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Phil Dirt wrote:
> Surfers Choice is at best the third surf LP, with the Challengers "Surf
> Beat" being clearly the first, and I think the Mar-ketts' Surfers Stomp
> being the other. Surfers Choice was recorded at the Rendezvous, which
> Dick only occupied from spring 1962 through 1962. It could not have
> been recorded there in the fifties because Dick was in Massachusetts.
Dick performed at the Rendezvous Ballroom from around mid-1960 to late
December, 1961. I'm researching the actual date of his first Rendezvous
show now, but it was during 1960. Earlier reports with start dates in 1961
or 1959 are incorrect.
> As to "Miserlou" being cut in the fifties, some of the studio musicians
> at the session confirm its origin as 1962. And tone... Ivan has it
> nailed. I also don't think Leo fender developed the outboard tank
> enough to use until early '62, and it was then that he worked with Dale
> and Eddie Bertrand, among others.
Dick used a prototype Fender Reverb at the Rendezvous starting at some
point in 1961 (I'd guess no earlier than late fall or early winter). The
prototype had a hard tolex cover on the front, not the cloth weave that the
production models had. The device was noted in Fender's 1962 product
catalog for the first time. While some production units may have been in
use by late 1961, I believe the first ones most surf bands bought at the
time were in early 1962 (The Surfaris' Bob Berryhill had one of the first
ones, though not at the time "Wipe Out" was recorded...12/61).
> The sad thing is that his real accomplishments are so huge, so
> significant, that there's just no reason to fictionalize.
How very, very true.
john blair
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