Customer Reviews

Lost Legends of Surf Guitar 2: Point Panic

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Sundazed Records put a lot of time and effort into their surf guitar series. Although six of the twenty songs in this volume are hot rod instrumentals, they sound right at home among the obscure and previously unreleased surf instrumentals included in this collection. Jerry Cole And His Spacemen perform "Point Panic" as well as the Surfaris originally did. The Trashmen turn in a very good rendition of the Ventures' hit "Walk, Don't Run." "The Gremmie, Part 1" by the Tornadoes is a humorous song about beginning surfers. The Catalinas were a studio supergroup that consisted of guitarists Tommy Tedesco, Billy Strange and Jerry Cole, saxophonist Steve Douglas, and drummer Hal Blaine, with both Leon Russell and Bruce Johnston on piano! Their song "Banzai Washout" alone is worth the price of this CD.

Of the set, this is my favorite CD. But be aware this music is not for everyone. If you like crazy surf music complete with drag racing sound effects, barking dogs, and crazed killer laughs then stop here and push the "Add to cart" button! The sound quality is nothing short of fantastic. Even though it is in Mono, it is the best sounding compilation CD I've ever heard. If you never heard anything other than the Surfaris or the Ventures, you should lay down cash for this.

I do not know all the inside info on all those obscure bands that hit the surf in California in the (esp. early) 60s. But I do know a lot about other music, Classical, Jazz, 70s & 80s disco, or in other words, the sound of good stuff! This is! The Cowabunga 4 CD set to me seemed unbeatable. Until this issue by Sundazed records came out. What an absolute GREAT sound the surf music is! Guitars, slow or rough, the melody, it truly captures the unspeakable beauty and excitement of surfing in the Pacific!
Loaded with info, the booklet is a wealth of information about all those bands you do not know the names of. Now you do, and you can check them out on individual albums if you want. Go for this set, all 4 of them! And check out the Rare Surf volumes 1-2-3 too!
Conclusion: 60s surf to me is the coolest, greatest sound around!

I bought this CD first because it was reviewed as having a lot of Hot Rod rock on it(I am a big fan of Hot Rod Rock & am into Hot Rods myself). It does, although most of it is of the "Instrumental" variety with Hot Rod/Racetrack sound effects dubbed over the music in the background. That being said, it is a great CD with the pleasant suprise being a couple of unreleased Surfaris songs as well as some from David Marks(Early Beach Boys member)& his Marksmen. I particularly liked "Travelin", I could really hear the Beach Boys influence in that one. I also enjoyed "The Fugitive" from Jan Davis, right down to the baying bloodhounds. I was unfamiliar with him but enjoyed that one in particular. Also I liked a really funny song I hadn't heard before by the Tornadoes, "Shootin Beavers". These CD's are chock full of some classic old Surf/Hot Rod/California Sound songs, most long forgotten. Get it and Enjoy!