Hey! Geezers Can Have Fun On The Beach Too…
Posted by BG on July 20, 2006
Just in case you thought that this blog was always going to be about the slow stuff, we decided to prove once again that geezers like all kinds of music. (Well, almost all kinds.)
In this instance, we’re going to focus on some music that triggers memories
of Frankie and Annette dancing on a California beach. (Not that I’ve actually danced on a beach myself, or been present when the two of them…er, did it on the movie set, but I do remember seeing a couple of those movies.)
This beach-bunny era music is from some guys who have demonstrated a degree of longevity that would put young whipper-snappers like the Rolling Stones to shame. It’s a group that was formed in 1959 and is still performing today. (Although with some variations in personnel from time to time.) Their name? The Ventures.
It all started when guitarists Bob Bogle and Don Wilson, two Tacoma construction workers who were 
also part-time musicians, got together with some buddies and made a record of an overlooked Chet Atkins tune. Lightening struck and it became their first and biggest hit - Walk, Don’t Run.
Since then, they’ve churned out dozens of albums, in some cases imprinting their style on other genres of music and giving it their own unmistakable sound.
They’ve continued to tour whenever possible, although interestingly enough they’ve become more popular in other parts of the world than
they now are in the US. In fact, much of their music in later years has been specifically aimed toward those markets, especially Asia. In Japan alone, they’ve sold over 40 million records and have also had a big influence on pop music in that country.
The Ventures have had a lot of hits on the charts, but we’re featuring two tunes you might not have heard lately. From the album The Ventures - Masters Of Pop Music. First up is Pipeline, a surfer melody covered by lots of folks, including Dick Dale…but I like this version.
That’s followed by Joy, which you’ll probably recognize even if you don’t know it by name.
October 22, 2006 at 6:43 am
Love the ventures what great music they made.
October 22, 2006 at 1:58 pm
Thanks for the comment, Margaret. If you like the Ventures, you’ll lovee Dick Dale and the Del-tones, the original beach band. You can find them in this post: