I received this via a long forwarded email chain... -BN

Happy New Year to Everyone,

I’m writing to let you all know that one of my Venture model Aria guitars will be auctioned off through eBay starting around 02/01/2008. The proceeds will be used toward a benefit fund for Tony Carbone a young friend and musician. Tony has been battling a virulent form of cancer for the past 3 years and all his friends are gathering together to provide the necessary support.

Tony has been my son Ian’s writing and musical partner for more than 25 years. They met in 4^th grade and became fast friends while beginning to play, sing, and write songs at the Spalding house. Tony also became intertwined in Ian’s story by introducing him to his future wife Sandra Abrahamian. Of course Ian and Sandra got married in 1998 with Tony as their best man. Tony and Ian recorded their first songs in the 5^th Venture’s home studio while young teenagers. It almost landed their first recording contract with Electra Records (they were only sixteen). They both evolved into accomplished musicians and artists. Tony’s group Bike Ride recorded several CDs released both in the US, Europe, and Japan.

Please let anyone know that may have an interest in this 5^th Venture autographed Ventures’ model guitar that was played by Bob Spalding on the Ventures Japan Tour of 2005. If you have any questions or interests in this auction please let me know. This is for a great cause to get Tony going again and back to his music.

I hope everyone will have a great 2008.

Sincerely,
Bob Spalding
The Ventures
BigDog/LittleDog Music
bob@bigdoglittledogmusic.com

Reposted from Reverborama -- BN

Hi all, Claudao here from Estrume'n'tal in Brazil.

Once again we are promoting the only Brazilian surf music/instro rock festival, the 8th Minas Gerais State Surf Music Championship www.aobra.com.br/campeonato - in Portuguese but you can find plenty of pictures, videos and songs there!

Last year we were honored with the presence and performance of Daddy-o Grande from Los Straitjackets! Check out the videos here:
Rockula: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR-_5RxS2NM
Wrong Planet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6umvhHfDR8

This year the festival will happen between 19-22 March in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and this is an open invitation to all surf bands who wish to participate. Unfortunately we have no cash to pay for airfare but we'll be glad to set any bands up who could come with hotel, food, some beer and great party opportunities. We can also try to set up a Brazilian tour for interested bands.

If your band of any surf band you know are interested, please drop me a line at claudao@aobra.com.br

Thanks to all and happy reverbs,

Claudao
Estrume'n'tal - Brazil

Wow, check out Dick Dale performing Esperanza at the 2008 NAMM show! There are many more clips from the NAMM show on YouTube featuring Dick. Check them out!

Duff Paulsen, drummer for the Torquays and designer of the latest SG101 T-Shirt, is scheduled for surgery to remove a benign brain tumor. Everyone please keep Duff and his family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time. We all hope you recover quickly Duff. All the best.

Get Yours By Coming Here. www.myspace.com/nocturnaldirtsurfersalliance or www.myspace.com/geththreecoffinsready

Forget the candy and flowers, just give me some reverb and surf this year. Despite the frigid temps on the east coast we will be heating up the region with surf, lots of it. There are almost too many shows to mention, but I will.

We start out on February 2, aka Groundhog Day with a 2-fer! In NYC we have the monthly edition of Unsteady Freddie's Surf-Rock Shindig at Otto's Shrunken Head. Featured bands this month include: The Supertones, El Muchacho, The Coffin Daggers and the Sea Devils. As always, no cover at Otto's, just tons of great surf with your master of ceremonies, Unsteady Freddie (www.catch-the-waves.com) kicking it all off at 10 pm. The very same night, Feb 2, The Aquatudes (myspace.com/theaquatudes) and The Crustaceans will be presenting "Surfin' at The Brook" at Roaring Brook Nature Center (www.roaringbrookconcerts.org). in Canton, CT. This is all ages show and perfect for those of us who are perpetually young at heart. The show is from 7:30 - 10:00 PM and I will be there cheering on my favorite shellfish.

Surf music revival sweeps up party band

The Eliminators were well-respected in the surf genre.

This is a true story about how surfing brought together one of the most commercially successful SoCal surf bands of the '90s.

It all started in The Doheny Long Board Surfing Association Surf Club. In 1993, it scheduled its annual '60s Surf Contest. The rules said you could ride only pre-1968 longboards, 9 feet or longer. You had to dress the part, too. That meant no modern wetsuits and no leashes.

The Surf Club decided to have a jam session after the contest, using some of the organization's musical talent. Member Chuck McElvain, a surfer and guitar player who worked for Fender Guitars, recruited the talent. He hooked up with Joe Kurkowski, Preston Wilson, Doug Harlow, Bill Swanson and some other buddies from Fender.

If you have ever been curious about music conferences, this is a good one to attend.  I'm not affiliated with them in any way except by prior attendance / performance...
Terrific music industry panels, lots of bands but not too many.   I have considered organizing a Surf Music Conference and this is the one I'd model it on...
Millennium Music Conference (MMC12)
Harrisburg, PA
Radisson Hotel

www.mmc12.com

Witches In Bikinis is performing on the main stage at the Radisson on Saturday night, 10:45 PM
We're not doing our surf song,  "Alien Surfer Babes" but we are doing "Moosejaw Millie", a kind of rockabilly song, and "Mermaids In Outer Space", just generally cool.
And another new song: "Freak Show Safari", and other favorites such as "Horror Flick Chicks" and "Zombie March"

Send me an email if you want to know more - we attended / performed last year.

julie@witchesinbikinis.com

This is from Paul Johnson's Email List -- BN

So Cal friends and surf music fans

This is way-last-minute and a way-cool opportunity that you might not want
to miss...

My ol¹ pal TEISCO DEL REY, Austin TX¹s premiere surf rocker, is playing at
Deke Dickerson's annual ³Guitar Geek² festival in Anaheim this coming
Saturday, January 19 (headlined this year by the legendary Collins Kids of
50s rockabilly fame). And I'm stoked because I get to be part of the
all-star band backing him for this.

*** And NOW I'M ALL THE MORE STOKED because we have JUST ADDED a second engagement. for
SUNDAY NIGHT JAN 20th at the PURPLE ORCHID TIKI BAR in EL SEGUNDO with The Glasgow Tiki Shakers also on the bill here...) ***

Details about both gigs are below, in a reprint of Teisco¹s own blurb about these events.
I'll just add that Teisco is one of my favorite people, he's quite a colorful and quirky character, to put it mildly!
It's sure to be a great show at whichever event you might attend. Please read the blurb you'll get the picture...

Hello Deke Dickerson fans!

Just a reminder that Deke's 5th Annual Guitar Geek Festival is coming up in less than two weeks! Saturday the 19th is the big
event, not to be missed! Info below...

Also, Deke has a newly redesigned website! Check out  http://www.dekedickerson.com and come back often.

Deke is hoping to have not only his new album, King of the Whole Wide World, but also DVDs of the 2006 and 2007 Guitar Geek Festivals available any minute! Stay tuned for details.

*****************************

SATURDAY, JANUARY 19
Deke Dickerson's 5th Annual Guitar Geek Festival
at the Jolly Roger Hotel Ballroom, Anaheim, California

View full lineup details at http://www.guitargeekfestival.com

Buy your advance tickets now at the website!