Surf music has its roots in instrumental rock music from the 50s and early 60s by groups like Link Wray and the Raymen, Duane Eddy, The Ventures, The Fireballs, Johnny And The Hurricanes, Santo and Johnny; The Shadows (also check out The Shadows Archive), The Spotniks, Los Jets, The Champs, The Fendermen and The Wailers. It incorporates a wide spectrum of additional elements such as rockabilly, R&B, cowboy, spy, country & western, jazz, flamenco, Mexican, Latin and Middle Eastern. Instrumental surf music is quite different from vocal surf music, performed by such groups as Jan and Dean or, with some exceptions, the Beach Boys, that sings about surfing. Where vocal surf bands sing about surfing, instrumental surf bands instrumentally create the sensation of actually surfing. Vocal surf music deals mainly with the lifestyle associated with the surf scene - while instrumental surf music is about the raw experience of confronting the elements.

Early pioneers of surf music include the Bel-Airs, whose song "Mr. Moto" was released in May 1961, and Dick Dale. With his band, The Del-Tones, Dick Dale's first instrumental "Let's go trippin'" was released in August 1961. Dick Dale was the first to use a prototype of the guitar reverb unit developed by The Fender Music Company. The reverb unit provides the wet echo that is a major component of the surf sound. Dick Dale also, through his work with Leo Fender, was instrumental in the development of the Fender Dual Showman amplifier. Many traditional surf bands used Fender Jaguar, Jazzmaster or Stratocaster guitars, Fender Showman amps, and the Fender outboard reverb unit; however, any guitar and amp with reverb can be used to play surf music.

Many classic surf albums have been re-issued in CD-ROM format. Some good compilations have also been released. Excellent reviews, a history of surf music, and other information can be found on Reverb Central ("Surfmeister" Phil Dirt's home page) also listed below. A very interesting discography of surf music is: The illustrated discography of surf music, 1961-1965, 3rd ed., by John Blair (Ann Arbor, MI : Popular Culture, 1995). Also essential is the 364 page dictionary with discographies: Surfin' guitars : instrumental surf bands of the sixties, 2nd ed., by Robert J. Dalley (Ann Arbor, MI : Popular Culture, Ink., 1996).

Classic surf bands that can be found on CD and on CD compilations include Richie Allen (a/k/a Richard Podolor), The Astronauts, The Atlantics, The Avantis, Johnny Barakat and the Vestells, The Bel-Airs (whose Paul Johnson later formed PJ and Artie and then PJ and the Galaxies, and whose Eddie Bertrand later formed Eddie & the Showmen), Al Casey, The Centurians, The Challengers, The Chantays, The Cornells, The Crossfires (later The Turtles), Dick Dale and the Del-Tones, The Fender Four, Johnny Fortune, Bobby Fuller and the Fanatics (later The Bobby Fuller Four), The Impacts, The Journeymen, Jim Messina & his Jesters (of the later Loggins & Messina),The Lively Ones, The Marketts, Dave Myers and the Surftones, The New Dimensions, The Nocturnes, The Original Surfaris, The Pyramids, The Revels, The Rhythm Rockers, The Sentinals, The Superstocks, The Surfaris, The Tornadoes, The Trashmen, Gary Usher, Bob Vaught and the Renegaids, The Ventures, and Jim Waller and the Deltas.

In addition to these, many other bands issued great, reverb-drenched surf singles in the early sixties and can be found on some of the compilations that are available.

Due to the prolific number of bands and also due to the sporadic nature of many bands, a comprehensive list of current or almost current surf/instrumental bands is very difficult to maintain. One of several collections of surf band links can be found at Surfmusic.com. I also mention several other lists below. I highly recommend the Surf Guitar 101 site for news, show announcements, show reports, reviews, web based discussion forums, a database of useful links, surf music FAQ's, photos, events calendar, etc. Also, excellent reviews can be found at Reverb Central. Finally, in addition to listening to my own Tsunami Soul show, check out some of the excellent surf shows listed below.

Here is another list of some current or almost current surf bands:

Radio and Online Surf Music Shows:

Also check these out:

Send comments, questions and/or suggestions to:
 Tom.Hinders@oberlin.edu.
Or just introduce yourself; I'd like to hear from you.

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