Various Artists
The Legends of Surf Guitar -- Recorded Live at the Lighthouse April 1, 1995 (Oglio)
It may have been April 1, but this show really happened. No joke, no fooling.
Some of the greats of surf guitar gathered at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach, CA in 1995 for a summit meeting, a celebration of surf music for the ages.
The musicians taking part were, according to the press release, "The Chantays, The Surfaris, Davie Allan & The Arrows, and special guests like Bob Dalley of The Surf Raiders and Bob Demmon of The Astronauts. Supporting the performers was a stellar backline featuring Don Murray (The Crossfires, The Turtles), Pete Curry (The Halibuts, Los Straitjackets), and John Blair (Jon & The Nightriders), who also co-produced the release alongside renowned engineer Mark Linett (The Beach Boys, Los Lobos, Red Hot Chili Peppers)."
Three decades later, this double LP (on gorgeous transparent blue vinyl--like the sea maybe) allows those of us unable to attend to enjoy the show retrospectively.
And what a show. Classics such as "Mr. Moto," "Apache" and "Wipe Out" get a thorough running over, with each and every one of the attending musicians giving it their all.
John Blair (Legends of Surf Guitar co-producer, surf music historian, and author of The Illustrated Discography of Surf Music, 1961–1965) — says, "This recording captures a rare moment when the pioneers and the new generation of surf musicians came together under one roof — a celebration of the music’s past, present, and future, all at a legendary venue just steps from the ocean."
Co-producer and three time Grammy winner Mark Linett, recalls, "I’ve loved surf music ever since hearing 'Wipeout' and 'Pipeline' as a teenager in New York. When I heard about the 1995 Lighthouse show, I knew I had to capture it. Using one of the first digital 8-track recorders — with help from my friend Elliott Easton of The Cars — we recorded a great day of reverb-soaked music in Hermosa Beach. Many of the players are sadly no longer with us, but thanks to surf historian and co-producer John Blair, this historic gathering is finally getting its day in the sun. I hope you’ll agree it was worth the wait."
Sure was!
