Saturday, June 07, 2008

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Dick Dale


Artist:Dick Dale

Song:Surf Beat

Album:Better Shred Than Dead:The Dick Dale Anthology





Dick Dale is the King Of The Surf Guitar and has been a major influence on rock guitarists for the last 40 years. He attained new found fame when Quentin Tarantino used his music in Pulp Fiction. He was born Richard Anthony Monsour May 4, 1937 in Boston. His father was Lebanese and his uncle played belly dance music so that was an early influence. Legendary drummer Gene Krupa was another early influence. He started playing drums and eventually took up the guitar. When his family moved to Southern California in 1954, Monsour began performing country music and a local DJ suggested he adopt a stage name and he chose Dick Dale. Dale was also an avid surfer and he was trying to find a way to mimic the sound of the ocean on his guitar. So he formed The Deltones and released Let's Go Trippin' on his own Deltone label in 1961. Surf Beat was the follow up and the album Surfer's Choice followed. This earned him a contract with Capitol Records and national fame with hits like Misirlou. Surf music was getting big so he fit right in. But Dale was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 1966 and was forced into semi retirement. He beat cancer and returned to music in the 80s. His renaissance came when Quentin Tarantino used Misirlou in the film Pulp Fiction. Now he's busier than ever. This Rhino comp is the one to get. He continues to tour today and many guitarists have acknowledged Dick Dale as an influence and a major innovator. Here's Dick Dale & The Deltones performing Misirlou in the 1963 film A Swingin' Affair.

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