In the fall of 1962, Southern California high school students Jim Fuller and Pat Connolly called friend and guitarist Berryhill for a practice session at Berryhill's house. The trio practiced for about four hours and met drummer Wilson at a high school dance later that evening, whereupon the band was born. "Wipe Out" was written and recorded by the quartet later that winter, with the song reaching #2 nationally in 1963 before becoming an international hit.[1]
Saxophone player Jim Pash joined after their "Wipe Out" / "Surfer Joe" recording sessions at Pal Studios engineer Paul Buff. Band manager John Reisman from the Fuller/Pash lineup of the band in the 80's points out that Jim Pash is on the Wipe Out cover and was a member of the band in 1962. Pash told Reisman that his Pash's mother said he had to stay home and do chores the day the band went to the studio to record Surfer Joe, and that 'Wipe Out' was written on the spot when Paul C. Buff, the engineer, said what are you going to put on the B-side. Fuller wrote the main lick and Ron Wilson added a drum cadence he had been working on for the high school band. In a conversation with Paul Buff, Buff told Reisman that the song 'Wipe Out' was recorded on Dec. 4, 1962.
Ken Forssi, later of Love, played bass with The Surfaris after Pat Connolly left.[1]
"Wipe Out"
Wilson's energetic drum solo made "Wipe Out" one of the best-remembered instrumentalsongs of the period. "Wipe Out" is also remembered particularly for its introduction. Before the music starts, Berryhill's dad broke a board (imitating a breaking surf board) near the mic, followed by a maniacal laugh and the words "Wipe Out" spoken by band manager Dale Smallin. "Wipe Out" was written in the studio by the four original members (Berryhill, Connolly, Fuller, and Wilson). It was initially issued on the tiny DFS label (#11/12) in January 1963. It was reissued on the tiny Princess label (#50) in February 1963. It was picked up by Dot (45-16479) in April 1963, and later reissued as Dot 45-144 in April 1965. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.[3]
Following the death of television personality Morton Downey, Jr., news reports and obituaries incorrectly credited him as the composer of "Wipe Out" (as well as The Chantays' "Pipeline").[4]As of 2010[update], Downey's official website continued to make this claim but it has been changed to state he "also played major roles in the production of the hit surf music era songs 'Pipeline' and 'Wipeout'."[5]
Disbanding and reformation
The band released a series of records, with two other singles, "Surfer Joe" and "Point Panic" (another group-composed instrumental), having an impact on the charts. Point Panic is a renowned surfing venue in Hawaii after which the song was named.
The original 1963 membership remained intact until August 1965 when Connolly departed before their Japanese tour. Ken Forssi replaced him on bass for the tour.[1] Fuller resigned after the tour and the band folded in early 1966. Forssi died from a brain tumor in 1998.[1] Ken Forssi joined the group and was the bass player for their "It Ain't Me, Babe" LP recorded at Capitol Records in Studio A in late Spring and early Summer of 1965.
Pat Connolly left the music business in 1965.
Ron Wilson died of a brain aneurysm on May 12, 1989, one month short of his 45th birthday. Wilson had released an album of his songs, entitled Lost In The Surf, on Bennet House Records of Grass Valley, California, which was recorded in June 1987. A very small number of cassettes of this album were produced. Lost in the Surf included a cover of "Louie Louie", complete with Scottish bagpipes.
Jim Pash, who played saxophone in the earlier formation and was later a guitarist, died April 29, 2005, of heart failure at age 56.
Jim Fuller co-founded the Surfaris in 61' with Connolly. The band reformed in 81' with Pash and Berryhill but in 1983 Berryhill left the band because neither Pash nor Fuller wanted Berryhill's wife to join the band as bassist. By the mid-'80s, Fuller's The Surfaris added new players, such as Kelly Lammers, Robert Watson, Jay Truax, Paul Johnson (Mr. Moto), and Dave Raven, among others. These new band members remain in The Surfaris today.
However, in 1986 John P. Reisman took over management of the Fuller/Pash version of 'The Surfaris'. In 1987, the manager engaged the band with Columbia Pictures 'New Gidget Show' and in 1987 recorded the cut 'Bred to Shred' for the episode (Jim Pash: Producer; John Reisman; Engineer). The full band with the latest lineup appeared in the production. Just prior to that Chris Pritchard was in the lineup on vocals and guitar. During that period the manager focused on fairs and festivals, playing for audiences of ten to one hundred thousand at times. However, the band did continue to play clubs to bring the music to as many venues as possible. Bill Silva Entertainment during this period of management known as Fahn & Silva Entertainment handled the contracting.
The Surfaris Fuller/Pash version Second Lineup Promo Shot Clockwise from top: Murray, Fuller, Fagenson, Pash, Mehler, Lash
Jim Fuller later had another band concurrently with The Surfaris "Jim Fuller and the Beatnik", until his passing on March 3, 2017, in Arcadia, California at age 69.[6][7]
After leaving the band, Berryhill became a teacher until late 2000, when he created a new band with his family and named it The Surfaris. Now the last original member playing professionally, Berryhill performs worldwide as The Surfaris with his wife Gene Berryhill and sons, Deven and Joel Berryhill.[1] In 2003, Berryhill's band re-recorded "Wipe Out" and eight original songs, which is what he wanted to do for the first "Wipe Out" session in 1962. At the time, the boys just 15 and 17 years old were forced to play other writers' songs, not by The Surfaris, which were later replaced by the company's players while The Surfaris were on tour. Lawsuits ensued in favor of The Surfaris. In 2015, Berryhill recorded and released the album entitled The Surfaris Hurley Sessions.
Members
Jim Fuller – lead guitar (1962–1966, 1981–2017; died 2017)
2003: Lost Legends of Surf Guitar – Vol. 2: Point Panic!
2005: Hit City '64 / Fun City U.S.A. (BGO)
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