Here is my surf buddy John Severson surfing and playing guitar. I met him on a Mexico surf trip about 4 years ago. He was in his 70's and just as stoked as the rest of the guys waiting for waves. He was a cool guy and I hope to be surfing as well as him when I hit 70.
First the 'you will never here surf music again' quote is from Jimi Hendrix on Electric Lady land 'the third stone from the sun'. It has rumors of 3 interpretations:
1) Dick Dale was in hospital with cancer. He was thought to pass away soon. One theory (Dick Dale's) is it was put in the song as a tribute the the surf guitar guru.
2) The Beach Boys bailed on the Monterey Pops festival and the next theory is that it was meant that because the Beach Boys did not show up and grace the festival (according to the Beach Boys) Jimi was saying all was lost.
3) It was a slam on commercial surf music like the Beach Boys.
When I used to listen to Electic Lady land over and over, I thought the line meant it was that the good surf guitar was fading out. Not that Dick Dale was dying but that we would not here the surf bands much longer. All this brings me to Bach.
J.S. is back and this time he is mad
Now I am not a high brow guy but I like my Rococo music and I like chamber music (blame my parents). He was really an organist and fugue guy but he wrote a suite for Cello. There are a couple of ways to go on this.
Yo Yo Ma,
Mstislav Rostropovich,
Mischa Maisky
I like the Black Cab Sessions My Cousin Harold who is a fancy Viola player would probably give me the right person, but I like these guys versions. You can't go wrong with Yo Yo Ma.
My favorite of the Suites is the prelude or Suite 1. There are 6
2.1 Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007
2.2 Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008
2.3 Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009
2.4 Suite No. 4 in E-flat major, BWV 1010
2.5 Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011
2.6 Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012
Anyway as a good beer and hot dog low brow white trash guy this stuff is good surf music. I was in one of those music stores where you can listen with headphones to music you might buy and I listened to Yo Yo Ma
Do yourself a favor. Put on the earphones, pop in some Yo Yo on your Ipod and think of a good day surfing. Oh yes blast it loud! If you don't like this music yet this should turn a corner.
6 comments:
I don't know, I like the music because it is not trendy, not cool, like everything else in California (and I was born here, in San Diego), but if I were to listen to it to surf motivate, its more going to motivate me to go back home have a cup of green tea and mess around with my facebook. Very nice though. Wrong name for that guy, Yo Yo Mama sounds like a hip hop music act. (I don't know if anyone wanted corn doggy's thoughts, but your getting it anyway. Time for my facebook now.)
Another esoteric and interesting post. I look forward to your blog every day.
You can't say you don't like suite #5. If you heard each one, would you be able to "name that tune"? Interesting consciousness to surf by, an uncrowded day with 5 foot clean lefts walling up and peeling off, and a dark cloudy sky. (suite 5 surfing).
ps....and a slight texture on the walls, steel blue (dark) water from the dark sky.
Thanks Corn Doggy..and to Anonymous I hope I am not posting to a cult. My goal is to be more exoteric (I looked it up, and had to look up esoteric) But thanks for the comment anyway.
Even Cowgirls like a Fugue
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