Jardine on cover-version of "Surfer girl"

[Rocker]

http://www.montereyherald.com/entertainment/ci_6580652?nclick_check=1

[shelter]

Can you copy and paste it? You need to sign up to visit the site...

[Rocker]

Works ok here, but anyway:

SoHo West
Sand City celebrates its arts and culture with food, music, arts at Sixth annual West End Celebration
By BETH PEERLESS
Herald Correspondent
Article Last Updated: 08/09/2007 01:47:13 AM PDT


Click photo to enlargeSan Diego pop-rock-roots group Holiday and the... (KATHI KAMMERDIENER/Special to The Herald)«1»Catch it while you can because Sand City is a "City In Motion" according to its latest promotional phrase and logo.
Saturday's Sixth annual West End Celebration is an entertaining opportunity to capture a snapshot of how far the little town has come toward its goal of being recognized as a working center for arts and culture.

A bohemian enclave, if you will, comparable in a way to New York City's SoHo district, some say.

The streets of what has been dubbed the West End will be lined with Monterey Peninsula artists showing their work between noon and 6 p.m. and 19 Sand City artist's studios around the five- to six-square-block area surrounding Contra Costa Avenue will be open for visitors.

The studios and several galleries and restaurants will show art and some will offer music as well.

The nearly completed Design Center, a four-story mixed-use building that will house retail shops and new residential units, will act as the center of activities.

The recently finished plaza in front, with Greg Hawthorne's contest-winning sculpture will house a stage where an eclectic lineup of bands will perform throughout the day.

"The one consistent thing I've been appreciative of is how the event is focused on the redevelopment of what Sand City is about," said West End Celebration chairman Todd Kruper, who is a Sand City resident, artist, teacher and former city council member. "So it's consistently been about bringing new life into this small


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community. Pretty much it used to be a place where people did their business and left. Building a community has always been one of our primary goals, to bring culture, community and commerce together in one sort of package."
For many Peninsula residents, Sand City represents the big shopping center at its north end, but that's only been the case in recent history.

While the arts have flourished here in many ways over the years, it was primarily a wholesale warehouse location and an underground studio phenomenon until the Sand City Arts Committee organized and presented its first West End Celebration in 2002.

"I think it's changed in a sense that it's become more mature," Kruper offered about the evolution of the event. "Now we know what to expect. We're always looking at changing and presenting new and interesting focal points, like our band lineup. This year it's much different than it's been in previous years, with not as many bands that we've always heard, you know, the staples here locally.

"We've got the Sambahemians opening at noon on the main stage, a Brazilian dance band, and a reggae fusion band called Militia of Love, with Robbie Rasta at 1:20 p.m. Holiday and the Adventure Pop Collective, which is a much different type of band than we usually have, is up at 3 p.m. and then we finish it out with the Shi-Tones, a trio that includes a couple members from the surf/psychedelic rock band The Mermen."

Holiday and the Adventure Pop Collective is a trio with roots in the San Diego area, although it has been based out of San Francisco as well.

The group spent several weeks in June of this year in the Big Sur area and recorded its latest CD, "Songs For Feeling Strong," at Beach Boy Al Jardine's Red Barn Studio.

Co-fronted by Derric Oliver and Louis Caverly, known for their antics while singing and accompanying themselves on fiddle, guitar, tuba, trumpet and piano, the group also includes drummer Michael Taylor.

"We knew we wanted our next album to reflect the spirit of the band's past two years on the road," said Oliver, the band's primary singer/songwriter, "so we decided to throw a party for some of our closest friends and record the basic tracks."

The 13-song album features 11 original songs and two covers, including the Beach Boys' hit, "Surfer Girl," featuring guest vocals by Beach Boys co-founder Jardine.

The group then threw another party at Henry Miller Library to film a DVD for the song "Greek Gods in the West." The album release date is Tuesday and the band will follow its appearance in Sand City with a supporting slot for San Francisco's Tea Leaf Green for several southern California appearances.

"So I think the new bands show how young-minded Sand City really is," Kruper said. "Even though the town has been established since 1960, it never had the heartbeat that it's gaining now. So I'm real excited. There have been some stable businesses like Sweet Elena's Café & Bakery, needless to say, which has been consistently positive about bringing something cultural to the community. And now with the Ol' Factory Café, it's just going to continue to get better and better and better."

Other musical offerings at the free event include local jazz masters Along Came Betty at the Ol' Factory Café, Jaqui Hope and Jesse DeCarlo at Sweet Elena's, Raisa and the Hit & Run Band at Suzka Studio and the Quintessential Jazz Group at The Corner Gallery.

Gil's Gourmet, a new deli located at the Design Center, has also recently opened, and for the event, food vendors include Lugano's Bistro, Sea Harvest, Carbone's on Lighthouse and Top Dog Gourmet.


Beth Peerless can be reached at peerless@mbay.net. GO!

[Jon Stebbins]

And to think...Al wasn't even on the Beach Boys hit version of Surfer Girl. Its like getting Mike Love to guest on a cover version of Love and Mercy...makes no sense.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Good point,Jon.

[shelter]

And to think...Al wasn't even on the Beach Boys hit version of Surfer Girl.

I think the fact that he performed it live with the Beach Boys about eight million times makes up for that...

[Jon Stebbins]

And to think...Al wasn't even on the Beach Boys hit version of Surfer Girl.

I think the fact that he performed it live with the Beach Boys about eight million times makes up for that...

I guess Fender made that same rationalization when they commissioned the Jardine "signature" model Stratocaster...cause it wasn't for the studio stuff, that's for sure.

[Dave in KC]

So I take it you'll never be doing an Alan Jardine book Jon.

[tpesky]

Well the Love and Mercy comparison might be a little strong considering its a Brian solo recording and Mike never would have sung on it   How about it would be like Bruce guesting on a cover version of It's Ok or Honkin Down the Highway.  He had left the band during the time they were recorded only to return a few years later.

[Jon Stebbins]

So I take it you'll never be doing an Alan Jardine book Jon.

Let me be clear...Alan Jardine is a great vocalist, harmonizer and a solid bassist and rhythm guitarist. I wouldn't want to take anything away from one of the founders and key pieces that made the BB's great. He's a hero in my book. I just don't like the fact that he regularly gets credit for the period when he didn't participate(or participated as an auxiliary player or part-time sixth man)... when during that very period nearly all the national surfing and car hits were recorded and the BB's national presence went from zero to the number one rock act in the country, plus they were breaking out in Australia and other places abroad. When Al took over as BB's rhythm guitarist they were FAMOUS and had already achieved MASSIVE success. Give Al all the credit in the world for the great vocals and musicianship he did contribute to the BB's which were huge, huge, huge, huge, huge. But he had nothing to do with the "Fender" guitar sound that the band developed, that was created in his absence, he'll admit it. And yeah...Surfer Girl...no Al on the hit version we all know and love...that's what got my attention on this thread!! Al wouldn't want me to write his book, he just wants the innocence. But Al is great...no doubt about it. He had a lot a greatness around him... and he fit right in.

Well the Love and Mercy comparison might be a little strong considering its a Brian solo recording and Mike never would have sung on it   How about it would be like Bruce guesting on a cover version of It's Ok or Honkin Down the Highway.  He had left the band during the time they were recorded only to return a few years later.

Yeah...that's a better example...but mine was funnier to think about.

[HeyJude]

And to think...Al wasn't even on the Beach Boys hit version of Surfer Girl. Its like getting Mike Love to guest on a cover version of Love and Mercy...makes no sense.

I love ya Jon (well, I love your work, well, you know what I mean! ), but I think this is a bit of an exaggerated comparison. As someone else mentioned, Al did sing the song about a gazillion times on tour. He sang on the version released on "In Concert" (and all the other live versions on albums, videos, etc.).  He even actually did appear on the "Surfer Girl" album. He also sang the song with the group I would imagine when the song was first being thrown around. Also, doesn't he sing on the early version of the song cut in 1962 that appears on "Lost and Found"?

So I think Al Jardine has a bit more of a connection to "Surfer Girl" than Mike Love has to "Love and Mercy"! I mean, should Al Jardine have left the stage at the end of the Brian Wilson shows he played at when they ended the shows with "Love and Mercy"? I mean, doesn't David Marks sing leads to BB songs on his live shows with Dean and Al? All these guys are part of the big BB picture, so I think there's enough of a connection for these sorts of things to work.

I can say that, if I was recording a song, especially a BB cover, and I had the opportunity to get Al Jardine to sing on it, I'd have him sing on it in a heartbeat. Just as, if I were recording a cover of some BB track from the 70's or something and David Marks offered to play guitar on it, I'd do that in a heartbeat as well.

As for the Jardine Strat, that was pretty surprising. But so was the Carl Wilson Rickenbacker, which Carl stopped using in the mid-60's, and I don't even know how many studio recordings feature Carl playing his Rickenbacker either. At least Al is having them clone a guitar that he has used for years and years (even though it apparently is not his orignal white Strat, it's the red one he started using in the late 60's and had repainted white in the 70's). While Fender no doubt would want to play up the connection of Al's guitar to early BB hits, I don't think it's an "Al Jardine Early Beach Boys Years Strat", it's just an Al Jardine sig. model, and while that still seems an odd pick for Fender to go with, I'd love to have an Al Jardine Strat. Fender probably bought into a Jardine model because Jardine posed for those Fender ads with the BB's way back when, even if he supposedly only got a Strat to match the rest of the group and because Marks had used one.

I'd love to see a Marks Strat too, and in so far as Fender wants to link these things to the early hits, of course a Carl or David Marks model would make more sense.

By the way Jon, does David Marks by any chance still own his original Strat? I can't remember if that is covered in the book. I vaguely recall a story that in the 70's Jeff Foskett bought a Rickenbacker that he found out had belonged to David Marks (presumably, this would be the guitar he is seen in pics with the Marksmen?). If David still has his original Strat, that would be the place Fender could start with another signature model (which perhaps they'd be open to if the Jardine thing sells well). If David doesn't have his original Strat or some sort of vintage Strat that he used back in the 60's or so, I don't know if Fender would have anything to take away and "clone."

[Pretty Funky]

Listen to the end of "SG" on Knebworth. Al say's the song is "one of the prettyous songs he ever re...had the privilege of singing."

[Surfer Joe]

I just don't like the fact that he regularly gets credit for the period when he didn't participate(or participated as an auxiliary player or part-time sixth man)... 

I think Mike should sue his ass.

[Rocker]

We shouldn't forget that Al was on the "Hite Morgan"-version of "Surfer girl" afaik.
But no matter who sang on the original '63-version, this song is just a very special one to all the Beach Boys. Kinda like their own "Hearts were full of spring". It just means something to them and I guess it's pretty hard to say that Al shouldn't be on here because he didn't sing on the '63-version. That way Bruce shouldn't have been on the "Please let me wonder"-cover by *Iforgotthename* to which ike wrote some new lyrics iirc.

[Surfer Joe]

We shouldn't forget that Al was on the "Hite Morgan"-version of "Surfer girl" afaik.

Good point, I had thought of that, too. So maybe it'd be comparable to covering "California Feeling" and having Rocky Pamplin sit in.

[Smilin Ed H]

King's Singers, Rocker?

[Rocker]

King's Singers, Rocker?

Yes, I believe that was the group.

[Jon Stebbins]

Right Al was right there in the formative stage and did sing on the Hite Morgan Surfer Girl, a song that even at that point had been around... Brian first taught to Carl and Dave before Al was in the group, and BTW Dave had rehearsed Surfin' with the Wilsons too before Al recorded it with the BB's MK1...BUT I agree, as I previously stated, my comparison to Love and Mercy was farcical, but funny. The Strat thing drives me crazy cause i know Fender just Googled the BB's and read the Rolling Stone.com bio or whatever and of course they assumed Al was the co-guitarist on all that Fender heavy stuff that is the BB's signature sound as a guitar entity. He's gotten credit for it nearly everywhere for decades, why would Fender know any better. I can say that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has finally come around to the truth, maybe Fender will someday.

You're right Jeff does have the Rickenbacker 12 string that Dave played on the Marksmen stuff. All of Dave's orig. Fenders were stolen many years ago. He currently has a '57 Strat that is sunburst, and when he plays it.. it sounds like 1963.

[HeyJude]

Right Al was right there in the formative stage and did sing on the Hite Morgan Surfer Girl, a song that even at that point had been around... Brian first taught to Carl and Dave before Al was in the group, and BTW Dave had rehearsed Surfin' with the Wilsons too before Al recorded it with the BB's MK1...BUT I agree, as I previously stated, my comparison to Love and Mercy was farcical, but funny. The Strat thing drives me crazy cause i know Fender just Googled the BB's and read the Rolling Stone.com bio or whatever and of course they assumed Al was the co-guitarist on all that Fender heavy stuff that is the BB's signature sound as a guitar entity. He's gotten credit for it nearly everywhere for decades, why would Fender know any better. I can say that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has finally come around to the truth, maybe Fender will someday.

You're right Jeff does have the Rickenbacker 12 string that Dave played on the Marksmen stuff. All of Dave's orig. Fenders were stolen many years ago. He currently has a '57 Strat that is sunburst, and when he plays it.. it sounds like 1963.

While I'm sure your description could well be shockingly accurate, I think Fender usually gives a bit more thought to their signature models. My guess is that Al was picked less because they specifically believe he played the guitar licks on that early stuff (even rudimentary bios on the group that fail to mention David Marks will usually point out that it was Carl and not Al that was the lead guitarist, and/or that session guys played some of that stuff in the following few years), and picked more because he has been seen with that Strat pretty much non-stop since 1963 or 64. He played some other guitars in the 70's, but he was seen with a Strat at pretty much every BB show from the mid-late 70's until 1998, and even now at his own solo shows. I see the Jardine Strat as similar to if, say, Gibson did a Carl Wilson signature ES-335, which Carl used pretty consistantly at live BB shows from the late 70's on.

I'm sure it's quite possible that some of the people at Fender aren't nearly as informed about who played what on the BB stuff as they should be. And I'm certainly not trying to deny that, even in the best case scenario, Fender would be at least indirectly linking the Jardine model to the well-known early BB hits. But I think they take a lot into account when they decide to do signature models. They surprisingly don't do a ton of different signature models. I would imagine that they will not be using the "Beach Boys" name in conjunction with the Jardine Strat, which both makes me believe they are at least in part marketing the thing as the guitar Jardine was seen with for so many years in live shows, and they will not really be able to directly link it to early BB songs. But it all goes back to the big burning question: Who is going to even know the name Al Jardine?

I think the Jardine model could have came about because, rather than Googling the BB's, they probably went back to the old Fender advertisements and other publicity photos of the early BB's and found Al with that white Strat. I wouldn't be surprised if, whenever they release this Jardine model, they will utilize old shots of Al from the original Fender prints ads. I think it's more of a visual thing Fender is trying to do with the guitar, because if you add up all the live concert appearances and photos of the BB's, you would probably be see Al's white Strat more than just about any guitar (other than perhaps Carl's ES-335), because Al used the white Strat both in the early days and in publicity photos and whatnot, and also used the Strat for his last 20-plus years touring with the BB's. Even Carl switched his guitars up more than that, using the Jaguar and Rickenbacker, then moving to a Telecaster, and so on.

So I think Fender is banking on a visual connection with the Jardine Strat. Sound-wise, there is too much going on with the BB's. Carl was the lead guitarist on a lot of the early stuff, and David Marks was on that stuff to. Then Al comes in, but soon after that it's a lot of session guys, and by the time the BB's get back to playing their instruments all the time, they either aren't doing a lot of guitar-heavy stuff, or are having Carl or Ed Carter or somebody else playing it. If you ask the average guitar fan to come up with one name that comes to mind when they think about the BB's guitar work, you'll probably get a bunch of different answers including "I don't know." Even asking informed fans of the band will get a bunch of different qualified answers. My answer is that, in relation to past signature guitar models, it doesn't make much sense to do a signature model of any of the BB's really. But they must sell enough of them to hardcore fans and collectors to make it work.

Jon, in all seriousness, I think after the Jardine Strat is released, and particularly if it sells well enough, you and David should contact Fender and try to get something going. Perhaps that isn't feasible, but perhaps it's worth a try. I'm sure even if David doesn't have his original Strat, he could give Fender enough details from memory and pictures to replicate his old Strat enough to do a signature model. They could dig up the same pics (maybe not from actual Fender ads) of David with the BB's playing his Strat, and pics of him on the album covers, and market it that way as well. Heck, if they're willing to do a Jardine signature model, I can't imagine why they wouldn't go all out and do a Carl signature Jaguar, a David Marks sunburst Strat, and a Brian Precision Bass. Throw in some Dennis signature drumsticks (which were actually made a little while back as I recall, because I was tempted but never able to get a set), and well, a Mike Love signature SM-58 mic or something, and you've got the whole band there.

[Surfer Joe]

What a great post, HJ- a very interesting read with a lot of great thoughts.

Jon, I don't think the general public will ever really know the story- people like things kept simple rather than accurate. Storytelling tends to be about simplifying and streamlining rather than fleshing out, so Al may be elected by popular history to be that fifth guy carrying the surfboard at Zuma, even if he wasn't that guy at the time.  But your book and continued diligence in the future will ensure that mavens like the people on this board and everywhere else the music is heard will have much more of the story available to them, and anyone who wants to know has a chance to know.

When the TV movie on Jan and Dean aired in the early 80s (late 70s?) I desperately wanted to read a book on them and see what was really true, and what all else had happened, and I couldn't find anything.  For years.  When a local music paper here in Georgia published an article on the Beach Boys and SMiLE around that time, it was the most I'd ever been able to read about them anywhere at one time.  When the Gaines book came out, (for better or worse), I pounced, and there in 1986 (?) I got my first real explanation of who David Marks was, what the Wrecking Crew was, and why Smiley Smile was what it was.  And even then, I couldn't have found anything to check it against at B. Dalton Booksellers at the local mall.

Code:

So times are better for information, anyway.

Just some thoughts and opinions.

[NightHider]

I remember Al telling a story on the Campfire Sessions that he and the guys demo'd the song before it was ever recorded at a and people laughed when they sang the "standing by the oceans roar" lyric.  Not sure where this might fit in.... 

[Aegir]

Oh, but Al (and Bruce) did end up carrying that surfboard on the beach...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIPS9CEKsWs

[Surfer Joe]

Aegir, a pox on your house for subjecting me to that.

[tpesky]

Boy that was rough, the part where Brian is sitting behind Mike in a directors chair at the end and gives Mike a look as if to say " what in the hell are you doing with this awful song" is classic. This was a low point no doubt.  Mike Love contributed and still contributes so much to the band but you have to admit, this is Mike Love at his worst!!

[tpesky]

Also Aegir, you need to put a warning label with that link about offensive and inappropriate content! Poor souls will click on it with excitement and..... and then get NIGHTMARES for years!