[honkysax]

I have the old album from the 60's - Wipe Out by some California high school boys, The Surfin Surfaris
Bob Berryhill (original guitar player) contacted me when I asked him who the Tenor Sax player was on the
album (I had an old thread on the Surfaris few years ago)
Bob said the only songs on the album The Surfaris actually recorded was Surfer Joe and Wipeout and they were on the
road when some studio guys came in and finished the album (ain't the music business great !! - Silly me, I thought The
Surfaris recorded the album haha)
He had no idea who the players were and who the sax man was and some law suits were filed
The cat sounded really good - played Tequila, You Can't Sit Down, Wiggle Wobble, Wild Weekend (one of my favorite
sax numbers when I was a kid) by the Rockin Rebels - I think from New York ??)
If John Laughter doesn't know who this sax player was, I'll probably never know
Oh well, just always wondered who this guy might have been

 

[1saxman]

I haven't heard it but it was probably 'The Wrecking Crew' on the 'fill-in' records with Plas Johnson. I'll see if I can find any of them and get back...

 

[1saxman]

Ooops, definitely not Plas - Steve Douglas was the other sax man associated with the Wrecking Crew so its probably him.

 

[John Laughter]

This might help a little;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Surfaris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Pash

https://thesurfaris.com/bio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIvVdjnuik4

Wild Weekend (one of my favorite sax numbers when I was a kid) by the Rockin Rebels - I think from New York ??)

Yep, the same here. Was a must learn and play in many bands back in the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO5EAGEDPyM

Mickey Kipler is on tenor and still rockin' today;

https://www.facebook.com/mickey.kipler

All of the songs that you listed are in a 530 page PDF file if you would like a copy via email. Bios, photos and some historical notes and emails from the sax players. Just send a PM with your email address. "THE HISTORY OF TOP 40 SAXOPHONE SOLOS-1955-2019"

 

[John Laughter]

Ooops, definitely not Plas - Steve Douglas was the other sax man associated with the Wrecking Crew so its probably him.

Totally agree in some cases. Many hit songs were recorded by the excellent session players, many of whom never received the credit. Plas Johnson and Steve Douglas both played on some hits because the band that wrote the song did not do well in the studio. Many session players were never given credit.

I have a quote in the above PDF file by Mr. Johnson (from the Internet) stating how he felt at the time. He was not pleased when he took all of the solos for a young white kids band that went on tour and got all the recognition after the record hit the charts.

Found his quote;

Some members of The Wrecking Crew struggled with it, however. Plas Johnson recalls a disheartening situation with “Surfer’s Stomp” by The Marketts;
“I think it’s a little different when you’re a horn player and you’re asked to play the introduction, and play the first chorus … and play the first solo, and then play the fade on the end. And the damn thing comes out, and it doesn’t have your name on it. Worse than not getting the money is to have … to have played on a hit record which sold a million copies, and not even have your name on it. And they go dig some white kids up out of high school and put them on the road and call them the name.” – Plas Johnson

 

[honkysax]

Thanks so much
I think I have heard of the "Wrecking Crew" with Glen Campbell if I'm not mistaken
Yes - is that the same Steve Douglas with Duane Eddy for so many years ??
What a fine sax man - Maybe that solves the mystery !!

 

[John Laughter]

Duane Eddy used 4 sax players over the years that we have found so it depends on the recording; Steve Douglas, Jim Horn, Plas Johnson and Gill Bernal. All of his Top 40 hiits and the name of the sax players are noted in the PDF file.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Eddy#Singles

 

[Clockwise]

I looked the the credits on the back of my original album and everyone is credited except the sax player. The liner notes are long gone if there ever were any.

This names Jim Pash on sax...

https://www.discogs.com/The-Surfaris-Wipe-Out/release/1503471

 

[Clockwise]

Also fascinating: in the fine print on the back of the album it says that Wipe Out and Surfer Joe were recorded in mono and the rest of the tunes on the album are in stereo. That would back up the thought that those were recorded by the original band as a 45??? Then the others were recorded separately.

 

[SHOZZA]

Duane Eddy used 4 sax players over the years that we have found so it depends on the recording; Steve Douglas, Jim Horn, Plas Johnson and Gill Bernal. All of his Top 40 hiits and the name of the sax players are noted in the PDF file.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Eddy#Singles

Hi John,
Hope you don't mind if this is a bit off topic, I was reading your post on Facebook on Clarence Clemons. He was on the Letterman show I think, thing is it's a great tune he played, but I don't know what it's called. If you know John i'd be very grateful if you could let me know. I've learnt it but don't know what to call it.
Thanking you in advance,
Cheers Rob.

 

[John Laughter]

Hi John,
Hope you don't mind if this is a bit off topic, I was reading your post on Facebook on Clarence Clemons. He was on the Letterman show I think, thing is it's a great tune he played, but I don't know what it's called. If you know John i'd be very grateful if you could let me know. I've learnt it but don't know what to call it.
Thanking you in advance,
Cheers Rob.

Hey Rob, when it comes to Rock & Roll we can always get a little off topic. Great question. Bruce Springsteen "From Small Things";

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cReBk3wXPU

 

[John Laughter]

I looked the the credits on the back of my original album and everyone is credited except the sax player. The liner notes are long gone if there ever were any.

This names Jim Pash on sax...

https://www.discogs.com/The-Surfaris-Wipe-Out/release/1503471

Thanks for the update!

 

[notes_norton]

Studio players, white, black, or otherwise seldom get the credits on the recordings they performed in.

And if you watch the movie "The Wrecking Crew", "Muscle Shoals", and other studio musician films, plus do some research, you will find that until the middle to late 1970s, most bands you thought were recording their own records were not. The studio folks in California, Muscle Shoals, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans and New York were doing the work.

And they got paid well for it. Carol Kaye said at one time they were making more money than the President of the USA. Hal Blaine of the "Wrecking Crew" played drums on over 35,000 recordings.

Before peak limiters, compressors, punch-ins, and other tech inventions, there was an art to recording in the studio that most live bands did not have. Not only mic control, but a different way of playing and balancing. It was more economical to have the studio musicians do it in one or two takes than have the accomplished at live playing musicians do it again and again and again because they didn't know how to work the studio. Play one note way to loud and the recording is trash.

Insights and incites by Notes

 

[SHOZZA]

Hey Rob, when it comes to Rock & Roll we can always get a little off topic. Great question. Bruce Springsteen "From Small Things";

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cReBk3wXPU

Thanks so much John, your a star my friend. :cheers:
Cheers Rob.

 

[John Laughter]

Hey Rob. Thanks :cheers:

 

[DonaldL]

No one could play guitar like Creed Bratton of the Grass Roots.

 

[honkysax]

I looked the the credits on the back of my original album and everyone is credited except the sax player. The liner notes are long gone if there ever were any.

This names Jim Pash on sax...

https://www.discogs.com/The-Surfaris-Wipe-Out/release/1503471

Jim Pash must have joined the band later - as according to Bob Berryhill, none of the Sufaris knew who any of the players were on the "Wipe Out" album
(other than their 2 songs) I have heard the name of Jim Pash mentioned often, related to the Surfaris, and John's links show Jim being part of the band.
Thanks for your input !!

 

[John Laughter]

Little more background;

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-surfaris/wipe-out

 

[SHOZZA]

Thanks for the info John, I was a drummer from age Ten. Playing regular when Wipe Out came out five years later. From a drummers point of view a very simple and repetitive number, but the audience loved it. It was always requested, a great tune for sure. Then I became a musician, Organ/Keys, then alto sax for two years, then Tenor which I've played since the mid eighties. Now back on drums as well, just like riding a bike you never forget how......well I didn't.

Cheers Rob.

 

[John Laughter]

Welcome Rob. Yes "Wipe Out" was, and still is a classic. Most of the bands that I have played with through the years featured the drummer on this one. It was usually an audiance request and we were glad to play it. Actually we played it for a high school reunion several months ago! We are there for the crowd and the dancers. That is what entertainment is all about. Play what the audiance wants to hear. It is simply one of those hits that survived the test of time. Just like "Tequila" by the Champs :cheers: