 
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Lost Legends Of Surf Guitar
Volumes 1, 2 & 3 (Sundazed)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
There are a few nice sets out there that collect tracks from the first wave of instrumental surf music, most of which took place in the early part of the 60s and was, unfortunately, reduced to a ripple when The Beatles came on the scene. For those who don't want to venture too deep into the waters there are plenty of sets that only contain the obvious tracks by the obvious artists. Sundazed Records' 3 volume set, Lost Legends of Surf Guitar, is not for the folks in the wading pool. These discs each contain 20 tracks of mostly obscure but usually energizing, reverb-drenched, guitar driven surf and hotrod music, and for those who just felt their pulse quicken when they read that, let me just offer my opinion that this is the best dip into the deep vaults since DCC's Surf Rumors & Legends discs. Some of the performances are rough, some are flat out exciting, but the people who are attracted to these things want the good, the bad and the ugly. The want access to the works, and these discs, which feature plenty of previously unreleased tracks, will get them that much closer.
It's important to note that these are not sold as a box set. These are separate volumes, each with its own rewards. Volume one, titled Big Noise From Waimea, touts Dave Myers and his Surf-Tones, The Jesters (featuring a very young Jim Messina, later of Loggins & Messina), The Pyramids, The Original Surfaris and Steve and the Emperors on the cover, but there are plenty more that aren't listed on the front but do make a big sound you're apt to love. Volume two (Point Panic) picks right up where Volume one left off, but it dovetails off from the mysterious and beautiful Latin-inspired sounds and heads into Jerry Cole and his Spacemen territory, where the rubber is burnin' and the gremmies are properly heckled. There's still plenty of wet and wild splash here, though. A big treat on this disc is the inclusion of "The Sheriff of Noddingham" and "Travelin'," a pair of tunes by David Marks and the Marksmen. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Marks was the guitarist Al Jardine replaced in The Beach Boys. From the sound of the guitar work on these two songs, my guess is Mr. Marks wasn't feeling all that challenged plunking out "Surfer Girl." If you get nostalgic for the exotic and melodic sounds of disc one, "Latin'ia" provides relief. This isn't the classic Sentinals version. Bet you don't have the Jim Waller and the Deltas version in your collection. Is it as good? Better? No, it's not in the same league with The Sentinals at all, but it's definitely unusual and rare. This disc also includes tracks by The Trashmen, The Surfaris, The Tornadoes, New Dimensions, The Rhythm Rockers, Gene Moles and others.
That brings us to Volume three (Cheater Stomp). This disc features bands from the South Bay near L.A., a scene heavily influenced by guitarist Paul Johnson, who wrote a zillion songs and seemed to pop up everywhere. A pair of his bands, The Surfriders and PJ & Artie, can be heard and most definitely appreciated here, along with The Vibrants, The Challengers, Thom Starr & The Galaxies, The Fabulous Playboys, Kenny and the Fiends and a handful of others. My only complaint with this disc is the version of "Squad Car," well performed by PJ & Artie except for a terribly annoying fake siren that is painfully loud in the mix and is repeated ad nauseam. I much preferred the Eddie and the Showmen version, which buried the fake siren in enough reverb to take the edge off but still keep it interesting. Small quibble, though, considering how good this CD is, and indeed the entire set. Whether you buy one disc or all three, you're in for some surprises and good times. The folks at Sundazed have done a nice job bringing us yet another collection of music without handing us the same old same old. They have a knack for this.
© 2003 - DJ Johnson