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How did you start/join your surf band?
Did you have a group of friends who liked surf?
Did you contact strangers through ads who liked surf?
Did you contact non-surf musicians and "convert" them to the cause?
Thanks!
--- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Brian Neal" <bneal@z...> wrote:
> How did you start/join your surf band?
> Did you have a group of friends who liked surf?
Yeah, fortunately I actually have some friends with TASTE, hahahaha!
> Did you contact non-surf musicians and "convert" them to the cause?
Ouch...that never works, I've seen the results. You'll always end up
with a guitar player that'll be saying stuff like "yeah, that's cool
but it would be even cooler with a FLANGER" or a bass player that
will get bored and start playing funk basslines. Imposing your
musical taste and aesthetic criteria on others is a futile, uphill
battle.
In 1980 when Zeppelin, the Who, etc... were releasing their worst albums I was
searchin' for something good. I saw the Jon and the Nightriders "Surfbeat '80"
in the bin at the local Music Plus and bought it just on reading the cover notes
(by Dick Dale). By the time side one was over, I was completely hooked.
I then proceded to get my brothers into the surf sound. We placed an ad for
drummers and held the auditions at a rehearsal studio (interestingly owned by
"Jon" Blair's brother, Richard!). It was not hard to find interested drummers
and we've been playin' ever since.
Marty (Fabulous Planktones)
<<How did you start/join your surf band?
Did you have a group of friends who liked surf?
Did you contact strangers through ads who liked surf?
Did you contact non-surf musicians and "convert" them to the cause?
Thanks!
My first surf band came together in 1963, while I was stationed in
Peshawar, Pakistan. The base was small, and it was pretty easy to weed
out the musicians. I was "recruited" by the lead guitar player (who
played the "G" word guitar) to play rhythm (I could barely play at that
time, so that was fine with me!). We didn't have a bass, so another
guitar player was added to beef up the lower end. It was a mix of surf
instrumentals and rockabilly vocals, with a little Chet Atkins and
Freddie King thrown in for good measure! When the two other guitar
players went back to the States, I found another player to continue the
band. At that point we were playing mostly Ventures, Shadows, and
Surfaris covers. After leaving Pakistan, it was mostly two or three
member "band" incarnations for me, ranging from instrumental surf to
hard rock, with occasional one-man folk rock performances at parties.
Along about 1980 or so, I stopped playing out, and only occasionally
played at all..
In early 1993, I placed an advertisement in a newsletter from a local
San Jose music store, Guitar Showcase. The ad read:
"Do you get excited whenever you hear a tune by the Ventures, Surfaris,
Shadows, Chantays...? If you do, let's talk! I play lead/rhythm
guitar, and am looking for another lead/rhythm guitarist, bass player,
and drummer to play 60's/70's instrumentals and light vocals - just for
fun! Must have own equipment, and be serious about getting together
regularly. Eventually could play at a fair, art and wine festival, or
city park(?). If I've sparked your interest, call Dana at
(408)492-6149!"
I received sixteen calls ffrom interested guitar players, two from
drummers, and only one from a bass player! I interviewed all of the
respondents, and with the exception of the first drummer, the selection
has remained the same. Although our song selection, style, and venues
have expanded well beyond the original concept, all of the Splashback
members still retain the "fun" part!
Best regards, Dana Vincent
Brian Neal wrote:
> How did you start/join your surf band?
>
> Did you have a group of friends who liked surf?
>
> Did you contact strangers through ads who liked surf?
>
> Did you contact non-surf musicians and "convert" them to the cause?
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > Did you contact non-surf musicians and "convert" them to the
cause?
Actually, yes. I converted my two best friends to surf. We were
playing together for so many years, I thought I should give it a try.
So it took some time but now they are totally into it. No flangers so
far, and no funk basslines - well, I'm the bass player, so that's
taken care of.
> Ouch...that never works, I've seen the results. You'll always end
up
> with a guitar player that'll be saying stuff like "yeah, that's
cool
> but it would be even cooler with a FLANGER" or a bass player that
> will get bored and start playing funk basslines.
Back in the early 1990's Halifax was being hailed the Seattle of
the North with Sub Pop records checking out all the bands. I was
getting very tired of that sound, and the whole rock band thing. My
wife picked up Dick Dale's greatest Hits (Rhino) which brought me
back to the days I first started to learn to play guitar. Some of the
first songs I leared were "Pipeline", "Rebel Rouser", and "Wipe Out".
I talked a couple of friends (jazz drummer, and funk bassisit)
into playing surf (lots of covers and a few originals). One of them
said they'd love to play, then asked "What's surf?". Despite their
backgrounds they kept their playing styles authentic. We booked our
first show at a university bar in 1995, not knowing if anyone would
listen to a band with no singer. Six years later were still playing
out here on the East Coast of Canada, with only a couple of line up
changes, and only ever coming across one club that wouldn't book us
because we have no singer.
(Being out here in Halifax, we didn't know if we were the only
band playing surf or not...until I got the internet and saw that
there are a lot of great bands playing surf)
Mike/ Urban Surf Kings
