Surf’s Up!

Thomas Garcia — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:42:01 +0000

Surf rock has been a staple of the American music scene since the early 1950’s. Dick Dale’s “Let’s Go Trippin’” could very wekll be the first American surf rock song to hit the charts. Other bands, such as The Ventures, Jan and Dean, The Bel-Aires, and, of course, the Beach Boys, have ridden the musical waves of stardom by using that infamous “fender reverb” as a signature sound. It’s safe to say that in modern times the “surf punk” genre effortlessly carried the tradition – The Crammps, Pixies, Butthole Surfers, even, to some degree, The Ramones displayed elements of true surfer squabble mentality. However, few modern-day acts have yet accomplished the raw, unadulterated musical viability of, say, Dick Dale and the Ventures. Fortunately, the Bay Area has the Hodaddys. If you dig surf rock (and we’re sure you secretly do!) you’ve got to hear these guys. They don’t just catapult you to pristine beaches of Southern California, but vault you in a time warp to the early ’60s when Surf rock shaped an entire generation. Southern California was a melting-pot of many styles of music. True, rock and roll music was popular, with instrumental rockers such as Dale and the Del-Tones, Eddy, Link Wray, The Surfaris and Santo and Johnny proving that you didn’t need strong vocal ability to make it big. Los Angeles was a hub for Jazz, and the biggest acts usually played there. Unlike much of the US at the time, large numbers of Mexicans lived in this part of California, and their music was no doubt heard by many aspiring musicians of the era. Rock instrumentation, with a jazz-influenced drummer and some Latin influences equals Surf rock The Hodaddys are keeping it a live and well in Tampa Bay

The Hodaddys are King Pompano on Guitar, drummer Knee Jerk and Daddy G on Bass. This amazing retro Bay Area trio definitely holds their own. They’ve been playing together since1997. Knee Jerk is no jerk is perhaps one of the most solid drummers you’ll ever experience. He consistently maintains a stalwart groove and never falters; forever fixated on the next beat- measure like a surfer melting on a surf board riding the wave crest. The Hodaddy energy and chemistry is easy to feel even if you’ve never seen them live, but it is guaranteed that hearing also is believing. Recreating that classic surf rock is not as easy as cranking the Fender reverb and strumming with intensity. The HODADDYS are serious about their music they spend their personal time at Firetrap Studio in St Petersburg where they work their surfer magic – rehearsing, recording, hanging out, plotting, and, amazingly, restoring antique automobiles and boats. The Hoadaddys are just regular guys hanging out, having fun, and playing the music that past generations loved and, most of all, respected. Surfs up! Check out the HODADDYS at hodaddys.com.

Bay Area Beat » hodaddys

Surf’s Up!