Surf Rock |
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'Surf's Up' |
Surf Rock is a sub-genre of Rock probably
more distinguishable by what the music is about rather than the music itself. Originating out of California in the early 1960s, it soon spread wherever surfing spots and its associated and emerging 'surf culture' were. In a short time, as a popular trend in music, it spread right throughout the United States then the rest of the Western World, most particularly Australia, home of 'Midge' Farrelly, the world's first surf champion. The Chantays - Pipeline
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Listen To Surf Rock
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The original Surf Rock had two major forms - one: instrumental with electric guitars or saxophones playing the main melody, largely pioneered by Dick Dale the early Surf music creator. The other was 'surf pop' - surf music with vocals, including both surf ballads and dance. As it evolved, surf music became associated with strong harmonies like those from the Beach Boys. Many notable surf bands became equally noted for both surf instrumental and surf pop music. Surf music is generally considered a single genre despite the variety of styles. During the later stages of the surf music craze, many groups started to leave surfing behind and write songs about cars and girls; this was later known as 'Hot Rod Rock'. Even the though the genre has many forms, Surf music is usually referred to as simply 'Surf Rock'. |
Dick Dale - Medley
The Atlantics - Bombora
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Form Surf music began in the early 1960s as instrumental dance music usually with a fast, beat. The sound was dominated by electric guitars particularly characterized by the extensive use of the 'wet' spring 'reverb' incorporated into Fender amplifiers which emulated the sound of the waves. Surf Rock guitarists often used the vibrato arm on their guitar, electronic tremolo effects and rapid picking to emulate the surf sound. Surf music made extensive use of the electric bass and drums, and often incorporated saxophones and electric organs and pianos. |
Comanche - The Revels
The Lively Ones - Surf Rider
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Surfing, tbe sacred sport of Hawaiian
Kings that began in the 15th century was introduced to California at the turn of 20th century. In 1959, the popularity of surfing amongst the youth received a boost from the surf movie Gidget. One of its stars, along with others, helped introduce surfboard manufacturing into California. With the introduction of fibre glass and resin boards, surfing and the surf culture soon took off in the US and particularly Southeast California. The major catalyst for this was the emergence of surf music - or 'Surf Rock.' As one observer noted: A buoyant surf music, born amid the California boom in the late 1950s, reflected and promoted the myth of the California wonderland. It glorified one of the most attractive elements of the Califorina myth: the sun drenched Southern California beaches dotted with tanned, blonde, bikini-clad, Barbi-like beauties.’(Sources-Szatmary) |
A Clip From 'Gidget' 1959
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The Sound Of The Surf A guitar enthusiast, Dale teamed up with Leo Fender (guitar manufacturer) – to improve and develop an amplifier and reverberation unit that would give surf music its distinctively fuzzy sound. Dick Dale fused his two passions – surfing and the guitar – to create a new music for surf fanatics. Dale stated - ‘There was a tremendous amount of power I felt while surfing and that feeling of power was simply transferred into my guitar when I was playing surf music,’ Dale recalled. ‘The style of music I developed,to me at the time, was the feeling I got when I was out there on the waves. It was that good rambling feeling I got when I was locked in a tube with the white water caving in over my head. I was trying to project the power of the ocean to the people; he added. ‘I couldn’t get the feeling by singing, so the music took an instrumental form.’ (Sources, Szatmari) Dick Dale and the Del-Tones released records for the surf crowd. In September 1961, ‘Let’s go trippin' topped the California charts and headed towards the top 50. |
Dick Dale & The Deltones - Let's Go Trippin
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As Vocal Music Although it began as a purely instrumental form, surf music had its greatest success commercially as vocal music. The Beach Boys were most associated with this movement. Their early albums included both instrumental surf rock, including covers of music by Dick Dale, and vocal songs, drawing on rock and roll and doo wop and close harmonies. Standing out also from the many other emergent surf bands were Jan & Dean who also like the Beach Boys also achieved sustained success - for a time. Prominent among their hits was 'Surf City'. |
Beach Boys - Do It Again
Jan & Dean - Surf City
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In late September 1961, Life commented that ‘now the surf that seeps in on the beaches bears flotillas of enthusiasts standing on long buoyant boards… Surfing has become an established craze in California. There are some 30,000 (teenagers who) revel in the delights of mounting their boards on waves hundreds of feet out and riding them in . “If you’re not a surfer”, explained one high school boy, “you’re not ‘in’.’ If you’re a good surfer, you’re always in. All you’ve got to do is walk up and down the beach with a board and you’ve got girls.”' By August 1963 – surfing was huge amongst the American youth. |
The Surfaris - Wipe Out
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Little Pattie - Surfin Time Again
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The Surfaris - Surfer Joe
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Little Pattie - He's My Blond Headed Stompie...
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The Denvermen - Surfside
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The Delltones (Aus) - Hangin Five
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Midnight Oil - Wedding Cake Island
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Donavon Frankenreiter - Shadows
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Morning Of The Earth
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Tamam Shud
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Surfin Bird - The Trashmen
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Some later day variants of Surf Rock. One by super group Fleetwood Mac. The other, a soundtrack for a latter day Vietnam War movie. |
Albatross - Studio Version
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Jack Johnson - Taylor
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Pulp Fiction
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Let's go on one more final 'Surfin Safari'. |
Beach Boys -Surfin Safari
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