Surf music, more or less a fad from the early sixties - subject, as are all things, to periodic revival - is one of the great, sweet sub-genres of rock. It started as a local style in southern California, obviously, but was soon played by bands everywhere. Its immediate antecedents were straight-up fifties rock and rockabilly and r&b, and a lot of the basic structures can be heard, let us say, on Dion and the Belmonts' great late-fifties records, while the instrumental signature of the style - guitar soaked in reverb effects - had already been explored famously by Duane Eddy. But first, there is a definite Latin tinge, no doubt the result of Socal's status of cultural crossroads (think "Tequila ").
Then again, I'd say that there are two basic streams, only somewhat related. Jan and Dean and the Beach Boys made amazingly sweet shaggy-blonde-boy harmony rock, beach-party soundtracks that had at times (well, at least in retrospect) an almost forced innocence. Still, especially the BBs made some of the best-crafted, catchiest songs in rock history, even if in some ways barely in rock history (if you follow me).
On the other hand, and for my money more importantly, there was an astonishing instrumental style, as badass cool as anything rock can boast. The paradigms here are the Ventures and the incredible Dick Dale ("King of the Surf Guitar"). But there were many bands in this vein, some better or more enduring than others.
By the time rock started getting political, folky, psychedelic, etc - i.e. late sixties - the thing dissipated. Still.
Artists:
Beach Boys
The BBs are one of the most paradoxical acts in music history, and the paradoxes have to mean something deep about the human condition. Only I haven't
figured out what. Anyway, obviously their classic work conveys tremendous innocence and enthusiasm. The fact that it's lighter-than-air in in its themes
and harmonies conceals great craft. It's all girls, cars, bushy bushy blond hairdos. But how such relentlessly happy, social music could be made by
a mentally-ill genius with a tendency toward extreme isolation (Brian Wilson) is a puzzle. Maybe it expressed and embodied the extreme need for a perfect realization
of desires he could not actually fulfill, or something. Then there is the obsession that Brian caused; never have people taken charming, simple, happy stuff with this
sort of seriousness as great important art. Maybe that shows something about *our* desires: we're all aging schizophrenics trying to find our way back
to the garden, or at least to the beach. surfer girl, i get around.
Dick Dale (and his Del-Tones)
Dick Dale's background is Lebanese, and as soon as you know that, you start hearing something different. I don't know that much
about that whole ethnic area, but I guess maybe they play guitar-like instruments in an extremely fast bezerka-type style. Anyway, Dick certainly
did. Half the output was energetic but not that distinctive vocal rock. The other was unprecedented, furious, guitar outings of mad purity
and focus. Dick Dale is certainly one of the few greatest guitar players in rock history, and his intrumental records are some of the best
rock recordings ever made. nitro!
The Fireballs
There's really not that much surfing in New Mexico, and indeed the Fireballs should probably be thought of as an instrumental
band rather than a surf unit, especially as they started well before ther surf craze. They're definitely on the Duane Eddy tip:
very juicy instrumentals with a touch of country and an eclectic set of sources.
The Lively Ones
Man or Astro-Man?
The Mermen
They're quite a bit less insane and more serious than most of the surf revivalists: there's a touch of Prokofiev or something, and their compositions
are long and well-made. Some, in fact, are slow and easy and beautiful. Certainly surf, though, cause they got that reverb and in a pinch can pull
a Dickdale. Very good music to have on your stereo while you do the dishes. pull of the moon
The Revels
They were one of the first bands to make a career out of the celebration of drunkenness, but they weren't the last. Their firsat regional hits
were things like "Six Pack" and "Church Key" (which featured a rhythm track of cans being opened). Then there was "Intoxica!" etc. Thery were a pretty fierce, if bent band. comanche
The Ventures
Like the Fireballs, the Ventures were an eclectic instrumental guitar band well before there was surf music. They'd been
listening to Duane Eddy no doubt, and they played with a particular mean cool that was truly great; indeed they are probably the bst-known
and one of the best, instrumental acts in rock history. They hopped on the surf fad for all it was worth, killing "Hawaii Five-O" to take one example (they recorded
all sorts of TV themes over the years). They still exist and still record, but perhaps their
last moments as a commercial force came with a series of disco cuts in the seventies. No. But what could be better than "Tequila," "Walk Don't Run," or apache
