The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, two Tacoma, Washington masonry workers. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Instrumental rock is a type of Rock music which emphasizes Musical instruments, and which features no or very little Singing. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Ventures are an American Instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. The Ventures are an American Instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar, and the term "masonry" can also refer to the units themselves They have also contributed to the surf music genre, though they are not strictly a surf band. Surf music is a Genre of Popular music associated with Surf culture, particularly Orange County and other areas of Southern California In 2008, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States [1]
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History
Initially calling themselves "The Versatones", Bogle and Wilson played small clubs and beer bars in the Northwest. In 1959 they recorded and released two vocal tunes, "The Real McCoy" and "Cookies and Coke", but neither record charted. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. They met and recruited Nokie Edwards as bass player, and recorded "Walk Don't Run" with Bogle on lead, Wilson on rhythm, Edwards on bass, and Skip Moore on drums. Nokie Edwards born Nole Floyd Edwards 9 May, 1935, in Lahoma, Oklahoma. " Walk Don't Run " is a 1960 single by the Seattle -based Instrumental rock band The Ventures. They approached several record companies, none of whom showed any interest in signing them. With support from Don Wilson's mother, Josie, they started their own record company, "Blue Horizon Records". They self-produced the 45 rpm single of "Walk Don't Run" and promoted it themselves. A gramophone
A Seattle DJ, Pat O'Day, used the song as a news "kicker" (lead-in); Bob Reisdorf, owner of Dolton Records, heard it on the radio, and contacted and signed The Ventures. Dolton Records was a Record label based in Seattle which was originally known as Dolphin Records "Walk Don't Run" climbed to #2 for a week on the Billboard Top 100 in September 1960. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
The lineup of Bogle, Wilson, Edwards and Johnson remained intact until 1962, or roughly the release of their 8th album. Telstar - - is a 1962 Instrumental record performed by The Tornados. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Around this time, Edwards (a very talented guitarist in his own right) suggested that Bogle's lead guitar abilities were being stretched, and that they were in essence wasting Edwards' talents by keeping him on bass. Bogle agreed, and rapidly learned the bass parts to all their songs, allowing Edwards to take lead guitar, which helped modernize the sound of the band and keep them current-sounding into the late 1960s.
Also, in 1962, Johnson was injured in an auto crash which caused irreversible spinal damage. On doctor's orders, he quit the band. Bogle and Wilson already knew Mel Taylor, house drummer at The Palomino in North Hollywood (the venue where they would play numerous shows during their resurgence in the 1980s). Mel Taylor ( September 24, 1933 August 11, 1996) was the longtime drummer for The Ventures from 1962-1996 Taylor had performed as drummer on the Bobby "Boris" Pickett hit "Monster Mash", The Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop" and "The Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass. Robert George Pickett ( February 11, 1938 &ndash April 25, 2007) was an American singer who found fame under the name Bobby "Boris" " Monster Mash " is a 1962 Novelty song and the best-known song by Bobby "Boris" Pickett. The Hollywood Argyles were a Doo wop band put together by producer/songwriter Kim Fowley, then still a student at University High School in West Alley Oop is a Syndicated Comic strip, created in 1932 by American Cartoonist V The Lonely Bull (El Solo Torro or (Toro Solitario is a song by Sol Lake recorded by The Tijuana Brass with Herb Alpert among others Herbert "Herb" Alpert (born March 31, 1935) is an American Musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert Taylor was known for a very aggressive, hard-hitting style of drumming. They invited him to some recording sessions, which led to him becoming a permanent member of The Ventures.
The combination of Edwards on lead guitar, Taylor on drums, Bogle on bass and Wilson on rhythm guitar created what many fans feel was The Ventures at their very best. Hawaii Five-O is an instrumental album by The Ventures. It was released in 1969 on Liberty Records and reached #11 on the Billboard This lineup remained unchanged until Edwards left the band in 1968, to be replaced by Gerry McGee. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Edwards came back in 1973 and remained with them until 1984, although he has toured and gigged with them dozens of times in the subsequent 23 plus years. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Edwards' replacement in 1984 was, once again, Gerry McGee. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Drummer Mel Taylor remained the heartbeat of The Ventures until cancer took his life in 1996. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) His spot has since been filled by his son, Leon Taylor. Leon Taylor (born 2 November 1977) is a British former competitive diver. (Original drummer Howie Johnson had died in 1988).
Their commercial fortunes in the US declined sharply in the early 1970s due to changing musical trends. In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, a resurgence of interest in surf music led to some in the punk/new wave audience rediscovering the band. New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s The Go-Go's wrote "Surfin' And Spyin'" and dedicated it to The Ventures. For the 1960s band see The Go-Go's (1960s. The Go-Go’s are an all-female American Pop band formed in 1978 The Ventures recorded their own version and continue to occasionally perform the song. Their career was given another rejuvenating shot in the arm by Quentin Tarantino's use of The Lively Ones' version of Nokie Edwards' "Surf Rider" and several other classic surf songs in the soundtrack of the hit movie Pulp Fiction. Quentin Jerome Tarantino (born March 27, 1963) is an Academy Award - BAFTA Award - and Palme d'Or -winning Emmy - and The Ventures became one of the most popular groups world-wide thanks in large part to their instrumental approach - there were no language barriers to overcome. The Ventures are still the most popular American rock group in Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. One oft-quoted statistic is that the Ventures outsold The Beatles 2-to-1 in Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. They produced dozens of albums exclusively for the Japanese and European markets, and have regularly toured Japan from the 1960s through to 2008. According to a January 1966 Billboard Magazine article, The Ventures had five of 1965's top 10 singles in Japan. A recent Japanese pop music poll listed "Ginza Lights" as the most popular song of all time; it was composed and recorded for their 1966 LP Go With The Ventures. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar.
On March 10, 2008, The Ventures were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with John Fogerty as their presenter. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American rock singer Songwriter, and Guitarist, best known for his In attendance were original members Don Wilson and Nokie Edwards, late 1960s member John Durrill, current guitarist Bob Spalding, and current drummer Leon Taylor who, along with Mel Taylor's widow, Fiona, accepted on behalf of The Ventures late drummer. Bob Bogle and Gerry McGee were unable to attend the ceremony. Fiona Taylor gave special mention to her husband's predecessor drummers Skip Moore and Howie Johnson. The Ventures performed their biggest hits, "Walk Don't Run" and "Hawaii Five-0", augmented on the latter by Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame musical director Paul Shaffer and his band. Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM (born November 28, 1949 in Fort William, now Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian [2]
Guitars
During the 1960s, California guitar manufacturer, Mosrite developed and marketed a uniquely styled futuristic-looking electric guitar, "The Ventures Model Mosrite". The Ventures In Space is an album by the instrumental group The Ventures. History Mosrite was an American Guitar manufacturing company based in Bakersfield California, from the late 1950s to the mid 1990s The band utilized these guitars on Ventures in Space (1963), one of their most influential albums because of the unique guitar sounds. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
In the mid 1990s, Fender issued a limited edition Ventures signature series of guitars consisting of a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster, and a Jazz Bass, all with specifications determined by the band. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation of Quincy Illinois is a manufacturer of stringed instruments such as solid-body Electric guitars including the The Fender Jazzmaster is an Electric guitar that was first introduced at the 1958 NAMM Show and was designed as a more upmarket instrument than the The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as the Strat, is a model of Electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares The Jazz Bass (or J Bass) was the second model of electric bass guitar created by Leo Fender.
Aria Guitars and Wilson Brothers Guitars have subsequently issued Ventures signature model instruments.
Legacy
The Ventures enjoyed their greatest popularity and success in the US in the 1960s, but they have continued to perform and record up to the present (2008). The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 With over 110 million albums sold worldwide, the group remains the best selling instrumental rock group of all time. 38 Ventures albums (including a seasonal Christmas album) charted in the US, and six of fourteen chart singles made it into the Top 40, with three making it into the Top 10. The Top Forty or Top 40 is a music industry shorthand for the currently most-popular songs in a particular genre. The Top Forty or Top 40 is a music industry shorthand for the currently most-popular songs in a particular genre. Of their 38 chart albums, 34 of them occurred in the 1960s, and The Ventures rank as the 6th best pop album performer for that decade, according to "Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums". The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 Joel Carver Whitburn (born November 29, 1939 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin) is an American Author and music historian
Among their achievements in America, in 1963 The Ventures had five LPs in the Billboard Top 100 at the same time. Additionally, they released a series of instructional LPs entitled Play Guitar with The Ventures and Play Electric Bass with The Ventures. Four LPs were released in this series, the first of which reached the Billboard Top 100 Album Chart - an achievement previously unheard of for an instructional LP. See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry In a novelty achievement, The Ventures were the first act to place two different versions of the same song in the Top 10, those being "Walk Don't Run" (#2) and "Walk Don't Run '64" (#8).
While they predated the advent of the terms surf guitar and surf rock, and they do not consider themselves a surf rock group; they were a major building block of surf music, if not the first to play the style. Surf rock is a style of music that originated in the USA that mixes elements of Surf music and Rock music, and partially due to the number of Mexican Guitar Player, in an article titled "20 Essential Rock Albums", cited elements of their 1960 "Walk Don't Run" album which presaged the then-coming surf trend. Guitar Player is a popular magazine for Guitarists It contains articles interviews reviews and lessons of an eclectic collection of artists genres and products
The Ventures pioneered the use of special effects on such songs as "2000 Pound Bee", recorded in late 1962, in which guitarist Nokie Edwards employed a fuzz distortion pedal, pre-dating the "King of Fuzz Guitar", Davie Allan (The Arrows), by at least three years. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Davie Allan is a guitarist best known for his work on soundtracks to various teen and biker movies in the 1960s Edwards was also among the first to use the twelve string guitar in rock. The 1964 Ventures In Space album was a primer in the use of special effects, and made pioneering use of 'reverse-tracking', a technique used very effectively by The Beatles in the later 1960s. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 Ventures In Space, because of its ethereal spacey effects, was deemed an influence on the later 1960s San Francisco psychedelic generation, as well as being cited as a favorite by the late Keith Moon (The Who). The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend
The band's cover of The Tornados' "Telstar" (released in 1/1963) featured one of the first instances of flanging on a pop record. The Tornados (in the US they were credited as The Tornadoes) were an English Instrumental group of the 1960s who acted as the in-house Telstar - - is a 1962 Instrumental record performed by The Tornados. Flanging is a time-based Audio effect that occurs when two identical signals are mixed together but with one signal time-delayed by a small and gradually changing amount
The band was among the first rock acts able to sell albums based on a style and sound without needing hit singles on the albums. The Ventures are also credited by The All Music Guide To Rock with the early formulation of the concept album. In Popular music, a concept album is an Album which is "unified by a theme which can be instrumental compositional narrative or lyrical"
Encyclopedia Britannica on-line states that The Ventures 'served as a prototype for guitar-based rock groups'. The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc
Over thirty major artists have identified The Ventures as an influence. George Harrison stated in a Guitar Player interview that The Beatles preferred the American guitar sound of The Ventures to British contemporaries. George Harrison, MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001 was an English rock Guitarist Singer - Songwriter, Author Guitar Player is a popular magazine for Guitarists It contains articles interviews reviews and lessons of an eclectic collection of artists genres and products The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 When asked to name the most influential rock guitar solos, Joe Walsh (James Gang and the Eagles) said he'd have to include the entire song "Walk Don't Run" because it changed so many guitar players' lives. Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh (born November 20, 1947) is an American Guitarist, songwriter and Rock musician He has been a James Gang was a rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966 Though the band wasn't a huge commercial success the fame garnered by guitarist Joe Stephen Stills told Ventures guitarist Don Wilson that he learned to play on Ventures records. Stephen Arthur Stills (born January 3, 1945 is an American Guitarist and Singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Jeff Baxter (Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers) and Gene Simmons (Kiss) were early members of the Ventures Fan Club. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (born December 13, 1948 in Washington D Steely Dan is a American rock band centered on core members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. The Doobie Brothers are an American rock group. They have sold over 22 million albums in the United States from the 1970s to the present Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz (pronounced Haium on August 25, 1949) is an Israeli -born American Hard rock Bass Kiss (also typeset as KISS) is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972 Others identifying The Ventures as an influence include Carl Wilson (Beach Boys), Jeff Cook (Alabama), Roger Fisher (Heart), Keith Moon (The Who), Alan White (Yes), and Roger Glover (Deep Purple). Carl Dean Wilson ( December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American Rock and roll Singer and Guitarist The Beach Boys is an American rock band Formed in 1961 the group gained popularity for its close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a California Youth culture Jeffery A Cook (born August 27, 1949) was a member of the country music supergroup Alabama. Alabama is a Grammy Award -winning Country music band that originated in Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. Roger Fisher (born May 28, 1922) is Samuel Williston Professor of Law emeritus at Harvard Law School and director of the Harvard Negotiation Heart is a rock band whose founding members came from the Seattle, Washington, scene but came together in Vancouver, British Columbia Keith John Moon ( August 23, 1946 &ndash September 7, 1978) was the Drummer of the rock group The Who. The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend Alan White (born 14 June 1949 is an English Rock and roll Drummer best known for his 34 years of work with the Progressive rock band Yes are an English Progressive rock band that formed in London in 1968. Roger David Glover (born November 30, 1945 in Brecon, Wales) is a Welsh / English Bassist, Keyboardist Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968
Discography
See also
- List of best-selling music artists
- Surf music
- Hawaii Five-O
- Instrumental rock
- Rautalanka
- Surf rock
- List of surf rock musicians
- List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
References
- ^ http://www.theventures.com/index_files/news2.htm
- ^ Stout, Gene. The Ventures have released hundreds of Albums beginning with Walk Don't Run in (1960 When adding to this page please ensure that your claims are sourced Surf music is a Genre of Popular music associated with Surf culture, particularly Orange County and other areas of Southern California Hawaii Five-O is an instrumental album by The Ventures. It was released in 1969 on Liberty Records and reached #11 on the Billboard Instrumental rock is a type of Rock music which emphasizes Musical instruments, and which features no or very little Singing. Rautalanka is a Finnish style of instrumental music played by a quartet ( Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Bass guitar and Drum kit) Surf rock is a style of music that originated in the USA that mixes elements of Surf music and Rock music, and partially due to the number of Mexican 1950s 1960s Al Casey The Astronauts The Atlantics The Beach Boys The Bel-Airs This is a list of inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Ventures rock, don't run, into the hall. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved on 2008-03-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty
External links
- The Ventures official site
- Nokie Edwards official site
- The Ventures at Allmusic
- An Extensive Fan Site
- To hear the song "Telstar"
- The Ventures music on-line
- Audio from newspaper interview of Don Wilson on the Ventures' Rock Hall induction and Japanese Venturemania
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