The Surfaris
Encyclopedia
The Surfaris were an American
surf rock band
formed in Glendora
, California
in 1962. They are best known for two song
s that hit the charts
in the Los Angeles
, California
area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" on the A-side
and "Wipe Out" on the B-side
of a 45 RPM
single
.
(drum
s), Jim Fuller (lead guitar
), Bob Berryhill
(rhythm guitar
) and Pat Connolly
(bass
). Saxophone
player Jim Pash
joined after their "Wipe Out" / "Surfer Joe" recording
sessions at Pal Studios. Ken Forssi
, later of Love
, played bass with The Surfaris after Pat Connolly
.
Wilson's energetic drum solo
made "Wipe Out" one of the best-remembered instrumental
songs of the period. "Wipe Out" is also remembered particularly for its introduction before the music starts, a cracking sound (imitating a breaking surf board), and a maniacal laugh followed by the only two words of the song, "wipe out" - added by their then manager Dale Smallin. "Wipe Out" was written in the studio
by the four original members (Berryhill, Connolly, Fuller, Wilson) and was originally going to be titled "Switchblade". It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc
.
The band released a series of records, with two other singles, "Surfer Joe" and "Point Panic", having an impact on the charts. Point Panic is a renowned surfing venue in Hawaii
named after the song.
The 1963 Surfaris disbanded in 1966 but have periodically reunited and are still active , performing and recording, often re-recording their old and new songs. They still perform as two separate groups, Bob Berryhill's Surfaris (Bob is the only original member that still performs) and Jim Fuller's Surfaris, all over the United States
and Europe
with a large fan base.
Following the death of television personality Morton Downey, Jr.
, news reports and obituaries incorrectly credited him as the composer of "Wipe Out" (as well as The Chantays
' "Pipeline"). , Downey's official website continues to make this claim.
Drummer Ron Wilson died on 7 May 1989, one month short of his 44th birthday. Wilson had released an album of his songs, entitled Lost It In The Surf, on Bennet House Records of Grass Valley, California, which was recorded in June 1987. A very small number of cassettes of this album were produced. Lost It in the Surf included a cover
of "Louie Louie
", complete with Scottish bagpipes
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
surf rock band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
formed in Glendora
Glendora, California
Glendora is a municipality in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the population of Glendora was 50,073....
, 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 1962. They are best known for two song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s that hit the charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in the Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, 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...
area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" on the A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
and "Wipe Out" on the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of a 45 RPM
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
.
Career
The original band members were Ron WilsonRon Wilson (drummer)
Ron Wilson was an American musician and recording artist, best known as an original member and drummer of The Surfaris, an early surf rock group of the 1960s...
(drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s), Jim Fuller (lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
), Bob Berryhill
Bob Berryhill
Bob Berryhill is a founding member of The Surfaris and co-writer, recording artist of "Wipe Out" and other Surfaris' hits. In 1960, when Bob was 13 he took a trip to the Hawaiian Islands and learned to surf and play ukulele. On returning to California, he began working seriously on guitar and two...
(rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
) and Pat Connolly
Pat Connolly
Pat Connolly was the bass guitarist for the Californian surf group The Surfaris from 1962-1965. They had a #2 U.S./#5 UK hit with Wipe Out. He left the band in 1965, for personal reasons.-References:*...
(bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
). Saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
player Jim Pash
Jim Pash
Jim Pash was an American musician and recording artist. Originally the surf saxophonist for The Surfaris, an early California Surf rock group in the 1960s, known for the 1963 instrument hit Wipe Out. In later years, Pash dedicated his time to his Harp of David project, a recreation of the original...
joined after their "Wipe Out" / "Surfer Joe" recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
sessions at Pal Studios. Ken Forssi
Ken Forssi
Kenneth Raymond Forssi, known as "Kenny" early in life and then "Ken" , was an American musician. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the oldest child of Raymond B. and Lola G. Forssi. When he was about 9 years old, his family moved to Siesta Key, on the Florida west coast, and then, shortly moved on...
, later of Love
Love (band)
Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
, played bass with The Surfaris after Pat Connolly
Pat Connolly
Pat Connolly was the bass guitarist for the Californian surf group The Surfaris from 1962-1965. They had a #2 U.S./#5 UK hit with Wipe Out. He left the band in 1965, for personal reasons.-References:*...
.
Wilson's energetic drum solo
Drum solo
A drum solo is an instrumental solo played on a drum kit. A drum solo may be set or improvised, and of any length, up to being the main performance....
made "Wipe Out" one of the best-remembered instrumental
Instrumental rock
Instrumental rock is a type of rock music which emphasizes musical instruments, and which features very little or no singing.Examples of instrumental rock can be found in practically every subgenre of rock, often from musicians who specialize in the style, most notably Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Link...
songs of the period. "Wipe Out" is also remembered particularly for its introduction before the music starts, a cracking sound (imitating a breaking surf board), and a maniacal laugh followed by the only two words of the song, "wipe out" - added by their then manager Dale Smallin. "Wipe Out" was written in the studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
by the four original members (Berryhill, Connolly, Fuller, Wilson) and was originally going to be titled "Switchblade". It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
The band released a series of records, with two other singles, "Surfer Joe" and "Point Panic", having an impact on the charts. Point Panic is a renowned surfing venue in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
named after the song.
The 1963 Surfaris disbanded in 1966 but have periodically reunited and are still active , performing and recording, often re-recording their old and new songs. They still perform as two separate groups, Bob Berryhill's Surfaris (Bob is the only original member that still performs) and Jim Fuller's Surfaris, all over the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with a large fan base.
Following the death of television personality Morton Downey, Jr.
Morton Downey, Jr.
Morton Downey, Jr. was an American singer, songwriter and later a television talk show host of the 1980s who pioneered the "trash TV" format on his program The Morton Downey Jr. Show....
, news reports and obituaries incorrectly credited him as the composer of "Wipe Out" (as well as The Chantays
The Chantays
The Chantays are an American surf rock band from the early 1960s, known for the hit instrumental, "Pipeline" . Their music combined electronic keyboards and surf guitar, creating a unique ghostly sound.-History:...
' "Pipeline"). , Downey's official website continues to make this claim.
Drummer Ron Wilson died on 7 May 1989, one month short of his 44th birthday. Wilson had released an album of his songs, entitled Lost It In The Surf, on Bennet House Records of Grass Valley, California, which was recorded in June 1987. A very small number of cassettes of this album were produced. Lost It in the Surf included a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Louie Louie
Louie Louie
"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...
", complete with Scottish bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
.
Albums
- 1963: Wipe Out (Dot 3535)
- 1963: The Surfaris Play (Decca 4470)
- 1964: Hit City '64 (Decca 4487)
- 1964: Fun City USA (Decca 4560)
- 1965: Hit City '65 (Decca 4614)
- 1965: It Ain't Me, Babe (Decca 4683)
- 1994: Surf Party - The Best of The Surfaris Live (GNP Crescendo 2239)
- 2005: Wipe Out
Singles
- 1963 "Wipe Out" / "Surfer Joe" (Dot 16479)
- 1963 "Point Panic" / "Waikiki Run"
- 1963 "Wipe Out" / "I'm a Hog for You"
- 1964 "Murphy the Surfie" / "Go Go Go for Louie's Place"
Compilations
- 1973: Yesterday's Pop Scene
- 1973: Wipe Out, Surfer Joe & Other Great Hits
- 1976: Surfers Rule
- 1977: Gone with the Wave
- 1982: The History of Surf Music
- 1989: Surfin Hits
- 1994: Wipe Out! The Best Of
- 1994: Surf Party!: The Best of the Surfaris Live!
- 1995: Pulp Rock Instros - Vol. 1
- 1995: Surfaris Stomp
- 1996: Cowabunga! Surf-Box
- 1996: Teen Beat - Vol. 3
- 1996: Let's Go Trippin'
- 1996: Surf Crazy
- 1997: Guitar Heroes
- 1997: Hot Rod - Big Boss Instrumentals
- 1997: Kahuna Classics
- 1998: Hard Rock Records - Surf
- 1998: Surf! Sand! Sun!
- 1998: Wipe Out
- 1999: Surfers Rule / Gone with the Wave
- 2000: Water Logged
- 2000: Teen Beat - Vol. 5
- 2003: Lost Legends Of Surf Guitar - Vol. 02
- 2003: Basic Tracks w/ Jim Fuller
- 2005: Wipe Out, Surfer Joe and Other Great Hits
- 2006: Street Party w/ Jim Fuller