|
Some media reviews.....
Phil Dirt Review - Nov 2005
Phil Dirt - Reverb Central (www.reverbcentral.com)
PO Box 7240, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-7240 USA
|
 Surf Res Q Demos 
Label: MP3
A very lo-fi live recording hides a band with a sometimes original sound and good writing. It's time to write a couple
of more instros and get into a decent studio.
Picks: Barking Dog Penetration, Pipeline, Surf 101, Surf Bum | "Barking Dog
Penetration"
This is a heavy and dark version of the Pyramids' infectious "Penetration." The slowed delivery and
lower register performance add a bit of danger.
Surf Instrumental Stereo "James Bond / Secret Agent Man"
The "James Bond Theme" segues with "Secret Agent Man" with lead guitar nearly lost in the murk.
The recording is mostly bass and drums, though the song is well played.
Surf Instrumental Stereo "Bruce's Bolero"
This is a moderately dramatic version of "Beck's Bolero." Updated some, but also not far from the original
recording's edge.
Surf Instrumental Stereo "Pipeline"
A rough glissando opener bumps into a big whammy trio rendering of the Chantays' signature "Pipeline."
On the slow and dramatic side, particularly where the whammy chords wrangle center stage. Quite interesting.
Surf Instrumental
Stereo "Surf 101"
"Surf 101" opens with a nifty bass run. It's a minimalist kind of circular thing with splashy chords and
dark overtones. Well recorded, this could be a powerful piece.
Surf Instrumental Stereo "Surf Bum"
An unusual and intriguing guitar line plays center stage in "Surf Bum." It's a fine instro with a lot of
potential. While early in the development stages, it's on the right track and easily the best track here.
Surf Instrumental
Stereo
Surf Res Q and The Clams in New York City
Well 13 was certainly a lucky number as both Surf Res Q ( surfresq.com) and The Clams ( www.geocities.com/wedontsing/) made a splash at Satalla in steamy New York on 8.13.05. Satalla (www.satalla.com) is a great venue from it's day-glo orange walls to it's fine menu and the sound quality was superb, reverb superb
actually. This is a nice sized club with a real stage, not a mouse hole which many NYC venues seem to be, but not so
large that an audience gets lost. Unsteady Freddie has a real talent for getting the perfect clubs for his ongoing Evening(s)
of Reverb Superb. Hope he never stops.
Surf Res Q was the first band to hit the stage and they came out strong and twangy with two classics, "Penetration"
and "Jack the Ripper". You could practically hear the waves hittin' the Jersey shore. This was my first time hearing Surf
Res Q who hale from PA and the Jersey area. This band is a versatile 3 piece: Kevin (git & bass), Bruce (git & bass),
& Ricky (drums from the Jersey Shore). The set continued on with several originals including "Commotion" which starts
slow & builds up to a very sweet cressendo of sound. VERY NICE! Another memorable original is "Osama Don't Surf",
which also starts out dreamy and begins to swell, but then teases you as it slows back down. This bands musicianship was highlighted
when about 2/3 through the set Bruce & Kevin switch places and Bruce took the lead. It was like listening to a whole different
band. I must commend Ricky for never missing a beat despite the entirely different nature of the guitar playing. Bruce has
a very psychodelic-like sound reminicent of The Who in the 1960's. Loved the original SRQ tune "Not Yet" as well as the popular
"Bolero" . All in all, this band played at least 15 fine tunes and had the audience hollerin' for more.
The next course on the menu were The Clams: (Dan-o (git), Jimbo (bass), and Brain (skins), complete with two side dishes:
The Clam Diggers (Oceana & Magic Wanda) and The Littlenecks (Julia and Claire Clam). What can say about The Clams
that I haven't said before. This is one fine trad surf band with years of experience and a love of surf music that must
have begun at birth. The set began with a couple of classics, "Telestar" and "Wipeout". "Telestar" is a great tune
as it allowed the band to showcase everyones individual styles of playing. Dan-o is obviously driving this tune while Jimbo's
energetic and entertaining bass playing melds nicely with the Brain's steady drum beat. But the set wouldn't have been
complete with out a shout-out to Mike "Staccato" Rosado as the band ripped into "Spy Clam Chase", a take off of 9th Wave's
( www.9thwavesurf.com) "Spy Man Chase" . The set continued with more originals including "Crustacean" which is available on a very special CD titled
"NESMAlive". For more details on the CD's availability contact Dan-o or NESMA HQ ( www.nesmasurf.org) . I got mine!! The set ended with a raging version of Miserlou and the front of stage was covered with no less than 6 dancers,
including Dan-o's daughters,The Littlenecks, and a surprise guest go go, Robi from the Bitch Boys ( http://www.bitchboys.net/) .
Once again, Unsteady Freddie ( www.reverbsuperb.com, et al) has put on a fan-freakin'-tastic surf extravaganza. How does he do it? Folks came all the way from Slovenia
to hear an Evening of Reverb Superb and it was certainly that and more. Meeting Robi and Darja was more than this little wahine
could have hoped for. Last Saturday night at Satalla was truly more of a family gathering as a few of us even
brought our kids along for the ride. Which brings me to final note.
A new feature of these reviews will be "Sam's Picks" . Sam is my eleven year old son who has seen more surf
shows than most kids (and adults too) and he knows what he likes.
Sam's Picks:
Surf Res Q - Osama Don't Surf
The Clams - Telestar
Till we meet again, I remain your faithful reviewer.
Aloha,
Blue StingRaye
official NESMA reviewer
|
Front row - Kevin, Surf Res Q & event organizer; Dano Clam, The Clams
& event audio recorder; Mike Rosado, 9th Wave & NESMA founder
Second row - Jonnie Dog, Jonnie Dog & the Dingoes; drummer from The
Surf Daddys; Brian, Diamondheads; Bruce, Surf Res Q; Timmy Marty Mooney, Surf Daddys; Danger Dan, 9th Wave; Bill Moffat, Brine-iacs;
Buddy Luv Goo, Sharkskins; Sandy (Oceana), 9th Wave & NESMA; Driftwood Dirk Daniels, 9th Wave
Back row - Doug, Dan & Mike, Jonnie Dog & the Dingoes; Unsteady
Freddie, surf promoter & fan
Surf Summit - Long Beach Island NJ
New Jersey Surf Summit at Barnegat Light, Long Beach Island, NJ with Surf Res Q, The Sharkskins, 9th Wave, and Jonnie Dog & the Dingoes.
What I have been wanting to happen for a while finally happened!
A night of surf bands at a place at a known New Jersey surfing location.
It seems that there is a correlation between the discovery, or rediscovery of surf rock, the spread of surfing
and the improving quality of the ocean surf .
Of course, all this improvement isn't spontaneous. behind all these efforts, especially for surf rock, there are some
highly motivated people making things happen.
I would like to applaud the efforts of Kevin Meehan and Surf Res Q for taking the helm of the Surf Summit last Friday,
July 16, and making it a spectacular show. Also thanks to The Sharkskins, 9th Wave and locals, Jonnie Dog and the Dingoes.
Thanks to that couple that did the gogo/shimmy/lambada dance all night. You too were quite entertaining. They reminded
me of a recent commercial for a over-the counter medication comercial on TV lately. Thanks to Mike Rosado for doing an authenic
ska rankin'-skank step during "Don't Drink the Water" by the "Dingoes.
Ok, I had a taste, I want more surf rock nights down here in Jersey. Easy to say, a lot of work to do.
Surf on,
Bill Moffat, The Brine-iacs
***
Mike here from 9th Wave. The first NJ Surf Summit was a full success, hosted by Kevin and Surf Res-Q, and supported by
Jonnie Dog and the Dingos, The Sharkskins, and 9th Wave. I knew it was going to be a great night when Kevin (Surf Res-Q) was
able to get the press coverage that was deserved (nice job Kevin), from what I understand, Kevin even got his photo holding
his Jaguar guitar. Unfortunate for us, the 9th Wave band VW Vanogon Cruiser got held up in some serious traffic heading south
down the Garden State Parkway (car fires, rubber necking and crashes). So it took us only 5.5 hours to get there, we were
packing a full van with Dan-O Clam (The Clams – CT surf ready to record a live disc), Unsteady Freddy (surf promoter, fan, friend and family) and the Wave.
So sorry to have missed Surf Res-Q, but we got there in time to catch a few Sharkskin tunes. Yes, wearing their blue blazer
suits and ripping it up, loud fast and reverb. The crowd was into it, and the event was well-attended by surfers, life guards,
rockers, surf fans and everyone else. (Barnegat Light is a small beach town at the end of Long Beach Island, just one town
north of Surf City NJ.)
We (9th Wave) took the stage at 11:45 and played a fast-driving set. During our set, we were joined by Big Brian from The Diamondheads (drove up from Baltimore). Brian played Pipeline and My Favorite Martian with his Jazzmaster and signature sound - thanks
Brian. Then Dan-O from the Clams joined us for a quick and chunking version of Penetration. After our set I had to change
my dressings on my left arm, I had too much fun!
Next up Jonnie Dog and the Dingos. This was my first time catching these guys rip it up, a nice job with their vocal
numbers. They had a nice 60s surf n garage rock n roll sound, playing mostly original material. My favorite tune was their
‘Don’t Drink the Water’, with a cool ska surf skank feel. A really fun band to see and dance too. The show
was also attended by Bill (surf Moffat) – of The Brine-iacs, NJ; The Surf Daddys – NJ; Brian – Diamondheads Baltimore; Dan-O – The Clams CT; and Unsteady Freddie Promoter NYC. Special thanks goes out to the Jonnie Dog and the Dingos for setting up the PA early and running it and of
course Kevin, who took a chance with this summit and making it fun while promoting surf music on the East Coast. I look forward
to attending, supporting and playing more shows like this.
By 2:15am The 9th Wave van hit the road with a leaking power-steering pump, a quick stop in NYC to let Unsteady Freddie
out to rule his city, then off again. I pulled in to my driveway at 7:30am, only to get ready to leave again by 6pm and play
“The Swim Across The Sound Cancer Benefit”, in Bridgeport, CT.
Mike - 9th Wave, Road Warrior
|
