While it might be said that the instrumentation and rhythms characteristic of Surf Rock evoke images of the ocean and the surf, the reality is that it was so named because surfers liked it and listened to it.
The roots of Surf Rock are open to debate. Some say it began in 1958 with Duane Eddy’s release of Movin’ and Groovin’, featuring a distinctive twangy sound that was incorporated into the Surf Rock formula. Others point to Dick Dale’s Let’s Go Trippin’, released in 1961. Dale probably had more influence on the genre, as many artists incorporated the use of finger cymbals and reeds that he pioneered.
Riding the Wave
By the mid 60s, groups like The Ventures and The Chantays recorded Surf Rock hits like Walk Don’t Run and Pipeline. Other groups began releasing vocal variations on the Surf Rock music theme. The Beach Boys' first three albums featured Surfin’ or Surfer in the title. Jan & Dean had Top-10 hits with songs like Surf City and Honolulu Lulu.Surf Rock eventually spawned several sub-genres of its own. Drag Rock, or Hot Rod Rock is characterized by lyrics about fast cars and drag racing, set to typical Surf Rock instrumentation. Think The Hondells, Ronny & The Daytonas, and The Beach Boys'Little Deuce Coupe.
Surfabilly is a derivative that mixes traditional Surf Rock melodies married with typical Rockabilly chord structures. A good example of a Surfabilly group is The Red Elvises.
A couple of sub-genres are related more in instrumentation than in lyric themes. Spy Rock used the same melodic structure, but using minor keys, as exemplified by the music of groups like Double Naughty Spy Car. Similarly, Space Rock used elements of the Surf Rock sound with lyrics about the space race, as typified by the album The Ventures In Space.
Who’s Still Hanging Ten?
Surf Rock enjoyed a resurgence of sorts in the late 90s thanks to groups like The Aqua Velvets, The Blue Stingrays, and The Bomboras. These days, Surf Rock bands often perform in conjunction with classic car shows, and the genre still gets decent airplay on Oldies and some Classic Rock radio stations.Perhaps more than any other sub-genre, the carefree lifestyle portrayed by Surf Rock resonated with the teenagers of the late 50s through mid 60s who made up one of the most important segments of the radio listening audience.
Popular Practitioners:
The AquabatsThe Aquamarines
The Aquasonics
The Aqua Velvets
The Atlantics
The Beach Boys
The Bel Airs
The Blue Stingrays
The Bomboras
The Challengers
The Chantays
The Duotones
Eddie & the Showmen
Duane Eddy
Bobby Fuller
The Halibuts
The Howlin’ Thurstons
Jan & Dean
Jim Messina & the Jesters
Man… or Astro-Man?
The Mermen
The Neptunas
The Nocturnes
The Pyramids
The Red Elvises
The Rip-Chords
Ronny & the Daytonas
The Sandals
The Stingrays
The Surfaris
The Tornadoes
The Torquays
The Trashmen
The Ventures
