Surf Music is a tough genre to define. It used to be simple (no, not the Beach Boys, but that doesn't mean they don't fit into this category). Surf music started as Hawaiian music, melodies heard in the Islands and then imported back to the mainland. Next we had surf movie soundtracks. Well, not really soundtracks, more like music playing in the background during projector run surf movies, and these tended to be of a jazz flavor. Then enter the era of the surf instrumental. Dick Dale, the Ventures, Eliminators, etc. fell into this category, which was soon followed by The Beach Boys and Jan & Dean. Personally, I found Brian Wilson's non-surf-inspired material to be stronger than the Surfing USA type stylings and yes, they actually did have a strong influence on The Beatles. In the seventies, we had Honk but this was also where the definition of surf music started to get blurred. Even though Jimi Hendrix told us we were "never going to hear surf music again", his Voodoo Child was used in a surf movie, and so was Led Zeppelin's Going To California. In other words, anything now goes. Sure we had Corky Carroll, the Surf Punks, and a few others attempting to redefine the definition, but aside from the current "Slash and Burn" surf porn soundtracks or the mellow stylings of Jack Johnson and Donovan, it's pretty much anything goes. Just be sure not to listen to something lame right before you paddle out, having a sucky tune stuck in your head during your session can ruin it! Lately I'm digging Ray Barbee and the Matteson 2, kinda coming nearly full circle back to jazz. But that's just me. – Barry Haun/SHF Creative Director (the album above was donated by Jens Jensen. He's been sending albums as he comes across them)
Labels: gem-of-the-week
Surfing Heritage
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