How The Surfaris Wrote Wipe Out
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 พ.ย. 2019
- In this video, Joe Chambers, CEO and Founder of the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville, TN sits down with Bob Berryhill of The Surfaris to discuss the how the classic song "Wipe Out" was written.
How The Surfaris became famous: • The Surfaris Wake Up F...
The interview was recorded at the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN. Visit us at : www.musicianshalloffame.com
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View the whole interview here: • The Surfaris Story by ...
View the entire interview catalog of interviews here: www.musicianshalloffame.com/m... - เพลง
I have heard Wipeout 10,000 times and, still to this day, when I hear it, I stop what I'm doing and listen.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Tom.... Joe
You sorta have to; it's that type of song. It commands attention.
not my style of music but do catch myself playing it on guitar , not sure how I came to know it really, or did anyway
This guy is a great story teller. Describes this great story from almost 60 years ago like it was yesterday. And finally a smart interviewer that doesn't interrupt.
r_man thanks r_man... some viewers think I’m not interested..... if that was true you wouldn’t be viewing these interviews. I just learned to shut up and listen if the person speaking is on a roll. I too hate when the interviewer doesn’t listen and is only waiting to ask their next question. Thanks for listening to MHOF”Backstage”.
@@MusiciansHallofFameMuseum You are so right, man - thanks for this reply comment
I love how Joe actually listens because he is interested in the story. Grade A
Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum all you need is the approving nod every now and then to realize the interviewer is as talented as the interviwee and both know their art
60 years ago, true, but he's prob. recounted this story 100 times during those 60 years. ;-)
God bless The Surfaris. Today I am an old man. But when I was only sixteen, in 1963 I began surfing in Southern California and discovered the drums after hearing this song, one that changed my life forever. It took me a year to learn this simple beat because I couldn't play at all, but at that same time my high school held its annual talent contest, and miracle of miracles, our little band won. When I heard the applause after my solo I was hooked, and after playing in my mother's garage for years, one day the drummer for the group "Climax" suddenly took ill and they began looking for a replacement. Happily, they found me, and that was the beginning of a lifetime as a professional musician. So you could say that I own this group everything except the life my mother gave me. I can't thank this man enough.
You ain’t old,your only 5 years older than me,and I’m a spring chicken 😂😂😂
That's a great story! Thank you for sharing it.
I was 12 when this was released and still play it on my drums
awesome story, Bro! 🤘 rock and roll!!
II remember everyone playing Wipeout on their desk in elementary school - whether we played drums, clarinet or tuba......
Yep.
Yeah, I remember those days. All the boys went around playing it on any surface that was handy. This one boy in Sunday school could play it with his feet on the floor. It's always something.
I was one of those kids that would play Wipeout in elementary school. I remember one day I was sent to the Principals bench in the hallway, and would pound the bench between my legs with my knuckles, and play Wipeout. At home, I even would play Wipeout with my knuckles on the toilet seat between my legs, while taking care of business.
Me too and that's probably the only drum solo played on the desk out bc of thousands of songs!
Absolutely! I played “Wipe Out” for my kids once and told them this was THE song. Every boy I knew was banging the beat on anything they could find.
That is why the 60's sound can not be replicated. It was raw and naked. There is lots of good music coming out. I am not one of those "everything today sucks" kind of guys, but those old songs just have a pureness to them unlike today's sound. Peace!
It just transcends the annuals of time!!!!😁😁😁
Check out Bandcamp. You’ll find lots of fresh raw stuff there, particularly Steve Lawson. Raw and immediate as they come.
@@noi5emaker Thanks, I'll give them a listen. Like I said there is some great music coming out. I really enjoy Steven Van Zandt's Underground garage show. He pull out old classics and modern gems. Not many places to hear new stuff, you really have to search. We have public radio station KDHX 88.1 that has a couple of shows that explore the new and old garage sound, but that's about it. Merry Christmas!
@@noi5emaker I just downloaded that app... interesting stuff on there.
Eh. Different sound, recording equipment, technique, era etc.
I was a trombone player in Jr. High, and High School, but I could play "Wipe Out" on my desk. A couple of us wanted to start a band, and they asked me to be the drummer, since I could pound out that drum solo! That was the beginning of a 30 year run as a professional musician!! What a serendipitous happenstance!!
ME, TOO!!!
What a fantastic story. I’m 66, been loving that song since I was a kid. Still amazed by it today.
In 2024 it's still a classic song like it's just been played for the 1st time . Pure magic .
Boy, I think this guy's got a photographic memory.
It's a lot like telling how you and your wife of fifty years first met and what was on the radio when you were parked at the beach watching the submarine races. You never forget.
@@athanasiuscontra000 ,
And some guys wish they could not remember any of it.
@@Wolfwolveswolf This HeaRs the Wolfman Comin' at ya... In a Soundproof bootH... He should of kept that piece of plywood...
🗿🚬•° °° ✋👃👂🐺
I remember my Aunt had this single on Motown... The beginning would make the hair stand up on the back of your neck if you're under ten. Like a Scoobie Do...
Same
I love how I can follow what he's saying with the detail he's giving. What a fascinating story. Great interview. No interrupting, clear, no wierd laughing to fill silence.
I was in the 5th grade in 1979. I had a little three pc rock band. On the last day of school '79 our seemingly uptight, conservative principal agreed to let the band play in the gym. This was the last song we played. The kids and parents loved it. A time I will never forget.
1974.....I am 16 and the principal finally lets our band play for a school convocation. We played Helen Wheels by Wings(Paul McCartney). The principal thought we were saying "hell on wheels".....he was waving his arms and yelling for us to stop from the back of the school auditorium.....LOL We just kept playing....haha.
Probably the most famous international surfing instrumental, along with Walk Don’t Run and Pipeline.
I could listen to stories like this all day long
My childhood heroes!!! I'm 66 and I will always love and respect these guys! Thanks and Blessings!!!
I like the interviewer...doesn't interrupt or say a word...just listens in fascination like the rest of us!
84glewis thanks 84.... glad you enjoyed the interview. Best... Joe
Great story. I can't even count the times I tried to play wipe out as a kid by beating on walls, garbage cans, school desks, kitchen tables, coffee tables, bike seats, whatever ! Definitely the go to song of my early years. Very influential !
We used play the drum solo on the car dashboard while cruisin,but the car radio still had tubes in them in the 60s. Next morning Dad wanted to know why the car radio didnt work. Ooops!
I’ve always loved that song but never knew the story behind it. So cool!
Timeless song Wipeout 👍👏👏
Mandatory, for every band at every wedding reception.
Patrick, yeah, preferably with a 104 hour drum solo!
True musicians, made it up on the spot!
I still have my original copy on 45. Love both Wipe Out and Surfer Joe. Now knowing the story, I love them even more.
Love how the song was born, on the spot magic. Most great songs just come out of nowhere
Thank you for this video!!! I am 66 now. When I was 14 this song was one of the first songs we learned in our garage band. We played it in E though. Easier to play
Great story.....we used to play Wipeout and Pipeline....awesome reverb drenched songs
My first musical memory, hearing it coming up from the basement when I was a toddler.
What a great story. You just never know the maze that records go through to become hits.
Bob berryhill was my teacher he brought some home videos of them touring with the beach boys said Brian Wilson saw the Beatles and said oh they'll never make it in the USA lol very nice guy
I was the last one to ever play Wipeout on his black custom-made guitar it still had his original strings, it sent shivers up and down my spine! RIP JIMMY
Jimmy told me he wrote the guitar lead for Wipe Out.
This guy is the reason why I bought a fender jazzmaster & jaguar
So much was actually played on Duo Sonics or Strats.....
@@doitnowvideosyeah5841 Mostly Strats, my favorite guitar 🎸
We must have played this song on every gig back in the mid 60's with the GT's in the Chicago NW suburbs.
Surfer Joe was my very first public performance, playing my new guitar & singing at 12 yrs. I won First Place in the Summer Camp talent show with it. Back then, Surfing (& merely the very Word) was Monumental everywhere you went. Even Inland, us farm kids were "Surfin' " in the Canals. Winning that contest (& the Admiration of all those cute Girls) will forever be one of the most treasured momemts of my Life. Thank you, oh great Surfaris.
Great hearing the genesis of Wipe Out from the guy who was there... such a fascinating story!
Great music, Wipe Out. Everything is just right. A true classic! It's a treat to hear from one of the creators.
and i do love this song myself. Would never turn it off the radio. i miss radio.
As a young drummer in the early 60s this was mandatory. If you couldn’t pull it off, you weren’t good enough. I listened to that song very carefully. And yes... I could pull it off. Eventually took lessons. I was influenced by Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker, later Carl Palmer, Tony Williams, Bill Bruford. Each one had their own style and were easily recognizable upon hearing. Thanks guys!
First song I learned on the drums and still love i today
Another Great interview Joe. I'm glad he cleared up the part that involved Richard Delvy. Richard went to Palos Verdes High and I went to South Torrance high (PV was up the hill) I attended South with the lead guitar player of the Challengers Art Fisher. Art would let me carry his amp into the High school dances that were going on back in the early 60's which saved me a $1.00 (ticket to get in) The story I heard about Wipeout was that Richard bought the rights to the song but glad this was cleared up in the interview. The Challengers also recorded it. For those reading that Pray, please pray for my dear friend Art Fisher who lives with his bride Jackie in Ramona, Ca. Art has Alzheimer's disease. Thank You
Thanks for sharing your memories Michael... all the best to Art.... my Mother suffered with that awful disease too... best, Joe
When I lived in Nebraska Wipeout was popular there even though the state is located in the middle of the country in the Plains. People there just like good music.
I moved to Azusa, Ca. which is right next to Glendora in 1966.
I absolutely love hearing the whole story of how this song became so iconic! What a tale to tell!
I remember it, it was on our juke box and my brother was a drummer practicing Wipe Out!
Iron Butterfly's
Inagadadavida
How interesting that Wipe Out was an after thought and became the bigger hit. The same with Richie Valens. He had to put a song on the back of Oh, Donna and it was La Bamba.
Nice to know how that crack at the beginning was made. Thanks, now I have to bring a piece of plywood to my gigs now.
Valens didn't write La Bamba. Versions of Bamba had been around for a couple of decades down in Mexico. I have an old Mexican produced gramophone recording passed down to me by my great-grandmother.
@@entertained9065 I realize that it was an old standard but most Americans never heard it.
I was surprised that they thought Surfer Joe was an A side, but, early sixties I guess...
@@entertained9065 Yes you are right on with this~!!
Ther's so many storys like that.
I'm a Southern California resident , and HUGE Surf music fan. This was great!
Y U G E !!!
This was fascinating! The iconic "Wipe Out" every drummers required playing in the
early 70's....
Thank you for sharing this amazing story of 1 of the Coolest songs ever.
It's so cool to learn the backstory to one of the best instrumentals of all time! It's shocking that such a great tune required so many lucky breaks and hands in the pot just to get it recorded. I assumed it was effortless. Now I'm going to find it and listen again! That drummer by the way inspired me to want to play drums but I had parents who said no way!
Wipe Ouy is THE song that made me want to play guitar. EVERYBODY was banging out the drum solo on their desks. I wanted to play the guitar parts.
So did I. I'm not a drummer. I can keep a beat but that's as far as it goes.
Great background of a song that was played on elementary school lunch tables all across America! " Hey! Come here! This Kid can play the drums on Wipe Out! "....As a drummer you had to be able to play Wipe Out. It was a right of passage....thanks Bob for a great story. Be sure to check out Joey and His Showmen Original Surf band in California. Bob has played with them on the Dick Dale Tribute Shows!
My mom went to Glendora High school ... they all from Glendora ... that aside ... i rarely hear how a song or tune was put together. This guy does very good job explaining. Totally interesting how this happens.
WOW Spontaneous Accident Became a Hit all over the World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's VERY Down To Earth! & Shows/Says the steps Of a Hit Actually Hitting the Public Ear... & a Classic Still Today Even If a Few Don't See the Ear-Beauty Of it But Then Diversity Is what make the World............................... Thanx 4 The Info Vid MHFM...
Born in '63, youngest of 5. Stole the 45 from my older brother and played it AND Surfer Joe all the time. Growing up in Cleveland, we yearned for California and Surf music.
Very cool, how thin the line is between success and failure.
JT
Orlando, Floriduh
A truly amazing story of all the twists and turns of an iconic tune.
It's always interesting to me to hear the details of how an iconic classic record was made and how it became so famous. Great story.
keith moon loved this song. And you can learn alot by playing drums to this song in time.
Isn't it wild how a lot of famous songs in the beginning are not seen as much by the artist or either the labels.... Then turn out to be smash hits.
The song that made drums cool.
Drums have always been cool...
I love playing these tunes on my radio show.
Such interesting music history! I am glad this video exsists. it is important to know how these things happened!
I remember 'Wipe Out" in my early teens. I still listen to it today. Musically we boomers were the luckiest generation. I love background stories like this one. I just found this channel and subscribed right away. Great Story and I like the way the interviewer lets's who he's interviewing do the talking. Actually the interviewer seems as intrigued and interested as we the viewers. Thx. much really enjoyed this.
A tune of my life
Great interview and a great story. As always, thx. for sharing.
Thanks Pam.... joe
Best interviewer ever......keeps his mouth closed. Thank you
Thanks Cup cake.... Best.... Joe
My senior year of high school we played Wipe Out as one of our Field Competition marching band songs.
I was the only snare player that competition (the other snare player skipped the competition because it was his birthday, thankfully), a set of quads, tri's, and 2 bass drums. Not much of a drum line, but Class C school and only 65 in the band.
I jammed that competition and played Wipe Out with paradiddles, threw in some double and triple ratamaques and a few triplets for good measure. Getting to play that final competetion my senior year in Memorial Field (Lincoln Ne) as the solo snare player was epic!!! Took 1st place! Good times indeed.
Wipe Out was one of the first songs I learned to play when I got my first little kit on my 8th birthday in 1979.
It's still my favorite song to play and it'll always be a very special tune to me :)
VERY interesting story! Fun to know!
Wow! Didn't recognize Bob Berryhill at all with this white, long hair! "Ronnie" is Surfaris' drummer Ron Wilson - great. Sadly died young of brain aneurysm. Surfaris had some fine players in it: Jim Fuller, Jim Pash, etc. Berryhill's father broke the "surfboard" at the beginning of "Wipe Out" and their mgr Dale Smalin was the one who yelled "Wipe Out". Cool story behind the instrumental number. Thanks for posting.
Thank you!!
I was in the studio during the recording of the "It Ain't Me Babe" album at Capitol in Studio A. Ken Forssi was playing bass with them on that LP. He, Ronnie, and Jimmy were friends of mine and we'd met at a party for Dobie Gray's birthday. However, Jimmy didn't tell the story of the writing of the song quite this way. He said that the drum riff was something that Ronnie picked up from the Glendora High drumline. Bob Berryhill is not credited with writing the song. It's credited to Ronnie and Jimmy. Kenny left later to join LOVE. He also died young, and Jimmy passed not that many years ago. Oh yeah, Jimmy said it was Dale Smalin who cackled Wipe Out. I enjoyed getting to sing some on that LP with Chuck Girard and Joe Kelly of the Castells.
@@bigkahuna4826 Love the handle, man! Cool that you were in studio during the Surfaris' later "It Ain't Me Babe" LP session and right on about Ken Forssi. Neat how you knew those dudes. I'd always heard that Ronnie's drum riff was a cadence (paradiddle) from his high school drum band, but sped up some. I can see it. I've also read periodically that Ronnie lifted it from Preston Epp's "Bongo Rock" Who knows - you probably do more than me. And as far as songwriting credit, the initial DFS (Dale F. Smallin) 45 is "Ron Wilson" as is the follow-up Princess 45, both coming out in early '63. It's the Dot 45 that lists the writing credit just to "The Surfaris". And right about Dale Smallin cackling "wipe out". I think Bob's father or someone in the band (Pat Connolly?) "broke the board".
@@dannyc1174 Yeah, Ronnie told me he took the cadence from something he learned in the Glendora High drum line. According to Jimmy, they'd been messing around with that cadence for awhile and first tried it out at a little show they did out on the beach. So when they were in the studio, it made sense to try something they'd already been messing around with. Jay Truax, another friend and former Surfari bassist, is the one who told me about Jimmy's passing. Jay joined up with Chuck Girard in a Christian band later on.
Wipeout was the first song I really learned to play on the drums.
I had played in my grade school band for two years I think and all I had done till then was read and play music, Wipeout was the first song I learned from start to finish by memory.
Wipe Out is a true all time music classic hit. I lived it as a musican back in the 60s. Everybody played it and it was a favorite of the dancing and listening public for many years. I'm glad I got to live the experience.
We played Wipe Out in the 70s along with some of what we call "Classic Rock" now. People always requested Wipeout at one point or another after that.
My favorite song. It kept me wide awake on long overnight trucking runs.
You are not THE Kathy Young are you? The one who sang, "A Thousand Stars" ?
@@Daniel_Antonio_Arellano782 Nope, I’m not. I can’t sing.
We don’t have those kind of radio stations anymore where you can drop off your record. All the great DJ’s are gone. Great story!
Here we are almost a year to this day. Lovely secret history. Once again a classic interview. So many people & companies didn't like it. LOL!
Thanks for watching RR... Joe
@@MusiciansHallofFameMuseum My pleasure Joe. Your content is an education in itself.
Our “garage band “ of course played Wipeout.
ALL the bands did in those days.
GOD BLESS D/JS i thank my d/j friends that play my songs
I always thought the crash at the beginning was a good kick to the reverb springs of a Fender amp.
Me too, in fact that's how we did it in 1965. The rhythm guitar player had a brand new Deluxe Reverb and he'd lean it back a little then let it drop back down on its feet. Perfect...sounded just like the record!
Back in the mid 80's I was playing at a church social and people were invited to come in right off the street on a Saturday night. We were rockin' out and a group of young teenage boys came in and stood watching quietly. We played Wipe Out and right when the drum break came in they started "break dancing" spinning around on their heads and taking turns showing off their dancing skills. The whole place went wild.
Another cool interview about guys who were kids in the 60s playing rock and roll and made the needed contacts and risks to get their records on the radio. AND there were record companies and DJs who were hungry for new artists and new songs. I imagine there is a lot more control over the artists and songs and writing now cuz it's more about money rather than the thrill like int he 60s. Thanks again Joe for another great interview of our music past. He seems like a cool guy to talk to.
Thanks Mike .... well put... best, Joe
Just natural pure talent 💖
Is there anything better than those "lightning-in-a-bottle" stories??!! Everyone wishes to have one.
Joseph Consoli Lightning. FTFY.
that's was a great story.
A great interviewer; he asks good questions and listens. A great story teller; he listened and told a wonderful story.
Paul.... I’ve said this to a couple other viewers.... people like you are the reason I do this. Thank you for the very kind words and understanding how I prefer to do a interview. I’m not a professional interviewer.., it just needed to be done to complement the museum. Thanks again... Joe
YAAY....no computers on Wipe Out! Great track from my youth.
Among the first songs I learned on the guitar.
I use to dance to WIPEOUT..in the 60's..this was a great beat..and another great beat of a song was wholly Bully...I had no problem dancing to these two songs..The old songs was the best songs and people danced more then today..
In high school, back in the 60s, we had a drummer who played Wipe Out on the cafeteria tables and on every desk in the school
a most groovy tune
WOW! All the years I have loved Wipe Out and The Surfaris ,I finally hear it from the mouth that was there.
Now I can tell the story of the beginnings...so cool!
I got these guys to play at our NCO club in Vietnam back in 69.
Great story and storytelling from legendary Bob Berryhill ! Thanks. Gary Usher was one of the arrangers when Ron Wilson broke the drummers world record. Be sure to check out the 3 Gary Usher Surf & Hot Rod specials on TH-cam where there is a lot of Surfaris included as Gary produced most of their great albums. "Hot Rod City 64" being a real classic !
a bright mind, .... sounds like a fine fellow. I've played wipe out (guitarist) with numerous bands over the past 54 yrs. Always a crowd pleaser.
Every kid around played the drums on their school books to wipeout I remember lol
Back when cassette was the thing, i took this song an made a copy. I rerecord the guitar solo 3 times in my recording.
You stretch that solo out and it really shines!!!
Just seemed too short, so i blended them solo,s seamlessly..came uot great!!
Did the same to a song called Buzzsaw.
child of the 60's and 70's bands drumma boi - who didn't know and play WIPEOUT! back then....cool interview ... Johnne in Seattle
HAHAHA! Writes a song for the B side & it becomes the Anthem of the Universe. Most requested / demanded song ever!
Very interesting interview and history of "Wipeout." Thanks for sharing this Joe. T.J.
Thanks for watching Pinta… joe
This is awesome. Thanks for posting.
By the late 60s, these super great instrumentals and other top 'pop' songs [especially, the 'infamous' *_Crimson & Clover_* by Tommy James & the Shondells] were driving the 8-Track and *Reverb* and even the first Cassette player hardware into a huge number of cars and trucks. That combination swept the downtown "cruising" to a serious peak for American pop culture.
I was a camera operator on a documentary movie where we interviewed Bob Berryhill. Just a really nice guy. He brought in a bunch of swag for the director and me..
Oh Joe and another I can't believe who you come with. More stories. Just incredible to hear how the song came about. What an archive.
great story . Bob nice guy!
Pal Studios was in Cucamonga, California, owned by Paul Buff. He was very inventive--and had a 5-channel multitrack tape machine long before other studios were up to 3-channel!!!! Shortly after Wipe Out broke, Paul sold that studio to a young composer, and it became "Studio Z"...
It's where Frank Zappa started his recording career.
Correct-a-Mundo. Zappa said the snare was close mic-ed from above which may have been the first time that was done. I wonder if that's true.
Great history lesson. I love Zappa!!
Great story about a great song. Like many young American drummers in the 70's the opening drum lick was the first recognizable thing I could "play". I happen to live about an hour away from the Musicians Hall of Fame in Tennessee. It is a pretty cool place!