Reverb Central .:. Review .:.

This is a budget CD comp of material from 1960 through the mid sixties. It has the most recognizable chart hits on it. As an intro to the Billboard side of the early Ventures, it's excellent and cheap.

Picks: Walk, Don't Run, Perfidia, Hawaii Five-0, Theme From A Summer Place, Secret Agent Man, Lolita Ya-Ya, Wipe Out, Slaughter On Tenth Avenue, Diamond Head, Ram-Bunk-Shush, Blue Moon, Lullaby Of The Leaves

Pre Surf (Instrumental)

This is essential. The Ventures were one of the two bands that served as the model for early surf bands, the other being the Fireballs. This was their first single, and is an absolute standard. It was based on the early fifties Chet Atkins arrangement. This is their signature tune, a solid and enduring cover of Johnny Smith's jazz classic. Rhythmic, solid as a rock, and very warm with pre-surf whammy. Only the Pink Fairies' vocal version is better than this. Great classic pre surf.

"Walk, Don't Run" and "Perfidia" were recorded a year before there was such a thing as surf music. Totally vintage and majorly important to the birth of surf, this Ventures single is still their hallmark and best effort. Every collection requires this track.

Rock (Instrumental)

This is the followup to "Walk, Don't Run," in the same style and equally infectious. The lead is less up front, but the warmth of the whammy makes this an excellent pre-surf track. Great drums and picking. The combo really comes together in this track.

TV Surf (Instrumental)

Often covered TV theme song from the chameleons of instro rock from the 1968 TV series.

High School Prom (Instrumental)

Plinky piano and high school hop thinking permeate this vibrato smooth rendition of the Percy Faith movie theme hit.

TV Surf (Instrumental)

Another TV theme "Venturized" in the formula that became the "sound" of the Ventures... girl chorus, all too familiar covers, and adoring fans. Johnny Rivers version is way better.

Movie (Instrumental)

With the girls singing "ya-ya, wah-o-wah-oya-ya" continually throughout the track, the girls loved this and the boys went "yuk-o." Sappy soft and almost embarrassing from a rock credentials point of view.

Biker (Instrumental)

Highly uninspired dry rendering of the Surfaris classic. Mel Taylor's drums are way weak when compared to Ron Wilson's.

Surf (Instrumental)

The first rock interpretation from the Ventures was stunning. This is faster, more edgie, and pretty darn cool! Gutsy and dynamic. The fast dry glissandoes are pretty strange.

Surf (Instrumental)

Danny Hamilton's classic instro, and among the very few surf singles the Ventures issued. Classic.

Rock (Instrumental)

"Ram-Bunk-Shush" is a guitar boogie, infectious and fun to play. The call and response in the lead lines is a really nice feature of this tune.

Rock (Instrumental)

The Marcels made it a household rock standard, though it started life as something totally different. The Ventures bring swell whammy and that "Walk, Don't Run" drums and rhythm sound to it, making it straddle the fence between rock & MOR with really tasty edge and guitar tone.

Rock (Instrumental)

Among the most often requested of their vintage tunes, this is well surfed from a whammy point of view, but really is in the "Walk, Don't Run" mold stylistically. Excellent treatment.