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Ivan, thanks for the very kind words on the Daytonas!
We really tried to get as trad as we could, sometimes with more
success but other times we were quite disappointed with the result.
However, we think that in the process we sort of created our own
sound and style. Also, I think we were much better live than on any
of the albums although our last release, the double LP "Parabolica"
on the Australian Corduroy label (recorded in 1996, released in 2000)
was IMO our best effort on disc.
There's an almost complete Daytonas discography at the Instromania
website:
"I Love California" was written by band leader Lars Kjellén after
that me and him visited California in the early 90's. We then
returned in 1996 with the rest of the band for a two week California
tour put together by Domenic Priore and we sure had a great time!
Klas / The Surfites
--- In , "ipongrac" <ipongrac@g...>
wrote:
>
> I noticed that Klas Fjellgren has started posting here. I just
> wanted to take the opportunity to welcome him. Most of you
probably
> don't know much about his mid-nineties surf band, the Daytonas, so
I
> thought I'd just tell you about them a bit, too.
>
> The Daytonas were a Swedish band that released several CDs in the
mid-
> nineties. I have their first two (I think), "Ready Set Go!" (1993)
> and "Quarter Mile" (1995). I seem to remember that they released
> something else, but I've never seen it. Anyway, these five guys
(two
> guitars, including Klas on lead guitar, organ, bass, and Klas'
> brother on drums) produced some of the most authentic traditional
> surf music of the nineties. Their first album was 2/3rds vocals
and
> the rest instros, while the second album was split half-half. The
> instros sound as pure as possible, no modern influences whatsoever
> (they did cover Jon & the Nightriders' "Geronimo" on their first
> album, but that's a very trad song anyway, so it fit right in).
The
> instros are mostly originals, with a couple of covers: Jim Messina
&
> the Jesters' "The Cossack" and "Hawaii Five-O". The vocals were
like
> a garagey version of the Beach Boys, with a rougher lead voice
backed
> up by nice harmonies. Again, extremely authentic. But the thing
> about the Daytonas that really got to me is that you could FEEL the
> incredibly intense love and longing for the early sixties
> California. These guys sounded like they were truly in PAIN that
> they couldn't live there! I've never heard any other band convey
> those emotions to such an extent. Look at some of the titles of
the
> vocals: "I Love California", "Baked Beans and Chicken", "Surf
> Spot", "Surf Fever", "Me and My Woodie", "The Whiteness of the
> Wave", "Wait For My Summer", "Go Where the Action Is", and so on -
> you get the idea. And they walked the talk, sporting vintage gear
> (Klas on a white Jag, a reverb unit, and a Dual Showman), and
> authentic looking outfits and haircuts. Now, it seems that
something
> like this being done by a bunch of Swedish guys would come off very
> much as a gimmick, but never with the Daytonas. I don't think I
ever
> heard a more genuine trad surf band. These guys were the real
deal.
> And their music was REALLY good. They had an incredible sense of
> melody and the chops to play it all really well without ever
> overplaying. The song was god, and almost all of their 'gods' were
> worthy of worship! If you're still not sure what they sound like,
> imagine a better (sometimes MUCH better) version of the Untamed
> Youth - more melodic, lacking the beer obsessesion, but just as fun
> and with more surf and less garage sensibility.
>
> Even after owning these CDs for ten years now, I still listen to
them
> quite often. Anytime I get in that romantic mood where I start
> idealizing early-sixties So-Cal, I have to put on either some first-
> wave stuff - or the Daytonas. I have no idea whether any of their
> CDs are still available, but if any of you trad-lovers can track
them
> down, don't hesitate for a second to buy them. This is some of the
> best surf music of the nineties.
>
> Welcome Klas - I look forward to seeing more participation by you
on
> this list in the future.
>
> Ivan
>
> PS Here are the lyrics to "I Love California" - you'll see what I
> mean - and admit it, how many of us outside of SoCal feel like this
> anyway?:
>
> I took a trip to LA to California sun
> Me and my buddy went there to have some kind of fun
> After twelve hours flight the dream came true
> Forget about the past and what we're going through
>
> We rented a car and started driving around
> And soon we were California bound
> Huntington Beach with its beautiful pier
> And the waves full of surfers that got no fear
>
> I love California (repeat many times!)
>
> Dick Dale's guitar is twanging in my head
> And it's gonna be there to my dying day
> California USA you're so far away
> I think of you almost every day
>
> I love California (repeat even more times!)
