Dick Dale, the King of the Surf Guitar, displays incendiary riffs at the Brooklyn Bowl.
Dick Dale can still play a mean guitar, that’s for sure. On Friday August 21 he did just that for about an hour of ear-splitting, echo-drenched jam at the Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. Mr. Dale—known around the world as “The King of the Surf Guitar”—has been in ill health recently. The Brooklyn Bowl date was the last show of about sixty that he needed to do in order to pay his bills. At any rate, once Mr. Dale is on the stage with his trusty Fender strapped to him, it is as if all is right with the world as he wails away!
After the performance, our pal Josh Styles headed up a team of DJs who presented the official after-show party called Surf City. Mr. Styles, Avi Spivak (Human Being Lawnmower) and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus each took turns playing appropriate records: mostly guitar-driven instrumentals and songs about fun in the sun. Around one o’clock in the morning or so, a limbo dance contest was held and The Boog was happy to supply the soundtrack for that with a stack of calypso and jungle-beat 45s. As last year, the host of the limbo contest was cult horror film director Frank Henenlotter (Basket Case, Brain Damage). Once the winner was chosen, The Boog instantly switched gears to lead off the dance party portion of the evening by playing The Beach Boys’ bossest record, “Dance Dance Dance.” In the middle of his first set, The Boog spun a bowling record (complete with bowling sounds!), that got the Brooklyn Bowl staff very excited!
Josh Styles and Frank Henenlotter discuss the finer points of the film “Frankenhooker” at Surf City!
Josh Styles and Avi Spivak also took turns playing great records all night. Mr. Styles, of course, is known internationally as a fabulous DJ and the drummer of a great teen combo called Daddy Long Legs. Mr. Spivak is the founding editor of an amazing cartoon-vibed music fanzine called Human Being Lawnmower. They both have great taste in reet recordings and proved it with the selections they played. Not only are these two fine examples of humanity excellent DJs, but together they run a cool little shop in Downtown Bushwick called Rebel Rouser. It’s a must-stop for all Boogaloo Bag readers.
Josh Styles and Avi Spivak swing at Surf City!
Go-Go dancer Bettina May swings at Surf City!
Also, let’s not forget the artistic and lovely gyrations of Go-Go dancer Bettina May, who worked wonders with the beach balls, as she shimmied to wild surf music.
Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at Surf City:
- The Surfaris–Beat ’65 (Decca)
- Milt Rogers and His Orchestra–Let’s Go Trippin’ (Dot)
- Hal Blaine and the Young Cougars–(Dance With The) Surfin’ Band (RCA Victor)
- Les Versatiles–Bolide X16 (London; Canada)
- The Shadows–The Savage [from EP Spotlight on the Shadows] (Columbia; UK)
- Los Yogis–Night Rider (Jinete Nocturno) (Discos Angelo)
- Dick Dale and His Del-Tones–Secret Surfin’ Spot (Capitol)
- The Routers–Crack Up (Warner Bros.)
- Gary Mure–Crack Up (Verve)
- The Blue Flames–Bowling U.S.A. (Strand)
- Beach Boys–Surfin’ Safari (Capitol)
- The Atlantics–War of the Worlds (Columbia)
- The Valrays–Get a Board (Parkway)
- Jerry Cole & His Spacemen–Movin’ Surf (Capitol)
- The Ambertones–Bandido (G.N.P. Crescendo)
- The Polaras–Breaker (Pharos)
- The Mad Lads–The Sidewalk Surf (Stax)
- Dick Dale and the Del-Tones–Hava Nagila (Capitol)
- The Novas–Take 7 (Parrot)
- The Nocturnes–Riptide (Leedon; Australia)
- Tim Tam and the Turn Ons–Opelia (Palmer)
- Chubby Checker–Limbo Rock (Parkway)
- Young William and the Jamaicans–Limbo Drum Part II (Dimension)
- Lord Flea and His Calypsonians–Shake Shake Sonora (Capitol)
- ‘Fats’ Greene featuring Pritchard–’Fats’ Shake ‘m Up – Pt. 2 (Camille)
- The Champs–Limbo Dance (Challenge)
- Twistin’ Kings–Congo Part II (Motown)
- Steve Allen–Mah-Mah Limbo (Dot)
- The Beach Boys–Dance Dance Dance (Capitol)
- Link Wray and the Raymen–Batman Theme (Swan)
- The Gamblers–Moon Dawg! (World Pacific)
- The Andrew Oldham Orchestra–I Get Around (Parrot)
- The Dave Clark Five–Chaquita (Epic)
- The Rumblers–Boss (Dot)
- The Ardells–Stronger Than Dirt (Thor)
- The Titans–The Noplace Special (Soma)
- Larry & the Loafers–Let’s Go to the Beach (Shurfine)
- None of these records are for sale.
Film maker Frank Henenlotter oversees the Limbo Contest at Surf City!
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