Another stellar blog.

As per the connection between surf music and exotica… well, you gotta understand that many of the wreck halls that surf bands played in were decked out in similar fashion to the tiki bars… nautical rope, shells, even tikis. We showed a video of the Raindrops and the Beachboys, circa 1962, that featured both bands on stage with a huge tiki looming upon the stage. That was shown at the Make-Out Room event we did with Ape in San Fran.

However, as to the exact lineage between surf music and exotica, many of the A-sides on surf singles are what you commonly hear on surf compilations. There is an entire other genre of surf music, which Lee Joseph (of Dionysus Records) and Domenic Priore sort of uncover, known as Surfer’s Mood. There are four LP comps of Surfer’s Mood cuts… which is to say, these are the B-sides… often slow, moody, bluesy and even exotic surf numbers. I would even go as far as to say that a subset of Surfer’s Mood is Exotica-Surf, for which I myself compiled a tape of over 25 Exotica-Surf cuts from the ’60s. Some of them were named-checked in DUMB ANGEL #4, like “Jungle Fever” by Dick Dale & his Del-Tones and “Tioga” by the Frogmen (which is as good as anything on SMILE, in my opinion). But pretty much every surf band had one or two Exotica-Surf songs in their repertoire. I wrote an article for another magazine about Brian Wilson’s “Fire” song, from the 1966 SMILE album, and showed that there were a ton of other “Volcano” or “Fire” songs, both in exotica and surf music history.

I don’t think that surf is meant to replace exotica in a tiki bar, and I can understand why a lot of people who want the lounge feel of exotica don’t dig surf in the background. As my friend Joseph Lanza likes to say, “It’s EEEEAAAASY Listening.” Emphasis on the “Easy.” Surf music has never been background music for me, only because I find the beat so compelling that all I wanna do is turn it up and dance. Whereas with lounge, it’s background music. Makes you want to put a log in the fireplace, pour a drink and snuggle up next to your soon-to-be sexual counterpart.

That said, both exotica and surf music come from the beach towns, and their subject is about the tonal aspects of life by the sea. In the end, it’s all about the conch shell! So cast your net out to sea, and don’t be dissuaded from enjoying all types of music. The last thing we need in this world is more of this singular mindset crap. That’s what killed AM radio’s diverse playlists. And now you’re stuck with Jessica Simpson or talk radio, unless you do satellite.

I hope that helps clarify things…

Brian

Oh, and though I’m sure everyone has music acts they would add to Humuhumu’s list, Don Tiki is one that I would defnitely not leave off. They are numero uno in my book for perfectly capturing the mood and spirit of the Exotica masters.

I think you are quite right that the music is all ambient and not meant to be noticed. I was at the Mai Kai many times before I realized the tape was on a loop. I mentioned it and Kern and Pia begged for more music. I was happy to oblige.

It’s a mood. But just like lighting, it’s a mood you will trip on when you walk in the door if it’s wrong!

I don’t suffer any cognitive dissonance listening to surf in my home bar, but then I’m pretty picky about what gets played: I stick to newer instrumentals from the likes of Dick Dale, The Mermen, The Woggles, and Los Straitjackets. I find the more recent stuff often contains deliberate nods to older lounge and tribal beats, so maybe that’s why I don’t find it so jarring in a tiki context.

For smooth, jazzy tunage, I often find myself putting on Brazilian Tropicalia by Gilbert Gil, Caetano Veloso, or Os Mutantes.