"Ah, Wipe-Out!"

[RickH]

Just thinking about this classic by the Surfaris, what a great 60's surf sound that "reverb"erated around the world with a crank-it-up-on-the-car-radio, ear-grabbing surfin' sound that has never lost it's power after 41 years. Did the Surfaris ever do anything else remotely as good?

I also liked The Ventures cover of it, it had a very "Batman" theme sound to it.

I wonder how many people have attempted through the years to do that Wipe-Out beat (tom-tom or bongoes?) with their hands and failed miserably? :D

[Tim Lyman]

This was one of my favorite songs during my childhood. :love: My hand-me-down Dot 45 was in heavy rotation on my $30 record killer, er, player.

R.I.P. Ron Wilson.

[Casino]

Did the Surfaris ever do anything else remotely as good?

:D

Point Panic, the follow-up, wasn't bad. I still have it.

[billh]

And don't forget "Surfer Joe"...

[Ed Bishop]

Any kid my age could do 'wipe out' on his school desktop, and did...often...or on a schoolbus seat, or lunch box, or....against his forehead.....

"Surfer Joe" was fun and cool--played it a lot, got a kick out of the extra verse version heard later--....but, no wonder "Wipe Out" was a hit in '63 & '66.....

:ed:

[RetroSmith]

Rick, I play in a Ventures cover band, and I have NEVER, in 15 years played a show without playing "Wipeout". Since I'm the drummer, its always my call.

Today, 41 years after the record came out, audiences STILL go crazy for it.

[RetroSmith]

The Ventures, by the way, did not even PLAY on their version of Wipe Out. They were on tour in Japan , and Liberty had session guys record"Wipeout" and "More" for added title strength to the "Lets Go" LP, which was in the can and ready for release.

Hal Blaine does the drum solo on The Ventures "Wipeout".

[Doug Sclar]

Any kid my age could do 'wipe out' on his school desktop, and did...often...or on a schoolbus seat, or lunch box, or....against his forehead.....

:ed:
And I could even do it with one hand on my school desk. :D

Has there ever been a more imitated drum part on a pop record?

[Doug Sclar]

The Ventures, by the way, did not even PLAY on their version of Wipe Out. They were on tour in Japan , and Liberty had session guys record"Wipeout" and "More" for added title strength to the "Lets Go" LP, which was in the can and ready for release.

Hal Blaine does the drum solo on The Ventures "Wipeout".
I never tire of listening to Hal. :righton:

[Drifter]

The Ventures, by the way, did not even PLAY on their version of Wipe Out. They were on tour in Japan , and Liberty had session guys record"Wipeout" and "More" for added title strength to the "Lets Go" LP, which was in the can and ready for release.

Hal Blaine does the drum solo on The Ventures "Wipeout".
Wow, wild. Always thought those two tracks didn't sound like the Ventures. Now I know why! So that's Hal doing all those insane drum riffs, kewl. :cool:

[RetroSmith]

Oh yea, if you know the Ventures style, a quick lsiten to Wipeout will confirm its not them. i believe its Tommy Tedesco on lead guitar.

[RickH]

Oh yea, if you know the Ventures style, a quick lsiten to Wipeout will confirm its not them. i believe its Tommy Tedesco on lead guitar.

Mikey, as Johnny Carson used to say, "I did not know that!" But now that it's been pointed out, I have noticed that when the Ventures play the song live, it doesn't sound like that Hal Blaine, Tedesco studio version, which I actually prefer. Great info.

Speaking of Ventures music, I just did a little home demo of "Honky Tonk" in Cakewalk's Guitar Tracks. I also play a solo fingerstyle version of "Pipeline". I first really learned to play from "Play Guitar With The Ventures" album back in the early 70's. How about those Los Straitjackets?! Aqua Velvets is another great surf-related instrumental band.

[RetroSmith]

Yea, its pretty Ironic, The Ventures, who are the worlds best Insturmental band, and DID play on like 95% of their records, are known the world over for their "Wipe Out" and thats one they didnt play on!!!

[Drifter]

Found this interesting and amusing, from the ventures.com site from an interview with two of the Ventures: Q. Hal Blaine has claimed that he and other studio musicians recorded Ventures tracks, including Wipe Out, while you guys were on the road. Is that true?
A. [ Don] You know, we're trying to figure that out ourselves. It's been so long ago. I knew that Mel didn't play on it, but I didn't know that Hal Blaine played on it. It seems that a guy names Sharkey played on that, but if Hal says he did it, he probably did. To us it was just another album track. I must have been around, though, because that's me going "ahh-ha-ha-ha wipe out!" at the start of the song, which, by the way, I thought was so stupid. Kind of sounds suspicious to me since the Ventures version doesn't even have the "ahh-ha-ha-ha wipe out!" intro! :laugh: They do say however that if you remember the 60s you weren't there. :D

Here's the link to the interview:
http://www.theventures.com/ask/answerbd.htm

[Wufnpoof]

Love that song. :thumbsup:

[RetroSmith]

LOL....yes thats funny!!

Actually Don Wilson is half right. According to the union records, there are TWO dummers on The Ventures version of Wipe Out, Hal Blaine doing the solo parts and another drummer (perhaps this Sharkey guy) playing the regular drum part. For much of the song, they play in unison with Hal rolling on a snare drum with the snares "off".

But I do not think Don was present because its been doucmented that the band was on tour when the Wipe Out / More session took place. It was a last minute thing to add some title strength to the "Lets Go" Lp which was ready to go.

What Don is probably thinking of are the 1979 Tridex Recordings of The Ventures hits, on which he DID do the "AHAHAHAHAH WIPE OUT" thing. Mel played drums on that and its totally different than the Hal Blaine recording.

[Bob Lovely]

Anybody know where I can locate this track with the extended ending?

Thanks!

Bob :)

[RetroSmith]

I think the Varese CD has the extended ending, no?

[Drifter]

I think the Varese CD has the extended ending, no?
We're talking Ventures version here?

[Bob Lovely]

We're talking Ventures version here?

My question was about the Safari's version...

Bob :)

[Drifter]

My question was about the Safari's version...

Bob :)
Ah, ok, thanks for the clarification. Not familiar with an extended recording of either version so I wasn't sure.

[RetroSmith]

yes, the Surfaris version on their Varese CD. I *think* its the longer one.

[Bob Lovely]

yes, the Surfaris version on their Varese CD. I *think* its the longer one.

Thanks!

Bob :)

[RetroSmith]

There are two versions of The Surfaris Wipeout, both are the same take and performance, but one was faded out earlier than the other.

I think the hit 1963 version is the shorter one and the 1966/73 version is the longer one, I THINK.

[Bob Lovely]

There are two versions of The Surfaris Wipeout, both are the same take and performance, but one was faded out earlier than the other.

I think the hit 1963 version is the shorter one and the 1966/73 version is the longer one, I THINK.

This my recollection as well...

Bob :)