The story of the surf band The Challengers first began with the formation of The Bel-Airs from South Bay, Los Angeles, who broke up in 1963. Out of the ashes of this instrumental surf rock group several bands were formed. Guitarist Paul Johnson would later go on to join Cat Mother & The All Night Newsboys and be involved in a variety of other musical avenues. The group’s other guitarist Eddie Bertrand formed Eddie & The Showmen. Another interesting note is The Bel-Airs first drummer was Dick Dodd who later went on to play with the garage rock band The Standells as a drummer/vocalist. It was the band’s second drummer Richard Delvy (who replaced Dodd) that would go on to form The Challengers. The Bel-Airs were known for their 1961 single “Mr. Moto”, which is notable for being one of the very first surf instrumental songs recorded. The band split in 1963. Apparently an argument about the use of heavier reverb in their sound led to their split. At the time, The Bel-Airs and Dick Dale were both very popular in their regions, Dale in Orange County, The Bel-Airs in South Bay. These two factors are important because the bands formed out of The Bel-Airs and Dick Dale’s music would strongly influence popular culture and the surf music genre. When Delvy formed The Challengers in 1962, the band was made up of Glenn Gray (lead guitar), Don Landis (rhythm guitar), Randy Nauert (bass) and Nick Hefner on saxophone. Additionally, Jim Roberts (from The Bel-Airs) was added to the line-up on keyboards.
After earning enough money to enter a recording studio, The Challengers recorded the album that would be known as Surfbeat in a 3 ½ hour session at a jazz recording studio owned by World Pacific Records. The songs recorded were basically the band’s live set, but the selection of songs that were recorded for this release were mostly covers. This set included covers of songs by Duane Eddy, The Fireballs, an instrumental version of The Beach Boys song “Surfin’ Safari” that was released just a few months before The Challengers album and a nod to future surf icon Dick Dale with covers of “Let’s Go Trippin”, “Miserlou”. The band even re-recorded The Bel-Airs hit “Mr. Moto” and two songs on this album are actually recordings by The Bel-Airs (“Kamikaze”, “Vampire”).
Surfbeat was originally released on Vault records in January 1963. The album was one of the very first all instrumental surf albums. Dick Dale & His Del-Tones had released a surf album prior to this (Surfers’ Choice), but the album had songs that contained vocals. Surfbeat sold 200,000 copies and would go on to become the best selling surf album of all time. This album also featured electric bass. Prior to this recordings were made with mostly stand-up bass. With the electric bass, it contributed to a harder more driven sound. The Challengers Surfbeat also helped to bring surf from the West Coast into the mainstream subconscious and popularize the genre in other parts of the US and the world. This in conjunction with the reverb drenched ramped up versions of rock and surf instrumentals helped to lay the foundation of surf music. Reverb may be what have broke up The Bel-Airs, but it helped to propel The Challengers and surf music to new volumes. And while 1963 may have been decades ago, the Surfbeat lives on.
This year's Revolution Surf program featured a guest segment from "Hollywood" Derk Brigante of the Surfphony of Derstruction 2000. He helped me out on this episode with a selection of sleazy surf instrumental tracks. If you're looking for a good selection of surf music check out his podcast the Surfphony of Derstruction 2000. You can hear his podcasts over at his Surfphony of Derstruction blog and also like his page on Facebook.
Revolution Surf Play List:
1. The Metalunas – X-Minus One (X-Minus One - 1999)
2. The Marketts – Other Limits (Outer Limits! - 1964)
3. 9th Wave – Time Tunnel (Time Tunnel - 2003)
4. The Nation Rockin’ Shadows – Anesthesia (Diggin' Out - 1997)
5. The Newport Nomads – Blue Mallard (Diggin' Out - 1997)
6. The Goldtones –Gutterball (Diggin' Out - 1997)
7. Jan Davis - Snow Surfing Matador (Jungle Exotica Vol 1- 1997)
8. The Urban Surf Kings – The Phantom Riders Of The Back Lot (Bang Howdy Partner - 2008)
9. X-Ray Cat Trio – I Was Cruel To You (Medium Stop) (Bloody Deeds - 2014)
10. The Orions – El Don Compressor (Always Clean And Fresh EP - 2012)
11. Les Fanatics – The Spotnick Theme (Portuguese Nuggets Vol 3 - A Trip To 60's Portuguese Psych, Surf And Garage Rock - 2007)
Surfphony of Derstruction 2000 Segment:
12. Langhorns - Awesome (Langhorns - 1998)
13. The Majestics - Big Noise From Makaha (The Surf Creature - 2000)
14. The Original Surfaris - Ghost Riders in The Sky (Surfs Up! At Banzai Pipeline - 1963)
15. Pastel Six - Take it Off! (The Cinnamon Cinder/Bandido - 1963)
16. Fathoms - Groovy Boots (Fathomless - 1996)
17. The Twilight Stringers – Pale Face Twist (Sleazy Surf Vol 1 - 1995)
18. The Telstars – Topless (Sleazy Surf Vol 1 - 1995)
19. The A-Jacks – Fury (Sleazy Surf Vol 1 - 1995)
20. The Mockers – Maledona (Sleazy Surf Vol 2 - 1995)
21. The Zombie Surfers – Zombie Drums (It Came From The Garage Vol II - 1987)
22. This Machine Kills Robots – Salty Wave (This Machine Kills Robots - 2011)
23. James O-L & The Villains – Kill The Devil (On The Banks Of The Detroit River - 2014)
24. The Revels - Six Pack (Intoxica!!! The Best Of The Revels - 1995)
25. Ramblin’ Ambassadors – Standoff At Califobe Bridge (Ramble On - 2012)
26. La Luz – TV Dream (Brainwash/T.V. Dream - 2013)
27. The Challengers –Kamikaze (Surfbeat - 1963)
28. The Challengers – Ramrod (Surfbeat - 1963)
29. The Challengers – Surf Beat (Surfbeat - 1963)
30. The Echo Tones – Lowdown Guitar (Inland Surfer/Lowdown Guitar - 1963)
31. The Pharaohs – The Friendly Martian (The Friendly Martian/Unknown Planet - 1964)
32. Davie Allan & The Arrows – Sulkin’ (Cycle-Delic Sounds - 1968)
29. The Plugz – Reel Ten (Repo Man: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 1984)
30. The Traditional Fools – Layback!!! (The Traditional Fools - 2008)
31. Dead Ghosts – Tea Swamp Rumble (Can't Get No - 2013)
32. The Huaraches – I Guano Rock (The Huaraches Steal Second - 2014)
33. The Sentinals – Big Surf (Big Surf! - 1963)
34. The Torpedoes – The Snake (Good For The Country - 1996)
35. Jim Messina & The Jesters – Yang Bu (Bustin' Surfboards - 1996)
To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for February 28. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.
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