Dick Dale - Surfers’ Choice

1962 debut that spawned a thousand imitators

The original is the best, right? Dick Dale began playing guitar in 1955. By the early 60s he had single-handedly started the Californian surf music craze, well before The Beach Boys bought their first Pendleton shirts. His left-handed power-playing, accentuated by heavy picks and stings, played on an upside-down guitar (without it being re-strung), caused a revolution: not only in the young audiences, but also in the designs of the Fender Stratocaster and Showman amps that required beefing-up to cope with him. This debut contains many of his favourites, including Surf Beat, Misirlou Twist and Peppermint Man, with other tracks demonstrating Dale’s talents on drums and piano. The like of Sloop John B, Fanny Mae (the template for The Beach Boys’ Help Me Rhonda) and Let’s Go Trippin’ indicate what a direct influence Dale was on Brian Wilson and co’s early career. Along with photos and sleevenotes, Sundazed have added six bonus tracks comprised of early single releases, with Del-Tone Rock, another version of Misirlou and Jungle Fever all standing out. This reissue heralds a Dale series from Sundazed, which will be welcomed by specialist surf collectors and guitar players alike.

Sundazed | SC 11184

Reviewed by Kingsley Abbott
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