Dave Myers and The Surftones

Last updated
Dave Myers and The Surftones
Origin Southern California, United States
Years active1962 (1962)–1963 (1963)
Labels Impact, Del-Fi
Past membersDave Myers
Bob Hurtly
Bob Morosco
Jon Curtis
Johnny Miller
Bob Colwell
Ross Van Kliest
Dennis Merrit
Bob Quarry
Johnny Curtis
Seaton Blanco

Dave Myers and The Surftones were a Southern California surf group who are most likely remembered for the few singles they recorded in the 1960s which include their cover of The Revels hit "Church Key" and their time at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, California.

Contents

Group background

The Surftones were from Laguna Beach. [1] The majority of the group had majored in music at college. Myers himself was a multi-instrumentalist. As well as playing guitar, he played steel guitar, tenor sax, trumpet and bongos. Their lineup in 1962 consisted of Dave Myers on lead guitar, Jon Curtis on rhythm guitar, Johnny Miller on bass guitar, Bob Hurtly on saxophone, and Bob Morosco on drums. [2]

In 1962, Dave Myers and his group as well as another group called the Rhythm Rockers were regulars at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, California. They became the house band at the venue, having taken over from Dick Dale and his band. [3] [4]

Myers's father owned a store that was visited by Bob Hafner who was the partner of Tony Hilder. One day Hafner and Myers Sr. were having a conversation that got on to the subject of music. A short time later Hilder turned up. He came to one of their practice sessions and heard their version of "Church Key", a song he held the rights to. [5] They would end up having two singles released on Hilder's Impact label. They were "Moment Of Truth" bw "Frogwalk" . They also covered The Revels hit "Church Key" bw "Passion" as Dave Myers and his Surf-Tones. [6]

In late 1963, drummer Bob Callwell left the group. He was replaced by Ross van Kleist. [7] Also in late 1963, the group played at the Second Annual Surf Fair, held at the Santa Monica Auditorium. This live event was recorded live and released on the Impact label as Shake! Shout! & Soul. [8] [9] [10]

In 1964 Dave Myers and his group recorded a vocal single. After that he was playing instrumental music. In the mid-1960s, he recorded as the Dave Myers Effect, releasing an album called Greatest Racing Themes. [11] It was later released on the Carole label in 1968. [12] This album was produced by Larry Brown a/k/a Lawrence Brown who provided the music for the 1968 biker film, The Angry Breed . [13] [14] [15]

Venues

Other venues the group has played at include the San Clemente Ballroom. [16] They also played at the Harmony Park Ballroom in Anaheim, California at the request of Dick Dale. Dale, who had an almost unblemished attendance record, was unable to perform so he asked Myers and his group to fill in for him on that occasion. [17]

Later years

Their cover of "Church Key" is on the ultimate surf music playlist by SurferToday.com. [18] In the 1980s, a Southern Californian surf music band called Kerry & The Surftones had based their name on, or had on Dave Myers and The Surftones as inspiration for their name. [19]

Lineup

1962

Later

Discography

Singles
TitleRelease infoYearNotes
"Moment of Truth" // "Frogwalk"Impact 20-IM
"Church Key" // "Passion"Impact 27-IMX
"Gear!" // "Let the Good Times Roll"Wickwire 13008 [22]
Albums
TitleRelease infoYearFNotes
Hangin' 20Del-Fi DFLP-12391963LP [23]
Various artist compilation appearances
TitleAppears onRelease infoYearFNotes
"Aqua Limbo"
"Laguna Limbo Luau"		 Surf's Up! At Banzai Pipeline Northridge Records NM1011963LP [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Surfaris</span> American surf rock band

The Surfaris are an American surf music band formed in Glendora, California, in 1962. They are best known for two songs that hit the charts in the Los Angeles area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" and "Wipe Out", which were the A-side and B-side of the same 45 rpm single.

Surf music is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is instrumental surf, distinguished by reverb-heavy electric guitars played to evoke the sound of crashing waves, largely pioneered by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones. The second is vocal surf, which took elements of the original surf sound and added vocal harmonies, a movement led by the Beach Boys.

<i>Surfin Safari</i> 1962 studio album by the Beach Boys

Surfin' Safari is the debut studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released October 1, 1962 on Capitol Records. The official production credit went to Nick Venet, though it was Brian Wilson with his father Murry who contributed substantially to the album's production; Brian also wrote or co-wrote nine of its 12 tracks. The album reached number 32 in the US during a chart stay of 37 weeks.

The Sentinals were a surf rock band from San Luis Obispo, California (1961–1965). The band is notable for a Latino influence in some works, such as "Latin'ia" (1962). Notable band members included Tommy Nuñes, drummer John Barbata and Lee Michaels on keyboards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lively Ones</span> American surf music band

The Lively Ones were an American surf music band from USA, active in Southern California in the 1960s. They played live mostly in California and Arizona. They recorded for Del-Fi records with production from Bob Keane. They recorded mostly cover songs, but there were a few originals.

The Centurians were an instrumental surf rock band started by Dennis Rose from Newport Beach, California. They were active in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Their music has been used in at least two films. They reformed as The Centurions in 1995 and released new material.

Del-Fi Records was an American record label based in Hollywood, California, was founded 1958 and owned by Bob Keane. The label's first single released was "Caravan" by Henri Rose released in 1958, but the label was most famous for signing Ritchie Valens. Valens' first single for the label was "Come On Let's Go", which was a hit. His next single, "Donna"/"La Bamba", was an even bigger hit, and brought national notoriety to the label. Johnny Crawford, the co-star of the television series The Rifleman, was the Del-Fi artist who recorded the most hit singles.

The Revels were an American rock band from California, associated with the 1960s surf music craze. They had hits with "Six Pak", and "Church Key" which was their most famous single.

Anthony J. Hilder was an American author, film maker, talk show host, broadcaster, news correspondent and former actor. In the late 1950s to the mid-1960s he was also a record producer, producing music mainly in the surf genre. He headed a couple of record labels as well as working for various others. He was also a publisher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Original Surfaris</span> American band

The (Original) Surfaris were a surf music band from California. They were active from the early to mid 1960s and had singles released on various labels which included Del-Fi, Northridge, and Reprise.

Impact Records was a California based record label run by CT Records creator, Tony Hilder in the 1960s. This label released some surf records by The Crestwoods, Dave Myers and The Surftones, The Ramblers and The New Breed and The Revels. The Revels were known for the hits "Comanche" and "Intoxica".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church Key</span>

"Church Key" is an instrumental single that was released by California surf group The Revels on Tony Hilder's Impact Records label in 1960. It was a hit for the group and later a hit for Dave Myers and his Surf-Tones.

<i>Surfs Up! At Banzai Pipeline</i> 1963 compilation album by Various

Surf's Up! At Banzai Pipeline was a 1963 various artist record album compilation that featured recordings by The Surfaris, Dave Myers and The Surftones, The Soul Kings, Coast Continentals and Jim Waller & The Deltas. It has been re-released a couple of times since.

The Gamblers were an American surf rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1959. Distinguished by their vocal harmonies and early instrumental surf songs, the Gamblers are one of the first influential musical acts that recorded surf music, a genre popularized initially in Southern California. The group, led by primary songwriter Derry Weaver, recorded the "Moon Dawg!" single in late 1959, acknowledged as one of the earliest known surf records, and covered by West Coast groups such as the Beach Boys. In 1961, the group disbanded but its members, including Elliot Ingber, Larry Taylor, Bruce Johnston, and Sandy Nelson, went on to have successful music careers of their own.

Norman Knowles is a surf musician, band leader, and record producer from California. He is the composer of several classic surf songs, including as co-writer of the surf classic "Church Key", which was a hit for The Revels. He also has been involved in band management, managing another surf band, The Sentinals. Knowles has made a significant contribution to the surf genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Wright (musician)</span> American singer, instrumentalist and song writer

Charles Williams Wright is an American singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. He has been a member of various doo wop groups in the late 1950s and early 1960s as well as a solo artist in his own right. He is also the former leader and writer of hits for the group, Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band.

"Six Pak" is a hit for The Revels in 1959. This was their first release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exotic (1963 song)</span> 1963 song by The Sentinals featuring Bruce Morgan

"Exotic" is a song composed by Bruce Morgan and recorded by various bands back in 1963 when it was first released.

"Penetration" was an instrumental hit for the surf band The Pyramids in 1964.

<i>The Pyramids Play the Original Penetration!</i> 1964 studio album by The Pyramids

The Pyramids Play the Original Penetration! was a charting album for The Pyramids in 1964. It contained their surf music track "Penetration” as well as a minor hit "Here Comes Marsha".

References

  1. ↑ Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock 'n' Roll's Last Stand in 60s Hollywood Domenic Priore Page 1966
  2. ↑ Surf & Hot Rod Music of the 60's: Collectors Quick Reference By R. Duane Cozzen Page 49 Dave Myers & The Surftones, This is the 1962 lineup of the original band.
  3. ↑ All Music Dave Myers, Biography by Richie Unterberger
  4. ↑ Southern California Surf Music, 1960-1966 By John Blair Page 88
  5. ↑ Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sxties By Robert J. Dalley Page 298
  6. ↑ 45Cat Impact (California) - Label Discography
  7. ↑ Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sxties By Robert J. Dalley Page 299
  8. ↑ Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sxties By Robert J. Dalley Page 299
  9. ↑ Surf Classics Shake! Shout! & Soul!
  10. ↑ Collectors Frenzy Shake! Shout! & Soul! w/lil Ray ULTRA RARE 60s surf music LP (Impact) Archived 2015-11-17 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ Surf & Hot Rod Music of the 60's: Collectors Quick Reference By R. Duane Cozzen Page 48 Dave Myers & The Surftones, Albums (LP's)
  12. ↑ Billboard July 6, 1968 Page 13 GNP Crescendo Records Action Albums
  13. ↑ Artists Direct Greatest Racing Themes
  14. ↑ Discogs The Dave Myers Effect – Greatest Racing Themes
  15. ↑ Grindhouse Database The Angry Breed
  16. ↑ Swegles, Fred (August 1, 2012). "Resurrected San Clemente ballroom celebrates 75 years". Orange County Register .
  17. ↑ My First Guitar: Tales of True Love and Lost Chords from 70 Legendary Musicians By Julia Crowe, Andy Summers Dick Dale
  18. ↑ SurferToday.com The best surf songs of all time
  19. ↑ Sonicbids Kerry & The Surftones
  20. ↑ Surf & Hot Rod Music of the 60's: Collectors Quick Reference By R. Duane Cozzen Page 49 Dave Myers & The Surftones, This is the 1962 lineup of the original band.
  21. ↑ Surf & Hot Rod Music of the 60's: Collectors Quick Reference By R. Duane Cozzen Page 47 Dave Myers & The Surftones
  22. ↑ Surf & Hot Rod Music of the 60's: Collectors Quick Reference By R. Duane Cozzen Page 48 Dave Myers & The Surftones, Singles (45's)
  23. ↑ Surf & Hot Rod Music of the 60's: Collectors Quick Reference By R. Duane Cozzen Page 48 Dave Myers & The Surftones, Albums (LP's)
  24. ↑ Discogs - Various – Surfs Up! At Banzai-Pipeline
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.