Bob Bogle, The Ventures

Bob Bogle, 75, died last Sunday. Along with Don Wilson he was a founding member of the long-lived, highly inflential instrumental combo, The Ventures. 4 decades worth of kids grew up listening to their music (from popular film soundtracks after radio play fell off). I'm glad I was able to see them (unfortunately without Nokie Edwards and Mel Taylor). They influenced the 60s surf-scene and the 80s new wave scene (The Go-Gos, The Ray-Beats, etc.), had a huge following in Japan - where they inspired many amazing "eleki" bands - and were a big part of the mid-90s surf revival (after Pulp Fiction). The Ventures were fun. God bless you Bob Bogle - I will be playing your lps all night.

More on Bob Bogle and The Ventures (For those who don't know: Deke Dickerson of The Untamed Youth and The Eccophonics is a fantastic guitarist, vocalist and all around nice and knowledgeable guy):

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postmortem/2009/06/more_on_the_ventures.html#mo...

I believe I have only a short, entirely insufficient (is that an oxymoron?) compilation cd of The Ventures.

As a kid, I used to listen to and enjoy one album my brother had by them. The guitar sound was amazing. I recall a cool, Alan Aldridge-type cover (this would have been late sixties).

(Off topic, but Aldridge was apparently a quite influential illustrator - in the psychedelic mode - in '60s London. There was a short review of a book about him in the NYT Book Review a few weeks ago. He is best known (to me, at least) for 2 books of Beatles Illustrated Lyrics and an Elton John album cover from the '70s.)

If you ever find yourself absolutely forced to listen to Xmas music, I recommend the Ventures Xmas album. The arrangements are outstanding and every song begins with a clever misdirection by quoting some other famous tune.

Oh, don't talk to me about Xmas music. I am so kicking myself for not picking up that Buck Owens and the Buckaroos Xmas album I saw the other day.

(Buying albums in Phoenix in summer is a fool's game. You practically have to pack them in dry ice before you walk to your car....)

"Buck Owens and the Buckaroos Xmas album" - snagged that at a thrift the other day. Now I will actually spin it! Their are a lot of great Xmas lps out there: Midnight records put out a couple comps (not for the kids); Andre Williams has a song or two (""), Evan Johns has a nice Xmas lp, from the 80s - rockabilly/cajun- and The Sonics have some seasonal songs that are great fun: "Don't Believe In Christmas" and "Santa Claus" ("I want a guitar a brand new car a cute little hioney and lots of money" - roughly) and another song, "The Village Idiot" in which one of them mimics the voice a mentally handicapped individual and the other band members ridicule him and get him to sing "Jingle Bells".

And speaking of lp finds: I saw a copy of Dale Hawkins' Chess lp in a record shop the other day. The vinyl is mint and they want $400. DECISIONS....

"Buck Owens and the Buckaroos Xmas album" - snagged that at a thrift the other day.

I can't tell if you're serious, or just taunting me....

On the Hawkins lp - have you tried to negotiate? Times are tough, especially, I presume, for people hawking $400 record albums...

Serious as a poke in the eye. Is it rare? - I have no idea... I have a mess of BO lps. I could probably get him down a bit on the Hawkins, but I think he wants to see if he can get $400 - and he might - that thing has sold for more than twice his fee in the same condition. Damn fine record, by the way.