Surfing was released sixty years ago in May of 1963, on the heels of The Ventures second album to hit Gold in the United States. Not only did the album feature music with titles related to surfing, the hard-driving guitars and drums showcase the Ventures influence on future hard rock, punk and metal performers. Every song on Surfing is reminiscent of the wildness of the waves. While the founding members of the Ventures are all resting peacefully, the current line-up recently announced three tour dates in the United States in August 2023.
The album back cover provides insight into Surfing Life with Ilima Kalama, a surfing champion born in Hawaii, who followed the waves to the West Coast. With song titles like Pipe Line, The Ninth Wave, Barefoot Venture and Ten Over, the album showcases surfer lingo. Each song creates an emotion of oneness with the sea and nature. Like the ocean, the songs ebb and flow from heavy drum beats to melodic guitars.
Based on a love of classical music, I prefer instrumental music to take me to my happy place. Whenever possible the beach calls me home and surf music from the 1960s and 70s is my go to. Most specifically, The Ventures and even though I hold onto a copy of Walk Don’t Run, my favorite is Surfing.
For anyone who finds a connection with the soundtrack to their life, songs can have specific meaning for a sense of place. Surfing gives me both the ocean and a connection to one of the places I lived briefly while growing up.
For music aficionados, the influence by musicians from the State of Washington on popular music reaches almost legendary status. The Ventures formed in the late 1950s in Tacoma, Washington. For a nomad who can claim having lived in many of the US states, Tacoma holds a place in my heart. In 2019, I took Scott to this one time hometown for an Iron Maiden concert at the Tacoma Dome. The Ventures' instrumentals were born along Puget Sound and adopted by surfers and the beach party scene.
Snag your own vintage copy of Surfing to get that beach vibe. At every moment that seems right, I listen to the Ventures and put my toes in the sand or tramp across slag-surface rock that was once a lava flow on the Big Island, Hawaii. When I am in the water though, I listen to the ocean and think of the Ventures.
Live every day with everything you have,
Veronica
For more information:
The Ventures https://www.theventures.com/trivia/
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/ventures
Ilima Kalama interview in Juice Magazine https://juicemagazine.com/home/ilima-kalama/
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