The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington, in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar across the world during the 1960s. While their popularity in the United States waned in the 1970s, the group remains especially revered in Japan, where they tour regularly to this day. The classic lineup of the band consisted of Wilson, Bogle, Nokie Edwards, and Mel Taylor (drums).
Beach Boys' Party! is the tenth studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, and their third in 1965, consisting mostly of cover songs played with acoustic instruments. It reached No. 6 in the US and No. 3 in the UK. The album spawned one single, a cover of the Regents' "Barbara Ann", which reached No. 2 in the US and No. 3 in the UK, and was their highest-charting British single to that point.
Thomas Blanchard Wilson Jr. was an American record producer best known for his work in the 1960s with Bob Dylan, the Mothers of Invention, Simon & Garfunkel, the Velvet Underground, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Eddie Harris, Nico, Eric Burdon and the Animals, the Blues Project, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, and others.
Nole Floyd "Nokie" Edwards was an American musician and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was primarily a guitarist, best known for his work with The Ventures, and was known in Japan as the 'King of Guitars'. Edwards was also an actor, who appeared briefly on Deadwood, an American Western drama television series.
Walk, Don't Run, Vol. 2 is the 16th studio album by The Ventures, released in 1964. It features "Walk Don't Run '64," an updated recording of the Johnny Smith cover; as a single, it would be the second time the band had a Top 10 hit in the U.S. with that same composition. The album also includes a rendition of blues classic "The House of the Rising Sun," and "Rap City," the Ventures' arrangement of Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5.
"Walk, Don't Run" is an instrumental composition written and originally recorded by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith in 1954.
Hawaii Five-O is an instrumental album by the Ventures. It is named for the popular 1968 television series, and featured the theme song from the series composed by Morton Stevens as its title track. It was released in 1969 on Liberty Records LST-8061 and reached #11 on the Billboard Top LP chart, staying for 24 weeks. The album was certified gold by RIAA on July 21, 1971. The popularity of the album was propelled by the hit title track, which reached #4 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.
"Amusement Parks U.S.A." is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1965 album Summer Days . Produced by Wilson and featuring a lead vocal by Love, the song's lyrics describe "mess[ing] around at the [amusement] park all day." A short bridge section with session drummer Hal Blaine imitating a carnival barker is also featured, interpolating the spoken introduction to the Coasters' song "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)".
Les Fradkin is an American MIDI guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He is best known for being a member of the original cast of the hit Broadway show Beatlemania. In addition to playing MIDI guitar, he plays 12 string guitar, the Starr Labs Ztar, guitar synthesizer, SynthAxe, Hammond organ, Mellotron, piano, bass guitar, and Moog synthesizer.
The Zodiac: Cosmic Sounds is a 1967 collaborative concept album on the theme of the signs of the Zodiac. It was issued by Elektra Records in and featured early use of the Moog synthesizer by Paul Beaver, with music written by Mort Garson, words by Jacques Wilson, and narration by Cyrus Faryar. Instrumentation was provided by members of the Wrecking Crew studio collective. It has been variously described as "a wonderful period piece" and "apt to inspire more giggle fits than stoned, pull-the-shades-down reveries".
The Ventures Play Telstar and the Lonely Bull is an album by the band the Ventures, released in 1963. It consists entirely of cover versions of popular instrumentals from the late 1950s to early 1960s and became their highest charting album, peaking at #8 on Billboard and earning the band a gold record for over 500,000 copies sold.
Emotions is the fourth studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. The album was released on April 3, 1961 on Decca Records and was produced by Owen Bradley. It was one of two studio albums released by Lee in 1961 and its title track became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.
Autumn' 66 is the third studio album by the British rock group The Spencer Davis Group released in 1966. Although the album was not released in the US, the single "Somebody Help Me" was on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts for seven weeks and peaked at number 47 in July, 1967.
Walk Don't Run is the debut album by the Ventures, featuring cover versions of well-known songs and original compositions, released in 1960.
Another Smash!!! is the third studio album by the Ventures, released in 1961 on Dolton Records.
Wild Things! is a 1966 studio album by the Ventures, released on Dolton Records BLP-2047 (mono) and BST-8047. A 4-track reel-to-reel release was subsequently issued by Music Tapes, Inc. The album is noted for its marked turn towards a heavier sound in comparison to earlier Ventures releases, and the standout track Wild Child which was prominently featured as a sample in "Start the Commotion" by The Wiseguys.
Twist with the Ventures is the fifth studio album by the band The Ventures; released in 1962 on Dolton Records BST 8010 (stereo) and BLP 2010 (monaural). It consists mostly of instrumental versions of popular dance tunes from the late 1950s to early 1960s, with a couple of original compositions. It was on the charts for 29 weeks and it peaked at # 24 on the Billboard 200. It was later retitled Dance! with new album cover. During the recording of this album, original drummer Howie Johnson left the band and was replaced by Mel Taylor, thus forming the classic Ventures lineup. Therefore, the drum credit(s) are shared on this album between both Johnson and Taylor.
The Ventures a Go-Go is the seventeenth studio album by the band The Ventures; released in 1965 on Dolton Records BST 8037 (stereo) and BLP 2037 (monaural). It consists mostly of instrumental covers of popular tunes from the late 50s and early 60s, with a few original compositions. It was on the charts for 35 weeks and it peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200. This album was the fourth highest charting album that The Ventures released.
Forbidden Island was the third album by Martin Denny. The album was produced in March 1958 at the Liberty Studios in Hollywood, following the group's nine-month gig performing at Don the Beachcomber's Bora Bora Lounge in Hawaii. Forbidden Island was Denny's first album to be recorded and released after vibraphonist Arthur Lyman left the group to pursue his own solo career. The album includes four original compositions by Denny: "Cobra", "Exotica", "Primitiva", and "Forbidden Island".
Robert Eugene Spalding is an American musician, composer, arranger, and producer. He is best known for his work with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group the Ventures and he has appeared on over 40 Ventures albums from 1980 through to the present. Spalding continues to tour, record, as well as produce with the Ventures as well as other artists.
