Surf Punks
Encyclopedia
The Surf Punks were a pop punk
band formed in 1976 by Malibu residents Dennis Dragon (son of the Symphony conductor Carmen Dragon
, and brother of Captain & Tennille's Daryl Dragon
), and Drew Steele. Dennis recruited the additional talents of Malibu residents Tony Creed AKA "Hulk", for lead guitar and blues harp, fellow bodysurfer/frisbeeist John Hunt on bass, and south bay resident John Heussenstamm for lead guitar. This was the original core group, produced and engineered by Dennis in his garage studio across the street from Zuma Beach, his favorite body surfing spot.
Scott Goddard [b.1952-d.2006] later joined as lead vocalist on a few songs.
Record producer and then Malibu resident Denny Cordell
saw merit in the group and released their first recordings on a single, "My Beach" b/w "My Wave", in Australia on Shelter Records
. Their subsequent first album, an independent release on their own label, Day Glo Records, garnered them enough airplay on the then fledgling L.A. alternative radio station KROQ-FM
to lead to a re-release of the album on Epic Records in 1980, and the release of two further albums, Locals Only and Oh No, Not Them Again on Enigma, with Mark Miller, keyboard player Jerry Weber and lifeguard/guitarist Andy Jackson.
Surf Punk members Dennis Dragon and Tony Creed/"Hulk" also provided the theme song to KLOS Shock Jock Frazer Smith's signature show bumper, "Cool Patrol". Frazier's pushing the band to heavy rotation on KROQ-FM was largely responsible for them selling out their first live performance ever at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. The Surf Punks were road managed from 1980 to 1983 by Michael Parenti (the artist, http://artificialeyes.tv , not Michael Parenti
the political writer), who also provided many of the T-shirt designs for the band. At one time, rock legend Johnny Rivers
showed interest in the band by co-producing with Dennis a single titled "Surfs Up Medley", released on his own Soul City label. TV Producer Chris Bearde
also managed the band for a short time and tried with movie producer Brian Grazer
and Rivers to procure a Hollywood movie deal for the band.
The live shows of the Surf Punks, in the heyday of the punk explosion in L.A., were wild and abandoned. High points of the show were "I Can't Get a Tan" and "Big Top".
The lyrics of the band centered primarily on the in-group/out-group experiences of "locals" (surfers living on the beach in Malibu) and "valleys" (commuters from the San Fernando Valley
to the private and public beaches of the exclusive Malibu Beach community). Never truly "punk" in the traditional sense of the word, the Surf Punks were sort of a "Beach Boys" of the punk world, offering an intelligent take on the "turf wars" over the southern California beaches and its waves.
The band made at least five music videos: "My Beach", "Big Top", "Welcome to California", "Shark Attack" and another for their cover of "Come on-a My House
", which was originally a hit for Rosemary Clooney
.
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band formed in 1976 by Malibu residents Dennis Dragon (son of the Symphony conductor Carmen Dragon
Carmen Dragon
Carmen Dragon was an American conductor, composer, and arranger who in addition to live performances and recording, worked in radio, film, and television.Dragon was born in Antioch, California...
, and brother of Captain & Tennille's Daryl Dragon
Daryl Dragon
Daryl Frank Dragon is a keyboardist, known as Captain in the successful 1970s pop musical duo Captain & Tennille, with his wife, Toni Tennille....
), and Drew Steele. Dennis recruited the additional talents of Malibu residents Tony Creed AKA "Hulk", for lead guitar and blues harp, fellow bodysurfer/frisbeeist John Hunt on bass, and south bay resident John Heussenstamm for lead guitar. This was the original core group, produced and engineered by Dennis in his garage studio across the street from Zuma Beach, his favorite body surfing spot.
Scott Goddard [b.1952-d.2006] later joined as lead vocalist on a few songs.
Record producer and then Malibu resident Denny Cordell
Denny Cordell
Denny Cordell was an English record producer. He is notable for his late 1960s and early 1970s productions of hit singles for The Moody Blues, The Move, Procol Harum and Joe Cocker.-Career:...
saw merit in the group and released their first recordings on a single, "My Beach" b/w "My Wave", in Australia on Shelter Records
Shelter Records
Shelter Records was a U.S. record label started by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell that operated from 1969 to 1981. The company established offices in both Los Angeles and Tulsa, Russell's home town, where the label sought to promote a "workshop atmosphere" with a recording studio in a converted...
. Their subsequent first album, an independent release on their own label, Day Glo Records, garnered them enough airplay on the then fledgling L.A. alternative radio station KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
to lead to a re-release of the album on Epic Records in 1980, and the release of two further albums, Locals Only and Oh No, Not Them Again on Enigma, with Mark Miller, keyboard player Jerry Weber and lifeguard/guitarist Andy Jackson.
Surf Punk members Dennis Dragon and Tony Creed/"Hulk" also provided the theme song to KLOS Shock Jock Frazer Smith's signature show bumper, "Cool Patrol". Frazier's pushing the band to heavy rotation on KROQ-FM was largely responsible for them selling out their first live performance ever at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. The Surf Punks were road managed from 1980 to 1983 by Michael Parenti (the artist, http://artificialeyes.tv , not Michael Parenti
Michael Parenti
Michael Parenti is an award-winning, internationally known American political scientist, historian, and culture critic who has been writing on a wide range of both scholarly and popular subjects for over forty years. He has taught at several universities and colleges and has been a frequent guest...
the political writer), who also provided many of the T-shirt designs for the band. At one time, rock legend Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. His styles include folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material...
showed interest in the band by co-producing with Dennis a single titled "Surfs Up Medley", released on his own Soul City label. TV Producer Chris Bearde
Chris Bearde
Chris Bearde is a comedy writer, producer and director best known for his work as a writer on the '60s zeitgeist hit Laugh In and for co-writing and producing TV specials for Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Sonny and Cher, Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, Andy Williams, The Jackson Five, The...
also managed the band for a short time and tried with movie producer Brian Grazer
Brian Grazer
Brian Thomas Grazer is an Academy Award-winning American film and television producer who co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. Together they have produced many acclaimed films, including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind .- Career :Brian Grazer began his career as a producer...
and Rivers to procure a Hollywood movie deal for the band.
The live shows of the Surf Punks, in the heyday of the punk explosion in L.A., were wild and abandoned. High points of the show were "I Can't Get a Tan" and "Big Top".
The lyrics of the band centered primarily on the in-group/out-group experiences of "locals" (surfers living on the beach in Malibu) and "valleys" (commuters from the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
to the private and public beaches of the exclusive Malibu Beach community). Never truly "punk" in the traditional sense of the word, the Surf Punks were sort of a "Beach Boys" of the punk world, offering an intelligent take on the "turf wars" over the southern California beaches and its waves.
The band made at least five music videos: "My Beach", "Big Top", "Welcome to California", "Shark Attack" and another for their cover of "Come on-a My House
Come on-a My House
"Come on-a My House" is a song performed by Rosemary Clooney on her album Come On-A My House, released on June 6, 1951. The song was written by Ross Bagdasarian and noted Armenian American writer William Saroyan in the summer of 1939 but did not become a hit until the release of Clooney's recording...
", which was originally a hit for Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –...
.
Albums
- Surf Punks (1979)
- My Beach (1980)
- Locals Only (1982)
- Oh No! Not Them Again (1988)
- Party Bomb (1988)