# Surf rock **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2020, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651 "2020-01-19T04:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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 19, 2020, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/21 "2020-01-19T07:37:56Z")
[The Red Elvises - El Niño](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBFLATloe0I) I love this song, it’s in my daily random playlist. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/22 "2020-01-19T22:24:13Z")
I have this CD collection of various artists. I don’t think many of them are famous, but they are all good. Couldn’t find a downloadable copy but I didn’t look very hard. It’s called _Beyond the Beach_: > **[Various Artists - Beyond the Beach - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Beach-Various-Artists/dp/B000003NOY)** > > Various Artists - Beyond the Beach - Amazon.com Music ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/23 "2020-01-19T22:32:58Z")
[The Blue Stingrays](https://www.amazon.com/Surf-N-Burn-Blue-Stingrays/dp/B000001INM) (featuring Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Ron Blair) ---
**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 20, 2020, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/24 "2020-01-20T00:11:49Z")
Agree with Dick Dale, the Mermen (great spacy instrumentals) and Los Straitjackets (though they are not strictly speaking surf-oriented). Other fine practitioners of instrumental surf rock or that overlaps with the surf genre are Laika and the Cosmonauts and the Aqua Velvets. Do not miss the Reverend Horton Heat’s “I Can’t Surf”. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/25 "2020-01-20T00:35:51Z")
Man or Astroman? is another surf rock revival band worth checking out. For a sample, here’s their cover of [Goldfinger](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRSaBJeIuCo) and [Taxidermist Surf](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQbFEr-qky4). From surf rock’s first wave, Jack Nitzsche’s [The Lonely Surfer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfw20OUk4co). ---
**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 20, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/26 "2020-01-20T01:58:40Z")
How about a little Link Wray? The classic: [“Rumble”](https://youtu.be/ucTg6rZJCu4) There’s a [short interview](https://youtu.be/kKjjb8RmcgA) with Link about how he wrote it as well. [“Jack the Ripper”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExsrSCeplXk) [“Rawhide”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCUaXuvrbFc) [“Switchblade”](https://youtu.be/8qcQ5yx9O_A) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/27 "2020-01-20T03:15:57Z")
[Nick Rivers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9N7UhTMA8) Is there some reason why no one has yet mentioned the Beach Boys in this thread? I’d have thought a number of their sons to be obvious mainstays of any surf-rock playlist, but over a dozen posts in this thread have yet to offer those, maybe someone can explain to me what I’m missing here. The OP didn’t explicitly exclude them that I can see. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/28 "2020-01-20T04:04:23Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > [Nick Rivers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9N7UhTMA8) > > Is there some reason why no one has yet mentioned the Beach Boys in this thread? I’d have thought a number of their sons to be obvious mainstays of any surf-rock playlist, but over a dozen posts in this thread have yet to offer those, maybe someone can explain to me what I’m missing here. The OP didn’t explicitly exclude them that I can see. Surf music usually describes a genre of guitar-centric instrumentals with plenty of reverb and tremolo; not music ABOUT surfing like many Beach Boys songs. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/29 "2020-01-20T04:27:29Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Surf music usually describes a genre of guitar-centric instrumentals with plenty of reverb and tremolo; not music ABOUT surfing like many Beach Boys songs. [Yes, but…](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVc9akDbRHU) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/30 "2020-01-20T04:46:43Z")
All the good ones are taken, so I’ll throw out **Best Coast**. Lazy, slacker West Coast surf music. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/31 "2020-01-20T05:08:29Z")
Dawn Patrol - Eliminators [The eliminators Dawn Patrol - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhJhyZ7lZyg) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/32 "2020-01-20T06:46:22Z")
Local surf rock band [Krakatoa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI6keAQbiWg). And here they are doing [Miserlou](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOiCqjE51Uc) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/33 "2020-01-20T08:48:39Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > [Yes, but…](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVc9akDbRHU) That led me to [The Trashmen covering “Miserlou”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l-p1A03q3M). ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/34 "2020-01-20T09:30:59Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > If you want a bit of a curveball, try the fabulous [Messer Chups](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M4dZw37i7s), a Russian band/musical project from St. Petersburg who specialize in some sort of surf-spy-horror movie soundtrack-type music. If you’re going to plug quirky Russian surf-rock bands, why not **The Red Elvises**? I see Face Intentionally Left Blank already linked to “El Niño”, so let me instead direct everyone to their rendition of Brahms’s [Hungarian Dance № 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiACr8pdNSM), which I enjoy much more. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/35 "2020-01-20T09:36:26Z")
34 posts and no one has yet raved about the musical genius of **Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet**? You all may already be familiar with [“Having an Average Weekend”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuifllwrFe0), which served as the theme tune to _The Kids in the Hall_, but lots of [their other songs](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLojc13ifXJPrtzZRcGX3m-m6ESUrwaQss) are just as good. I particularly like [“Bennet Cerf”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91cdbqPYkE0) and [“Our Weapons are Useless”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXTKalMydFM). ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/36 "2020-01-20T14:26:37Z")
Ooooooo! My favorite genre of instrumental music! I’ll throw a few in no one has mentioned: The Belairs - [Squad Car](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5lS5hxZd8) The Hollywood Persuaders - [Drums A Go Go](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2qduK4LqoI) The Bomboras - [Third Star To The Left](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP0wHht9JmU) The Centurians - [Bullwinkle Part 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuTyvah8xxk), [Comanche](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPBzDDGD3z8) and [Intoxica](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uYNncKzykA) - That record rules. Every track sounds great, and it’s so loose I have no doubt that the whole thing is recorded live, even if I doubt the claim it is done on UCLA’s campus. The Vice Barons - [Fuzzy 'n Wild](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dewGhekA5bc) The Mummies - [The Fly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rkqLGTg0rE) (most dynamic organ player, with some bad words at the end) One band that’s like the Pixies - not really a surf rock band, but there’s a hell of a lot of surf rock in them - is The Oh Sees - [Tidal Wave](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USYFbICi8Z4). However, they’re as likely to veer off into stoner rock or their own particular melding of new wave, surf rock, stoner rock, and actual metal. They’ve got around 21 albums out as of this writing, so you could just listen to them for a few days without repeating. ---
**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 20, 2020, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/37 "2020-01-20T15:05:35Z")
Other surf rock groups to check out: the Aqualads, the Atlantics, Supertones and Insect Surfers. All good but to me a cut below the Mermen and Los Straitjackets. Dang, but a brief search turns up a bunch of newer bands for me to investigate (including an all female group called “Daddy Issues”). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/38 "2020-01-20T15:26:10Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > If you’re going to plug quirky Russian surf-rock bands, why not **The Red Elvises**? Well, because I don’t know the Red Elvises and Messer Chups (and predecessor Messer für Frau Müller) has been one of my favorite bands for almost two decades. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/39 "2020-01-20T15:30:08Z")
Be sure to check out Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughan tearing up “Pipeline.” Amazing! [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=2ahUKEwi-goPsvpLnAhVP-6wKHZyyBA0QtwIwAXoECAgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dp\_Lj9JzBizA&usg=AOvVaw3QMwrf947EZQ55DzjEHTAD](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=2ahUKEwi-goPsvpLnAhVP-6wKHZyyBA0QtwIwAXoECAgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dp_Lj9JzBizA&usg=AOvVaw3QMwrf947EZQ55DzjEHTAD) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651/40 "2020-01-20T15:35:08Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > rock band, but there’s a hell of a lot of surf rock in them - is The Oh Sees - [Tidal Wave](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USYFbICi8Z4). Yeah, if we’re going surf-music-influence-in-Indie rather than straight-up surf, the OP may like [MGMT - It’s Workling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLh-Z7pyTuY). Definitely reminds me of a more lushly produced Pixies surf-influenced tune. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-rock/846651.md?page=3)