Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Duane Eddy - Surfin' - Duane Eddy and The Rebels In Person
 | There isn't any surf here, and it's not live either! The record company just repackaged a bunch of Duane Eddy's classic tracks with a surf cover to cash in on the surf trend in 1963. |
Picks: Peter Gunn, Moovin' 'N' Groovin', Yep, Ramrod, Up and Down, Stalkin', I Almost Lost My Mind, Cannonball, Rebel-Rouser
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
This is one of those grand mysteries. The source is an acetate or test pressing with only the title, so the band remains unidentified. It's a fine track, like a much moodier "Out Of Limits" with a more dissonant and dangerous sound. Progression based, yet interesting and engaging.
Kommotion Surf (Instrumental)
Vibrato guitar backed by useless strings. A country blues of little interest.
Surf (Instrumental)
This blues standard was done more often than you might imagine back in the day. Duane Eddy's version is fairly straight forward and competently done. Quite nice.
Twang (Instrumental)
Another frequently covered tune, this sports the original often borrowed effect of whammy dips, like in the beginning of each verse of "Church Key." It's also the basis for "Beat '65." If not for the catchy hook, it would be just another riff rocker, but that separates the men from the boys, doesn't it.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Yep" is a fun track with some goofy shouts of "yep" and the signature big guitar twang. Fun, and occasionally suggested as the root of "Wipe Out."
Twang (Instrumental)
An often covered rockin' jamster designed for party time. Not much melody, just energy and fun. Incidentally, Duane Eddy was on tour while this was recorded. It's Al Casey's guitar on the record (he wrote it too).
Twang (Instrumental)
Al Casey and Lee Hazelwood teamed up writing this, and it has a nastier sound than the others from the "$1,000,000" sessions. A nasty R&B number, with groovy low-E guitar riffs. Mostly a jam, it works well in part due to the guitar tone and the unusual drums cadence.
Twang (Instrumental)
A slow tortured stroll, modeled somewhat on the hit "Midnight Stroll," features really nasty sax and throbbing haunted guitar. Egad, this is mean, like a cleaned up Link Wray thing for a late night back alley cruise.
Twang (Instrumental)
Ivory Joe Hunter's R&B piano classic comes across like a smoky back room card game. The shimmer of the vibrato is pretty cool.
Twang (Instrumental)
This is a rhythm dominated country tune with no melody, just a riff and a sax here and there. Smooth and fun.
Twang (Instrumental)
Another rebel track with excellent vibrato lead guitar playing a simple riff born of that low-E twang, spicy sax, and rebel yells. Can you spell par-tee?
Twang (Instrumental)
"Rebel-Rouser" set the formula for Duane Eddy's enduring success. It is a rousing instro with whoops and hollers, and a richly infectious sound. The melody is strong, and the guitar is dead center.