Dale, Dick and His Del-Tones

During his string of intense, sold-out 1961 shows at The Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, California, Dick Dale is credited with creating the surf guitar sound. An avid surfer himself, Dick strove to recreate the feeling of riding the waves in his music. He accomplished that feat through innovative use of reverb and a rich playing technique that incorporated everything from short staccato picking to long, legato melody lines. Known far and wide as "The King of the Surf Guitar," Capitol Records...

The one that started it all in 1962! On his debut album, Dick Dale managed to capture on tape the ferocious surf sound he was creating for over-the-top audiences at the Rendezvous Ballroom. Songs like "Let's Go Trippin,'" "Miserlu Twist" and "Surf Beat" helped define the surf genre and send untold aspiring guitarists in search of their own Stratocasters and Fender Showman amps. None of them could match the intensity and directness of Dick's approach to the instrument. But at least one acolyte,...

Though he was renowned as "The King of the Surf Guitar," Dick Dale detoured onto the drag strip in 1963 and created Checkered Flag, a landmark album of the hot-rod genre. Backed by studio pros like Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer, Plas Johnson and Steve Douglas, Dick laid down tough, reverb-soaked instrumentals like "Night Rider" and "The Wedge," highlighting his unique technique and deeply varied sonic textures. The album also features vocal numbers, like lead track "The Scavenger," penned by some of...

During his string of intense, sold-out 1961 shows at The Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, California, Dick Dale is credited with creating the surf guitar sound. An avid surfer himself, Dick strove to recreate the feeling of riding the waves in his music. He accomplished that feat through innovative use of reverb and a rich playing technique that incorporated everything from short staccato picking to long, legato melody lines. Known far and wide as "The King of the Surf Guitar," Capitol Records...

1964's Mr. Eliminator, the second album of hot-rod songs from Dick Dale, is another fuel-injected fun ride down the asphalt aisle! Once again, Dick shreds his way through scorching guitar instrumentals like "The Victor, " "Nitro Fuel" and the tenacious title track. But that's not all! Vocal selections like the Bo Diddley-beat-driven "50 Miles to Go" and "My X-KE" paint vivid portraits that any gear-head can appreciate. The studio pit-crew assisting Dick includes top-notch players Glen...

Prior to his emergence as a recording artist, surf guitar king Dick Dale first carved out his legend as a live performer. The artist's incendiary early shows in front of raucous surfer crowds at Balboa Beach's Rendezvous Ballroom established Dale as a regional sensation, and in the process helped to put surf music on the map. After he became an international star, Dale and his longstanding band the Del-Tones maintained the energy and innovation of their early performances, expanding their...

Original mono single releases The Dick Dale & His Deltones Singles Collection '61-65 fills a crucial void in the Dick Dale catalog: collected here are 28 wild 'n killer single sides from the Deltone and Capitol labels, featuring rare 45-only tracks and unique mono single versions of such iconic Dale classics as "Let's Go Trippin'," "Miserlou," "The Wedge," "Mr. Eliminator," "Secret Surfin' Spot" and his legendary theme song, "King of the Surf Guitar." Finally corralled together for the first...

The one that started it all in 1962! On his debut album, Dick Dale managed to capture on tape the ferocious surf sound he was creating for over-the-top audiences at the Rendezvous Ballroom. Songs like "Let's Go Trippin,'" "Miserlou Twist" and "Surf Beat" helped define the surf genre and send untold aspiring guitarists in search of their own Stratocasters and Fender Showman amps. None of them could match the intensity and directness of Dick's approach to the instrument. But at least one...

The one that started it all in 1962! On his debut album, Dick Dale managed to capture on tape the ferocious surf sound he was creating for over-the-top audiences at the Rendezvous Ballroom. Songs like "Let's Go Trippin,'" "Miserlou Twist" and "Surf Beat" helped define the surf genre and send untold aspiring guitarists in search of their own Stratocasters and Fender Showman amps. None of them could match the intensity and directness of Dick's approach to the instrument. But at least one...