Any Surf Music fans, such as Aqua Velvets?

[sendero]

Now, I'm normally a fan of electronic and "out-there" stuff, Eno, Squarepusher, Stereolab, etc....

but I am really starting to appreciate some of these new surf bands. Aqua Velvets seem to be the best of the breed, but there are several others that are good also.

If you like instrumental music done with passion and precision, you've got to hear these guys, they are great!

[bif]

1. Have you heard Pink Martini?

It's not surf music. It's really hard to classify. Off beat 50s mambo and other stuff. It's one of my favoriite albuns. Everytime I put it on when company's over they say, "What is this? I absolutely have to have a copy!"

[sendero]

5. to be fair...

... calling Aqua Velvets "surf" is kinda damning by faint praise, there is certainly a surf influence, but there are many other influences as well - as is true of most good music :)

But I had to call them *something* and that was as close as I could get. Most really good pop music is all but uncategorizable IMHO :)

[bif]

8. I'll have to look into them

Thanks for the tip. I was really into the Sandals when I was a kid. They did the muwsic to the movie "Endless Summer" which was a classic surf documentary. If you've never seen it, it's well worth renting. Pretty funny and great cinematography!

[LoneStarLiberal]

2. Don't Know Any of the New Stuff...

But I love good surf guitar!

If you can find any indie vinyl stuff, look out for some from a Texas band called The Oddfellows. They aren't around any longer but they really had the sound!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. Aqua Velvets have been around for YEARS

Love em! Surf Samba is a CLASSIC!!!

[sendero]

6. Ok...

... but I'm behind the power curve on this stuff, just getting into it.

Few things are more pleasurable than a well-crafted tune, these guys have the muse :)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Have you checked out their web site? Great stuff!

http://www.aquavelvets.com/

[Wickerman]

4. Sounds cool

I have heard of them, but will track them down. I love surf music - particularly when its done well. One of my favorite "surf" bands was an instrumental band from Texas in the early 90's called Death Valley. The only release I am aware of was !Que Pasta! which was Enio Morricone Spaghetti Western music done surf style. Brilliant stuff. I think there was a Christmas 45 where they covered Little Drummer Boy, but I never found that.

[sendero]

7. Yes

Aqua Velvets also have the spagheti western influence. Actually, it seems that all of the offbeat genres of the 60s are included in their work!

I will try to find some Death Valley. I have a friend who is way into this stuff (that's how I found it, it would have never occurred to me to even think about "surf" music until he sampled me some :)) maybe he has some...

[Wickerman]

10. It'd be worth tracking down

though might be hard to find. Here is website I found after psoting the first time:

http://olivier.vincent.free.fr/ART/ART_D/DEATH%20VALLEY.html

It looks like they might have done something on Estrus - imagine that!

Gotta love a band that has a song called Larry Storch Song Trilogy.

I'm looking forward to finding the Aqua Velvets, thanks

[FlashHarry]

9. Ever hear of the Mermen?

Weird electro/surf from the Bay Area? Interesting stuff. Also, check out the band Plan 9.

[sendero]

12. Yes...

... I have heard of them, but don't think I've heard them as yet. Will check them out, thanks.

Other bands in this genre would include Los Straitjackets, Man or Astroman, and the Eliminators, and several others I'm sure. Of the ones I've heard, Aqua Velvets are my favorites so far. :D

[cosmicdot]

13. do laika and the cosmonauts fit the genre?

from Finland

[sendero]

14. I've never heard them...

... you tell me :)

[bif]

15. Similar

When you do a search for the Aqua Velvets on http://www.allmusic.com they're listed under the category of "Similar Artists" along with a bunch of other bands.

[cosmicdot]

17. do your own googling

I'm 53, and can hardly keep up myself

:)


Genres Rock
Styles Surf Revival, Surf
Tones Irreverent, Energetic, Freewheeling, Rowdy
Labels Upstart (3), Texicalli (2)

by Jason Ankeny

Finnish surf-revivalists Laika and the Cosmonauts reunited guitarist Mikko Lankinen and drummer Janne Haavisto, who previously teamed in the like-minded Pluto & the Astronauts. Adding guitarist/keyboardist Matti Pitsinki and bassist Tom Nyman, the group issued its debut album C'Mon Do the Laika! in 1988; Surfs You Right! followed two years later, and in 1993 Laika and the Cosmonauts resurfaced with Instruments of Terror. Subsequent efforts include 1995's Amazing Colossal Band and 1997's Absurdistan. Laike Sex Machine followed in early 2001.


http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=CASS70310021440&sql=Bgv6wtr2lkl6x

Discography
1990 Surfs You Right Texicalli
1994 Instruments of Terror Upstart
1995 Amazing Colossal Band Upstart
1996 Zero Gravity Upstart
2000 Absurdistan WarnerMusic/Ev
2001 Laika Sex Machine Yep Roc
2001 C'mon Do the Laika Texicalli



Song Highlights

Circumstantial Evidence from Absurdistan
Look! No Head! from Absurdistan
Enchanted Rock from Instruments of Terror
Fadeaway from Zero Gravity
C'mon Do the Laika from Zero Gravity
Boris the Conductor from Laika Sex Machine
Experiment in Terror from Instruments of Terror
Magic Bullet from Instruments of Terror
Disconnected from Laika Sex Machine
Mission Impossible from Instruments of Terror

[einsteins stein]

16. Older stuff

Like Dick Dale

Oh yeah, the Surf Punks!

Shark Attack, Shark Attack!
Get outta the water and don't look back!...

[sendero]

18. absolutely...

... Miserlou is a classic! Apparently DD is still at it :)

[Wickerman]

19. I've seen Dick three times

and he is one of the hardest working men in the surf business. His ego is enormous and he strokes it the whole show - its great!