their places, though. I think tasteful restraint is more important for organ than for guitar if only because the ear expects it. Thankfully most sax or organ players seem to have the training to be able to do this. — |
Joined: Jun 21, 2007 Posts: 3909 San Diego, CA
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Posted on Mar 29 2009 09:48 AM
I think organs can sound fantastic in surf. Case in point: Laika & The Cosmonauts, The Bomboras, The Treblemakers, The Ghastly Ones, MBP, and now The Nebulas, just to name a few. The Barbwires new album proves that if you have the composition and arrangement skills, orchestration can add a whole new dimension to a surf record. —Ryan |
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