1963 was a big year for instrumental guitar music, particularly surf music. This was the year that found Pipeline by The Chantays, Wipeout by The Surfaris, Bombora by The Atlantics, Dance On & Foot Tapper by The Shadows all on the "hit parade".
This was popular music. That was until The Beatles arrived. However, I’ve always loved the sound of the surf guitar and this is my tribute to that music.
The guitars and amps I used on this recording were a 1963 Fender Jaguar (black), a 1963 Fender Stratocaster (candy apple red), a 1963 Fender Vibroverb (2 x 10" speakers) and a 1963 Fender Outboard Reverb Tank. All of these instruments just happen to be from 1963. This was not planned. It just worked out that way because they all had a unique sound that attracted me to them. I played the Fender Jaguar on 95% of this CD. This is the first time that I had played a Jaguar and discovered an amazing sound.
So here is a little 1963 "Revenge of the Surf Guitar". I hope you enjoy what you hear.
Reviews
Reverb Central Review 1st August, 2007
http://www.reverbcentral.com/
Like I told Martin when I first dropped Revenge Of The Surf Guitar into my player - "Wow!"
This album is solid top to bottom. It's generally in the Atlantics mold, the legendary Australian band Martin Cilia plays lead guitar in these days, and some songs were first cut with that stellar outfit, but it's also very fresh and powerful in its own right.
Imagine a merger of the Atlantics often stinging power, the melody sense and guitar interplay of the Bambi Molesters, the fanciful writing of Bill Epps and Dana Vincent for Splashback and the Vara-Tones, and classic American surf, and you'll get the general drift of the perfection within. All comparisons aside, Martin Cilia has produced a truly wonderful CD with 16 wonderful tracks. He has obviously put a lot of time into arrangements, because this album very VERY well done. Highly recommended!
Read the rest of the review of "Revenge" on Reverb Central, by Phil Dirt.
2 Good 4 Words Newsletter, Edition 17 August 2007 http://www.kimhumphreys.com/
And now …. (drum roll) – Geoff Jermy's ALBUM OF THE YEAR!! Yes folks – this is one to get. Martin was another of our honoured guests at "Shadoz 2007" and could not get this out in time. But worth the wait? You betcha!! It's a brilliant (more superlatives later) album in the Atlantics' (recent) style, but with Martin's personal touch. There's reverb, echo, surf riffs, tremolo, twang galore. The titles reflect the music therein and were all self written (the songs, that is). For one so young (that'll cost you, Martin) he has a deep appreciation of surf music, including nods to the surf groups of '63. In a word, fabulous, terrific, groovy, tremendous, amazing (sorry, that's more than a word). My favourite track? ALL of them!!
Read the full newsletter (PDF 1.53MB)