Jan And Dean

In late 1963, California's King of the Surf Guitar left the shore for the strip and created one of the classic albums of the hot-rod music genre. Dick Dale's Checkered Flag is heavy with white-hot Dale instrumentals ("Night Rider," "Ho-Dad Machine") and vocal car tunes from the pens of pop's songwriters (Gary Usher, Gary Paxton, Carol Connors). Helping Dale stir up the nitro fuel are L.A. session stars Plas Johnson, Steve Douglas, Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer. Checkered Flag is tough stuff, an unyielding trophy-run down the asphalt aisle. Make way!

In the half-century since he began his reign as King of the Surf Guitar, Dick Dale has remained one of rock’s most innovative and influential axemen. A bold pioneer in the use of speed, volume and sonic texture, the charismatic Dale invented surf music, and in the process permanently altered the role of the electric guitar in rock ’n’ roll. Of all the surf guitarists who would follow in Dale’s wake, none could match his prodigious technique, his fierce showmanship or his restless inventiveness…

The Dreamboats & Petticoats brand has been developed to be synonymous with everything from the late 50/60's. Selling over 3.5 million copies across the album series, and boosted by the hit musical (sold over 1 million tickets), Dreamboats & Petticoats has now become cross generational with 'all the family' appreciating the iconic pop songs from this golden era.

In late 1963, California's King of the Surf Guitar left the shore for the strip and created one of the classic albums of the hot-rod music genre. Dick Dale's Checkered Flag is heavy with white-hot Dale instrumentals ("Night Rider," "Ho-Dad Machine") and vocal car tunes from the pens of pop's songwriters (Gary Usher, Gary Paxton, Carol Connors). Helping Dale stir up the nitro fuel are L.A. session stars Plas Johnson, Steve Douglas, Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer. Checkered Flag is tough stuff, an unyielding trophy-run down the asphalt aisle. Make way!

In the half-century since he began his reign as King of the Surf Guitar, Dick Dale has remained one of rock’s most innovative and influential axemen. A bold pioneer in the use of speed, volume and sonic texture, the charismatic Dale invented surf music, and in the process permanently altered the role of the electric guitar in rock ’n’ roll. Of all the surf guitarists who would follow in Dale’s wake, none could match his prodigious technique, his fierce showmanship or his restless inventiveness…

This excellent 250-track anthology contains many tracks originally recorded in the Fifties and early Sixties that would be picked up on by bands all over the world and are still being performed today. The originals have a glamour all of their own, having been recorded in the country where rock and the blues had their birth.