Andre Williams & Dick Dale & Shows # 765, 766, 767

Andre Williams:

Andre Williams career has spanned many decades. His role in music was also influential, but in a different way. Williams began working at Fortune Records in Detroit in the late 1950’s. There he would record and write over 200 songs for the label. It was here that the young Andre Williams would establish his own, gritty and often seen as risqué lyrical prowess. In 1957, Williams released “Bacon Fat”, which sold so many records Fortune Records signed a deal with Epic Records to help it achieve wider distribution. Some of his other popular early songs included “Jail Bait”, “The Greasy Chicken” “Pass The Biscuits Please” and “Goin’ Down to Tijuana”. In 1968, Andre Williams signed with Chess Records, releasing hit singles “Cadillac Jack” and “Humpin’, Bumpin’ and Thumpin’”. Williams recorded and collaborated with many musicians in his R&B circle such as Stevie Wonder (co-writing his first song “Thank You For Loving Me”) and he co-wrote the song “Shake A Tail Feather”. He has recorded and worked with so many artists it is often difficult to keep track. In the 1970s, Williams wrote songs for Parliament and Funkadelic as well as producing Ike Turner.

In the 1980s, Andre Williams became homeless due to issues with drugs and alcohol. During this time he lived in Chicago, Illinois. His career would have a resurgence when he began working with Bloodshot Records in the 90s. In 1996, he released the album Mr. Rhythm, which featured new renditions of early Fortune Records classics. In 1998, he worked with Mick Collins and Danny Kroha of the Gories to produce the album, Silky. The album ventured into R&B, early rock and roll and garage rock. Despite Williams being 65 at the time, the album showed that he could still produce a wildly vulgar and energetic garage rock album for a new generation and audience that also drew on his R&B roots. Williams recorded and released two albums with The Sadies as his backing band (1999’s Red Dirt and 2012’s Night & Day). Williams continued to perform and record music up until his passing in March of 2019. In 2016, Andre Williams released the album I Wanna Go Back To Detroit City. The album, which would turn out to be his last, featured collaborations with Dennis Coffey, Danny Kroha and Mathew Smith.

Dick Dale:

Dick Dale was a pioneering guitarist who had an influence that spanned decades. Beginning in the late 50’s Dale helped to pioneer what would eventually be known as surf music. At the age of 17, Dick Dale learned to surf and combined his love of surfing with music to create something unique at the time. He experimented with sound, reverb and volume to create a sound that was similar to the sound of crashing waves. Dale’s 1961 single “Let’s Go Trippin’” is often viewed as one of the first songs to be released. Although he has often stated that he had no technical training, Dale’s music often drew on Middle Eastern music scales. He worked closely with Leo Fender to help create the first 100-watt amplifier. Since Dale played so loud he would often blow up amplifiers on stage. The amp that was created would be known as the Fender Showman. He also helped to popularize the Fender Stratocaster guitar. A gold one was given to him by Leo Fender himself and nicknamed “The Beast”.

In addition to this his influence reached different audiences influencing all sorts of music and genres. Artists such as The Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Surfaris, and The Ventures to name a few. Dale himself was nicknamed “The King of Surf Guitar”. Dick Dale & His Del-Tones appear in the 1963 Beach Party movie and the 1964 movie Muscle Beach Party that occurred around the height of the 60’s surf craze. He would later have resurgence when his signature song “Misirlou” was featured in the opening credits to the 1994 Quentin Tarantino movie Pulp Fiction. Around this time Dale began to tour again, which he would continue to do until his passing, often to help pay for his medical bills. Dick Dale would still record and release music. Not counting compilation and live albums, Dale released out four studio albums from 1993-2001 (Tribal Thunder (1993), Unknown Territory (1994), Calling Up Spirits (1996), and Spacial Disorientation (2001)). Dale continued to tour until his passing at the age of 81 in March 2018.

For more info on Dick Dale check out a longer post that I did on him many years back.

Show 767 Playlist (Originally Aired On March 23rd, 2019)(Dick Dale & Andre Williams):

1. Dick Dale - Misirlou
2. Dick Dale - Take It Off
3. Dick Dale - Surf Beat
4. Dick Dale - Taco Wagon
5. Dick Dale - Tidal Wave
6. Dick Dale - Banzai Washout
7. Andre Williams - The Greasy Chicken
8. Andre Williams - Goin' Down to Tia Juana
9. Andre Williams - I Still Love You
10. Andre Williams - Lookin’ Down At You - Lookin’ Up At Me
11. Andre Willaims & The Sadies - She's a Bag of Potato Chips
12. Andre Willaims & The Sadies - I'll Do Most Anything for Your Love
13. The Robots - Robots Rock
14. Kiwi Jr. - Wicked Witches
15. Mark Wynn - Lovers Picking Scabs
16. Pink Noise - Half Life
17. Mark Sultan - Ophelia
18. James Brown - I'll Go Crazy
19. James Brown - It's a Man's World
20. Chain Wallet - World I Used to Call Mine
21. Stephen Malkmus - Victor Borgia
22. Motherhood - Sweet Kid
23. Black Jaspers - Snot Queen
24. Louder Than Death - New Stains
25. Lou Reed - Future Farmers of America
26. Brian Jonestown Masacre - A Word
27. 13go - Pointe-Claire
28. Mark Sultan - Spinning Ceiling
29. Mike Kroll - Left for Dead
30. Klark Kent - Thrills
31. Stranglers - Straighten Out

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for March 23.

Show 766 Playlist (Originally Aired March 16th, 2019)(Karen O, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Link Wray):

1. The High Dials - Foreverish
2. Guided by Voices - Jam Warsong
3. The Ar-Kaics - She's Obsessed with Herself
4. Karen O & Dangermouse - Leopard's Tongue
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Black Tongue
6. Bikini Kill - Speed Heart
7. Sonic Youth - Sugar Cane
8. Priors - Call For You
9. Preoccupations - Continental Shelf
10. Chacal - Way Back Home
11. Pottery - Hank Williams
12. Bloodshot Bill - Drowning
13. B.A. Johnston - Discount Bacon
14. South River Slim - Girl Trouble (Alt. Version) (Acoustic CJAM Session)
15. Townes Van Zandt - All I Need
16. Black Flag - Wound Up
17. Bad Brains - Banned in D.C.
18. Soul Motivators - Mindblastin'
19. King Khan & the Shrines - Welfare Bread
20. Mexican Knives - Spider
21. Terrible Truths - Lift Weights
22. David Chesworth - Music Speaks (DJ Version)
23. Coathangers - 5 Farms
24. Link Wray - Five and Ten
25. Link Wray - Law of the Jungle
26. Chacal - Jackals in the Moonlight

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for March 16.

Show 765 Playlist (Originally Aired On March 9th, 2019)(Bloodshot Bill, B.A. Johnston, The Rolling Stones):

1. Bloodshot Bill - Take me for a Ride
2. Bloodshot Bill - Know Myself Come
3. Ray Condo & His Hard Rock Goners - Willing and Ready
4. Rolling Stones - Rip this Joint
5. Cass McCombs - The Great Pixley Train Robbery
6. Deer Tick - Old Lady
7. William Tyler - Our Lady of the Desert
8. Thee Headcoatees - When The Night Comes
9. Thee Headcoats - All My Feelings Denied
10. Pop Rivets - Beatle Boots
11. Julianna Hatfield - Alright, Yeah
12. B.A. Johnston - Flintstone Vitamins and Jamesons
13. B.A. Johnston - Stare into the Void
14. Whispering Sons - Alone
15. EggS - I Fell in Love
16. Guided by Voices - Carapace
17. Frankie & The Witch Fingers - Work
18. No Fix - Still Goin' Down
19. Soupybeard - I Got a Friend
20. Harlem - All Men Are Dogs
21. Plumtree - Regret
22. Esther Grey - Fried Blood
23. Motherhood - Way Down
24. Carambolage - Soupeur
25. Mike Krol - An Ambulance
26. Girlpool - Pretty
27. Slits - Face Place
28. Night Beats - Her Cold Cold Heart
29. Rolling Stones - Turd on the Run

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for March 9.

Surfers Choice...Revolution Surf! Show # 340

Dick Dale is known as “The King of Surf Guitar” for a reason. In the early 60s, Dick Dale incorporated non-Western based scales into his music drawing on an Eastern cultural influence that would be embedded into many of his well known songs. Dale’s desire for a particular sound resulted in a number of things. One, was his use of guitar reverb that resulted in a “wet” guitar sound that would become a definitive sound in Surf music. Two, he pushed the limits of his equipment. Often blowing up guitar amplifiers for his hunger of loud sounds, Leo Fender would work with Dale to redefine not only guitar, and amplifiers, but also volume which until Dale came around wasn’t particularly that loud. Another interesting fact is that Dale is known for stringing his guitar in reverse since he is left handed. He often plays the chords upside down and backwards. Even when he has a left handed guitar in his possession it is stringed upside down.

Dick Dale quickly attracted attention locally for his wild live shows, drawing thousands of fans weekly for his live shows, which were usually at the Rendezvous Ballroom in California. With the Del-Tones as his backing band, Dick Dale released Surfers’ Choice in 1962. Recorded live at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach, California, with some studio overdubs, the twelve track album helped to define the Surf music genre. With songs such as “Let’s Go Trippin’” which is often called the first Surf Rock instrumental recording, it helped to bring the concept of Surf music to parts of America. It should also be noted that “Let’s Go Trippin’” was initially released as a single in 1961 on Deltone Records, where it eventually reached # 60 on the national charts and even higher on local charts. Two more singles followed on Deltone “Jungle Fever” and “Surf Beat”. Following the release of Surfers' Choice, which was released on Deltone (Dick Dale’s own label) he acquired a recording contract with Capitol Records, which garnered him further distribution nationally. Word spread and Dick Dale began appearing on television shows and in films. In 1962, Dick Dale and His Del-Tones released “Misirlou”, which went to # 1 in Los Angeles. The song which is now his signature is a highly influential song and originates from a Folk song that has been played in numerous different languages and has ties to music origins such as Greek Rebetiko, Middle Eastern Belly Dancing, and Jewish Klezmer.

Dick Dale had this to say of the song in the Los Angeles Times in February 1981:

“I still remember the first night we played it ("Misirlou"). I changed the tempo, and just started cranking on that mother. And...it was eerie. The people came rising up off the floor, and they were chanting and stomping. I guess that was the beginning of the surfer's stomp.”

Dick Dale and His Del-Tones recorded King of Surf Guitar for Capitol Records, it was released in 1963. The album featured covers and originals and was named after Dale’s stage name “The King of Surf Guitar”. There are even vocals on some of the tracks by Dale (although there has been vocals on album every Dale album), the album features stand out tracks such as “King of Surf Guitar”, “Have Nagila”, and a cover of “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky”. Dick Dale’s next album on Capitol would be the album known as Checkered Flag. Released in 1963 this is the first album that Dick Dale recorded in the “Hot Rod” style of Surf music. At the time racing, cars, and surfing was deeply embedded in American culture. Many of the songs on the album featured themes relating to car racing and hot rods. Several of the songs actually feature car noises in them. The album was also a shift in Dale’s style. While his first two albums with The Deltones were known as Surf music, his “Hot Rod” Surf music differed with slightly different beats mixed in with elements of his earlier Surf style of music. Checkered Flag’s follow up was Mr. Eliminator in 1964. This album continued the theme of hot-rod’s and cars, but also showed off Dale’s Eastern music influence on the track “The Victor”. Following the release of Mr. Eliminator, Dale would record one more album with His Del-Tones backing him 1964’s Summer Surf.

Summer Surf is often cited as a return to Dick Dale’s early Surf style of music, but it also featured many new elemental features that were not as prominent on early Dick Dale recordings. The album has more of a production based nature, often sounding glossier than previous Dale recordings, reflecting a Phil Spector and Brian Wilson based production style. There are also numerous experimentations stemming from a variety of multi-cultural musical styles. “Spanish Kiss” exercises a Spanish guitar style of music, “The Star (of David)” reflects a Hebrew musical nature, the Gospel stylings on “Glory Wave” and Dale’s own Trumpet lead song “Never On A Sunday” all add to the experimental side of Summer Surf. The song “Banzai Wash Out” is a track amongst the songs found on this album, with its traditional Dick Dale guitar leads, keyboards and vocal harmonies it is undeniably a stand out track found here along with a few others. “Tidal Wave” incorporates an almost Waltz-like sound into Surf, and “Surfin’ Rebel”, and the title track “Summer Surf” all feature elements of classic Dick Dale Surf Rock with horn sections and fascinating guitar leads.

Dick Dale continued to perform live, in 1964 the British Invasion began to take over the charts and America. While a live album was released by Capitol in 1965, Rock out with Dick Dale and his Del-Tones: Live at Ciro's, Dale was dropped from Capitol Records. He remained popular, but in 1966 he was diagnosed with rectal cancer forcing him to temporarily retire from music. Dick Dale beat the cancer and began pursuing other interests, becoming an environmental activist. Dick Dale came back to music in 1986 by recording a benefit single for the UC-Irvine’s Medical Center Burn Unit, he also recorded an album Tigers Loose, which was released in 1986. Dale was also in the beach movie Back To The Beach. While Dale returned to music, his return would take off to greater proportions when his song “Misirlou” was featured in the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino. Being used as the movies title track, Dick Dale was instantly exposed to a new and wider audience. Most recently Dick Dale’s music has been featured in the Guitar Hero video game series.

It should also be mentioned that today's episode of Revolution Rock (or Revolution Surf if you prefer), was co-hosted by Derk Brigante of CJAM's weekly Surf show Surphony of Derstruction.  It can be heard every Tuesday night at 7 PM on CJAM 99.1 FM and streamed/downloaded via http://www.cjam.ca/



Revolution Surf Play List:

1. The Lively Ones – High Tide
2. Huevos Rancheros – Huevosaurus
3. PJ & Artie – Squad Car
4. Dick Dale & His Del-Tones – Night Rider
5. The Hot Rodders – The Creamer
6. Blue Demons – Apache
7. The Squires – The Sultan
8. Les Jaguars – Guitaire Extrodinaire
9. The Rhythm Surfers – 502 (Like Getting Pinched on 502)
10. Dave Myers Effect – Speed International
11. The Revelairs – San-Ho-Zay
12. The Avengers VI – Heartbreak
13. Looney Tunes – Desert Bound
14. Dick Dale & His Del-Tones – The Victor
15. Taekshi Terauchi – Kuroda Bushi
16. Fifty Foot Combo – Ali Baba
17. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet – That Was Ear Me Callin’ A Horse
18. Atomic 7 – Stab It & Steer It
19. The Surfdusters – Chill Out
20. Mark Broadie & The Beaver Patrol – Theme From the Old West
21. The Von Drats – Church Key
22. The Robots – Stinky Juliens
23. The Challengers – Volcanic Action
24. The Tornadoes – The Gremmie
25. Dick Dale – Ho-Dad Machine
26. The Wipeouters – Shut Up, Little Man!
27. Los Straitjackets – Tempest
28. Link Wray – The Shadow Knows

If you are interested in the program you may want ot check the comments section.