”Surf Rock band from Orange County, California that formed around 1960. Originally called The Surfaris, they changed their name after another band called The Surfaris had a big hit with Wipeout.”
Between October 1962 and through January 1963, they recorded in the studio of producer Tony Hilder a number of songs written by Larry Weed, such as “Moment of Truth” and “Delano Soul Beat” that were released on Hilder’s own Impact label, as part of a surf music compilation album titled Shake, Shout and Soul. These tracks subsequently appeared on various compilation albums, such as Wheels, The World of Surfin’, Surf’s Up at Banzai Pipeline and others.
After some months, the band again went into the studio with Hilder producing and recorded a number of tracks intended to be released on the Impact label, as their first full-length LP. Two of the tracks, “Bombora” and “Surfari” were leased to Del-Fi Records, which sent them out as a single. But the record, even though it started selling well in the state had to be pulled from the stores because of a lawsuit.
The Original Surfaris, in their various incarnations, were “one of the most highly regarded” and “creative” surf groups of the 1960s, but also remained at the time “one of the most obscure” ones. Critics described their music as featuring “reverb galore, swaggering sax and a tough surf sound”, while their best tracks were praised for their “spooky reverb guitar lines and Latin-influenced minor melodies that were hallmarks of much of the best instrumental surf music. Another surf music group from Los Angeles named themselves The Bomboras inspired by the instrumental track. The Original Surfaris allegedly never received any money for the tracks they recorded with Tony Hilder, since they had signed all their publishing rights away for one dollar per song.” [wiki]
Surfaris or not Surfaris, that is the question !?! These guys are ‘Originals’ ok! ”Bombora!” Lp shoulda be their debut surf album in ’63 but the project was shelved in the wake of the legal action involving the other Surfaris. The ’65 ”Wheels” album is kinda mystery, ’cause it sounds kinda dated [must be it was recorded earlier] and maybe only opener “Delano Soul Beat” is actually by the Original Surfaris. Anyways, here you got almost all the stuff recorded by the band, so check ’em out!
SURFADELIC 