Checkered Flag

Dick Dale | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 12, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sundazed Music Inc.
• ASIN: B000OLHGJI
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #127,022 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

In late 1963, California's King of the Surf Guitar left the shore for the strip and created one of the classic albums of the hot-rod music genre. Dick Dale's Checkered Flag is heavy with white-hot Dale instrumentals ("Night Rider," "Ho-Dad Machine") and vocal car tunes from the pens of pop's songwriters (Gary Usher, Gary Paxton, Carol Connors). Helping Dale stir up the nitro fuel are L.A. session stars Plas Johnson, Steve Douglas, Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer. Checkered Flag is tough stuff, an unyielding trophy-run down the asphalt aisle. Make way!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hidden Treasures, January 12, 2009

By 

James Taggart "The Bad Lt" (Akron, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Checkered Flag (MP3 Download)

While this album represents Dick Dale's attempt to follow the trends of the moment, which was a quick transition from surf music to songs about cars (see Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, etc.) there are still some pretty great gems to be found here. "The Wedge" in particular jumps out as a finely crafted example of Dick Dale surf music, and has remained a live show staple to this day. "Grudge Run" is another in the line of songs like "Dead Man's Curve," but it does stand the test of time and will keep your head bobbing. What the heck folks, they don't often make music like this anymore... spend the money and catch a wave (or rev' the engine as the case may be).

4.0 out of 5 stars His best "Vocal" album, but not his best guitar work, October 23, 2011

By 

Surf Guitar King - See all my reviews

This review is from: Checkered Flag (Audio CD)

This album includes some of Dick's best vocal tracks, which are a nice change from time to time. As the other review said, this is Dick (Or his producer) trying to cash in on the surf & car craze of pop music during that era. It's ironic that Dick invented authentic surf music, then became a trend follower with the generic stuff.

I have nothing against this album, I think it's great, it's just not his best guitar work. Obviously the Wedge is one of his best instro songs and that is represented here. A collector needs this album, a new fan needs to go to Surfer' Choice or his Greatest Hits album first, then revisit this album later.