Alan Forbes

Besides of many album covers, flyers,
paintings and other works for (rock)bands, he has created a cool set of tiki guitarpicks for Dunlop.

If you haven't heard his name before,
you sure have seen his work elsewhere...

The Centurions

The Centurions instrumental surf band was quite active in the Orange County area of Southern California back in the sixties from 1962–1965. Their album on Del-Fi Records became mired in controversy when the record was released with the B. Johnson's Surfer's Pajama Party album jacket. This was very confusing to a lot of people, especially to the band. It implied that The Centurions were Brian's back up band. It wasn't until the movie Pulp Fiction (soundtrack of the year 1995) that the name The Centurions was once again thrust into the limelight. Their song Bullwinkle Part II (written by Dennis Rose) was on the soundtrack behind a scene of John Travolta shooting heroin where there was no dialogue. The movie soundtrack went double platinum. The group began in Costa Mesa, California in late 1959, early 1960, when Ernie Furrow and Dennis Rose got together with Ernie's brother Mitchell. They played at parties or at the beach with their friends who would play bongos or hand clap to their music. In late 1962, Dennis saved about $100 and with Ernie, Joe and Ken Robison, went back to Gold Star Studios where they recorded songs including "Bullwinkle" that later appeared on the Surf War album. Dennis met John Gardell who introduced him to Tony Hilder. At this time, the group had grown to a full band with Dennis and Ernie on lead and rhythm guitar; Jeff Lear on bass; Joe Dominic played drums, bongos and other percussion instruments; Ken Robison played tenor, alto, soprano sax, flute and clarinet; Pat Gaguben played baritone, tenor, alto sax and harmonica; Jerry Dicks played the Hammond B3 organ and piano. After several rehearsals Tony sent the group to a small studio in South Central Los Angeles. They cut "Pipeline" and an original song called "Quasimoto" (changed by Tony to "San Juro"). Tony was not happy with the name of their band "The Sea Grems 7" so he suggested the band come up with another name. Dennis came up with the name "The Centurions" (and to put an end to the controversy, the correct spelling is "The Centurions," not "The Centurians"). The group’s popularity began to spread and they kept themselves busy despite some of the members being in high school at the time. They played at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, The Cinnamon Cinder in Long Beach, and the Santa Monica Civic auditorium at the Teenage Fair. In March of 1963, The Centurions participated in the Deauville Castle Club Battle of the Surfing Bands. They did battle against groups such as The Lively Ones, The Original Surfaris, The Rhythm Kings, and Dave Myers & The Surf Tones. They placed in the top five. The group returned to Ted Breeson's studio where they recorded about thirty songs. Twelve songs were chosen including Bullwinkle Part II. Tony made a deal with Del- Fi Records. No one really knows why except to maybe save money and get The Centurions album out quickly. The record was released in a second hand cover called Surfer’s Pajama Party. It had been used for a shoddy album recorded at a UCLA party by Bruce Johnston and released by Del-Fi. During 1963 and 1964, The Centurions traveled to Northern California where they played the Rose Gardens Ballroom in Pismo Beach and the VFW Lodge in Morro Bay. At the Airport Club in Venice they played and backed up Jimmy Reaves and Bo Diddly. The group disbanded in 1965. Dennis reformed The Centurions in 1995. The group consisted of Dennis on guitar; Norman Knowles (Revels and Sentinals) on tenor sax; Dennis Rehders on baritone sax; David Jobs on drums; Charly Greyson on bass; Perris Alexander on all kinds of keyboards. The Centurions appeared at The Battle of The Surf Bands IV at Pierfest ’95 in Huntington Beach, California. They also recorded a new album produced by Dennis Rose and Perris Alexander which consisted of new material. This time it had a new cover. from their MYSPACE


(note: the old Del-Fi logo was subsequently added!)


 







and here's the "first (wrong) sleeve":

The Rivingtons - Doin' The Bird (1962/63)

As already mention in the Trashmen post somewhere down there, "The Rivingtons" provided the basics for The Trashmen's song Surfin Bird, which went straight into the charts. Curiously the original singles of The Rivingtons also were sold out within' a short time, and they charted again up to position #10.

The Rivingtons were a 1960s doo-wop group, noted for being one of the loudest and most raucous of the genre. The group members were Lead vocalist Carl White (d. January 7, 1980), tenor Al Frazier (d. November 13, 2005, replaced by Madero White for a period in the late '70s), baritone John "Sonny" Harris, and bass singer Turner "Rocky" Wilson Jr.

01 Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow 02 Love Pill 03 Long Tall Sally 04 Unchain My Heart 05 You Are My Sunshine 06 Happy Jack 07 Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow 08 Kickapoo Joy Juice 09 Slippin' And Slidin' 10 Old Time Love 11 Have Mercy Mercy Baby 12 Standing In The Love Line 13 and perhaps some extra tracks

The original "Doin' The Bird" sleeve shows much more of these small birds, like the one in the lower right corner ... some sleeves are really worn-out!

Jerry Byrd - a steel guitar legend (1920-2005)

Jerry Byrd (born in Lima, Ohio on March 9, 1920; died Honolulu, Hawaii on April 11, 2005) was an American musician who played Lap steel guitar in country and Hawaiian music. His interest in the instrument began after a "tent show" when he was 12 and by 15 he was playing in bars. Although his initial interest was Hawaiian music much of his work was country. In 1944/1945 he joined the Grand Ole Opry. He was important to the early career of Dolly Parton being one of the first to sign her. He also was an educator of the steel guitar giving lessons to Jimmie Vaughan and Jerry Garcia among others. The list of artists that Byrd played or recorded with included Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Patsy Cline and Red Foley and countless others. In the 1970s he moved to Hawaii and worked on reviving Hawaiian steel guitar music, taking a great delight in giving lap steel lessons to the young musicians who showed interest in insuring that the lap steel remained an important instrument in Hawaiian music. While living in Hawaii, Byrd had a regular weekly gig with his trio at the Royal Hawiian Hotel that lasted until his death. Though Byrd often joked about pedal steel guitar players, he had nothing but the highest of praise for Buddy Emmons, saying he had taken the steel guitar to new places with his playing. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1978 as # 1. He died of Parkinson's disease at 85. /wiki

>>>listen here

more info:
http://www.jerrybyrd-fanclub.com/

Who's Sam The Tiger?

You still can buy this album - used, and you can rip it as often as you want, there are only roundabout 40 minutes of this fabulous show.

It's a shame that the complete show was never released on cd! For the moment you can load the published tracks here











Dick Dale : The Tiger's Loose
was recorded 1983 at "The Golden Bear"** somewhere in California on a hot night in June ...
... featuring Sam The Tiger, The Del-tones and on a couple of tracks the Deltonnettes.

If someone is able to provide a better picture of Sam The Tiger or of the album - thanks in advance!








a few years later:

Sam a tiny little bit bigger, together with its boss.
(picture from DD's homepage)



**The Golden Bear was a premier rock club located in Huntington Beach on Pacific Coast Hwy. Opened in 1926 and standing until 1986 Everyone played there in the seventies+ including Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Spirit, B.B. King and a slew of others (including Mr Dale). Us locals are praying for a new "Bear" in one of the new developments being built nearby. (thanks Trustar)

The Sentinals - Big Surf! [1963]

The Sentinals were not one of the top surf bands, but for what reasons ever, they made two LPs for Del-Fi in 1963 [Big Surf! & Surfer Girl], besides of a couple of singles, and achieved a good deal of regional popularity. Only Drummer Johnny Barbata (later in the Turtles and Jefferson Starship) would go on to bigger fame. The Sentinals (sometimes, confusingly, spelled Sentinels) had a heavier rhythm-and-blues feel to much of their material than the average surf band, and would occasionally sing, as evidenced by covers like "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" and "Shout." At other points, however, they were adept at tossing off the Latin-influenced riffs and melodies that made surf as a genre stand apart from other early 1960s instrumental R&B-rock. This was especially audible in "Latin'ia", a 1962 single that is included on Rhino's Cowabunga! The Surf Box (and more than a dozen other compilations).

Actually an album with a tiny little bit of everything ... Latin'ia (their biggest hit), a cover version of Hideaway, lightyears away from Freddie King's original version, some rhythm and blues mixed up with some exotic guitar riffs. Puh. Topped only by their version of Shout (Isley Brothers) h e l p … 14 tracks packed with a typically surf sleeve. Ready. Not everything entitled Big Surf is Big Surf!

The Sentinals broke up in the mid-1960s, with future psychedelic-soul keyboardist/singer Lee Michaels (aka Michael Olsen) joining for some time (although he did not record with them). Bassist/singer Kenny Hinkle had a more modest post-Sentinals resume than Barbata or Michaels, playing in the group California Music with BBoy B. Johnston and producer/artist Terry M. in the 1970s.

Origin: San Luis Obispo, California
Years active: 1961-1965

Tommy Nunes - guitar
Peter Graham - guitar
Gary Winburne - bass
John Barbata - drums
Bobby Holmquist - sax

Pure engine sounds ...

do you like this stuff?

No music, just engine sounds,
quite obscure, but there have been many albums produced like these two.
I believe none of them, and I mean the whole genre, has been ever released fully on a cd.

So start your engine and visit:
http://antigravitybunny.blogspot.com
load the two sides (the a-side of each album), leave a small thank you, like I did, and enjoy these relicts ...

... and if anybody out there has already ripped similiar LPs - don't be shy! If you need some help, use the comment section for your questions.

All that stuff is definitley out of print, and I think nobody is crazy enough do reprint these sounds on cd, so the economic impact is very low, as well as your risk!

Rock Out with Dick Dale ... 45 years ago

This is a crinkly LP rip ... from unknown source [thank you]
for a better copy watch out your record dealers, maybe we will have a rerelease of this album soon.

This was his 6th album, and his last one before a 17 years recording break. His musically rebirth followed according to Tarrantino's "Pulp Fiction" in 1994.

... and as usual: don't buy compilation albums (!)

Surfers' Choice (Deltone 1962)
King of the Surf Guitar (Capitol 1963)
Checkered Flag (Capitol 1963)
Mr. Eliminator (Capitol 1964)
Summer Surf (Capitol 1964)
Rock out with Dick Dale and his Del-Tones: Live at Ciro's (Capitol 1965)
The Tigers Loose (Balboa 1983) also live recorded
Tribal Thunder (HighTone 1993)
Unknown Territory (1994)
Calling Up Spirits (Beggars Banquet 1996)
Spacial Disorientation (2001)

for his complete unknown album
together with Bo Troy and his Hot Rods: Wild Hot Rod Wails (1964)
have a look: here

some sleeves ... of albums I won't post