Surfin' bird

Think "surf music" means the Beach Boys crooning a sunny pop song? Think again. Dubuque's sun-drenched weather this morning prompted me to dial up a "Killer Surf Music" mix on the iPod this morning. Soon, Dick Dale's "Misirlou" triumphantly blared from the car stereo speakers, followed by the Chantays' tremelo-laden "Pipeline." This mix is killer, alright. I received this mix a few years back as part of a CD swap with another person from the Art of the Mix Web site. The mix was concocted by someone who works in the engineering department at the University of Southern California -- close enough to Ground Zero of the surf music craze.
Although many people probably think of "surf music" as the work of California-based pop groups such as Jan & Dean or the Beach Boys, the term actually refers to a collection of guitar-led instrumentals that appeared in the early 1960s. The songs prominently feature a staccato lead guitar riff, often accompanied by the tribal beat of the drums.
In a few cases, the band members actually surfed, too. Bands such as the Ventures, The Bel-Airs, the Marketts and the Centurions briefly flourished during the surf music craze (not surprisingly eclipsed by Beatlemania).
The bands' sound, and that of "surf music godfather" Dick Dale, influenced countless, subsequent musical acts. Among the most notable surf music followers were the Pixies.
For me, bonafide surf music provided the perfect soundtrack for a blazingly sunny drive to work this morning. Pass the Coppertone!
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