Almost 40 years after its birth, that twangy, reverb-drenched instrumental sound is making a comeback! (No, the Beach Boys did not play surf music!)

Here are profiles of several of my favorite surf/instrumental bands, all guaranteed to free you from the bondage!

Los Straitjackets - This stellar 4-man group, who sport Mexican wrestling masks, combine all the elements and styles of instrumental rock music and give it an uplifting, tough and exciting sound. Definitely the most user-friendly music of the genre. They have three CDs out, "Viva", "The Utterly Fantastic and Totally Unbelievable Sound of...", and "The Velvet Touch of...", which should be readily available at most cool music stores. All 3 CDs are equally outstanding!

Laika and the Cosmonauts - How this group from Finland got hooked on American surf and spy music is beyond me, but I'm sure glad they did! They have not only the twanging guitars but also a cheap Vox organ that really supercharges their sound. Of their three commercially available CDs, "The Amazing Colossal Band" is my favorite. You've got to hear this band - a totally unique experience!

The Mermen - This San Francisco area trio takes surf music to new heights - or maybe I should say new depths! Guitarist Jim Thomas is to surf music as Jimi Hendrix was to rock 'n roll. Only a few bands have the capacity to leave me limp after listening to them, and this is one of 'em. The Mermen have two commercially available CDs, "A Glorious Lethal Euphoria" and a mini-CD called "Songs of the Cows", both of which have won awards for independent label releases. They also have two new songs included on the Sony Play Station game "Road Rash 3D", the soundtrack of which is also in stores now. This is not surf music in the traditional sense, but I think you would agree that it's huge and awe-inspiring. The Mermen do have a more traditional-sounding CD, "Krill Slippin", plus other great live CDs that can be ordered from the band. A new release from them is in the works for '99.

Slacktone, from the L. A. area, formed in January, 1995. Featuring guitarist Dave Wronski and drummer Dusty Watson of Jon and the Nightriders, Slacktone lays down some of the most intense instrumental music you'll ever hear - guaranteed to pound you into submission! Check out their CD from Go Boy Records and get wet! Dusty Watson can also be seen on tour with Dick Dale and Agent Orange - one of the hardest working drummers on the planet!

The Bambi Molesters - Surf music from Croatia! The Bambi Molesters are relatively new to the surf scene - their music is quite simple, but really delivers a dripping wet sound that makes you want to grab your board and head for the beach - Their CD, "Dumb Loud Hollow Twang", really grows on you after several listens. Their latest release, titled "Intensity", is also a winner - check it out!

The Aqua Velvets - Another Bay Area group that has a lock on the "exotic" side of surf music. No other band in this listing can transport you to a faraway fantasyland where life is carefree and easy better than the Aqua Velvets. They have four CDs out, three that are generally easy to find, "Nomad", "Surfmania" and their newest release "Guitar Noir" - all are excellent.

The Sandblasters - A great instrumental combo from Austin - their debut CD, "Space Bar-B-Q", is available thru the band, and a new release, "Cactus Stingray" is available from Wildebeest Records. Their music is a blend of surf-space that really rocks - the group claims that these are "instro-mentals for surf and space travel" - a perfect description - check them out. Thanks, guys, for coming to Tulsa to perform on 7/11/98 - great set of twangy tunes!

Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet - This Canadian instrumental combo was one of the first I ran onto playing this type of music. Unfortunately they have disbanded, with two of their members now in a group called Phono-Comb. However, they released three CDs during their existence, and each is worth searching out. My favorite is "Savvy Show Stoppers", and it features some of the coolest guitar playing I've ever heard. This group is definitely champion of the "under 2-minute" jam!

The Space Cossacks - This Washington DC area band burst upon the scene recently with their debut CD, "Interstellar Stomp". Some of the most infectious, "carry you down the highway" music you could ever ask for. "Solaris Stomp" is one of the best instrumental tunes ever - if surf/instro music had its own awards, this would be song of the year for '98! Look for a new release from them soon.

The Cadillac Hitmen - Hailing from New Hampshire, this instrumental quartet evokes memories of the Old West, the O K Corral, the Last Roundup, etc. with their twangy sounds. Their debut CD, "The Assassin" is definitely a worthy investment - plug it in on your next cross-country trek and see what I mean. A new release for '99 titled "Tri-State Killing Spree" delivers more of the same wide-open-spaces sounds to enhance your next road trip.

The Reventlos - Another Southern California band, The Reventlos pack quite a wallop into their music, which defies categorization yet is sonically satisfying. Their first CD, "Essential Reventlo", runs the gamut from surf to lounge to country twang with a little Black Sabbath thrown in - how's that for variety? New for 1999 is "Sounds of the Golden West", providing more wacked-out, off-beat, and un-conventional mayhem for your listening pleasure.

Other artists you should also check out:

Teisco Del Rey - from Austin
Pollo del Mar - from California - also a great mail-order source for surf CDs!
Huevos Rancheros - from Calgary
Man or Astroman - from Outer Space
Planet Seven - from California
The Exotics - from Milwaukee

Any sightings or eyewitness accounts of the above subjects should be reported to me immediately to be included in the BLUESURF project database.

Other surf sites that will immerse you with data:

Instro Planet - Brian Parrish, DJ from KSYM in San Antonio
Reverb Central - Phil Dirt, disc jockey from Bay Area
Dick Dale - The king of 'em all, y'all
Surf Music Hall of Love
Tsunami Soul Surf Music Page
Texas Surf/Instro Music Page

Cosmic Cowboy World Wide Compact Discs - Tulsa-based mail order company featuring guitar-oriented music - - including surf/instro

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