Lost Legends Of Surf Guitar III: Cheater Stomp! CD

Lost Legends of Surf Guitar, Vol. 3 is narrower in focus than the previous two volumes of the series, being devoted to 1962-1964 tracks produced by Richard Delvy (who played in a couple surf bands, the Challengers and the Bel-Airs, himself). It also acts as a document of much of the surf music being made in the early '60s on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and South Bay south of Los Angeles. As a possible consequence, however, the music isn't quite as interesting or varied as it is on the first two Lost Legends of Surf Guitar volumes. Too, it's entirely lacking in big names, even big names just passing through on their way to bigger non-surf things; the Challengers are the best-known band on this 20-track comp, and they're not exactly too famous, particularly outside surf specialist circles. So for surf specialists only this might be, although the music's certainly respectable, if not in the upper echelon of '60s surf anthologies. There's a lot of twang, reverb, and raunchy sax here; it's just that the melodies are often on the generic side. On hand are three previously unissued tracks by Thom Starr & the Galaxies (their "Heatwave" is actually an appropriately titled scorcher, and no relation to the Motown classic of the same name), with most of the rest having appeared only on 45s on very small labels or obscure LPs and compilations. ~ Richie Unterberger

The third volume of Sundazed's fun and comprehensive collection of rare 60's surf and hot rod guitar instrumentals continues the avalanche of reverb-guitar staccato-ripping surf and speed-fest sounds with tracks by The Fabulous Playboys, The Challengers, Thom Starr & The Galaxies, The Surfriders, and others. Includes previously unreleased tracks. 2003.