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For my money, the Fathoms put out the best record from
the Third Wave of Surf bands. I also liked any of the
little nuggets that the Boardwalkers have put out on
7" or compilation. Some people don't like the lo-fi
Garaged-out feel of groups like the Trashwomen or the
Phantom Surfers, but I'd rather listen to that than
the Mermen or something along those lines.
The Untamed Youth were totally amazing in the '80s and
'90s. Most would say that they kind of started the
Third Wave of Surf.... I'd say that they were probably
inspired by the purity of the Garage-Beat revival of
the mid-to-late 80s. They had that same fervor for
Surf and eventually Rockabilly. Big Sandy came out of
the Garage revival as well.
I still like the Neptunas shows a lot and if you like
your Surf with some gloss (sort of like Chris Isaak to
Rockabilly), then go check out the Blue Hawaiians
every Wednesday at the Lava Lounge. That's really fun
and there are actually chicks there, which is
something that is not too common anymore with Surf
shows (it was in the early and mid-'90s, for sure).
I, for one, think almost every review that Phil Dirt
does is bad. He totally missed it on the Original
Surfaris' "Surfari" bootleg LP and also on the "Bikini
World" compilation, which I think truly DOES have 15
of the absolute best Third Wave Surf tracks. That CD
breezes by in a flash and leaves me totally yearning
for more. There are few CDs I actually feel that way
about. The "Teen-Age Fair Battle Of The Beat" from
1963 (reissued on vinyl in the early '90s) totally
gave me the same sensation.
Anyway, Phil Dirt can have the Mermen and Vanilla
Fudge all he wants. They definitely have had their
moments, but the guy totally de-emphasizes most of the
stuff that has soul. If a group wants to embody the
sound of the '60s Surf style with meticulous purity,
he rejects them as though they are somehow living in
the past. I can't dig that in any way.
The one thing I do like about his web site is that he
has a great list of what is out there as far as Surf
goes, and you can always get a little hint as to what
it sounds like. But, if he gives it the thumbs down,
I usually like it..... and vise-a-versa.
Hang 10!
Brian Chidester
P.S. Laika & the Cosmonauts are still the gravy we all
wait for before chowing down. Gotta love 'em.
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