Tag: Dick Dale

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The Atomic Grog 10th anniversary: Beware! Deadly Zombies ahead

The Atomic Grog 10th anniversary: Beware! Deadly Zombies ahead

Has it really been 10 years? For a humble blog focused on Tiki culture and cocktails, that’s an eternity. After a decade of existence, we continue to be humbled by the recognition and continued support from peers and supporters. Even so, we hope that the best is yet to come.
Special 10th anniversary recipe: Revenge of the Atomic Zombie Cocktail

The Atomic Grog launched in late April 2011 with coverage of Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s “Zombie Jamboree” at The Mai-Kai, our participation in the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival’s deadly cocktail competition, our first published cocktail recipe, and lots more …

We be Jammin: Rum Renaissance Zombie fest at The Mai-Kai
We be Jammin: Rum Renaissance Zombie fest at The Mai-Kai
The kickoff party for the 2011 Rum Renaissance Festival was a Tikiphile’s dream, featuring a Jeff “Beachbum” Berry cocktail seminar followed by a deadly mixology competition.
Recipe: Wake the dead, it’s time for the Atomic Zombie Cocktail

Now, 447 posts and more than 1 million page views later, it’s time to take a quick look back and offer a big mahalo to everyone and everything that has kept us motivated and writing. That includes all the folks who posted more than 600 comments on the site, overwhelmingly positive and informative.

The first post – on April 25, 2011 – was a Zombie recipe, so it’s fitting that we celebrate the 10th anniversary of this never-say-die blog with a horde of Zombies. While the Mai Tai seems to get all the attention, 10 years later we still maintain that Tiki’s original masterpiece, created by Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s, is the most epochal tropical cocktail. Perhaps it’s apropos that the Zombie never becomes trendy and stays “underground,” but we’d like to see it get more attention.

The Atomic Grog

So in honor of our 10th anniversary, we’ll be posting 10 new Zombie recipes over the next 10 months. We’ve already kicked it off with the Hamilton Zombie, featured in the recent story on the new Zombie blend from Beachbum Berry and Hamilton Rum. It continues today with a reimagining of that first recipe. Get ready for Revenge of the Atomic Zombie Cocktail, even richer and more deadly than the original.

As usual, you’ll be treated to the recipe at the end of this post. Look for new Zombie recipes approximately every month, pushing the envelope of this classic template but remaining true to Donn’s inventive spirit. Unlike the Mai Tai, there’s no controversy in tinkering with the Zombie. We hope to prove this makes it even more enduring and classic. Lots more Zombie lore and discussion to come.

We’re digging up another popular old concept for our 10th birthday: The good old-fashioned Top 10 list. It may be a cliché of the blogosphere and something we’ve avoided for a decade, but there’s nothing wrong with a carefully crafted Top 10. We’ll start with five in this post, with more “Tiki Top 10” lists to come over the next 10 months (and maybe continuing into the future) …

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Minimalist Tiki
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Skinny Jimmy’s Picks: The all-time top 5 Dick Dale songs

Skinny Jimmy's Picks: The all-time top 5 Dick Dale songs

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of special features on instro surf music by Skinny Jimmy Stingray, a guitarist and longtime fan of vintage instrumental rock. His past and future columns can be found here on The Atomic Grog. Catch Jimmy in a special Retro Rekindled event on Dec. 15 at The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale. He’ll discuss the history of surf music with The Atomic Grog, followed by a live performance with his band.

Dick Dale, Skinny Jimmy Stingray at Churchill's in Miami in 2012
Skinny Jimmy Stingray’s band shared the stage with Dick Dale three times in 2012-2013 in South Florida.

Skinny Jimmy’s Picks: The all-time top 5 Dick Dale songs

Dick Dale, the King of the Surf Guitar, was a rock ‘n’ roll legend for more than 60 years until he sadly passed away in March at age 81. He has been a major influence on the music I have played and written for the past 15 years. Of all the music he created, I have chosen these five songs that stand out as my favorites.

1. Miserlou

Undisputedly THE Dick Dale song of all time. Upon its release it was uncommon, ground-breaking, and some serious wild-ass aggressive guitar for 1962. Miserlou turned heads all over the country and became an inspiration to every rock ‘n’ roll guitarist, then and now. Its musical impact has not diminished with time. Miserlou will always live on as the legacy of Dick Dale.

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Gone but not forgotten: Surf guitar pioneer Dick Dale, 1937-2019

Gone but not forgotten: Surf guitar pioneer Dick Dale, 1937-2019

We knew him as the “King of the Surf Guitar,” the 1960s rocker whose version of Miserlou in the film Pulp Fiction revived both his career and the entire instrumental surf genre in the 1990s. But he was so much more than that.

He was an American music icon, the originator of a style and sound that has endured for more than a half-century, and a true hero for fighting medical hardships that kept him on stage and performing into his eighth decade on Earth. Dick Dale left this world on March 16, 2019, at age 81.
More below: Dick Dale in South Florida
* Check out our tribute featuring South Florida remembrances and photos

Related story on The Atomic Grog
Dick Dale, Skinny Jimmy Stingray at Churchill's in Miami in 2012
Skinny Jimmy’s Picks: The all-time top 5 Dick Dale songs

Dick was still performing right up until his death, though the circumstances were less than ideal due to extensive medical bills. His website still lists the dates he would have played had he not succumbed to the diseases that wrecked his seemingly indestructible body. The final show that was posted would have been just this month (Nov. 9), ironically in one of the world’s surfing capitals: Malibu, Calif.

Dick Dale at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach, June 13, 2011.
Dick Dale at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach, June 13, 2011. (Atomic Grog photo)

He had survived several bouts with cancer and related diseases, including a near-fatal incident in the 1960s that inspired Jimi Hendrix to pen the lyric “we’ll never hear surf music again” in Third Stone from the Sun (1968). But Dick’s final battle was not one he could win.

Heart and kidney failure finally did him in after a lifetime of battling – and overcoming – every physical obstacle that came before him.

Born Richard Monsour in Boston on May 4, 1937, he first learned the ukulele and absorbed the traditions of his Lebanese father and Eastern European mother. He has said that he also learned the trumpet, banjo, piano, organ, harpsichord, trombone, saxophone, harmonica, xylophone and accordion. But once he heard big-band drummer Gene Krupa, it was all over and his course was set. Not on drums, an instrument he also mastered, but as a guitar pioneer.

When his family moved to Los Angeles in the 1954, he dove head-first into Hollywood. His first on-screen role was an uncredited bit as an Elvis Presley impersonator in the Marilyn Monroe movie Let’s Make Love. He started in the music biz in 1955 as a DJ, then played alongside Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb and Gene Autry on a country music TV show. The stage name Dick Dale was reportedly given to him by radio/TV host Texas Tiny Cherry.

Dick Dale performs at Grand Central in Miami on April 25, 2013
Dick Dale performs at Grand Central in Miami on April 25, 2013. (Atomic Grog photo)

But surf music became Dick Dale’s claim to fame, a sound he invented to emulate the surge of the ocean. He developed a guitar style featuring melodies that crisscrossed the beat like a surfer on a wave. His intense staccato picking style, combined with Eastern scales from his childhood influences, made for a sonic experience like no other.

“I don’t call myself a guitar player,” Dick told The Atomic Grog in a 2013 interview. “I’m a manipulator of an instrument. I just make a guitar scream with pain or pleasure.”

To match his sonic fury, he needed equipment that didn’t even exist at the time. Electric guitar pioneer Leo Fender joined forces with Dick to build a new instrument – dubbed “the Beast” – that could withstand the onslaught. To complete the package, they developed the first 100-watt amplifier, loud enough to fill any venue Dick Dale played.

In the late ’50s and early ’60s, Dick Dale and the Del-Tones rode the wave of instrumental rock to the top of the charts. In 1963, he performed Misirlou, an adaptation of a traditional Arabic song, on The Ed Sullivan Show, one of the most influential TV variety shows of the day. He was the first rock guitarist invited to perform on that national stage, though he was later eclipsed by The Beatles, who famously made their U.S. debut on that same show.

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The Tiki Times – 2017 Events Calendar: August means Tiki Oasis, surf guitar and hot summer events

Tiki Oasis 2017

The Tiki Times

From the ashes of the Week in Tiki (and, later, the Month in Tiki) rises The Tiki Times. Still ambitious, but more practical, this monthly guide to what’s going on across the world of Tiki culture will hopefully be a definitive resource of where to find special events that touch on topics of interest to many Tikiphiles. You’ll find all the major Tiki festivals, plus smaller gatherings along with events that scratch our itch for rum and cocktails, surf and rockabilly music, mid-century modern design, even Disney. And don’t forget authentic Polynesian culture, the well from which Tiki springs. The biggest will get extended coverage as “spotlight events.”
Social media: Follow our Facebook page for daily news updates
Pinterest | Coming soon: Twitter and Instagram

AUGUST 2017 TIKI EVENTS CALENDAR
Spotlight events: Surf Guitar 101 Convention (Aug. 4-6) | Tiki Oasis (Aug. 10-13)
Asbury Park Surf Music Festival (Aug. 25-27) |
Ongoing events | Upcoming events

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Aug. 4-6 – Surf Guitar 101 Convention at the Alpine Village in
Torrance, Calif., and Surf Dogs Sports Grill in Huntington Beach. The 10th annual event draws the best instrumental bands from around the world dedicated to preserving the ’60s surf sound. Headlining bands include the Huntington Cads (California), El Caminos (Japan) and The Kilaueas (Germany). Fostered by the Surf Guitar 101 website and organized by Jeff “Big Tiki Dude” Hanson, this is one of the premiere surf music events of the year. The convention has expanded from one to three days in 2017. Saturday remains the main event with all the heavy hitters hitting the stage from noon to midnight, along with vendors raffles for vintage guitars and other gear. Friday’s opening night features all current California bands from 8 p.m. to midnight. Sunday’s closing party spotlights a second venue and bands playing alternate sets of songs not played on Saturday.

Surf Guitar 101 Convention

2017 performing bands
Friday, Aug. 4 (Alpine Village) – The Surf Rockers, Outerwave, Par Avion, Tequila Worms, The Volcanics, Insect Surfers.
Saturday, Aug. 5 (Alpine Village) – The Mystery Men?, Atomic Mosquitos, Tribute to Jim Fuller and The Surfaris, Lively Ones reunion, The Dynotones, The Exotics, The Kilaueas, Tribute to the Astronauts, The Madeira, The El Caminos, Venturesmania, The Huntington Cads reunion.
Sunday Aug. 6 (Surf Dog’s Sports Grill) – SG101 Members Jam, The Exotics, The El Caminos, The Madeira, Atomic Mosquitos, The Mystery Men, The Kilaueas, Special Secret All Star Band.

Surf Guitar 101 Convention highlights

* Huntington Cads reunion. The instrumental surf band that was a mainstay in the Los Angeles scene in the 1990s will reunite for a rare appearance. The band released several cult classic albums (Go Exotic! in 1996 and Introduce the New Sound in 1998), but is perhaps better known for featuring budding artist Josh Agle (aka Shag) on guitar.

* Lively Ones reunion. This first-wave instrumental surf rock band from the 1960s Southern California scene is perhaps most well known for their 1963 song Surf Rider (written by Nokie Edwards from The Ventures), which was featured in the final sequence as well as the end credits of the seminal 1994 film Pulp Fiction.

* Tribute to Jim Fuller and The Surfaris John Blair (of Jon and the Nightriders) will join an all-star cast of musicians playing vintage, early Surfaris songs from the influential band’s early 1960s catalog. Fuller, a co-founding member of the band whose lead guitar work is featured on the signature hit Wipe Out, died in March at age 69.

* Pre- and post-convention shows. Many of the bands performing over the three-day weekend, plus others not featured at the main event, have scheduled shows throughout Northern and Southern California before and after the convention. Check this thread on the Surf Guitar 101 website for all the dates.

Official sites: Surf Guitar 101 | Facebook page
* Past Atomic Grog coverage, photos

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* Aug. 5 – Book signing and presentation by Tiki “Swanky” Glazner at Tacoma Cabana. Join the author of Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant at the acclaimed Tiki bar in Washington for the kick-off of his West Coast tour. This event includes a one-hour multimedia presentation on The Mai-Kai’s iconic Mystery Drink. See rare archival videos and photos, hear interviews, and learn about all the people involved in its creation and history, from Kui Lee and Bettie Page to Johnny Carson.

Book signings and presentations by Tiki "Swanky" Glazner
More on Swanky and his book tour
* Book review and tour preivew on Critiki News
* Interview on the Tiki With Ray blog

Official sites:
* Tim “Swanky” Glazner | The Mai-Kai
* New: Friends of The Mai-Kai Facebook group
* Google Maps: Explore The Mai-Kai in 3-D

More on The Atomic Grog:
* The Mai-Kai is here to stay: 10 reasons why we love the historic S. Fla. restaurant
* The Mai-Kai turns 60 with special history presentations, celebration
* The Okole Maluna Society: The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

* Aug. 7 – Book signing with Tiki “Swanky” Glazner at Smuggler’s Cove. The author of Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant makes his second West Coast stop to sign books and tell stories about master mixologist Mariano Licudine and the “Tiki Mothership” at the acclaimed San Francisco rum and Tiki bar.

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The Tiki Times – April 2017 Events Calendar: Surf and rockabilly, Miami Rum Festival, Chicago Area Tiki Tour

Tiki Night at The Mai-Kai

The Tiki Times

From the ashes of the Week in Tiki (and, later, the Month in Tiki) rises The Tiki Times. Still ambitious, but more practical, this monthly guide to what’s going on across the world of Tiki culture will hopefully be a definitive resource of where to find special events that touch on topics of interest to many Tikiphiles. You’ll find all the major Tiki festivals, plus smaller gatherings along with events that scratch our itch for rum and cocktails, surf and rockabilly music, mid-century modern design, even Disney. And don’t forget authentic Polynesian culture, the well from which Tiki springs. The biggest will get extended coverage as “spotlight events.”
Social media: Follow our Facebook page for daily news updates
Pinterest | Coming soon: Twitter and Instagram
March events: Shag art shows, Tiki bars and festivals, surf rock and more
February recap: Bar openings and closings, cocktail competitions, Modernism Week

APRIL 2017 TIKI EVENTS CALENDAR
Spotlight events: Miami Rum Festival (April 19-23)
Chicago Area Tiki Tour (April 28-30)

April 1 – Surfeño 2017 in Mexico City. The annual surf music festival features live performances by Daikaiju, The Volcanics, Los Elásticos, Hikury Beach, Los Granujas, Dr. Tritón, The Sonoras, Los Caguama, and many more.
Surfeño 2017

April 1 – Unsteady Freddie’s Surf-Rock Shindig at Otto’s Shrunken Head in New York City. Featuring The Vivisectors, Blue Wave Theory, Strange But Surf, and The Wraycyclers.
Unsteady Freddie's Surf-Rock Shindig

April 2 – Dick Dale at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. The “King of the Surf Guitar” performs a special concert in the MIM Musical Theater.
* More tour dates at DickDale.com
* Atomic Grog interview: Dick Dale: ‘I had both feet in the grave’
The Dick Dale exhibit at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix
The Dick Dale exhibit at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix.

April 2 – Surfin’ Sundays at the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. A free, all-ages summer concert series at the Huntington Beach Pier in Southern California. Featuring Neptune Cocktail, The Curl Riders, The Riptides, Par Avion, Tiki Creeps, and Tikiyaki 5-0.
Surfin' Sundays

April 2 – Tonga Hut Parking Lot Sale & Art Show in Los Angeles celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Kon Tiki expedition. See an original piece of rope from the Kon-Tiki raft, on public display for the first time. Also featuring DJ Tonga Tom, food and drinks, Jason Lee and the Black Tides, vendors and artists, plus more.
Tonga Hut Parking Lot Sale & Art Show

April 7 – Exotia Night: A Midcentury Cocktail Experience at Slowly Shirley in New York City. Featuring live jazz and exotica by Alika Lyman, burlesque and special drink menu. Note: Postponed from March.
* Listen: The Speakeasy radio show previews Exotica Nights
Exotia Night: A Midcentury Cocktail Experience at Slowly Shirley

April 8 – Midwest Rum Festival in Chicago. Featuring industry events plus a public grand tasting, seminars, mixology demos and artist booths. Hosted by The Rum Lab at the Logan Square Auditorium with special guests including Richard Seale (Foursquare Distillery in Barbados) and Bryan Davis (Lost Spirits Distillery in Los Angeles). Pre-party on April 7 at Hala Kahiki.
* Press coverage: Chicago GoPride | The Spirits Business

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Week in Tiki (April 1-15, 2016): The Hukilau, Tiki Caliente and more upcoming events; Miami fest’s award-winning rums; Tiki bar openings and closings, and more!

The Week in Tiki Get the latest updates on The Hukilau in June and the fast-approaching Tiki Caliente in May. Other event previews include Vintage Tiki Weekend in Wildwood, a Shag art release at Disneyland, and Dick Dale’s latest tour. We take a look back at the award winners at Miami Rum Festival, plus Tiki bar openings, closings and news from the first half of April. Regular features spotlight tattoo artist and historian Paul Roe; exotic California musician Voodoo Organist; the flagship Trader Vic’s location in Emeryville, Cnalif.; and The Rum Trader blog. The rum of the week, Clément V.S.O.P., is featured in the Broken Storm cocktail.
* Keep up with The Week in Tiki: Facebook page | RSS feed | See past weeks | Archive
* Weekly features: Artist | Band/music | Bar | Website | Rum | Cocktail | Events

THE HUKILAU: Tiki Road Trip announced, Pier 66 and The Mai-Kai sold out, new rum sponsors, and more!

The Hukilau has been gearing up for its 15th anniversary event in Fort Lauderdale on June 8-12 with a flurry of news and announcements since early April. Here’s all the latest:

Tiki Road Trip Pool Party

Get your tickets now for the Tiki Road Trip Pool Party, a condensed version of a cross-country road trip to five bars in five different states serving exotic tropical cocktails. On Friday, June 10, from noon to 4 p.m., guests will have the opportunity to sip cocktails and chat up the bar staff from Porco Lounge & Tiki Room (Cleveland), Foundation Tiki Bar (Milwaukee), Aku Aku (Orlando), plus The Happiest Hour and Slowly Shirley (New York City). Also joining the party will be Cooking Channel star Jim Stacy, who will be offering a sneak preview of his upcoming Tiki bar in Atlanta, the Barnacled Mermaid. The party takes place at the Pier 66 main pool and surrounding courtyard. Tickets ($20 for weekend passholders, $49 for non-passholders) include one drink from each bar. Also on hand will be the author of the book that inspired the event: James Teitelbaum (Tiki Road Trip, 2003). Also announced in early April was a special screening of Korla The Movie, a documentary film about eccentric and influential musician Korla Pandit (1921-1998). The screening will be held during the finale at The Mai-Kai on Sunday, June 12.
* Full report on Tiki Road Trip party and movie screening

TheHukilau.com quick links: Buy tickets, passes | Schedule | Symposiums
Tiki Treasures Bazaar | Volunteer

Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina Hotel
Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina Hotel

The host Hyatt Regency Pier 66 officially sold out of rooms for The Hukilau on April 20. But co-founder/organizer Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White quickly announced the overflow host hotel, the waterfront Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina Hotel. Located just over the Intracoastal Waterway bridge from Pier 66, the Hilton includes such amenities as free wi-fi and beach shuttle, plus a large pool and relaxing environment just a short walk from all the festivities. Room rates start at $119 for a standard king or double.
* Click here to book now

Also sold out: Both dinner shows at The Mai-Kai during the Saturday night main event on June 11. This means the entire restaurant will be the domain of The Hukilau’s villagers for the legendary Polynesian Islander Revue, the longest-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States, including Hawaii. However, the show several times a night, so attendees are welcome to catch it on one of the other nights during the festivities. We suggest booking dinner in the showroom after the finale on Sunday, or during Wednesday’s opening-night party (or both). Also, there might be space available Saturday night in the restaurant’s back dining areas, especially later in the evening. Call The Mai-Kai at (954) 563-3272 for reservations and/or plan on arriving late that night. You can also email Pia Dahlquist ([email protected]) to get on a waiting list. Typically the crowd thins out as the night goes on. The Mai-Kai can hold nearly 1,000 guests, but efforts are being made to keep it from becoming too overcrowded with demand high this year. The venerable Tiki temple, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in December, was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places. Look for a special announcement about new additions at The Mai-Kai in time for The Hukilau. More info to come soon.

Continue reading “Week in Tiki (April 1-15, 2016): The Hukilau, Tiki Caliente and more upcoming events; Miami fest’s award-winning rums; Tiki bar openings and closings, and more!”

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The Week in Tiki (April 13-19, 2015): Miami Rum Festival and Cocktail Week, Tiki Mondays With Miller, Ohana: Luau at the Lake

The Week in TikiThis week’s highlights are Miami Rum Fest Cocktail Week and Miami Rum Renaissance Festival. We also have a preview of Tiki Mondays With Miller’s Spring Equinox Edition, plus news on June’s Ohana: Luau at the Lake selling out. Weekly features spotlight artist Doug Horne, website Inu a Kena, surf guitar legend Dick Dale, and Chicago’s Lost Lake. The rum of the week, Plantation Original Dark, is featured in Trader Vic’s Tutu Rum Punch.
* Keep up with The Week in Tiki: Facebook page | RSS feed | See past weeks | Archive
* Weekly features: Artist | Website | Band/music | Tiki bar | Rum | Cocktail | Events

Miami Rum Festival and Cocktail Week is here

The seventh annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival and second annual Miami Rum Fest Cocktail Week are in full swing this week as some of South Florida’s top bars host nightly events and enthusiasts gather for weekend grand tastings at the Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center.

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

The Cocktail Week events are free. Check MiamiCocktailWeek.com for dates, times and venues. Tickets for the convention center main events are $75 for Saturday, $50 for Sunday, and $100 for a three-day VIP pass, which includes Friday’s International Trade Expo for industry representatives. Note that tickets must be purchased in advance via MiamiRumFest.com or by phone at (877) 855-3378. No tickets will be sold at the door.

This year’s focus is new rums: 35 are making their U.S. debut, and another 28 are making their Miami Rum Festival debut. Nearly 200 expressions will be available for tasting at the convention center, where you can also learn about rum at 10 seminars by industry experts and scholars. There’s also live music and entertainment, island lifestyle vendors and interactive cocktail demonstrations.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ATOMIC GROG’S FULL PREVIEW

Continue reading “The Week in Tiki (April 13-19, 2015): Miami Rum Festival and Cocktail Week, Tiki Mondays With Miller, Ohana: Luau at the Lake”

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Dick Dale: The most interesting man in rock ‘n’ roll

Most people know him as the “King of the Surf Guitar,” and for his enduring hit song Miserlou, popularized in the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction. But there’s a lot more to Dick Dale, the seemingly indestructible rock ‘n’ roll legend who will be making his SunFest debut this year at age 77 on Wednesday, April 30.

Dick Dale
Legendary guitarist Dick Dale performs live on his 2013 tour at Grand Central in Miami on April 25, 2013.

March 2013 interview: Cancer survivor, rock legend Dick Dale: ‘I had both feet in the grave’

Dale is still battling the ravages of cancer that sidelined him for several years. But he’s made an amazing comeback, touring relentlessly and hitting South Florida clubs for the past three years. Now he finds himself on the main SunFest stage opening for Kid Rock.
[See the April 30 schedule].

But if you know anything about Dick Dale, his resilience should come as no surprise. Over the course of nearly 60 years in the music business, he has established himself as a renaissance man determined to live life to the fullest, without drugs and alcohol. You probably know that Dale invented surf music and helped Fender develop the modern guitar amp, but here are a few more fascinating facts about a fascinating man:

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Photos: Laramie Dean and Jimmy Dale in South Florida

The summer tour featuring surf guitarist Laramie Dean and drummer Jimmy Dale made three stops in South Florida last weekend. The Southern California-based band made the cross-country trek to Dean’s former stomping grounds for two full shows plus a special acoutistic set.

Dean & Dale
Laramie Dean (left) and Jimmy Dale play a rare acoustic set in The Mai-Kai’s Molokai bar on Saturday, July 20.

On Friday, they hit Churchill’s Pub in Miami for a “surf-punk party” with local favorites Pool Party, Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays, and Sandrats. Also performing was touring opener Hardship Anchors, the rockin’ SoCal punk band featuring bassist Trevor Lucca, who also plays with Dean & Dale. Laramie looked and sounded great, obviously fully recovered from recent health problems that kept him off the road for the past few years.

Before Saturday night’s concert in Pompano Beach, Dean and Dale donned acoustic guitars and played their first unplugged set ever, along with the band’s sax player Alex Lewis. Opening with the classic Miserlou (popularized by Jimmy’s dad, the legendary Dick Dale), they rocked the packed Molokai bar in the famous Fort Lauderdale Polynesian restaurant.

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Surf guitarst Laramie Dean, inspired by mentor Dick Dale, overcomes similar hurdles

Updated July 25, 2013
Photos: Laramie Dean and Jimmy Dale in South Florida

Laramie Dean with Jimmy Dale: Friday, July 19, at Churchill’s Pub; and Saturday, July 20, at The Mai-Kai and Mickey’s Bar. Click here for full info
Previous story: Laramie Dean returns to South Florida for surf-punk party

Laramie Dean, who cut his teeth as a surf guitarist in the South Florida music scene for five years before settling in Los Angeles, returns this weekend for his first area shows in more than two years. When we last saw him, he was opening for his idol, the legendary Dick Dale, in June 2011. Why the extended absence?

Laramie Dean at Churchill's

Like Dale, who has battled cancer for the past five years, Dean has had his own health issues. Luckily, both are back on the road this summer. While Dale tours the Northeast, Dean has hooked up with Dick’s son, Jimmy, for a July jaunt from California to Florida and back.

While Dean likes to emulate the 75-year-old “king of the surf guitar,” his illness was an eerie and unintended direction. “I had a staph infection, not cancer,” Dean said by phone just before hitting the road. “It’s like a blood infection. It just kills your body.” And it put a serious crimp in his musical ambitions for the better part of the past two years.

Dean, 32, first came down with an infection in Europe while on tour with Agent Orange in 2009. He thought it was gone when he embarked on his lifelong dream, a summer tour with Dick Dale in 2011. [Story | Review/photos] But the infection came back, and it got worse during a subsequent two-week stint opening for roots-rock guitarist Deke Dickerson.

“I was in the hospital for 42 days, and it was pretty bad,” Dean said. “I was paralyzed on the right side of my body. I had seven surgeries just to clean up the infection. But it’s been about eight months with no infection now.” Dean’s last operation was one year ago, in July 2012, and he recently got an MRI that gave him a clean bill of health. “Everything looks good now,” he said.

Continue reading “Surf guitarst Laramie Dean, inspired by mentor Dick Dale, overcomes similar hurdles”