# Help me build a surf music collection **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871 "2011-01-25T02:44:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/1 "2011-01-25T02:44:53Z")
Maybe it’s the winter, or the boredom of months long unemployment, but I am finding surf music much more fun and appealing than I used to. I have about a dozen tunes from Dick Dale, a half dozen each from the Surfaris and the Ventures. Most of these are “greatest hits” like Pipeline and Wipeout and Miserlou. I have another dozen or so from various groups that seem “surf-like” to me: the Peter Gunn theme, a couple of Ramones tunes. I was kinda surprised how few Beach Boys songs had a surf vibe. I just found a song called Guitar Noire by the Aqua Velvets which I like almost as much as the names. Help me find more groups and songs to build my collection. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/2 "2011-01-25T03:00:30Z")
Lot’s to choose from in the Neo-surf canon. Los Straightjackets, The Bomboras, The Aqualads, the Phantom Surfers, and the Hodaddy’s just to name a few. Some of the early Untamed Youth was really surfy, as well as the Boss Martians earlier stuff. If you have access to itunes, just search for Surf, and you will find all kinds of old and new bands still putting stuff out. A band that definitely went to school on Dick dale, as well as Webb Pierce and Hank Williams is Southern Culture on the Skids, you should really check them out. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/3 "2011-01-25T03:04:12Z")
_Moon Dawg_ - Beach Boys _Never Give Up_ - Common Sense (more of a surf/reggae hybrid, but with a classic Telecaster solo) _Endless Summer Theme_ - Sandals _Baja_ - The Astronauts _El Aguila_ - The Astronauts ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/4 "2011-01-25T03:07:08Z")
Hank Williams played surf music? And yes, I have iTunes, but I’m hoping someone will help me avoid the dross and point me toward specific groups, as you have – and thanks! Now I need to find out what Neo-Surf is. I hope it’s nothing like Neo-Nazi. I do remember _Surf Nazis Must Die_. I would hope Neo-Surf Neo-Nazies do the same. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/5 "2011-01-25T03:17:55Z")
Nah, Neo-Surf was a named my friend coined to talk about the new bands putting out great surf music. You are totally safe there;) Also, check out The Meltones, The Supertones, the Tikitones (definitely a theme here), The Mermen, Man or Astro Man? and The Barracudas. Have fun! Edited to add…Southern Culture on the Skids is a bit of an acquired taste, but once it gets the hooks in you it’s all over. You have been warned! ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/6 "2011-01-25T03:26:08Z")
Check out the Razorblades! [http://therazorblades.de/](http://therazorblades.de/) ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/7 "2011-01-25T03:42:46Z")
The Red Elvises - El Niño [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JodrQ_ybF5E/hqdefault.jpg "The Red Elvises - El Niño") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JodrQ_ybF5E) They like to bring the humor with the music, but this one is straight-forward killer Surf. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/8 "2011-01-25T03:59:01Z")
Both of these are the surf volume of overall great series: [Legends of Guitar: Surf](http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Guitar-Surf-Various-Artists/dp/B000008G9Z/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1295927545&sr=1-4) [Rock Instrumental Classics, Vol. 5: Surf](http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Instrumental-Classics-Vol-Surf/dp/B00000338B/ref=sr_1_7?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1295927298&sr=1-7) And, yes, cheesy as hell but [Jenny McCarthy’s Surfin Safari](http://www.amazon.com/Mccarthys-Surfin-Safari-Various-Artists/dp/B000001Y2D/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295927604&sr=1-1) is actually an excellent compilation of some surf classics. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/9 "2011-01-25T04:01:44Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > Check out the Razorblades! > > [http://therazorblades.de/](http://therazorblades.de/) I like them a lot! I will look for a few individual pieces on iTunes, I’m too cheap anymore to buy whole CDs of single bands. > [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > The Red Elvises - El Niño > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JodrQ\_ybF5E](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JodrQ_ybF5E) > > They like to bring the humor with the music, but this one is straight-forward killer Surf. And they’re really good too, with a Middle East vibe like Dick Dale. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/10 "2011-01-25T04:18:21Z")
Surf is great, and way bigger (sonically) than anyone who doesn’t listen to it probably imagines. If you just have the old Dick Dale stuff and haven’t heard the '90s albums, you need to check those. [Here’s a taste](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIydkFr9G60) from _Unknown Territory_. For elegant old school, you may need some [Chantays](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIL9K1UUMW8). I really like [the Mermen](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-iGg1_FaNo). Note that “new bands” in surf is a relative term; some of these have been around for twenty years and gone through considerable evolution in their sound. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/11 "2011-01-25T05:11:31Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Surf is great, and way bigger (sonically) than anyone who doesn’t listen to it probably imagines. > > For elegant old school, you may need some [Chantays](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIL9K1UUMW8). Thanks for that, and although Boyo Jim mentioned “Pipeline”, I believe he was referencing the \*Ventures \*version. I would like to take this moment to state that the original _Chantays_ version is a must-have, and in my opinion, superior to the Ventures version. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w7c2ZKamzS4/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAZilmcEkTLLeJBcAfrXZreVpZMqA "The Chantays - Pipeline") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7c2ZKamzS4) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/12 "2011-01-25T12:06:44Z")
\*\*yanceylebeef \*\* and the other posters appear to be steering you well, \*\*Boyo \*\*- I have some exposure to some of those bands and they are good. The Mermen are an instrumental surf band out of the Bay Area I think and really good. I gotta check a few out - I have never dug into Southern Culture… but have read about them enough to be curious… ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/13 "2011-01-25T12:21:16Z")
Great suggestions, I’ll add some Joe Satriani. I’d start with [Surfing with the Alien](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfing_with_the_Alien) or [Flying in a Blue Dream](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_in_a_Blue_Dream) which are full of some cool surfing tunes. ---
**Author:** ![Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hook)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/14 "2011-01-25T13:45:17Z")
Try **Bombora** by **The Atlantics** , a Sydney group from the early 60s: ``` http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmMeqid_fmU ``` ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/15 "2011-01-25T13:51:26Z")
How about [the Cramps](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a98umoWh7VU)? Far too pale & urban to be convincing surfers, their sound was definitely in the surf groove. However, too close a perusal of their lyrics will endanger your sanity… Before surf music, there was[Link Wray](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEBqpDDc89I&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/16 "2011-01-25T14:20:00Z")
The album that started my interest in surf rock was the compilation _Big Waves_. It’s an excellent nearly all-instrumental album that includes both '60s classics and newer surf rock (such as the previously mentioned “Guitar Noir” and a great spacy number by the Vanduras (“La Planche”). 80 or so surf rock albums later, my favorites in the genre are the Aqua Velvets, Los Straitjackets, the Mermen, and Laika and the Cosmonauts (the latter is a Finnish group that totally rocks). ---
**Author:** ![Slade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/17 "2011-01-25T14:43:59Z")
The British Ace label has some excellent compilations of vintage surf bands: [http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page\_id=1122&sub=13&d=1](http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=1122&sub=13&d=1) And for some slightly more obscure stuff, you can’t beat these three _Lost Legends of Surf Guitar_ volumes: [http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Legends-Surf-Guitar-Noise/dp/B00009IB5U/ref=sr\_1\_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295966396&sr=1-1](http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Legends-Surf-Guitar-Noise/dp/B00009IB5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295966396&sr=1-1) [http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Legends-Surf-Guitar-Shockwave/dp/B0009K8LBQ/ref=sr\_1\_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1295966445&sr=1-2](http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Legends-Surf-Guitar-Shockwave/dp/B0009K8LBQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1295966445&sr=1-2) [http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Legends-Surf-Guitar-Cheater/dp/B00009IB5X/ref=sr\_1\_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1295966495&sr=1-3](http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Legends-Surf-Guitar-Cheater/dp/B00009IB5X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1295966495&sr=1-3) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/18 "2011-01-25T15:04:39Z")
Add Jan and Dean to the mix. They only had two or three hit singles with a specifically surfing theme, but were significant contributors to the genre’s broader ethos. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/19 "2011-01-25T15:17:56Z")
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. All instrumental stuff, really great sound too. They do have a song called “We’re Not A F\*cking Surf Band” (or something like that), but they have that silvertone-y vibe. If you ever watched Kids in the Hall, they did the music for that including the theme song. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871/20 "2011-01-25T15:55:56Z")
This site is a good place to look. Also, while it is out of print and very expensive these days, looking at Rhino Record’s “Cowabunga!” box set shows a good overview of the bands. > **[Poprecords.com may be for sale - PerfectDomain.com](https://perfectdomain.com/domain/poprecords.com)** > > Checkout the full domain details of Poprecords.com. Click Buy Now to instantly start the transaction or Make an offer to the seller! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-surf-music-collection/568871.md?page=2)