Dick Dale

Dick Dale
File:Dick-dale.jpg
Background information
Origin	Quincy, Massachusetts

For the singer, see Dick Dale (singer)

Dick Dale (born Richard Anthony Mansour on May 4, 1937, in Quincy, Massachusetts) is a pioneer of surf rock and one of the most influential guitarists of the early 1960s. His technique influenced future guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen. He experimented with reverb and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers. He is not to be confused with the Dick Dale who was a long-time regular singer and saxophonist on The Lawrence Welk Show.

Biography

He was born to a Lebanese father and a Polish mother, and soon learned to play the drums, the ukulele, the trumpet and finally the guitar. Among his early musical influences was his uncle, an oud player performing belly dance music. Much of his early music shows a middle eastern influence; Dale is often credited as one of the first electric guitarist to employ exotic scales in his playing. Although Dick Dale himself could not surf, he became so fascinated with it that he began seeking ways of channeling the energy and power of the sport through his guitar playing. While he is primarily known for introducing the use of guitar reverb, which has since become a staple of the surf sound, it was Dale's fast staccato picking that was his trademark. Since Dale was left-handed he was initially forced to play a right-handed model, much like Jimi Hendrix would do years later. However, he did so without restringing the guitar, leading him to effectively play the guitar upside-down (while Hendrix would restring his guitar). Even after he acquired a proper left-handed guitar, Dale continued to use his reverse stringing.

With his backing band, The Del-Tones, Dale's live performances became huge local draws. 1961's "Let's Go Trippin'" is often regarded as the first surf rock song (see 1961 in music). This was followed by more locally-released songs, including "Jungle Fever" and "Surf Beat" on his own Deltone label. His first full-length album was Surfers' Choice (1962 in music). The album was picked up by Capitol Records and distributed nationally, and Dale soon began appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show and in films. His second album was named after his performing nickname, King of the Surf Guitar.

Though surf rock became nationally popular in the U.S. briefly, the British Invasion began to overtake the American charts in 1964. Though he continued performing live, Dale was soon set back by rectal cancer. He recovered, though, and retired from music for a time. In 1979, he almost lost a leg after being injured while swimming; a pollution-related infection made the mild injury much worse. As a result, Dale became an environmental activist and soon began performing again throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He recorded a new album in 1986 (see 1986 in music) and was nominated for a Grammy, and the use of "Misirlou" in the Quentin Tarantino film, Pulp Fiction, earned him a devoted audience. He has released several albums since and continues to actively perform.

In 1993 he recorded a guitar solo with a Southern California indie band called "The Pagodas" (David Lane & John Purcell) which was released as a vinyl single.

In the late 1990s, he recorded a surf-rock version of Camille Saint-Saëns's "Aquarium" from The Carnival of the Animals for the musical score of the indoor roller coaster, Space Mountain at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

Of recent interest, the Black Eyed Peas song "Pump It" (from the 2005 album Monkey Business) heavily samples Dale's "Misirlou". "Misirlou" will also be featured in the PlayStation 2 video game, Guitar Hero II.

Peel Sessions

Dick Dale made four recordings for John Peel's Peel Sessions

1. March 30, 1995 (Maida Vale 4)
2. July 10, 1995 (3 Mcr.)
3. August 28, 2002 (Maida Vale 4)
4. March 24, 2004 (Maida Vale 4)

(Taken from the BBC Radio 1 John Peel minisite; see external links)

Peel later selected Let's Go Trippin' as the theme tune for his BBC Radio 4 series Home Truths.

Discography

Albums

• Surfers' Choice (Deltone 1962)

• King of the Surf Guitar (Capitol 1963)

• Checkered Flag (Capitol 1963)

• Mr. Eliminator (Capitol 1964)

• Summer Surf (Capitol 1964)

• Rock out with Dick Dale and his Del-Tones: Live at Ciro's (Capitol 1965)

• The Tigers Loose (Balboa 1983)

• Tribal Thunder (HighTone 1993)

• Unknown Territory (1994)

• Calling Up Spirits (Beggars Banquet 1996)

• Spacial Disorientation

Singles

• Let's Go Trippin'/Del-Tone Rock (Deltone 1961)
• Jungle Fever/Shake-N-Stomp (Deltone 1961)
• Misirlou/Eight 'Til Midnight (Deltone 1962)
• Secret Surfin Spot/Surfin' and Swingin' (Capitol 1963)
• Let's Go Trippin' '65/Watusi Jo (Capitol 1965)
• "Pipeline" With Stevie Ray Vaughan, Nominated for a Grammy

Compilations/Anthologies/Soundtracks

• Hot Rod Music on Capitol (Capitol 1963)
• The Big Surfin' Sounds on Capitol (Capitol 1964)
• King of the Surf Guitar: The Best of Dick Dale & The Del-Tones (Rhino 1986)
• Pulp Fiction Soundtrack (MCA 1994)
• Cowabunga Surf Box Set (Rhino 1996)
• Rocket Jockey (Rocket Science Games/SegaSoft 1996)
• Better Shred Than Dead: The Dick Dale Anthology (Rhino 1997)
• MOM II Music for our Mother Ocean: (Surf Dog Records 1997)

Samples

• Misirlou: "Pump It" on Black Eyed Peas' "Monkey Business" (Interscope 2005)

External links

• Official Dick Dale website
• Interview with some autobiographical information
• Dick Dale at the BBC Radio 1 John Peel minisite
• 2006 Video Interview - Dick talks about his musical origins and offers advice for musicians