Archive for: May 2007

King of surf guitar still riding that wave

By ED CONDRAN
phillyBurbs.com

The Beach Boys, the Ventures and Link Wray are among the many recording artists filed under surf music. However, there is only one performer who is regarded as surf royalty.

Dick Dale has been dubbed “the King of Surf Guitar.” The inventive axemaster laid down the template for his subgenre in 1961 with “Let’s Go Trippin,” which features his rapid single-note staccato approach.

Dale, 69, who will perform Wednesday at the Sellersville Theater and Thursday at the North Star, opened the doors for a new sound, thanks to his percussive technique, influenced by Middle Eastern and Eastern European music.

“When I came out to the West Coast there were only two kinds of music, country and jazz,” Dale said. “I was doing something different. It was an interesting start for me because guitars were considered evil. I was playing the devil’s music but fortunately things changed over time.”

Dale’s songs caught on and he opened up doors for the Beach Boys, who were initially his support act. “I used to give the Beach Boys $50 to start my shows,” Dale said. “That was at the beginning of this (surf music). People really got into this style of music.”

“Surfer’s Choice,” Dale’s first album, sold more than 80,000 copies in California in 1961. “That’s like selling more than 4 million today,” Dale said. “I did very well. People found what I did to be very exciting.”
Read the full story here

Technorati Tags: Dick Dale, King of Surf Guitar

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“Eric Patrick Clapton CBE (born March 30, 1945), nicknamed “Slowhand”, is a Grammy Award winning English guitarist, singer and composer, who is one of the most respected and influential musicians of the 20th century, garnering an unprecedented three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Often viewed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time among critics and fans alike, he was ranked 4th in Rolling Stone’s list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and #53 on their list of the The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. And on that list, he was also listed the second greatest living guitarist, behind B. B. King.” http://eric_clapton.totallyexplained.com/
Some people might have heard or read about Eric Clapton the “Guitar Legend”, and wondered what the fuss was about. Here’s two Youtubevideos from the ’60’s to show you the beginning of the Clapton Legend and the beginnings of heavy metal, extended guitar solos, and millions of web pages.
The first clip shows Clapton explaining to an interviewer how his guitar and playing work.

The second video is a live performance of the definitive Eric Clapton track of ’60’s - “Crossroads”.

Technorati Tags: Slowhand, Eric Clapton, Youtube

According to The New York Times, Frederik Johansson pined for his electric guitar while traveling, but guitars were too large to fit into his overnight bag.
So Mr. Johansson began developing a collapsible electric guitar that fits into a standard-size backpack. A hinge connects the guitar’s (named the Centerfold) neck to its body, so that the guitar can be folded in half, like a flip-top cellphone.
The Times story goes on, “He thus created an aluminum tube around which the strings are wound by turning a knob at the guitar’s base. He initially placed the tube on the guitar’s head, alongside the tuners, but soon moved it to the body, just below the bridge. This system allows a guitarist to pack up the instrument in less than 20 seconds, he said.”
The Centerfold went on sale in April,and are available at a few retail shops in Sweden and Germany, as well as online at DeVillain.com. The guitars, with bodies made of Honduran mahogany, are $3,370.
“DeVillain also plans to develop a bass guitar version of the Centerfold. The company is far less keen on making a version for left-handers, with the body’s curves reversed. But if enough bored, musically inclined, southpaw airline pilots demand them, DeVillain may change its mind.” The Times said.

In other news . . . Centerfolds WITH guitars Les Paul Girls Female guitar players with an axe to grind.