Dick Dale
Encyclopedia
Dick Dale is an American
surf rock guitarist
, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation
and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.
and lived in nearby Quincy
until the eleventh grade. He is of Lebanese
, Polish
and Belarus
ian descent (however, his father was not born in Lebanon). He and his family moved to Orange County
, California
in 1954. He learned to surf and became interested in music. He soon learned to play the drums
, the ukulele
, the trumpet
, and finally the guitar
.
player performing belly dance
music. Much of his early music shows a Middle East
ern influence; Dale is often credited as one of the first electric guitarists to employ non-Western scales in his playing. Dale himself was a surfer and wanted his music to reflect the sounds he heard in his mind while surfing. While he is primarily known for introducing the use of guitar reverb that would give the guitar a "wet" sound, which has since become a staple of surf music, it was Dale's staccato picking that was his trademark. Since Dale is left-handed, he was initially forced to play a right-handed model, like Jimi Hendrix
. His outrageous styling on stage was an influence on the young Hendrix.
However, he did so without restringing the guitar, leading him to effectively play the guitar upside-down (while Hendrix would restring his guitar), and he often played by reaching over the fretboard rather than wrapping his fingers up from underneath. Even after he acquired a proper left-handed guitar, Dale continued to use his reverse stringing. Dale is also noted for playing his percussive, heavy bending style while using what are, for most guitarists, extremely heavy gauge string sets (16p, 18p, 20p. 38w, 48w, 58w; guitar string manufacturers do not make string sets for standard tuned electric guitars heavier than 13 to 56).
His desire to create a certain sound led him to push the limits of equipment:
During a six month period that began July 1, 1961, Dale's performances at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa are credited with the creation of the surf music phenomenon. Dale asked for and gained permission to use the 3,000 person capacity ballroom for surfer dances after overcrowding at a local ice cream parlor
, where he performed, caused him to seek other venues. The Rendezvous ownership and city of Newport Beach
only agreed to Dale's request under the condition that alcohol sales would be prohibited and a dress code followed. Dale's events at the ballrooms, called "stomps", quickly became legendary and the ballroom was routinely sold out. Paul Johnson, guitarist for the contemporary group The Bel-Airs
, recalled the electric atmosphere of the shows:
"Let's Go Trippin'
" is often regarded as the first surf rock song. This was followed by more locally released songs, including "Jungle Fever" and "Surf Beat" on his own Deltone label. His first full-length album was Surfers' Choice
in 1962. The album was picked up by Capitol Records
and distributed nationally, and Dale soon began appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show
, and in films where he played his signature single "Misirlou
". He later stated, "I still remember the first night we played it ("Misirlou"). I changed the tempo, and just started cranking on that mother. And...it was eerie. The people came rising up off the floor, and they were chanting and stomping. I guess that was the beginning of the surfer's stomp." His second album was named after his performing nickname, King of the Surf Guitar
.
Though surf rock became nationally popular in the United States briefly, the British Invasion
began to overtake the American charts in 1964. Though he continued performing live, Dale was soon set back by rectal cancer. In the liner notes of Better Shred Than Dead: The Dick Dale Anthology, the line "Then you'll never hear surf music again" was Hendrix's reaction upon hearing that Dale was battling a possibly terminal case of colon cancer, intended to encourage his comrade to recuperate. Dale, in gratitude to his late friend, later covered "Third Stone from the Sun
" as a tribute to Hendrix. Though he recovered, he retired from music for several years. In 1979, he almost lost a leg after being injured while swimming and a pollution-related infection made the mild injury much worse. As a result, Dale became an environmental activist and soon began performing again. He recorded a new album in 1986 and was nominated for a Grammy. In 1987 he appeared in the movie Back to the Beach
, playing surf music and performing "Pipeline" with Stevie Ray Vaughan
. In 1993 he recorded a guitar solo on the track "Should Have Known" by Southern California indie band The Pagodas which was released as a vinyl single. The use of "Misirlou
" in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino
film Pulp Fiction
gained him a new audience.
In 1995, he recorded a surf-rock version of Camille Saint-Saëns
's "Aquarium" from The Carnival of the Animals
for the musical score of the enclosed roller coaster, Space Mountain at Disneyland in Anaheim, California
. In 1997, Dale appeared in the campy cult film An American Vampire Story
performing a rousing guitar solo on the beach with his son on drums. In 2002, Dale appeared in The True Meaning of Christmas Specials
. He played several original songs for the program.
The National Hockey League
's Colorado Avalanche
use Dale's song "Scalped" as their theme song. The Black Eyed Peas
' song "Pump It
" (from the 2005 album Monkey Business
) heavily samples Dale's "Misirlou
". "Misirlou" is also featured in the PlayStation 2
/Xbox 360
video game, Guitar Hero II
, as well as the Wii
video game Rayman Raving Rabbids
. In the feature film Space Jam
, as Elmer Fudd
and Yosemite Sam
shoot out teeth from one of the Monstars, a clip from "Misirlou
" is played.
Dale is a 2011 inductee into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California
in the Surf Culture category.
, and he has studied martial arts
for 30 years. At age 74 he still puts on a physically energetic live show. In early 2008, Dick experienced a recurrence of rectal cancer and has finished a surgical, chemotherapy
and radiation treatment.
By June, 2009 Dick Dale began a West Coast tour from Southern California
to British Columbia
, with approximately 20 concert dates. "Forever Came Calling" or FCC, featured Dale's 17-year-old son, Jimmy Dale on drums, opening for him. (source: Dale's official website and Dale live onstage in Ventura, CA, 6/14/09).Dick is presently performing at venues across the U.S. on his 2011 Tour along with his 19 year old son Jimmy Dale.
Dale has resided in Twentynine Palms, California
for over 25 years.
guitar. Fender makes a signature model, the Dick Dale Custom Shop Stratocaster, fitted with "Custom Shop '54" pickups, which are supposed to recreate the sound of the first "Strats". Dick uses a reverb unit with the signal split between two Fender Dual Showman amps. As of 2010, Dale continues to play with his original reverb unit and Showman amps from the early 1960s. Dale is notable for stringing his left-handed guitar upside down. The unique features of this guitar include a toggle switch: bypasses 3-position blade switch to activate neck and middle pickups only.
Peel Sessions:
Peel later selected Let's Go Trippin'
as the theme tune for his BBC Radio 4
series Home Truths
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
surf rock guitarist
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation
Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed. A reverberation, or reverb, is created when a sound is produced in an enclosed space causing a large number of echoes to build up and then slowly decay as the sound is absorbed by the walls and air...
and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.
Early life
Dale was born in South Boston, MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and lived in nearby Quincy
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
until the eleventh grade. He is of Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian descent (however, his father was not born in Lebanon). He and his family moved to Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1954. He learned to surf and became interested in music. He soon learned to play the drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, the ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
, the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, and finally the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
.
Career
Among his early musical influences was his uncle, an oudOud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
player performing belly dance
Belly dance
Belly dance or Bellydance is a "Western"-coined name for a traditional "Middle Eastern" dance, especially raqs sharqi . It is sometimes also called Middle Eastern dance or Arabic dance in the West, or by the Greco-Turkish term çiftetelli...
music. Much of his early music shows a Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern influence; Dale is often credited as one of the first electric guitarists to employ non-Western scales in his playing. Dale himself was a surfer and wanted his music to reflect the sounds he heard in his mind while surfing. While he is primarily known for introducing the use of guitar reverb that would give the guitar a "wet" sound, which has since become a staple of surf music, it was Dale's staccato picking that was his trademark. Since Dale is left-handed, he was initially forced to play a right-handed model, like Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
. His outrageous styling on stage was an influence on the young Hendrix.
However, he did so without restringing the guitar, leading him to effectively play the guitar upside-down (while Hendrix would restring his guitar), and he often played by reaching over the fretboard rather than wrapping his fingers up from underneath. Even after he acquired a proper left-handed guitar, Dale continued to use his reverse stringing. Dale is also noted for playing his percussive, heavy bending style while using what are, for most guitarists, extremely heavy gauge string sets (16p, 18p, 20p. 38w, 48w, 58w; guitar string manufacturers do not make string sets for standard tuned electric guitars heavier than 13 to 56).
His desire to create a certain sound led him to push the limits of equipment:
During a six month period that began July 1, 1961, Dale's performances at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa are credited with the creation of the surf music phenomenon. Dale asked for and gained permission to use the 3,000 person capacity ballroom for surfer dances after overcrowding at a local ice cream parlor
Ice cream parlor
Ice cream parlors are places that sell ice cream and frozen yogurt to consumers. Ice cream is normally sold in two varieties in these stores: soft-serve ice cream , and hard-packed, which has an assortment of flavors, as well as frozen yogurt, which is a low-fat alternative and tastes slightly...
, where he performed, caused him to seek other venues. The Rendezvous ownership and city of Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
only agreed to Dale's request under the condition that alcohol sales would be prohibited and a dress code followed. Dale's events at the ballrooms, called "stomps", quickly became legendary and the ballroom was routinely sold out. Paul Johnson, guitarist for the contemporary group The Bel-Airs
The Bel-Airs
The Bel-Airs were an early and influential surf rock band from Southern California, active in the early 1960s.They were best known for their 1961 hit "Mr. Moto", an instrumental surf rock song that featured a flamenco inspired intro and contained a melodic piano interlude...
, recalled the electric atmosphere of the shows:
"Let's Go Trippin'
Let's Go Trippin'
"Let's Go Trippin" is an instrumental by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones. It is often regarded as the first surf rock instrumental. First played in public on May 31, 1958 at the Rendezvous ballroom in Balboa, Ca...
" is often regarded as the first surf rock song. This was followed by more locally released songs, including "Jungle Fever" and "Surf Beat" on his own Deltone label. His first full-length album was Surfers' Choice
Surfers' Choice
Surfers’ Choice is the debut album of Dick Dale and his Del-Tones, pioneers in the surf genre. It was released in 1962. The recording established the conventions of surf music and brought the concept to middle America. The instrumentals, such as “Let’s Go Trippin’” and “Misirlou”, were the most...
in 1962. The album was picked up by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
and distributed nationally, and Dale soon began appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, and in films where he played his signature single "Misirlou
Misirlou
Misirlou , is a popular Greek song with popularity in five styles of music: Greek rebetiko, Middle-Eastern belly dancing, Jewish klezmer, American surf rock, and international orchestral easy listening .- History :...
". He later stated, "I still remember the first night we played it ("Misirlou"). I changed the tempo, and just started cranking on that mother. And...it was eerie. The people came rising up off the floor, and they were chanting and stomping. I guess that was the beginning of the surfer's stomp." His second album was named after his performing nickname, King of the Surf Guitar
King of the Surf Guitar
King of the Surf Guitar is the second studio album of surf music by Dick Dale, released in 1963, featuring original and cover songs.-Track listing:#"King of the Surf Guitar"#"The Lonesome Road"#"Kansas City"#"Dick Dale Stomp"#"What I Say"...
.
Though surf rock became nationally popular in the United States briefly, the British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
began to overtake the American charts in 1964. Though he continued performing live, Dale was soon set back by rectal cancer. In the liner notes of Better Shred Than Dead: The Dick Dale Anthology, the line "Then you'll never hear surf music again" was Hendrix's reaction upon hearing that Dale was battling a possibly terminal case of colon cancer, intended to encourage his comrade to recuperate. Dale, in gratitude to his late friend, later covered "Third Stone from the Sun
Third Stone from the Sun
"Third Stone From the Sun" is a song written and originally recorded by Jimi Hendrix and released as "3rd Stone From The Sun" on the 1967 Are You Experienced album by Jimi Hendrix Experience...
" as a tribute to Hendrix. Though he recovered, he retired from music for several years. In 1979, he almost lost a leg after being injured while swimming and a pollution-related infection made the mild injury much worse. As a result, Dale became an environmental activist and soon began performing again. He recorded a new album in 1986 and was nominated for a Grammy. In 1987 he appeared in the movie Back to the Beach
Back to the Beach
Back to the Beach is a 1987 comedy film starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, directed by Lyndall Hobbs. The original music score is composed by Steve Dorff. The film generated a total domestic gross of $13,110,903...
, playing surf music and performing "Pipeline" with Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...
. In 1993 he recorded a guitar solo on the track "Should Have Known" by Southern California indie band The Pagodas which was released as a vinyl single. The use of "Misirlou
Misirlou
Misirlou , is a popular Greek song with popularity in five styles of music: Greek rebetiko, Middle-Eastern belly dancing, Jewish klezmer, American surf rock, and international orchestral easy listening .- History :...
" in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
film Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction (film)
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who co-wrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references...
gained him a new audience.
In 1995, he recorded a surf-rock version of Camille Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French Late-Romantic composer, organist, conductor, and pianist. He is known especially for The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson and Delilah, Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and his Symphony...
's "Aquarium" from The Carnival of the Animals
The Carnival of the Animals
Le carnaval des animaux is a musical suite of fourteen movements by the French Romantic composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The orchestral work has a duration between 22 and 30 minutes.-History:...
for the musical score of the enclosed roller coaster, Space Mountain at Disneyland in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
. In 1997, Dale appeared in the campy cult film An American Vampire Story
American Vampire (film)
American Vampire is a comedic horror film starring Carmen Electra, Adam West, Sidney Lassick and Trevor Lissauer...
performing a rousing guitar solo on the beach with his son on drums. In 2002, Dale appeared in The True Meaning of Christmas Specials
The True Meaning of Christmas Specials
The True Meaning of Christmas Specials is a Canadian television Christmas special, hosted by Dave Foley. It was first broadcast on CBC Television on December 22, 2002.-Synopsis:...
. He played several original songs for the program.
The National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
use Dale's song "Scalped" as their theme song. The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' song "Pump It
Pump It
"Pump It" is a song by The Black Eyed Peas that heavily incorporates music from the Dick Dale version of the song "Misirlou"...
" (from the 2005 album Monkey Business
Monkey Business (album)
-Track listing:Notes*"My Humps" contains a hidden track "So Real".*"Audio Delite at Low Fidelity" includes a hidden track "Change".Sample Notes*"Pump It" samples "Misirlou" by Dick Dale....
) heavily samples Dale's "Misirlou
Misirlou
Misirlou , is a popular Greek song with popularity in five styles of music: Greek rebetiko, Middle-Eastern belly dancing, Jewish klezmer, American surf rock, and international orchestral easy listening .- History :...
". "Misirlou" is also featured in the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
/Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
video game, Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
, as well as the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
video game Rayman Raving Rabbids
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Rayman Raving Rabbids, known in French as , is a spinoff in the Rayman series released by the French company Ubisoft as a Wii launch title. The game consists of over 70 minigames...
. In the feature film Space Jam
Space Jam
Aside from Jordan, a number of NBA players and coaches appeared in the film. Larry Bird portrays a friend of Jordan who joins him for a game of golf. When the Monstars steal the NBA players' talent, they invade a game between the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks, causing the Knicks' Patrick...
, as Elmer Fudd
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
and Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam is an American animated cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The name is somewhat alliterative and is inspired by Yosemite National Park...
shoot out teeth from one of the Monstars, a clip from "Misirlou
Misirlou
Misirlou , is a popular Greek song with popularity in five styles of music: Greek rebetiko, Middle-Eastern belly dancing, Jewish klezmer, American surf rock, and international orchestral easy listening .- History :...
" is played.
Dale is a 2011 inductee into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
in the Surf Culture category.
Lifestyle
Dale says he has never used alcohol or drugs, and discourages use by band members and road crew. Health is a priority for him; 39 years ago he stopped eating red meatRed meat
Red meat in traditional culinary terminology is meat which is red when raw and not white when cooked. In the nutritional sciences, red meat includes all mammal meat. Red meat includes the meat of most adult mammals and some fowl ....
, and he has studied martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
for 30 years. At age 74 he still puts on a physically energetic live show. In early 2008, Dick experienced a recurrence of rectal cancer and has finished a surgical, chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
and radiation treatment.
By June, 2009 Dick Dale began a West Coast tour from Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, with approximately 20 concert dates. "Forever Came Calling" or FCC, featured Dale's 17-year-old son, Jimmy Dale on drums, opening for him. (source: Dale's official website and Dale live onstage in Ventura, CA, 6/14/09).Dick is presently performing at venues across the U.S. on his 2011 Tour along with his 19 year old son Jimmy Dale.
Dale has resided in Twentynine Palms, California
Twentynine Palms, California
Twentynine Palms is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It was previously called Twenty-Nine Palms...
for over 25 years.
Equipment
As well as the Fender amplifiers mentioned, Dale is associated with the Fender StratocasterFender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
guitar. Fender makes a signature model, the Dick Dale Custom Shop Stratocaster, fitted with "Custom Shop '54" pickups, which are supposed to recreate the sound of the first "Strats". Dick uses a reverb unit with the signal split between two Fender Dual Showman amps. As of 2010, Dale continues to play with his original reverb unit and Showman amps from the early 1960s. Dale is notable for stringing his left-handed guitar upside down. The unique features of this guitar include a toggle switch: bypasses 3-position blade switch to activate neck and middle pickups only.
Albums
- Surfers' ChoiceSurfers' ChoiceSurfers’ Choice is the debut album of Dick Dale and his Del-Tones, pioneers in the surf genre. It was released in 1962. The recording established the conventions of surf music and brought the concept to middle America. The instrumentals, such as “Let’s Go Trippin’” and “Misirlou”, were the most...
(Deltone 1962) - King of the Surf GuitarKing of the Surf GuitarKing of the Surf Guitar is the second studio album of surf music by Dick Dale, released in 1963, featuring original and cover songs.-Track listing:#"King of the Surf Guitar"#"The Lonesome Road"#"Kansas City"#"Dick Dale Stomp"#"What I Say"...
(Capitol 1963) - Checkered FlagCheckered Flag (album)Checkered Flag is the third studio album of surf music by surf music pioneer Dick Dale and his Del-Tones, released in 1963. This is Dale's first entry into the "Hot Rod" style of surf music, which The Beach Boys, among others, were beginning to perform and record...
(Capitol 1963) - Mr. EliminatorMr. EliminatorMr. Eliminator is the fourth studio album of surf music by surf pioneer Dick Dale , released in 1964 as somewhat of a follow-up to the previous album Checkered Flag. This album consists mostly of hot-rod or racing themes, whether simply in the names, or in the slight alteration of beats and...
(Capitol 1964) - Summer SurfSummer Surf-Track listing:#"Summer Surf"#"Feel So Good"#"Surfin'"#"Spanish Kiss"#"The Star "#"Banzai Washout"#"Glory Wave"#"Surfin' Rebel"#"Never On Sunday"#"Mama's Gone Surfin'"#"Tidal Wave"#"Thunder Wave"#"Who Can He Be"#"Oh Marie"...
(Capitol 1964) - Rock out with Dick Dale and his Del-Tones: Live at Ciro's (Capitol 1965)
- The Tiger's Loose (Balboa 1983) [live album]
- Tribal ThunderTribal Thunder- Track listing :#"Nitro" – 3:19#"The New Victor" – 2:48#"Esperanza" – 3:52#"Shredded Heat" – 2:45#"Trail Of Tears" – 4:52#"Caravan" – 4:47#"The Eliminator" – 2:25#"Speardance" – 5:37...
(HighTone 1993) - Unknown Territory (HighTone 1994)
- Calling Up Spirits (Beggars Banquet 1996)
- Spacial Disorientation (Dick Dale Records / The Orchard 2001)
Singles
- Ooh-Whee Marie (Deltone 1959)
- Stop Teasing (Deltone 1959)
- Jesse Pearl (Deltone 1960)
- Let's Go Trippin'Let's Go Trippin'"Let's Go Trippin" is an instrumental by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones. It is often regarded as the first surf rock instrumental. First played in public on May 31, 1958 at the Rendezvous ballroom in Balboa, Ca...
/ Del-Tone Rock (Deltone 1961) - Jungle Fever / Shake-N-Stomp (Deltone 1961)
- Misirlou / Eight 'Til Midnight (Deltone 1962)
- Mr. Peppermint Man / Surf Beat (Capitol 1962)
- Secret Surfin Spot / Surfin' and Swingin' (Capitol 1963)
- The Wedge / Night Rider (Capitol 1963)
- Mr. Eliminator (Capitol 1964)
- Let's Go Trippin' '65 / Watusi Jo (Capitol 1965)
- "Pipeline" with Stevie Ray VaughanStevie Ray VaughanStephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...
, nominated for a Grammy
Compilations
- Hot Rod Music on Capitol (Capitol 1963)
- The Big Surfin' Sounds on Capitol (Capitol 1964)
- Golden Summer (United Artists 1976)
- King of the Surf Guitar: The Best of Dick Dale & The Del-Tones (Rhino 1989)
- Cowabunga Surf Box Set (Rhino 1996)
- Rocket Jockey (Rocket Science GamesRocket Science GamesRocket Science Games was a video game developer that created games for consoles and computers from 1993 to 1997. The company was responsible for games such as Obsidian, Rocket Jockey, and Loadstar.-History:...
/SegaSoftSegaSoftSegaSoft, originally headquartered in Redwood City, California and later San Francisco, was a joint venture by Sega and CSK, created to develop and publish single and multiplayer games for the PC, primarily in the North American marketplace. SegaSoft was founded in 1995 and lasted until 2000, when...
1996) - Better Shred Than Dead: The Dick Dale Anthology (Rhino 1997)
- MOM II Music for our Mother Ocean (Surf Dog Records 1997)
- Guitar Legend: The Very Best of Dick Dale (Shout! Factory 2010)
Peel Sessions
Dick Dale made four recordings for John Peel'sJohn Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
Peel Sessions:
- March 30, 1995 (Maida Vale 4)
- July 10, 1995 (3 Mcr.)
- August 28, 2002 (Maida Vale 4)
- March 24, 2004 (Maida Vale 4)
Peel later selected Let's Go Trippin'
Let's Go Trippin'
"Let's Go Trippin" is an instrumental by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones. It is often regarded as the first surf rock instrumental. First played in public on May 31, 1958 at the Rendezvous ballroom in Balboa, Ca...
as the theme tune for his BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
series Home Truths
Home Truths
Home Truths was a weekly BBC Radio 4 programme which began on 11 April 1998 and was usually hosted by the DJ John Peel until his death in October 2004. In the Saturday 9-10am slot, it gradually became one of Radio 4's most successful programmes....
.
External links
- Official website
- Interview at Roctober, includes biographical information
- A 1995 interview
- 2004 Interview with Guitar Nine Records
- 2006 Video Interview - Dick talks about his musical origins and offers advice for musicians
- Dick Dale's advice for musicians by Tommy Liberto
- Audio discography
- Dick Dale's Guitar Screams With Pain And Pleasure, National Public Radio, 26 September 2010 mp3
- Dick Dale: Still King of Surf Guitar, National Public Radio, 31 December 2000