Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA
The Eliminators - Woodies On The Wharfdotdotdotdot
artworkThis 35 track, two CD-R set is NOT commercially available, but the performance and recording were so good, that it gets a lot of airplay on my show. The recording was made on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf at the first annual Woodies On The Wharf car show and surf be-in. The Eliminators did two sets. Lead guitarist Joe Kurkowski played the entire solo in "Miserlou" behind his head. It was amazing! Throughout the entire first set, this street urchin kept asking for a vocal. Preston Wilson kept telling him they were an instrumental surf band. The guy then asked who was the singer, and Preston holds up his guitar and says "Leo Fender is our lead singer." During the break, the guy finds Preston, and asks "So, when does this Leo guy show up to sing?" Priceless!
Picks: Six Pack, Pipeline, Baja, Moment Of Truth, Bone Cruncher, Latin'ia, Moovin' and Groovin', Boneyard, Mr. Moto, Punta Baja, Depth Charge, Chief Whoopin' Koff, Endless Summer, Rebel Rouser, K-39, Tequila, Penetration, Johnny's Nose Ride, Comanche, Doho, Surfin' Spies, Dawn Patrol, Surf Rider, Rincon, Six Pack, Forty Miles Of Bad Road, Walk, Don't Run, Sleep Walk, Surf Buggy, Church Key, Apache, Our Favorite Martian, Caterpillar Crawl, Sidewalk Surfer (R. J. Mike), Miserlou

Track by Track Review


Six Pack dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This is a respectful and rhythmic delivery of the Sandals' tune, with shimmering vibrato slightly infused into the lead guitar. It rings out with happiness.

Pipeline dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

A big long dribbling glissando opens this trad presentation of the Chantays, with the second guitar using vibrato as the piano did on the original track. The sax parts are a nice addition. Edgie and spirited.

Baja dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Rhythmic, shimmering, and with great damped picking by Joe Kurkowski. Traditional, powerful, and with a cool sax. Not exactly the Astronauts' arrangement, but based on it. There are strong glissandoes added, which give it a lot of drive, as does the sax harmony. There are also a few flawed notes, but that's the risk of playing live. Fine track.

Moment Of Truth dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

The Original Surfaris' arrangement of this classic, enhanced with glissandoes and power picking. Hot delivery, pounding surf, and I love those bongos.

Bone Cruncher dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Too hot, right from the first slapped note. This track simply pummels. Great energy, fine writing, exquisite sounds, and infectious down-the-highway kinda pace. The big whammy chord break is really cool, especially where it yields to back to the prime current.

Latin'ia dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

A crunchier treatment, more immediate and rhythmic. Tommy Nunes' gorgeous "Latin'ia" is so fine! The bongos are cool, as is the additional percussion. Beautiful Fender tones. Very good listening.

Moovin' and Groovin' dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Al Casey's Duane Eddy hit, twanged respectfully.

Boneyard dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Jungle drums, heavily picked pure Fender surf guitars, and major energy. Fast, mean tone, and shredding picking. Chunky, very melodic, ominous, and very powerful.

Mr. Moto dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Paul Johnson's tune, played with loving respect, and reverb. The use of damped chops for the second guitar gives this a surfier feel. Great track.

Punta Baja dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

So fine live! Like "Dawn Patrol," this is rhythm dominated. The Spanish elements rule, and it's reverb is more present. It floats through the rhythm and the whammy, drifts into a dribbled double-pick, eventually arriving at a dramatic very mean sax break. Great!

Depth Charge dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Jon and the Nightriders early power tune, pounded out with mean energy, and pure surf sound. Chunky, and tribal rhythmic. The wonderful damped chops in sync with the drums give the rhythm depth, and the bongos add a kinda tiki quality.

Chief Whoopin' Koff dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This cover of the Fireballs' tune is fuller than the Armory take, reverbed slightly more, and includes more sax in the mix for more knife's edge rawness. Very fine track, accurate and energetic, and meaner than the original.

Endless Summer dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This is a super cover of the Bruce Brown film title originally done by the Sandals. It's accurate right down to the acoustic rhythm guitar and melodica, and the bongos fit in perfectly. Great.

Rebel Rouser dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Throbbing vibrato drives this powerful rendition of the Duane Eddy hit. Pulsing good fun. The wailin' Steve Douglas sax lines are mean and perfect.

K-39 dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

With a rolling drum cadence unlike the Hal Blaine classic, but still very effective, this cover of the Challengers' 1964 monster takes right off, powering its way through the afternoon sun. Rhythm and power dominated, melodic and with really fine drums.

Tequila dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Much cleaner than the Armory take, this is pure Champs with reverb. The Latin rhythms and spirit of inebriation are too fun. Original licks are added by Joe Kurkowski. Introductions are eventually made as the crowd sways in the afternoon sun on the Santa Cruz Municipal Pier. The sax is so superb here!

Penetration dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Pure traditional Orange County treatment of the Pyramids hit, with driving double picked second guitar. The softness of the original is replaced with damped driving power. Very cool, and the sax adds a raw edge. Chunky rhythms abound, along with stinging whammy lead notes. This is the first song in their second set.

Johnny's Nose Ride dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

A solid performance of a very melodic track with lots power and style. Catchy, energetic, and very well played. Infectious and essential surf.

Comanche dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

A tight and mean performance of the Revels classic made popular on the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction. The snarl that Billy Swanson delivers on his raspy sax is just plain mean.

Doho dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Echoplexed intro notes precede a rhythmic song, with a fine sax lead, and both guitars chunking out infectious tones and rhythms.

Surfin' Spies dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Spy flick medley, fun and enjoyable. The slightly harmonic whammy is splendid. It has all the trappings of the classic spy melodies of John Barry, and borrows a riff or two from him for good measure.

Dawn Patrol dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

One can not out do a track like this. It is one of the great rhythm dominated modern surf instros, infectious as they come. This take is also featured on the Reverb Central CD. This is the top is down on highway 1 music. Pulsing vibrato, shimmering tone, and one of the best examples of how much power can come from a simple idea, damped guitars, and an infectious rhythm.

Surf Rider dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

A respectable cover of the Lively Ones version of the Ventures tune.

Rincon dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Throbbing and tribal, and very mean! The thunder is enormous, and the rhythmic power is undeniable! melodic and playful, writhing and dangerous.

Six Pack dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This is a respectful and rhythmic delivery of the Sandals' tune, with shimmering vibrato slightly infused into the lead guitar. It rings out with happiness.

Forty Miles Of Bad Road dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Duane Eddy's biggest hit, richly vibratoed, and well played. The second verse breaks into a country two-step that's very infectious, and gives it more of a party air, almost cow punkie. Great sax.

Walk, Don't Run dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Bigger and better than the Armory take. The arrangement is the same. Adding the reverb to the Ventures 1960 arrangement places this half way between their hit and their surf remake "Walk, Don't Run '64." It's rhythmic, damped wonderful, and infectious.

Sleep Walk dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

A solid performance, but it misses the sinewous nature of the original, though the surf qualities fully replace that. Nice track.

Surf Buggy dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Great cover of Dick Dale's chunky funky rhythmic progressional album cut. I love this. The sax parts are hot, the chunk is rhythmically dominant, and the band just rocks. Too cool.

Church Key dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

String bent, beer can opening music. A solid cover, well arranged and fun. The two guitar whammy dip in tandem on the signature riff. Solid sax.

Apache dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Jorgen Ingman's arrangement, pristinely echoplexed, with tribal toms, and gorgeous guitar tone. Rhythmic and wonderful, with cool bongos.

Our Favorite Martian dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Bobby Fuller's space surf cruncher, with reverb kicks in the opening, and respectful deference in the performance. This is a very nice arrangement, not exactly like the original, but very well thought out. It's such a hook-song anyway, it's hard not to like it. A couple of guitar glitched mar the track, but not totally.

Caterpillar Crawl dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Much more pristine, and more dramatic than the other live version. The angry sax is so mean! Great string bending. Plundering relentless low down grodiness.

Sidewalk Surfer (R. J. Mike) dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This is one of the great uncovered tunes, first cut by the Challengers, with John Anderson sitting in. This is pristine, highly rhythmic, chunky, and drenched with splendid glissandoes. What a great track!

Miserlou dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This was the show stopping last song. It's long, and sports an incredible solo by Joe Kurkowski, played entirely with the guitar behind his head. Unbelievable to watch, and all the more remarkable to listen to when you realize that. This track finds Dick Dale and the Lively Ones blended together and put to shame. Amazing!