Surf rock

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Surf rock is a style of music that originated in the USA that mixes elements of surf music and rock music. The most influential styles on surf rock were general rock 'n' roll, pop rock and surf music. While in the 1960s surf music and rock 'n' roll were distinct styles, associated with competing dance styles and representing distinct and competing youth cultures, the development of rock music since then has built upon both styles. Many authorities now retrospectively classify all surf bands as rock bands, and surf music therefore as a subgenre of rock music. Duane Eddy's instrumental "Movin' and Groovin'" is thought by many to be the main contender for laying the groundwork as the first surf rock record, while others claim the genre was invented by Dick Dale on "Let's Go Trippin'", an instrumental which became a hit throughout California. Dale's influence on the surf genre was profound. He was a surfer himself and sought to transfer the excitement and adrenaline of the sport through his guitar playing. He often drew on his Lebanese heritage, incorporating modal tonalities and instruments such as finger cymbals and reeds. Many surf bands that followed him incorporated Eastern influences, as well as Dale's generous use of reverb. His rapid double picking and staccato playing was also very influential and an important part of the early surf sound, perhaps even more so than the reverb, which was only introduced years after Dale had already released his first singles. In Australia, which has always had a strong beach culture, the genre was strongly embraced in the 1960's, although Australian surf rock bands such as The Atlantics took their influences more from the famed British instrumental band The Shadows. The Chantays recorded a top single with "Pipeline".... Probably the most widely known surf melody and rock drum solo in the history of rock and roll however, is from The Surfaris.The most famous surf tune hit was in 1963 by the Surfaris "Wipe Out", making it to # 2 and # 10 on Billboard in 1965. They had two other global hits "Surfer Joe" and "Point Panic". The Surfaris are known for their cutting edge advangart lead guitar Jim Fuller and Ron Wilson drum songs. During the mid- to late 1990s, surf rock experienced a revival both of the music of older surf bands and in the formation of new ones. The popularity of the movie Pulp Fiction, which featured surf music, fueled the revival well into the 21st century.

Equipment

A typical surf amplifier setup consists of a Fender Reverb spring reverberation unit used with a Fender blackface Twin Reverb amplifier. For a guitar, models by Fender, Mosrite, Teisco, or Danelectro are regular choices. Short-scale guitars like the Fender Jaguar are particularly popular, while Fender Stratocasters were often seen in the hands of prominent artists like The Ventures, Jim Fuller lead guitar of the Surfaris and Dick Dale. Fender, Danelectro, Mosrite bass guitars are common as well. Surf drum kits tend to be Rogers, Ludwig,Gretsch or Slingerland.

Subgenres

Spy Rock is a subgenre of surf rock featuring similarly complex melodies, usually set in minor keys, evocative of spy films. Examples include the bands Double Naught Spy Car and the Twenty-Twos. An easily recognizable example of this subgenre is the James Bond Theme, from the popular series of spy movies, performed by The Ventures. Surfabilly is a subgenre often featuring traditional surf melodies played over rockabilly chord structures. Examples include the bands Snowman, The Red Elvises, Southern Culture on the Skids, and The Young Werewolves. Hot Rod Rock (also called Drag Rock) is also a subgenre of surf rock. Traditional surf rock sounds are applied to lyrics about the also rising hot rod culture. For a few years it gained mass popularity. The Rip-Chords, Ronny and the Daytonas, and The Hondells are good examples of this subgenre. The Beach Boys and Dick Dale produced songs in this subgenre such as "Little Deuce Coupe" and "Mag Wheels". Space Rock is a subgenre of surf rock. It contains many of the characteristics of the "true" surf rock sound, but it also contains many elements from pop and rockabilly. Rather than surfing, the titles of the songs are associated with outer space travel and technology, and feature more other-worldly sounds. The album The Ventures in Space is a good example. Surf punk is a highly inclusive subgenre of surf rock that incorporates many of the styles and attitudes of punk music with traditional vocal and instrumental surf. Many modern pop punk bands are popular among today's Southern Californian surfers. The Ramones experimented with surf music and numerous small bands of the midwest currently perform this style. The Amino Acids of Detroit, Michigan and The Deformities of Omaha, Nebraska, and others like Estrume'n'tal and Agent Orange build on this genre, while bringing in other influences such as heavy metal and/or psychobilly. The Dead Kennedys also had a very surf-influenced sound, largely due to guitarist East Bay Ray's guitar playing. Eleki could be considered a catch-all phrase for the style of guitar-based music developed in Japan following the Ventures 1962 tour. Important Japanese surf guitar players include Yuzo Kayama and Takeshi Terauchi. The 'Eleki boom' guitar craze sparked by The Ventures' tour had a profound and long lasting effect on Japanese rock music; when The Ventures returned to Japan in 1965 they were greeted with Beatlemania-like crowds. The Ventures are still very popular in Japan and continue to tour the country annually. The Surf Coasters are probably the most popular contemporary Japanese surf rock band.

See also

• Surf music
• Surf pop
• Skate rock

Example surf rock artists and groups

See also list of surf rock musicians

• The Atlantics
• The Beach Boys
• Al Casey
• The Centurions
• The Challengers
• The Chantays
• Dick Dale
• Les Fradkin & Get Wet
• Lost Acapulco
• The Isotopes
• Jetpack
• The Lively Ones
• Man or Astro-man?
• Marketts (also spelled Mar-ketts)
• The Mermen
• The Pyramids
• The Routers
• The Surfaris
• The Teenbeats
• The Tornadoes
• The Trashmen
• The Recruders
• The Young Werewolves
• The Ziggens

Notable Surf Rock Songs

• "Let's Go Trippin'" by Dick Dale & His Del-Tones
• "K-39" by The Challengers
• "Mr. Moto" by The Bel-Airs
• "Under Water" by The Frogmen
• "Baja" by The Astronauts
• "Surfin' USA" by The Beach Boys
• "Pipeline" by The Chantays
• "Misirlou" by Dick Dale & His Del-Tones
• "Wipe Out" by the Surfaris
  
  
• "Bustin' Surfboards"-The Tornadoes
• "Interstellar Hardrive" by Man Or Astro-Man?

References

• Burt, Rob (1986), Surf City, Drag City, Blandford Press, ISBN 0-7137-1890-0