The Challengers Surfbeat & Show # 549

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.

Coming Up On Revolution Rock in February 2015!

February is theme month once again for Revolution Rock. I will be doing a different themed program for each of the four weeks in February 2015. Each program will air on a Saturday from 7-9 PM and can be streamed/listened to online via www.cjam.ca or on the FM dial at 99.1 FM in the Windsor/Detroit area.

Here is the scheduled line up:

Rock & Roll Music: Revolution Rock Celebrates Black History Month
February 7th, 2015
7-9 PM
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

As with every February, Revolution Rock celebrates Black History Month. This year the program will delve into genres that are not always played on the program such as jazz, reggae, funk, blues, R&B, as well as a mix of some garage and everything in between. Join Dave Konstantino and co-host Adam Peltier for this program that will also feature a focus on the music of Chuck Berry. Being a pioneer of rock music, the program will showcase a selection of Chuck Berry recordings from 1957-1979.

Toronto Then and Now
February 14th, 2015
7-9 PM
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

Toronto’s Actual Water has been releasing music of differing genres since 2008. Revolution Rock will feature a selection of recordings from this band’s catalog which spans the genres of noise pop, post punk, post-rock, paisley garage jangle pop and most recently the band's foray into power pop on their album Call 4 Fun. In addition to music from Actual Water, the show will also showcase music from Toronto, Ontario’s past and present with garage rock and punk as a main focus.

Unravelling The Basement Tapes
February 21st, 2015
7-9 PM
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

In 1967, Bob Dylan and a group of musicians that would eventually be known as The Band began recording what would be known as The Basement Tapes. The sessions, which ran from approximately May - October of 1967 occurred after Dylan had withdrawn himself from his Woodstock home and following his motorcycle accident in July 1966. Recorded in a house known as Big Pink, songs from these sessions would be bootlegged for decades. Join Dave Konstantino and co-host Adam Peltier as they dig deep into the recently released Bootleg Series volume 11, which compiles a plethora of previously unreleased and greatly sought after recordings from the legendary Basement Tapes Sessions that Bob Dylan recorded with The Band in 1967.

Surfbeat: Revolution Surf (The 9th Edition)
February 28th, 2015
7-9 PM
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

The February 28th edition of Revolution Rock continues its tradition featuring a program composed entirely of surf music. This year’s program will feature another guest segment from Derk Brigante of The Surfphony Of Derstruction 2000 as we feature selections of sleazy surf tracks. The 9th edition of Revolution Surf will also feature a focus on the album Surfbeat by LA’s The Challengers. Recorded in a whirlwind 3 ½ hour session, Surfbeat was originally released in January of 1963. This album is notable for its historical importance of helping to bring surf music from the west coast into the mainstream subconscious. It is known as the best-selling instrumental surf album of all time.