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> PS DD today is a total wanker - an army of 'chunkin'' guitarists
> wouldn't save him. (sorry - my rant for the day)
It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving distance from me in
2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to go see him at least
once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His 90's stuff has been kind
of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying his 60's output though. Holy cow!
I am just as excited to see Dusty Watson on drums.
So, any advice? I hear he is brutally loud, packing 2 Dual Showmans!
Earplugs anyone?
Thanks,
BN
Go for the Dick - stay for the Duster - you'll be glad you did. Ear plugs are
necessary if you ever want to appreciate the sound of your own Showman again.
-tfj-
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Neal
To:
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 10:12 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Dick Dale
> PS DD today is a total wanker - an army of 'chunkin'' guitarists
> wouldn't save him. (sorry - my rant for the day)
It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving distance from me in
2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to go see him at least
once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His 90's stuff has been kind
of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying his 60's output though. Holy cow!
I am just as excited to see Dusty Watson on drums.
So, any advice? I hear he is brutally loud, packing 2 Dual Showmans!
Earplugs anyone?
Thanks,
BN
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Brian,
Definitely earplugs....let him assault you with like the first 30 seconds of his
opener, just so you'll have experienced first hand all the DD physiological
impact, then stick 'em in fast. No matter how psyched you are for his volume,
you'll still jump when he starts playing.
I didn't wear earplugs when he came to Jacksonville, FL, and my ears rang for
days!! I thought he was great though.
-Brad
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Neal
To:
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 10:12 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Dick Dale
> PS DD today is a total wanker - an army of 'chunkin'' guitarists
> wouldn't save him. (sorry - my rant for the day)
It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving distance from me in
2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to go see him at least
once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His 90's stuff has been kind
of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying his 60's output though. Holy cow!
I am just as excited to see Dusty Watson on drums.
So, any advice? I hear he is brutally loud, packing 2 Dual Showmans!
Earplugs anyone?
Thanks,
BN
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:.
Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving distance
from me in 2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to go
see him at least once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His
90's stuff has been kind of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying
his 60's output though. Holy cow!
After seeing DD play once (I was about 5 feet from the stage for the
whole concert) I swore that for the rest of my life I will see him
every opportunity I get. He doesn't have a flashy show since it is
just plain guys playing music on a stage. No pyrotechnics, no
special effects, just one overweight aging incredible guitarist who
has the hottest chics in the place ready to take their clothes off
for him right there on stage or the the dancefloor if they can just
get away from their clearly very jealous male companions.
Since you MUST wear earplugs (I use the ones I have for when I am
shooting high powered rifles) a DD concert is as much a physical
experience as it is listening to musical notes. Don't worry though;
if Spinal Tap's amps go to eleven because it is just one more, DD's
go to about 15. The thing is that because most of the music is so
low you feel the volume through increased pressure waves hammering
your body, not overwhelming your hearing.
He is also very personable and not aloof at all. He stayed and
talked to everyone who wanted some of his time or an autograph and
he'll autograph anything. Old albums, CDs, t-shirts, women's backs,
stomachs, arms, chests, you name it.
Enjoy the concert. He is still the best concert I've ever seen.
Hi,
Yes, defintely go check out DD, I like him a lot, okay, not 100% pure
surf, but he makes his strat scream and gets the most out of his
Showman(s) qua volume....and he still puts out great versions of his
most famous tunes, mixes them with others, plays the trumpet, joins
Dusty on drums...
He puts on a big show, plays nice tunes and he's always performing and
playing as if it is his last show he's ever gonna play.
And the drummer is soo good....
And, yep....you might wanna take your earplugs too....
Jerry S. from Belgium
Yes, earplugs. I've stood next to stacks at shows and
not gotten deafened to the degree that I was by Dick a
few feet from the stage. One of the best shows I've
ever seen.
He is a total ham too...:)
__________________________________________________
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The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo
all "personality issues" aside (he's an incredible egotist/
aka "ham"), Dick Dale is one amazing Mofo live! He is
loud,loud,loud...but when you see and hear him, he'll
definately leave an indellible impression...it's hard to
believe that he has been playing with his brand of energy
for more than 40 years.
Dusty Watson and "Captain" Ron Eglit are always great to
watch. Who knows, you might end up actually "liking" old
DD after seeing a live show.
I know his recorded material in no way represents what the
"Dick Dale Experience" is truly all about.
good luck,
Dave P
--- Brian Neal <> wrote:
> > PS DD today is a total wanker - an army of 'chunkin''
> guitarists
> > wouldn't save him. (sorry - my rant for the day)
>
> It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving
> distance from me in
> 2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to
> go see him at least
> once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His 90's
> stuff has been kind
> of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying his 60's
> output though. Holy cow!
> I am just as excited to see Dusty Watson on drums.
>
> So, any advice? I hear he is brutally loud, packing 2
> Dual Showmans!
> Earplugs anyone?
>
> Thanks,
> BN
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> .
> Visit for
> archived messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
>
>
>
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo
PS: DD does put on one of the best live show ever...
I would rank his shows up there with classic "rockin" bands
like:
the Who and The Minutemen...100% heart and soul, volume and
rockin' energy...you'll leave the show changed person.
DP
--- Brian Neal <> wrote:
> > PS DD today is a total wanker - an army of 'chunkin''
> guitarists
> > wouldn't save him. (sorry - my rant for the day)
>
> It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving
> distance from me in
> 2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to
> go see him at least
> once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His 90's
> stuff has been kind
> of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying his 60's
> output though. Holy cow!
> I am just as excited to see Dusty Watson on drums.
>
> So, any advice? I hear he is brutally loud, packing 2
> Dual Showmans!
> Earplugs anyone?
>
> Thanks,
> BN
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> .
> Visit for
> archived messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
>
>
>
__________________________________________________
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The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo
Well, there are a lot of people that really seem to enjoy DD's live
show, and good for all of you. I just wanted to quiclkly give the
opposite view. I've seen DD at least five times, and probably more
like six or seven. The first time was in the fall of '92 (I think
anyway), and I loved it. It was even before Pulp Fiction came out.
Then again in the Fall of '93 and I '94 or '95. Each time I liked it
less because 1) his chatter and attitude were very irritating - it's
all about "me, me, me, native americans, me, me, me, we're destroying
the environment, i'm so sad, me, me, me, I used to have lions,
tigers, me, me, me...." Once or twice is fine, but after a few times
it really started getting on my nerves; 2) he was playing songs less
and less, and more just jamming - well, that's fine if you're Hendrix
or something, but DD is NOT - his improvisational vocabulary is
extremely limited and just plain boring, I think - I guess he
improvises more with rhythm, but even that gets very repetative - the
worst was a version of Third Stone From the Sun by Hendrix that was
deadly dull only after the first minute, and that he kept up for over
6 or 7 minutes - I'm not sure how long, cause I walked out of the
show at that point (that was in '96); 3) until Dusty he was using
really bad heavy metal drummers who had no idea how to swing along to
his music - and he even tells Dusty what to play and what not to
play, and the surf beat is stricly verboten - in fact, anything but
really plodding and straight beats seem to be off limits; 4) I find
his entire persona quite unlikable at this point - the whole thing
with the leather gear and the pony tail is just downright silly - in
addition, he's often hitting on (NOT flirting with) girls that can
literally be his grandaughters, which is just sick, I don't find that
playful, I find it disturbing (he was even hitting on Catherine of
the Cossacks once IN FRONT OF HIS YOUNG WIFE - hugged her really
tight, said "Oooh, perfect fit" and gave her his phone number!).
There are more reasons, Ron Eglit is basically the guy's puppet on
stage, and have I mentioned that he never plays actual SONGS
anymore? Finally, he refers to himself in third person the entire
time - how weird is that? I've hung out with him, and I've never
seen him be anything but incredibly self-centered and self-involved.
Yes, he'll take a lot of time to spend with fans, but try talkling to
him about anything else but HIM, and he's gone.
In case you're wondering why I went to see him ever again after
walking out on him in '96, well, once was because Dusty invited me
and got us in for free - since I'm a big fan of Dusty's I decided to
go see if DD was better with him (he was but not by much). The
second time was at the Rendezvous Reunion in 2000 where the Cossacks
also played, so I was kinda stuck there. I actually went backstage
halfway through - just couldn't take it anymore.
OK, to end on a positive note: the man started this music that we
love, and for that he deserved our respect. And everybody should see
him once. In addition, he can definitely still play, and his tone is
killer - at least he's stayed true to that. Just be aware of what
you'll be getting ahead of time. Hope you like it.
Ivan
--- In , DP <noetical1@y...> wrote:
> PS: DD does put on one of the best live show ever...
> I would rank his shows up there with classic "rockin" bands
> like:
> the Who and The Minutemen...100% heart and soul, volume and
> rockin' energy...you'll leave the show changed person.
>
> DP
>
>
> --- Brian Neal <bneal@z...> wrote:
> > > PS DD today is a total wanker - an army of 'chunkin''
> > guitarists
> > > wouldn't save him. (sorry - my rant for the day)
> >
> > It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving
> > distance from me in
> > 2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to
> > go see him at least
> > once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His 90's
> > stuff has been kind
> > of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying his 60's
> > output though. Holy cow!
> > I am just as excited to see Dusty Watson on drums.
> >
> > So, any advice? I hear he is brutally loud, packing 2
> > Dual Showmans!
> > Earplugs anyone?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > BN
> >
> >
> > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> >
> > Visit for
> > archived messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________
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> The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo
>
Yeah - that pretty much sums it up for me, too. I think I've seen him five
times as well, or more like 3 or 4 & there are a few good tunes, but way too
much BS between songs or during songs & the worst part of it is that the chatter
doesn't change...ever. He says the same damn thing every time - blah blah blah,
me, me , me, Mountain Dew paid me alot of money to use this song in their
commercial, blah blah...I don't don't know how to play trumpet, but here it
goes - I need a pretty young girl to hold my sheet music, blah, blah, blah, this
is a song for the ladies about my favorite town in Brazil, blah, blah - House of
the Rising Sun, blah, I did this song with Stevie Ray Vaughn, blah blah, I
designed the Strat with Leo Fender - blah. I guess since most of his songs
don't have lyrics, he says the same things year after year so people can
memorize that instead. In any case, he does put on a good show for the
uninitiated - and Dusty always puts on a good show for everyone, which is the
sole reason I'll probably catch him when he comes through New England, or at
least New York (and he's playing 4 or 5 times within a 2 hour drive).
You do have to respect a guy that can play surf (even though its not really surf
anymore) & make a living at it - after all, he keeps getting booked at
respectable clubs and draws substantial crowds( or at least enough to keep
working). If I lived in Iowa or some other remote outpost, I would go see him
(for Dusty of course) because the chances of The Bambi Molesters or The Bitch
Boys (or even a really good domestic band other than Los Straitjackets) coming
through town are none to less than none
And I've seen Captain Ron trolling for some very young arse at many a show - and
these girls are young enough to be dd's granddaughters' younger, adopted
half-siblings.
I still prefer Slacktone's version of Miserlou - why can't that be in a
commercial?
-tfj-
----- Original Message -----
From: ipongrac
To:
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 12:07 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Dick Dale
Well, there are a lot of people that really seem to enjoy DD's live
show, and good for all of you. I just wanted to quiclkly give the
opposite view. I've seen DD at least five times, and probably more
like six or seven. The first time was in the fall of '92 (I think
anyway), and I loved it. It was even before Pulp Fiction came out.
Then again in the Fall of '93 and I '94 or '95. Each time I liked it
less because 1) his chatter and attitude were very irritating - it's
all about "me, me, me, native americans, me, me, me, we're destroying
the environment, i'm so sad, me, me, me, I used to have lions,
tigers, me, me, me...." Once or twice is fine, but after a few times
it really started getting on my nerves; 2) he was playing songs less
and less, and more just jamming - well, that's fine if you're Hendrix
or something, but DD is NOT - his improvisational vocabulary is
extremely limited and just plain boring, I think - I guess he
improvises more with rhythm, but even that gets very repetative - the
worst was a version of Third Stone From the Sun by Hendrix that was
deadly dull only after the first minute, and that he kept up for over
6 or 7 minutes - I'm not sure how long, cause I walked out of the
show at that point (that was in '96); 3) until Dusty he was using
really bad heavy metal drummers who had no idea how to swing along to
his music - and he even tells Dusty what to play and what not to
play, and the surf beat is stricly verboten - in fact, anything but
really plodding and straight beats seem to be off limits; 4) I find
his entire persona quite unlikable at this point - the whole thing
with the leather gear and the pony tail is just downright silly - in
addition, he's often hitting on (NOT flirting with) girls that can
literally be his grandaughters, which is just sick, I don't find that
playful, I find it disturbing (he was even hitting on Catherine of
the Cossacks once IN FRONT OF HIS YOUNG WIFE - hugged her really
tight, said "Oooh, perfect fit" and gave her his phone number!).
There are more reasons, Ron Eglit is basically the guy's puppet on
stage, and have I mentioned that he never plays actual SONGS
anymore? Finally, he refers to himself in third person the entire
time - how weird is that? I've hung out with him, and I've never
seen him be anything but incredibly self-centered and self-involved.
Yes, he'll take a lot of time to spend with fans, but try talkling to
him about anything else but HIM, and he's gone.
In case you're wondering why I went to see him ever again after
walking out on him in '96, well, once was because Dusty invited me
and got us in for free - since I'm a big fan of Dusty's I decided to
go see if DD was better with him (he was but not by much). The
second time was at the Rendezvous Reunion in 2000 where the Cossacks
also played, so I was kinda stuck there. I actually went backstage
halfway through - just couldn't take it anymore.
OK, to end on a positive note: the man started this music that we
love, and for that he deserved our respect. And everybody should see
him once. In addition, he can definitely still play, and his tone is
killer - at least he's stayed true to that. Just be aware of what
you'll be getting ahead of time. Hope you like it.
Ivan
--- In , DP <noetical1@y...> wrote:
> PS: DD does put on one of the best live show ever...
> I would rank his shows up there with classic "rockin" bands
> like:
> the Who and The Minutemen...100% heart and soul, volume and
> rockin' energy...you'll leave the show changed person.
>
> DP
>
>
> --- Brian Neal <bneal@z...> wrote:
> > > PS DD today is a total wanker - an army of 'chunkin''
> > guitarists
> > > wouldn't save him. (sorry - my rant for the day)
> >
> > It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving
> > distance from me in
> > 2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to
> > go see him at least
> > once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His 90's
> > stuff has been kind
> > of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying his 60's
> > output though. Holy cow!
> > I am just as excited to see Dusty Watson on drums.
> >
> > So, any advice? I hear he is brutally loud, packing 2
> > Dual Showmans!
> > Earplugs anyone?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > BN
> >
> >
> > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> >
> > Visit for
> > archived messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo
>
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:.
Visit for archived messages,
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Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Much as I love the Dickster (have seen him 3 times now), I have to
agree with TFJ and Ivan.
Every song he's either getting royalties from, or else it's part of
a 10-minute medley. While I admit that the young ladies in the
crowd DO catch my eye, I'm in my early 20s, which is at least
justifiable (or so I like to tell myself). What I always get is how
he goes into his 10-15 minute spiels about "how to make music".
See, he's just a vessel, and the music moves through him. It's all
about the corazon. That's about the time I head over to the bar for
another pint.
However, the man is every bit as quick as he was 30 years ago (even
though he is wearing all that leather), and his tone is at least
close to that which made him famous. However, a lot of people have
told me recently that is tone is getting a little "dirtier" due to
aging equipment that isn't being kept up and his wireless system.
I'd still go see him again, and think EVERY surf guitarist should
see him at least once, if nothing else, so you can say you've seen
him.
~Bill~
DAMMIT I -LOVE- it when someone has the ability to call a spade a spade.
Chris Isaak gave me this shirt.
-Dano
-=The Nebulas=-
>From: "ipongrac" <>
>Reply-To:
>To:
>Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Dick Dale
>Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2003 16:07:45 -0000
>
>Well, there are a lot of people that really seem to enjoy DD's live
>show, and good for all of you. I just wanted to quiclkly give the
>opposite view. I've seen DD at least five times, and probably more
>like six or seven. The first time was in the fall of '92 (I think
>anyway), and I loved it. It was even before Pulp Fiction came out.
>Then again in the Fall of '93 and I '94 or '95. Each time I liked it
>less because 1) his chatter and attitude were very irritating - it's
>all about "me, me, me, native americans, me, me, me, we're destroying
>the environment, i'm so sad, me, me, me, I used to have lions,
>tigers, me, me, me...." Once or twice is fine, but after a few times
>it really started getting on my nerves; 2) he was playing songs less
>and less, and more just jamming - well, that's fine if you're Hendrix
>or something, but DD is NOT - his improvisational vocabulary is
>extremely limited and just plain boring, I think - I guess he
>improvises more with rhythm, but even that gets very repetative - the
>worst was a version of Third Stone From the Sun by Hendrix that was
>deadly dull only after the first minute, and that he kept up for over
>6 or 7 minutes - I'm not sure how long, cause I walked out of the
>show at that point (that was in '96); 3) until Dusty he was using
>really bad heavy metal drummers who had no idea how to swing along to
>his music - and he even tells Dusty what to play and what not to
>play, and the surf beat is stricly verboten - in fact, anything but
>really plodding and straight beats seem to be off limits; 4) I find
>his entire persona quite unlikable at this point - the whole thing
>with the leather gear and the pony tail is just downright silly - in
>addition, he's often hitting on (NOT flirting with) girls that can
>literally be his grandaughters, which is just sick, I don't find that
>playful, I find it disturbing (he was even hitting on Catherine of
>the Cossacks once IN FRONT OF HIS YOUNG WIFE - hugged her really
>tight, said "Oooh, perfect fit" and gave her his phone number!).
>There are more reasons, Ron Eglit is basically the guy's puppet on
>stage, and have I mentioned that he never plays actual SONGS
>anymore? Finally, he refers to himself in third person the entire
>time - how weird is that? I've hung out with him, and I've never
>seen him be anything but incredibly self-centered and self-involved.
>Yes, he'll take a lot of time to spend with fans, but try talkling to
>him about anything else but HIM, and he's gone.
>
>In case you're wondering why I went to see him ever again after
>walking out on him in '96, well, once was because Dusty invited me
>and got us in for free - since I'm a big fan of Dusty's I decided to
>go see if DD was better with him (he was but not by much). The
>second time was at the Rendezvous Reunion in 2000 where the Cossacks
>also played, so I was kinda stuck there. I actually went backstage
>halfway through - just couldn't take it anymore.
>
>OK, to end on a positive note: the man started this music that we
>love, and for that he deserved our respect. And everybody should see
>him once. In addition, he can definitely still play, and his tone is
>killer - at least he's stayed true to that. Just be aware of what
>you'll be getting ahead of time. Hope you like it.
>
>Ivan
>
>--- In , DP <noetical1@y...> wrote:
> > PS: DD does put on one of the best live show ever...
> > I would rank his shows up there with classic "rockin" bands
> > like:
> > the Who and The Minutemen...100% heart and soul, volume and
> > rockin' energy...you'll leave the show changed person.
> >
> > DP
> >
> >
> > --- Brian Neal <bneal@z...> wrote:
> > > > PS DD today is a total wanker - an army of 'chunkin''
> > > guitarists
> > > > wouldn't save him. (sorry - my rant for the day)
> > >
> > > It just so happens that DD is coming within easy driving
> > > distance from me in
> > > 2 weeks. I've never seen the guy, but feel obligated to
> > > go see him at least
> > > once. I am going to try to keep an open mind. His 90's
> > > stuff has been kind
> > > of a mixed bag for me. There is no denying his 60's
> > > output though. Holy cow!
> > > I am just as excited to see Dusty Watson on drums.
> > >
> > > So, any advice? I hear he is brutally loud, packing 2
> > > Dual Showmans!
> > > Earplugs anyone?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > BN
> > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> > >
> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > >
> > > Visit for
> > > archived messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do you Yahoo!?
> > The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo
> >
>
_________________________________________________________________
Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8.
Gee, I first saw DD last year and don't remember seeing Bill, TFJ, or
Ivan in the crowd ;) I gotta laugh - you guys *nailed* the DD
experience I had! Everything they say is true . . . yikes.
Still, if you haven't seen DD before, you owe it to yourself to check
him out. As much as I tip my hat to him for what he's done (and what
he can still do), I think the highlight of the show for me was
Dusty's performance - pretty awesome stuff.
He's coming around here again in May, and yeah, I'll go to the
show . . . but I'm not expecting anything new.
-Dick
--- In , "Bill Bergstrom"
<swingin_cat@h...> wrote:
> Much as I love the Dickster (have seen him 3 times now), I have to
> agree with TFJ and Ivan.
> Every song he's either getting royalties from, or else it's part of
> a 10-minute medley. While I admit that the young ladies in the
> crowd DO catch my eye, I'm in my early 20s, which is at least
> justifiable (or so I like to tell myself). What I always get is
how
> he goes into his 10-15 minute spiels about "how to make music".
> See, he's just a vessel, and the music moves through him. It's all
> about the corazon. That's about the time I head over to the bar
for
> another pint.
>
> However, the man is every bit as quick as he was 30 years ago (even
> though he is wearing all that leather), and his tone is at least
> close to that which made him famous. However, a lot of people have
> told me recently that is tone is getting a little "dirtier" due to
> aging equipment that isn't being kept up and his wireless system.
>
> I'd still go see him again, and think EVERY surf guitarist should
> see him at least once, if nothing else, so you can say you've seen
> him.
>
> ~Bill~
TRUE DICK DALE STORY: I did an interview with Dick Dale at his hotel
room in Colorado Springs. (I am a writer & photographer). I scored a
free door pass and back stage pass. Yes, Dick embellishes the truth,
but he did play a role in a lot of groundbreaking stuff.
But his show kicked ass, Dusty was awesome (and a really nice and
interesting guy), and I certainly got my money's worth.
As the evening wound down, Dick sent my buddy out to shag girls for
him. When that didn't play out, I introduced Dick to two of my female
friends, and he got them to go back to his hotel room with him.
Neither put out. But I gotta give him credit for trying. Is that
pathetic of an old man, or admirable? Depends on where you are coming
from, I guess.
I came away thinking Dick is the most egotistical man I've ever met,
and yet still a formidable talent. Technically, he's not a great
musician but he pours his energy into his performances. He has
passion, and that's something in this world.
Dick signed a little notecard of a Strat, and he wrote "Gavin, Keep on
Playing!" I didn't play at the time, but I soon bought a Strat and
here I am today, working on my surf guitar chops. So, I thank Dick
Dale for that...
Gavin
--- In , "Bill Bergstrom"
<swingin_cat@h...> wrote:
> Much as I love the Dickster (have seen him 3 times now), I have to
> agree with TFJ and Ivan.
> Every song he's either getting royalties from, or else it's part of
> a 10-minute medley. While I admit that the young ladies in the
> crowd DO catch my eye, I'm in my early 20s, which is at least
> justifiable (or so I like to tell myself). What I always get is how
> he goes into his 10-15 minute spiels about "how to make music".
> See, he's just a vessel, and the music moves through him. It's all
> about the corazon. That's about the time I head over to the bar for
> another pint.
>
> However, the man is every bit as quick as he was 30 years ago (even
> though he is wearing all that leather), and his tone is at least
> close to that which made him famous. However, a lot of people have
> told me recently that is tone is getting a little "dirtier" due to
> aging equipment that isn't being kept up and his wireless system.
>
> I'd still go see him again, and think EVERY surf guitarist should
> see him at least once, if nothing else, so you can say you've seen
> him.
>
> ~Bill~
I've never seen him live, but never cared too much for his modern CD
releases. And after all, his most famous tune was written by someone
else, long,long ago. It seems to me that for some time his touring
schedule has been driven by a desire to make some money--not that
there is anything wrong with that--but the best performances of many
artists, and the most creative material, it seems to me, emerges from
some sort of "passion to express ideas and feelings" rather than,
"Pappa needs a new pair of shoes". Anybody that goes around playing
the same old material over and over, year in, year out, and never
comes up with anything new to say, is just embarrassing themselves,
IMHO, and no longer artistically relevant. It seems to me that one of
the reasons that the 3rd wave surf genre has been so exciting is that
the musicians are doing it out of passion and enthusiasm for the
music, and it shows. It can't imagine that anyone believed they could
make some serious money from it, or they'd be in another genre, like,
country music, for instance, which is where Frank Blandino seems to
have gotten to, playing steel guitar, no less.
Some French writer once wrote, about the craft of writing, that, it
was like the progression of a prostitute: first you do it for love,
then you do it for a few friends, finally, you do it for money. If
that is true, then Dick has become nothing but an old whore, bragging
about the days of her long since dwindled youth. Not to pick on Dick,
cause there are a lot of tired old pros dragging their sorry carcasses
around the contry for money for nothing. If they had any dignity left
they would be working at the local convenience store, instead, and
make way.
And who is going to find an old whore attractive, anyway, except maybe
an old drunk?
--- In , "Dick" <rmessick2@a...> wrote:
> Gee, I first saw DD last year and don't remember seeing Bill, TFJ, or
> Ivan in the crowd ;) I gotta laugh - you guys *nailed* the DD
> experience I had! Everything they say is true . . . yikes.
>
> Still, if you haven't seen DD before, you owe it to yourself to check
> him out. As much as I tip my hat to him for what he's done (and what
> he can still do), I think the highlight of the show for me was
> Dusty's performance - pretty awesome stuff.
>
> He's coming around here again in May, and yeah, I'll go to the
> show . . . but I'm not expecting anything new.
>
> -Dick
>
>
>
> --- In , "Bill Bergstrom"
> <swingin_cat@h...> wrote:
> > Much as I love the Dickster (have seen him 3 times now), I have to
> > agree with TFJ and Ivan.
> > Every song he's either getting royalties from, or else it's part of
> > a 10-minute medley. While I admit that the young ladies in the
> > crowd DO catch my eye, I'm in my early 20s, which is at least
> > justifiable (or so I like to tell myself). What I always get is
> how
> > he goes into his 10-15 minute spiels about "how to make music".
> > See, he's just a vessel, and the music moves through him. It's all
> > about the corazon. That's about the time I head over to the bar
> for
> > another pint.
> >
> > However, the man is every bit as quick as he was 30 years ago (even
> > though he is wearing all that leather), and his tone is at least
> > close to that which made him famous. However, a lot of people have
> > told me recently that is tone is getting a little "dirtier" due to
> > aging equipment that isn't being kept up and his wireless system.
> >
> > I'd still go see him again, and think EVERY surf guitarist should
> > see him at least once, if nothing else, so you can say you've seen
> > him.
> >
> > ~Bill~
> Anybody that goes around playing
> the same old material over and over, year in, year out, and never
> comes up with anything new to say, is just embarrassing themselves,
> IMHO, and no longer artistically relevant.
I have to disagree with you here and respectfully ask you to get off
your high horse. Live music performance is like being a professional
athlete. Musicians and athletes are in the unique position of
getting to do something that they love with very little
responsibility and whether or not they continue doing it is decided
by only two things. The first is if they still like to do it and the
other is if people still pay them to do it. As long as those two
criteria are met they should do it as long as they can because few
other jobs short of winning the lottery pay so much while requiring
so little.
Additionally, artistic relevance is, well, irrelevant. There are
plenty of groups that are paid quite well for doing nothing but
covers of songs that were "relevant" decades ago. Where I live a
Beatles cover band filled a 2000 seat auditorium at $25-50 a ticket
to play songs that were released in the decade before I was even
born. They can do that two nights a month and make more money apiece
annually than 99.9% of the population. Should they stop playing
because their music is no longer artistically relevant? The only
responsibility an artist has if he wants to get paid is to play music
people want to hear. If people are tired of hearing the old stuff
they'll stop paying.
No musician who takes playing seriously would not give a great deal
to be able to say that when they were 60+ years old they could still
pack clubs with people who wanted to hear them play.
I also disagree with Matthew. There are many good reasons why artists like DD
should keep playing that they far outnumber the reasons why he should retire.
When it becomes apparent that its time to hang it up, DD and any oldies or
vintage, or LEGEND will be the first to know.
----- Original Message -----
From: Matthew Speed
To:
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 10:16 AM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Dick Dale
> Anybody that goes around playing
> the same old material over and over, year in, year out, and never
> comes up with anything new to say, is just embarrassing themselves,
> IMHO, and no longer artistically relevant.
I have to disagree with you here and respectfully ask you to get off
your high horse. Live music performance is like being a professional
athlete. Musicians and athletes are in the unique position of
getting to do something that they love with very little
responsibility and whether or not they continue doing it is decided
by only two things. The first is if they still like to do it and the
other is if people still pay them to do it. As long as those two
criteria are met they should do it as long as they can because few
other jobs short of winning the lottery pay so much while requiring
so little.
Additionally, artistic relevance is, well, irrelevant. There are
plenty of groups that are paid quite well for doing nothing but
covers of songs that were "relevant" decades ago. Where I live a
Beatles cover band filled a 2000 seat auditorium at $25-50 a ticket
to play songs that were released in the decade before I was even
born. They can do that two nights a month and make more money apiece
annually than 99.9% of the population. Should they stop playing
because their music is no longer artistically relevant? The only
responsibility an artist has if he wants to get paid is to play music
people want to hear. If people are tired of hearing the old stuff
they'll stop paying.
No musician who takes playing seriously would not give a great deal
to be able to say that when they were 60+ years old they could still
pack clubs with people who wanted to hear them play.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I think that is generally correct except the having people to pay them to do it
comes first - if you can make a comfortable living playing music instead of
hanging sheetrock or crunching numbers all day, then do it - even if it means
playing music you're not totally psyched about - that's where being a
professional musician comes in - your are paid to play what people want to hear
- of it you're a sideman, you are paid to play whatever the band leader tells
you to play. So if you don't mind iiving in a van for several months out of the
year, or being stuck in a traffic jam during a blizzard and having the
occasional show cancelled, or any other of the myriad things that can go wrong -
the bottom line is, would you rather be working a straight job day in and day
out behind a desk or driving a forklift or whatever, or would you prefer to
gamble a steady pycheck in favor of the road life? If you can make some money
on the road or develop some skills or a business that can benefit you in the
future, then go fo it. A good example is Man or Astroman? - they toured all
the time, probably got to the point where they could make a living (not dick
dale money of course), but at the same time, they opened a commercial recording
studio (zero return) as well as a mail order fulfillment company (zerotec), so
its not like they wasted 10 years of their lives and no have to start over at an
entry level job somewhere (or maybe they do, I don't know how much income those
enterprises generate). And they were actually able to maintain their artistic
relevance - or at least they got to do what they want and get paid for it.
Dick is obviously trying to target the mass appeal crowd by incorporating
popular elements and standard behavior and songs into his set. If he just
played straight surf - some old, some new, it would be far too obscure to most
of the people in the audience and he would see his earnings decrease. I'm sure
his thoughts are why fix it if it ain't broke. Playing Miserlou and Pipeline
in his black leather while trying to grab arse on the side is what he gets paid
for, so I don't fault him for that - its his job.
There's nothing wrong with die-hard surf fans criticizing his shows - as a
thumb-twiddling surf geek, I don't care for most of what he does, but that has
nothing to with being on a high horse, or feeling morally superior because I
play the music I want & don't try to appease the particular needs of the crowd.
For alot of surf musicians - their surf band is mostly an expensive hobby (they
may play professionally on the side, but their surf band is probably not their
primary source of income, unless they live in an abandoned railroad car). Los
Straitjackets is another notable exception, but they play alot & are all
comsumate musicians and have other avenues of income. But for average moes
like me and many others, we choose to piss away the vacation time (as well as
alot of the money) from our "day jobs" in order to do something we (and not too
many others) love with a passion, regardless of who attends the shows - our
only hope is that we get paid enough to buy gas for the ride home. So, if
playing in a band is not a job, then play whatever you want - if it is a job,
you have to play whatever gets you the biggest payday (Poison songs, Limp Bizkit
numbers, etc) at the end of the night (and hope its enough to pay to get the
van fixed and pay for your hotel room, including the extra fee for semi-clean &
preferably dry sheets. I don't know too many girls....who would stay home
alone while their man is out traversing the country in an "action" van playing
in bars every night and getting paid in sweaty cash - which gets used to pay the
bar tab. Of course if you come home with $50,000 in your pocket, you bet your
ass she'll be waiting for you.
-tfj-
----- Original Message -----
From: Matthew Speed
The first is if they still like to do it and the
other is if people still pay them to do it. As long as those two
criteria are met they should do it as long as they can because few
other jobs short of winning the lottery pay so much while requiring
so little.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I stand by my opinion. If you want to go see some guy whose been
playing the same stuff for 40 years, go ahead. I'm not advocating that
these geriatrix be outlawed--I'm saying they got nothing new to say.
To me, anyway. You dig it, more power to you. Anybody wants to make
money playing what the people want to hear, fine. But that is a
different problem from finding something new to say. You may create
some music that no one wants to hear. Fine. Do YOU want to hear it?
For some people, that's enough to justify all the years of study. Its
all that the majority of those who take up the instrument can EVER
hope for. ...Anyway, I will always choose the young, energetic,
"That's Alright Mama" Elvis over the fat, bell-bottomed, sequined, "My
Way" Elvis. Your mileage may vary.
--- In , "Matthew Speed" <mspeed@m...> wrote:
> > Anybody that goes around playing
> > the same old material over and over, year in, year out, and never
> > comes up with anything new to say, is just embarrassing themselves,
> > IMHO, and no longer artistically relevant.
>
> I have to disagree with you here and respectfully ask you to get off
> your high horse. Live music performance is like being a professional
> athlete. Musicians and athletes are in the unique position of
> getting to do something that they love with very little
> responsibility and whether or not they continue doing it is decided
> by only two things. The first is if they still like to do it and the
> other is if people still pay them to do it. As long as those two
> criteria are met they should do it as long as they can because few
> other jobs short of winning the lottery pay so much while requiring
> so little.
>
> Additionally, artistic relevance is, well, irrelevant. There are
> plenty of groups that are paid quite well for doing nothing but
> covers of songs that were "relevant" decades ago. Where I live a
> Beatles cover band filled a 2000 seat auditorium at $25-50 a ticket
> to play songs that were released in the decade before I was even
> born. They can do that two nights a month and make more money apiece
> annually than 99.9% of the population. Should they stop playing
> because their music is no longer artistically relevant? The only
> responsibility an artist has if he wants to get paid is to play music
> people want to hear. If people are tired of hearing the old stuff
> they'll stop paying.
>
> No musician who takes playing seriously would not give a great deal
> to be able to say that when they were 60+ years old they could still
> pack clubs with people who wanted to hear them play.
However...there is something sickly beautiful in the "hunk
of burning love" Elvis...you know the inevitable fall of
the stellar idol and all that depressing jazz. All that
sweat and all those sequined jumpsuits, the quadruple fat
rolls, the strained delivery...the still adoring fans. It's
so freaky and surreal, like a live 3d edward munch painting
with sound.
It's sort of like a great horror movie like Psycho, the
sight is so grotesque that it's captivating and it's almost
a sin to turn away.
dp
--- ohsyrus <> wrote:
> I stand by my opinion. If you want to go see some guy
> whose been
> playing the same stuff for 40 years, go ahead. I'm not
> advocating that
> these geriatrix be outlawed--I'm saying they got nothing
> new to say.
> To me, anyway. You dig it, more power to you. Anybody
> wants to make
> money playing what the people want to hear, fine. But
> that is a
> different problem from finding something new to say. You
> may create
> some music that no one wants to hear. Fine. Do YOU want
> to hear it?
> For some people, that's enough to justify all the years
> of study. Its
> all that the majority of those who take up the instrument
> can EVER
> hope for. ...Anyway, I will always choose the young,
> energetic,
> "That's Alright Mama" Elvis over the fat, bell-bottomed,
> sequined, "My
> Way" Elvis. Your mileage may vary.
>
>
> --- In , "Matthew Speed"
> <mspeed@m...> wrote:
> > > Anybody that goes around playing
> > > the same old material over and over, year in, year
> out, and never
> > > comes up with anything new to say, is just
> embarrassing themselves,
> > > IMHO, and no longer artistically relevant.
> >
> > I have to disagree with you here and respectfully ask
> you to get off
> > your high horse. Live music performance is like being
> a professional
> > athlete. Musicians and athletes are in the unique
> position of
> > getting to do something that they love with very little
>
> > responsibility and whether or not they continue doing
> it is decided
> > by only two things. The first is if they still like to
> do it and the
> > other is if people still pay them to do it. As long as
> those two
> > criteria are met they should do it as long as they can
> because few
> > other jobs short of winning the lottery pay so much
> while requiring
> > so little.
> >
> > Additionally, artistic relevance is, well, irrelevant.
> There are
> > plenty of groups that are paid quite well for doing
> nothing but
> > covers of songs that were "relevant" decades ago.
> Where I live a
> > Beatles cover band filled a 2000 seat auditorium at
> $25-50 a ticket
> > to play songs that were released in the decade before I
> was even
> > born. They can do that two nights a month and make more
> money apiece
> > annually than 99.9% of the population. Should they stop
> playing
> > because their music is no longer artistically relevant?
> The only
> > responsibility an artist has if he wants to get paid is
> to play music
> > people want to hear. If people are tired of hearing the
> old stuff
> > they'll stop paying.
> >
> > No musician who takes playing seriously would not give
> a great deal
> > to be able to say that when they were 60+ years old
> they could still
> > pack clubs with people who wanted to hear them play.
>
>
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