Customer Reviews

Better Shred Than Dead: The Dick Dale Anthology

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Not for the weak, this compilation is absolutely essential to anyone who is interested in rock guitarists. We are blessed that this artist is still both recording and touring. Dick Dale is a visionary who lives his life on his own terms. His live shows are highly recommended. This man is an American legend.

I was fortunate enough to witness a Dick Dale show last month in
Santa Cruz County. What I wanted to hear was some fast, loud and
reverb-crazed guitar music and he certainly did not disappoint.
He also played some nice acoustic material. This anthology is a
basic overview of his career. It includes the all-time classic
"Miserlou" and 2 CD's worth of spine-tingling, brash, loud and
brilliant guitar playing. Remember, this guy was doing it loud
and fast way before anyone else. Like in the late 50's/early 60's
time zone (Hendrix, Blackmore, Iommi, Beck have all acknowledged
Mr. Dale as the original and their source of inspiration). So if
you want to go back to the beginning and check out the guy that
started it all, not someone who jumped into the fray in the middle of the ride, this is a great place to start. I also highly
recommend his most recent CD "Spacial Disorientation" which is available at Amazon as well. Every listener that thinks they have collected/heard/seen just about all heavy metal, rock guitar and turn-it-way-up tunes should check out the Main Man,
the one that invented it all. This dude is the real deal. Buy it now and wear it and your speakers out.....

Man oh man... Got this collection for X-Mas, and it truly contains all the best stuff! Surf Beat, Surf Beat 97 (In-Liner), Riders in the Sky, and the immoral Miserlou are all in there, plus like 30 more tracks! If you can't stand his voice, there's plenty of instrumentals tucked in there too. 2 CD's full of awesome music plus a free bio to boot! Highly recommended to anyone who has even heard of Dick Dale.

incandescent guitar with megahorsepower and a peculiar turkish seasoning, somehow. yeah i know it is the SURF sound like wqy hella totally dude, but there is much more to this. listen and you will not need black coffee ever again! WOOO HOOO!

The first three (and chronologically earliest) tunes on disc 1 are from Dale's pre-surf period in which he was a singer who also played guitar; they are a bit dated and only big fans of 50's music are likely to really enjoy them. Also, the sound on the first few cuts is not as full as the later cuts. However, they set the stage for where Dick Dale came from, making it even more impressive to know where he went.

Starting with Cut 4 (Let's go Trippin') you hear the emergence of the surf sound and Dick Dale's trademark fast picking is heard in early form. From there on, you quickly hear the historic development of the King of the Surf Guitar. Classics like Miserlou, Surf Beat, the Wedge and many more turn up in quick succession, all of them a bit better (in today's terms) than the one before.

If you're a guitar fan, there's a lot to like in Dick Dale's music. The emphasis is on fast multiple picking and relentless energy - just like the surf and sea he says he emulates in his music. The one common aspect across these cuts is the energy level which never drops.

The disc set is roughly chronological, although some early cuts appear later in the disc set. By the 7th cut on disc one (Miserlou) the quality of the recordings has generally improved and the fullness of the music can be heard more clearly. From there on, it's an energetic ride through some of the finest surf ever recorded. The ride includes Stevie Ray Vaughn in an unforgettable duet with Dale on Pipeline, much of the music Dale has written in the last 15 years, and even includes a nice re-make of Hendrix's Third Stone From The Sun, supposedly originally written as a tribute to Dick Dale when he was near death from cancer.

Those who enjoy the music will be pleased to hear that Dick Dale is still touring, and seeing him live is like hearing his recorded music magnified 100 times. His volume, energy and tireless attack are part of his mystique. He's an absolutely unique performer who bring more to his music than the notes. His website with tour schedule can easily be found online.

This is a highly recommended CD set, and if you only own ONE Dick Dale title, this should be the one.

Many of the songs on this collection are for real fans only. Dick Dale was never a singer and those cuts that he does attempt it he usually fails. But hey, thats what makes him great. The instrumentals are absolutely incredible and "Pipeline" is over the top! I saw him in concert in 1960's in LA and have seen him many times since and he is the greatest in person. He can "play the guitar just like ringing a bell", to quote Chuck Berry. Buy the CD and then find him on tour, you won't be sorry!

In my opinion, this is the best compilation of the King's pickin'. While his earlier releases touch upon his style, grace and energy, this box set encompasses ALL of his talents. He can write great songs. He plays his heart out. And he maintains a sense of the "fun" that is surf music. With each track on this set, I came to the realization that not only can Dick Dale play the guitar, but that he also has a great (stage) presence. And he has not gotten 'old' like some of the other early '60s instrumentalists. This is one heck of a wonderful compilation.

This two disk collection of Dick Dale's music is really one you need to have if you are a Dick Dale fan. It has been very well put togther with good production and some of the best music of its type you will ever hear. I love it.

This is simply a great, great collection of music. Dale's career is astonishing--he was ahead of the "curve" in the early 1960s, and is STILL putting out remarkable music. This 2-disk set by no means contains "everything" of importance, but it's THE essential place to start. Dale combines the "surf" sound with many other flavors and influences: the blues, Latin-American, Mideastern, and Native-American traditions, for example. What brings it all together is the sheer joy and energy of his playing. The sullen intensity of "Angry Generation" (recorded in 1965!) is a particular favorite.

From his first vocal demo, "Ooh-Wee Marie" in 1959 to the "In-Liner (Surf Beat '97)" theme from a video game in 1996, this anthology covers the long career of Dick Dale. With the aid of Leo Fender, Dick Dale would change how people listened to live music...ear bleedin' loud. You can hear how Dale's sound changes throughout the album becoming heavier, more Beast-ly. He plays with a pick destroying, lightning fast tremolo style with his guitar strung upside-down. His songs are packed with adrenaline pumping rhythm and speed of cutting a curl on a long board.

The first disc covers most of Dick Dale's surf guitar classics, such as: "Misirlou", "Shake-N-Stomp" and "Let's Go Trippin'". Don't miss "Spanish Kiss" a Spanish flavored instrumental, with a hint of flamenco, showing off his acoustic flare, (one of my favorites). The second disc attacks some of his more recent songs, including live versions of "King of the Surf Guitar" and "Jessie Pearl". Dick Dale pairs up with the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan for a cover of "Pipeline", and also performs a tribute to Jimi Hendrix with a powerful version of "Third Stone from the Sun".

This is a great way to get the best of Dick Dale without purchasing all of his albums. His playing is loud and fast, and he has influenced many guitarists over his career (including Hendrix, and is considered to be the godfather of shred metal). The only thing that could make this album better would be seeing it live.

Dick Dale plays before an audience with such an intensity, energy, and real enjoyment for the music. Not to mention loud. His bassist/guitarist, Ron Eglit, is an amazing musician in his own right. The two play off of each other well, and have fun on stage. Not only does Dick Dale play to the audience, he plays with the audience. Throwing picks into the audience, roaming through the house, and staying after the show to write autographs for his fans. He truly is the king of the surf guitar.