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Since this is the Discuss Anything, I thought I would share something with all the guitar players here. Dick Dale has been called
“The King of the Surf Guitar” in articles and by alot of people over the years. My neighbor next door and I got to see him on Easter weekend. This guy is over 75 years old and plays with speed and style like he is in his early twenties. He started in the late 1950’s.
He started around the time of guitarists like Duane Eddy, Carl Perkins, Lonnie Mack, B.B. King, and of course James Burton. There
are many more that I did not mention simply because I forgot them and also you could fill up a page on guitar players from the early days. This is before the term Guitar Hero came into play. Before the British invasion of guitarist. Some people when they hear the term Surf Music they think the Beach Boys or Jan and Dean. This is at least seven years before all this. Dick Dale doesn’t sing much at all, he just plays this fast stacatto drenched reverb type music. If you never heard of him and listened you would swear he is playing heavy metal or sometimes an almost mandolin type of music. All this is from the late 1950’s. It should also be noted that he
is the first guy to use 100 watt amps ever and maybe having a custom left handed made Stratocaster too. He was flat loud. He used
two Fender Dual Showman amp heads with cabnets and a ugly gold Stratocaster “left handed” that was worn to the point of being
replaced.
The whole thing is this. If any of you wherever you live on this earth ever get to see some of the origional “guitar slingers” from
the old days, do it . These musicians are unbeliveable. Well worth the money to see them. This concert was only $15.00.Fresnojohns
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Fresnojohns, thanks for the writeup on Dick Dale. I’m familiar with him and have heard a little of his stuff, but since your recommendation went searching YouTube for more videos on him. I also put him on my “watch” list for artists that I’d like to see – didn’t realize he was still playing live. I hope I”m still playing at 75! Thanks for sharing
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Dick Dale (and the Del-Tones) played in a scene or two in almost every one of the early 60’s ‘Beach Movies’ with Frankie Avalon & Annette Funicello. So he’s been around for some time and truly is the King of Surf Guitar. There’s one YouTube Video of Dick doing an interview and it’s kind of funny.
He makes fun of his Gold Fender Strat and the shape it’s in, or actually – not in. He said his Tremolo Bar broke off a long time ago, never had it repaired, and since then has had a piece of wood jammed in the body cavity to block the bridge in place. And that the intonation is so far off artists like Eric Clapton wouldn’t even touch it (or would be sick?).
But what I really like is when he explains how he goes about playing the guitar. As I recall he said: ‘He attacks it like he’s chopping a tree down!’ 😆 And after he’s done playing he’s literally exhausted. Then when you watch a Video of him playing Misirlou, you see it. And yep, he’s chopping a tree down. You can also tell he’s physically putting everything he has into his playing, it has to be exhausting..
He also uses super duper heavy gage strings that are made special. They’re so heavy I think I’d barely be able to fret one, let alone do any bend. Dick Dale was also instrumental (no pun) in the making of Fender Amps. That’s another story that can be found on Wiki and/or YouTube.
Anyhoo, Dick Dale is a special kind of guy.
Glad he’s still able to Rock On.. -
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In today’s news, his x wife and son was arrested. They blew up a gas tank. Don’t have the article at the moment, but I’ll try to find it and post it.
OK, I found it.
The melody of the notes is what expresses the art of music . 🙂 6stringerPete
It really is all about ”melody”. The melody comes from a language from our heart. Our heart is the muscle in music harmony. The melody is the sweetness that it pumps into our musical thoughts on the fretboard. 🙂 Pete
Pete
Moderator -
6stringer,
Thanks for posting this.You know that is crazy stuff. Actually pretty stupid and dangerous stuff. I just caught him in April this year. He is getting ready to play some dates again in December. I still dig Dick Dale. Its too bad people have to do stuff to mess things up for
others.Welcome to the Active Melody Forum 6stringer. This is a great place to be…………………………..fresnojohns
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@fresnojohns wrote:
6stringer,
Thanks for posting this.You know that is crazy stuff. Actually pretty stupid and dangerous stuff. I just caught him in April this year. He is getting ready to play some dates again in December. I still dig Dick Dale. Its too bad people have to do stuff to mess things up for
others.Welcome to the Active Melody Forum 6stringer. This is a great place to be…………………………..fresnojohns
thanks for the welcome John.
you must be in california
oops! I see you are in Arizona
nice weather I betcha this time of year
The melody of the notes is what expresses the art of music . 🙂 6stringerPete
It really is all about ”melody”. The melody comes from a language from our heart. Our heart is the muscle in music harmony. The melody is the sweetness that it pumps into our musical thoughts on the fretboard. 🙂 Pete
Pete
Moderator
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