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This is what intrigues me with surf music from the early 60's. It
represented and was the outcome of a lifestyle that chronicled the
southern california beach bohemian culture which influenced the
coming generations. Surf music should really be given more reverence
because of this. Nowhere else but in SoCal could this happen.
--- In , "hbseacliff" <hbseacliff@...>
wrote:
>
> I grew up so close to this place but I was too young to be a part
of
> it. I have some friends who are a few years older that went. They
> still remember those days very fondly.
>
> --- In , "Tony" <outerwave@> wrote:
> >
> > Great post, great recollections, made me do a google search on
a -
> > "Rendezvous Ballroom" surf- search to soak this up at little bit
> > more. Hope we have more postings like this, -Tony
> >
> > --- In , "hbseacliff" <hbseacliff@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Nights to remember: rockin' at Rendezvous
> > > The third in an occasional series: 'Growing up in Orange
County'
> > >
> > > CORKY CARROLL CORKY CARROLL
> > > Register columnist
> > > SURF'S UP
> > > corkysurf@
> > >
> > > This is the third week of an occasional series in my column.
These
> > are
> > > stories of growing up here in Orange County sent in from you
> > readers.
> > > If ya have a cool story, send it to me.
> > >
> > > Tom Fitzgerald
> > >
> > > "I thought your readers might be interested in the era of the
> > Surfer
> > > Stomp at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa. In 1961-62 we
would
> > all go
> > > pay our $1 entrance fee and listen all night to Dick Dale.
> > >
> > > "When he left, in about 1963, the Newport Nomads, and Dave
Myers
> > and
> > > the Surftones took over. I played drums for the Nomads. We
were all
> > > from Newport Harbor High School. Jim Cunningham on lead
guitar,
> > Steve
> > > McAnlis on rhythm guitar, Kent Anderson on bass, Bill Joyner
on
> > piano,
> > > Jerry Kavulic on sax, and me on drums.
> > >
> > > "Yes, this is when the bands had five or six musicians.
> > >
> > > "My slant is from the stage side looking out at anywhere from
> > 2,000 to
> > > 4,000 kids all dancing the Surfer Stomp. The stage at the
> > Rendezvous
> > > was built to accommodate the big bands from the 1930s. The
drum
> > riser
> > > must have been about 8 feet high off the dance floor. There
was a
> > > light booth in the balcony directly across from the stage. It
was
> > all
> > > quite impressive.
> > >
> > > "The doors would open at 8 p.m. sharp. From my perspective up
on
> > the
> > > drums it was amazing to see a few thousand kids come through
that
> > one
> > > door and how quickly the dance floor was packed. It was a sea
of
> > human
> > > bodies going up and down in unison to the surfer stomp.
> > >
> > > "The music was high energy. Fender strats and reverbs
generated the
> > > heavy chunky sound.
> > >
> > > "The Rendezvous burned down many years ago and was replaced by
> > condos.
> > > And yet, whenever I drive by that intersection, I can still
see in
> > my
> > > mind the Rendezvous ballroom sitting there as it was in
the '60s."
> > >
> > > Karen Clay Kneavel
> > >
> > > "My name back then was Karen Clay. I moved to Laguna in 1955,
so I
> > > have plenty of memories, but I'll just share a few of my
> > favorites...
> > >
> > > "I remember the old rubber/canvas raft riding at St. Ann's
reef.
> > That
> > > and the old Styrofoam boards that used to rub me raw on my
tummy.
> > >
> > > "I remember Billy Hamilton in my jewelry-making class at LBHS
(my
> > > nickname for him was Weirdo). My friend and I put on our
maroon and
> > > white gym shorts and shirts and went to Oak St. after school
> > because
> > > Billy was going to teach us how to surf. He even let me use
his
> > board.
> > > I was a bodysurfer, but all I can remember was Billy yelling
at me,
> > > "turn, turn,'' as the nose took a dive downward and off I'd
go.
> > That
> > > was my first and last time trying to board surf!
> > >
> > > "I used to make out in the new housing developments at Top of
the
> > World.
> > >
> > > "LBHS had a bodysurfing contest in February at Oak Street. I
came
> > in
> > > second. We won paper purple hearts because the water was
> > freeeeezing!
> > >
> > > "Last, but not least, I lived for the Rendezvous on Friday
> > nights...
> > >
> > > "Sad to say, the long, gone orange groves and farms no longer
grace
> > > our county....What open space there is, when hiking at El
Morro, I
> > > only hear the sound of earthmovers in the background.
> > >
> > > "Hope you enjoyed some of my memories and this email went
> > thru...KEEP
> > > WRITING!"
> > >
> >
>
