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I was driving around Surf City today listening to The Chantays "Next
Set" & wondering if a surf song could ever hit the top 10 again.
Pipeline, in my view is such a great song. It's amazing that Bob
Spickard & Brian Carmen wrote that as teenagers while jamming together
in one of their bedrooms. The end result is amazing.
Is there anyone out their present day who could crack the top 10 or
even top 40 with a surf instro song? The Space Cossacks "Mir Rescue" &
Slacktones' "Rosarito 3 day" had that special something in my limited
view. There are some really amazing surf instro bands out there right
now. What is holding surf instro back? Who will step up?
Surf in the top ten?
Who knows. History repeats itself. We just have to convince the money hungry
music industries of today to pull their heads out and get to their roots.
I hope I see it in my lifetime.
Billy
---- hbseacliff <> wrote:
> I was driving around Surf City today listening to The Chantays "Next
> Set" & wondering if a surf song could ever hit the top 10 again.
> Pipeline, in my view is such a great song. It's amazing that Bob
> Spickard & Brian Carmen wrote that as teenagers while jamming together
> in one of their bedrooms. The end result is amazing.
>
> Is there anyone out their present day who could crack the top 10 or
> even top 40 with a surf instro song? The Space Cossacks "Mir Rescue" &
> Slacktones' "Rosarito 3 day" had that special something in my limited
> view. There are some really amazing surf instro bands out there right
> now. What is holding surf instro back? Who will step up?
>
>
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
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>
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>
>
Not to be too inflammatory, but screw the top 40. I'm
sure that most of us would agree that there was a lot
of good popular culture in the 50's and 60's...and
that it started to go downhill in the 70's...then the
super commercial 80's...and god we remember the 90's
and what it's like today. Everything is geared more
and more toward the lowest common denominator.
Popular culture/music/film/whathaveyou was never high
brow but there were times when it was original, neat,
and fun. Today's popular culture isn't like that and
I don't partake. I don't buy magazines and I don't
have cable and I sure as heck don't listen to the
frickin' radio.
Not to say that there hasn't been anything good, just
that the good stuff has gotten pushed more and more to
the margins while the crap the the great
majority/lowest common denominator buy has pushed more
to the forefront. It's all about low art, fashion,
and attitude, "the tri-fecta of pretentiousness" as
one of my favorite zine writers once put it. It's all
fad, all fluff and no stuff because it appeals to the
baser side of the worst of us (the largest buying
demographic, go buy ANY marketing textbook if you
don't believe me) and the sad thing is that it limits
the exposure of the good things to people who aren't
inclined to go seek it out. The aggressive marketing
of the crap gets not only the dupes who will get
really into the crap, but also the people who might
otherwise recognize something better if they saw it.
All of us on this list are pretty active consumers.
We go out and find this stuff. We work at it. Most
people consider that strange or just can't imagine
putting in the time.
So no, a surf band will never crack the top 10 again
unless it gets piggybacked into some other pop culture
phenomenon (I love Misirlou too, but c'mon...) and
even then I'd say it's a pretty slim chance. As far
as I'm concerned none of that stuff has anything to do
with rock 'n roll, at least not any rock 'n roll that
I wanna listen to. Not the radio, not MTV, not the
television, not the music magazines (most of the
time), and certain not The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Lame.
End diatribe.
Richard
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You hit the nail on the head, Richard. I could not agree more.
When people tell me there is no good music out there, I tell
them that it's there: they just aren't looking hard enough!!!
Commercial radio is a wasteland getting worse by the minute.
I'd like to see surf music become popular enough to provide some
success and prosperity to the genre, but I doubt that top ten
exposure would be considered a good thing by many of us....
Bob S.
--- In , Richard <errant_jedi@...> wrote:
>
> Not to be too inflammatory, but screw the top 40. I'm
> sure that most of us would agree that there was a lot
> of good popular culture in the 50's and 60's...and
> that it started to go downhill in the 70's...then the
> super commercial 80's...and god we remember the 90's
> and what it's like today. Everything is geared more
> and more toward the lowest common denominator.
> Popular culture/music/film/whathaveyou was never high
> brow but there were times when it was original, neat,
> and fun. Today's popular culture isn't like that and
> I don't partake. I don't buy magazines and I don't
> have cable and I sure as heck don't listen to the
> frickin' radio.
>
> Not to say that there hasn't been anything good, just
> that the good stuff has gotten pushed more and more to
> the margins while the crap the the great
> majority/lowest common denominator buy has pushed more
> to the forefront. It's all about low art, fashion,
> and attitude, "the tri-fecta of pretentiousness" as
> one of my favorite zine writers once put it. It's all
> fad, all fluff and no stuff because it appeals to the
> baser side of the worst of us (the largest buying
> demographic, go buy ANY marketing textbook if you
> don't believe me) and the sad thing is that it limits
> the exposure of the good things to people who aren't
> inclined to go seek it out. The aggressive marketing
> of the crap gets not only the dupes who will get
> really into the crap, but also the people who might
> otherwise recognize something better if they saw it.
> All of us on this list are pretty active consumers.
> We go out and find this stuff. We work at it. Most
> people consider that strange or just can't imagine
> putting in the time.
>
> So no, a surf band will never crack the top 10 again
> unless it gets piggybacked into some other pop culture
> phenomenon (I love Misirlou too, but c'mon...) and
> even then I'd say it's a pretty slim chance. As far
> as I'm concerned none of that stuff has anything to do
> with rock 'n roll, at least not any rock 'n roll that
> I wanna listen to. Not the radio, not MTV, not the
> television, not the music magazines (most of the
> time), and certain not The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Lame.
> End diatribe.
>
> Richard
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
>
>
Case in point, the Oscar winning song for 2006, "It's hard out here
for a pimp."
--- In , Richard <errant_jedi@...>
wrote:
>
> Not to be too inflammatory, but screw the top 40. I'm
> sure that most of us would agree that there was a lot
> of good popular culture in the 50's and 60's...and
> that it started to go downhill in the 70's...then the
> super commercial 80's...and god we remember the 90's
> and what it's like today. Everything is geared more
> and more toward the lowest common denominator.
> Popular culture/music/film/whathaveyou was never high
> brow but there were times when it was original, neat,
> and fun. Today's popular culture isn't like that and
> I don't partake. I don't buy magazines and I don't
> have cable and I sure as heck don't listen to the
> frickin' radio.
>
> Not to say that there hasn't been anything good, just
> that the good stuff has gotten pushed more and more to
> the margins while the crap the the great
> majority/lowest common denominator buy has pushed more
> to the forefront. It's all about low art, fashion,
> and attitude, "the tri-fecta of pretentiousness" as
> one of my favorite zine writers once put it. It's all
> fad, all fluff and no stuff because it appeals to the
> baser side of the worst of us (the largest buying
> demographic, go buy ANY marketing textbook if you
> don't believe me) and the sad thing is that it limits
> the exposure of the good things to people who aren't
> inclined to go seek it out. The aggressive marketing
> of the crap gets not only the dupes who will get
> really into the crap, but also the people who might
> otherwise recognize something better if they saw it.
> All of us on this list are pretty active consumers.
> We go out and find this stuff. We work at it. Most
> people consider that strange or just can't imagine
> putting in the time.
>
> So no, a surf band will never crack the top 10 again
> unless it gets piggybacked into some other pop culture
> phenomenon (I love Misirlou too, but c'mon...) and
> even then I'd say it's a pretty slim chance. As far
> as I'm concerned none of that stuff has anything to do
> with rock 'n roll, at least not any rock 'n roll that
> I wanna listen to. Not the radio, not MTV, not the
> television, not the music magazines (most of the
> time), and certain not The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Lame.
> End diatribe.
>
> Richard
>
> __________________________________________________
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> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
>
>
--- In , "Bob Steingraber"
<bobsteingraber@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> You hit the nail on the head, Richard. I could not agree more.
> When people tell me there is no good music out there, I tell
> them that it's there: they just aren't looking hard enough!!!
> Commercial radio is a wasteland getting worse by the minute.
> I'd like to see surf music become popular enough to provide some
> success and prosperity to the genre, but I doubt that top ten
> exposure would be considered a good thing by many of us....
>
> Bob S.
>
>
I saw Don Henley in concert several years ago. Between songs, he
said the same thing about commercial radio & even went as far to
call it crap.
Richard, all valid points. I feel the same way about pop culture. I
think what makes surf music so great is that it's out of the
mainstream public's view, for the most part. The day it becomes
popular will be the final blow for Surf music. It will become
lackluster, influenced by sales margins and studio big-wigs, and
shoved down our throats no matter how bad it tastes. And if I can't
choose what to "eat", then I'd rather starve. But, that's me. I've
never been one to follow the herd into the slaughterhouse. The more
obscure the more free and less outside influenced something is, and
those are the things I've always been interested in.
In the last issue of Rolling Stone (Mariah Carey cover) I read an
article while standing in the aisle (I never pay for RS, I read parts
of it in-store). The article discussed how 14% (I think) of all
classic rock cd's (zepplin, cream, mc5, hendrix, to name a few) are
bought by today's kids ranging from 11-17 years old. Many of the kids
when asked why they like classic rock say to the effect that today's
music sucks, and that they want more from music, that they want the
guitar gods to come back, for solo's to be re-introduced, for
meaningful lyrics. I was one of those kids, back in '91. I knew then,
that I needed more from music than what was popular. Today, I feel bad
for the young kids who have no new music to ignite their passions, but
am hopeful and relived that they have turned to the past for great
music and will be influenced to go further back in time, and find
influence there that they will usher into a new generation. They will
be the ones to awaken the guitar gods from their slumber, and restore
popular music to its former glory.
~Ace
--- In , "hbseacliff" <hbseacliff@...> wrote:
>
> Case in point, the Oscar winning song for 2006, "It's hard out here
> for a pimp."
I know, right...Talk about a scam! The only reason they won is because
of money, either their label paid for it, or someone somewhere on the
awards commitee stands to make a ton of it. The Oscars are BS anyway.
Marketing, that's all it is.
BTW, I'm pretty sure the panel judges are all over 55. You're telling
me they all thought it was the best nominee? A rap song? (One that
glorifies the "pimping" of women, at that).
Get Real!
~Ace
I gave up listening to commercial radio (except an occasional oldie station)
many, many years ago. So I'm curious, what was the last "instrumental" song to
be considered a 'hit'???? Not necessarily surf instro... but ANY instro??
Clint
----- Original Message -----
From: hbseacliff
To:
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 6:00 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Will a surf band ever crack the top 10 again?
I was driving around Surf City today listening to The Chantays "Next
Set" & wondering if a surf song could ever hit the top 10 again.
Pipeline, in my view is such a great song. It's amazing that Bob
Spickard & Brian Carmen wrote that as teenagers while jamming together
in one of their bedrooms. The end result is amazing.
Is there anyone out their present day who could crack the top 10 or
even top 40 with a surf instro song? The Space Cossacks "Mir Rescue" &
Slacktones' "Rosarito 3 day" had that special something in my limited
view. There are some really amazing surf instro bands out there right
now. What is holding surf instro back? Who will step up?
.
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--- In , "acehaze06" <acehaze06@...>
wrote:
>
> --- In , "hbseacliff" <hbseacliff@>
wrote:
> >
> > Case in point, the Oscar winning song for 2006, "It's hard out
here
> > for a pimp."
>
>
> I know, right...Talk about a scam! The only reason they won is
because
> of money, either their label paid for it, or someone somewhere on
the
> awards commitee stands to make a ton of it. The Oscars are BS
anyway.
> Marketing, that's all it is.
>
> BTW, I'm pretty sure the panel judges are all over 55. You're
telling
> me they all thought it was the best nominee? A rap song? (One that
> glorifies the "pimping" of women, at that).
>
> Get Real!
>
> ~Ace
>
I was thinking that the academy feared a drive by shooting if the
song didnt win...
Clint,
I could be wrong, but it's the only one I remember:
Carlos Santana won a Grammy in '88 for "Blues For
Salvador" in the category Best Rock Instrumental
Performance. I mentioned this in the parallel
discussion of this thread in the new SG101 forum.
If anyone knows of a later instrumental that garnered
as much kudos as "Blues..." please chime in.
~ Jonathan
--- wrote:
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 22:20:35 -0800
From: "-Clint-Beachwood-" <>
Subject: Re: Will a surf band ever crack the top 10
again?
I gave up listening to commercial radio (except an
occasional oldie
station) many, many years ago. So I'm curious, what
was the last
"instrumental" song to be considered a 'hit'???? Not
necessarily surf
instro... but ANY instro??
Clint
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Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
--- hbseacliff <> wrote:
"Is there anyone out their present day who could crack the
top 10 or even top 40 with a surf instro song?"
Well, I hate to be a total downer, but didn't the Black
Eyed Peas (and Dick Dale) just have a surf song on the
charts no too long ago with "Pump It"?
Sad, isn't it?
-dp
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--- acehaze06 <> wrote:
"I think what makes surf music so great is that it's out of
the mainstream public's view, for the most part. The day it
becomes popular will be the final blow for Surf music. It
will
become lackluster, influenced by sales margins and studio
big-wigs, and shoved down our throats no matter how bad it
tastes."
Yup, just like the first time surf (and pop culture) got
real big back in 1964...everyone had a surf band, and many
of these bands were just lame sell outs and posers. Greg
Brady wearing Hang Ten shirts on TV...then, The Monkees...
-dp
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--- -Clint-Beachwood- <> wrote:
> I gave up listening to commercial radio (except an
> occasional oldie station) many, many years ago. So I'm
> curious, what was the last "instrumental" song to be
> considered a 'hit'???? Not necessarily surf instro...
> but ANY instro??
Theme from "Chariots of Fire"? The Theme from "Star Wars"?
-dp
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--- DP <> wrote:
> --- -Clint-Beachwood- <> wrote:
>
> > I gave up listening to commercial radio (except an
> > occasional oldie station) many, many years ago.
> So I'm
> > curious, what was the last "instrumental" song to
> be
> > considered a 'hit'???? Not necessarily surf
> instro...
> > but ANY instro??
>
>
> Theme from "Chariots of Fire"? The Theme from "Star
> Wars"?
>
>
> -dp
Harold Faltermeyer's "Axel F." from Beverly Hills Cop
(1984).
Jan Hammer's theme from "Miami Vice" (1985).
Surely someone has had an instrumental hit since then.
Rick
The last one(s) I remember is that Herbie Hancock song that had the mannequin
video, or I
believe the Miami Vice theme?
I agree that mainstream radio sucks, but it pretty much always has. I would't
say a surf
song will "never" break the top 10. Never is a big word and stranger types of
music have
made the charts in the past. Who would have thought the Stray Cats (rockabilly)
would
have gotten so big during the age of Flock of Seagulls, or that Swing and Ska
would be so
big in the age of Grunge. Then there's those macarena guys... anything can
happen.
-Paul
--- In , "-Clint-Beachwood-" <beachwood@...> wrote:
>
> I gave up listening to commercial radio (except an occasional oldie station)
many, many
years ago. So I'm curious, what was the last "instrumental" song to be
considered a
'hit'???? Not necessarily surf instro... but ANY instro??
>
> Clint
Richard,
Dad, is that you?????
Man, you're channeling my father, and it's freaking me
out! Dude, you gotta stop doin' that. He said the same
things in your first paragraph, though probably in a
different order, back in 1956 when he heard Elvis the
Pelvis break onto the scene. Just change the dates,
and it's deja vu all over again.
As has been said since the days of King Solomon, "This too
shall pass". We can only lament that the odds are against
us ever seeing a resurgence in popularity of the music we
hold dear. But we thank Tim Berners-Lee for inventing the
Internet so that we can share our laments in good company. <g>
BTW, I killed my TV back in something like 1964 or '65,
right after they took Twilight Zone off the air. Last good
show ever seen on the small screen, IMO. And just for the
record, I am the originator of the phrase "Where is Newton
R. Minnow when we need him?". You're all welcome. <g>
unlunf
--- In , Richard <errant_jedi@...> wrote:
>
> Not to be too inflammatory, but screw the top 40. I'm
> sure that most of us would agree that there was a lot
> of good popular culture in the 50's and 60's...and
> that it started to go downhill in the 70's...then the
> super commercial 80's...and god we remember the 90's
> and what it's like today. Everything is geared more
> and more toward the lowest common denominator.
> Popular culture/music/film/whathaveyou was never high
> brow but there were times when it was original, neat,
> and fun. Today's popular culture isn't like that and
> I don't partake. I don't buy magazines and I don't
> have cable and I sure as heck don't listen to the
> frickin' radio.
>
> .....
>
> Richard
>
Cliff,
To be a song, there must be lyrics, but by defintion,
an instrumental can't have lyrics, hence, you've
created a paradox! Paul Durac would love it! <g>
And as for all this XYZ Awards stuff, didn't Richard's
epistle hit home with anyone? Here we are, bemoaning
how Hollywood-ized the industry has become, yet we
immediately use the Awards ceremony to qualify some
particularly good piece of music that wasn't sold on
the open market as a popular tune at all. Then we
had the gall to trash the latest Awards choice, which
makes me wonder how valid that criterion should have
been in the first place. Sounds like a double-standard
system to me, how about you?
For my money, the last hit instrumental that was
recognized throughout the western world was Apache,
take whichever artist you prefer.
unlunf
> ----Clint-Beachwood- <beachwood@...> wrote:
>
> I gave up listening to commercial radio (except an
> occasional oldie station) many, many years ago.
> So I'm curious, what was the last "instrumental" song
> to be considered a 'hit'???? Not necessarily surf
> instro... but ANY instro??
>
I agree with Paul. It's always a "who would have thought?" possibility.
Anything can happen with the right stargazer alignments. Although, I'd
say it is more likely to be a "pop phenomenon" radar blip than an actual
top 10 hit (as if the pop charts matter anymore).
For instance, with the surge in baby boom themes on TV commercials,
(e.g. Ebay's "Oh what can IT mean...." Daydream Believer ripoff) all it
takes is some sustained car company ad budget and a song like Pipeline
can be as popular again as it was in '63...just not on radio and not in
terms of record sales. I don't know about you, but I'd be happy to hear
a good Surf tune ad nauseum during news hour (as opposed to some of that
other kitsch) when they sell all those cars.
BW Dave
>-----Original Message-----
>From:
[mailto:]
>On Behalf Of obmosquito
>Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 9:11 AM
>To:
>Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Will a surf band ever crack the top 10
again?
>
>The last one(s) I remember is that Herbie Hancock song that had the
>mannequin video, or I
>believe the Miami Vice theme?
>
>I agree that mainstream radio sucks, but it pretty much always has. I
>would't say a surf
>song will "never" break the top 10. Never is a big word and stranger
types
>of music have
>made the charts in the past. Who would have thought the Stray Cats
>(rockabilly) would
>have gotten so big during the age of Flock of Seagulls, or that Swing
and
>Ska would be so
>big in the age of Grunge. Then there's those macarena guys... anything
can
>happen.
>
>-Paul
>
>--- In , "-Clint-Beachwood-"
<beachwood@...>
>wrote:
>>
>> I gave up listening to commercial radio (except an occasional oldie
>station) many, many
>years ago. So I'm curious, what was the last "instrumental" song to be
>considered a
>'hit'???? Not necessarily surf instro... but ANY instro??
>>
>> Clint
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>.
>Visit for archived
messages,
>bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
the only instrumentals that came to my head immediately were
'classical gas' and 'dueling banjos'. gawd
i'm pretty much in agreement here with everyone about surf music in
the top 10, etc,etc. have you checked out the top billboard magazine
'hits' lately? at the top , kidz bop kids, jack johnson, mary j.
blige, james blunt, barry manilow and the list goes on. not my top 10.
maybe surf is better off where it is, sought out by those who
appreciate it...carol
--- In , "obmosquito" <obmosquito@...> wrote:
>
> The last one(s) I remember is that Herbie Hancock song that had the
mannequin video, or I
> believe the Miami Vice theme?
>
> I agree that mainstream radio sucks, but it pretty much always has.
I would't say a surf
> song will "never" break the top 10. Never is a big word and stranger
types of music have
> made the charts in the past. Who would have thought the Stray Cats
(rockabilly) would
> have gotten so big during the age of Flock of Seagulls, or that
Swing and Ska would be so
> big in the age of Grunge. Then there's those macarena guys...
anything can happen.
>
> -Paul
>
> --- In , "-Clint-Beachwood-"
<beachwood@> wrote:
> >
> > I gave up listening to commercial radio (except an occasional
oldie station) many, many
> years ago. So I'm curious, what was the last "instrumental" song to
be considered a
> 'hit'???? Not necessarily surf instro... but ANY instro??
> >
> > Clint
>
