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Is it surf or is it just great instrumental rock? You decide
Underground Fire is a 1969 track by The Ventures. Now, we’ve obviously mentioned The Ventures elsewhere - and singled out Nokie Edwards for praise - but Underground Fire is worth checking out for a couple of reasons.
The first is that it illustrates how a great band can survive changes in musical fashion without compromising their core ethic - it’s not really surf, but it’s still an instrumental.
The other reason is to get you to listen to one of the most enjoyably ludicrous adverts for a record you’ll ever hear. Listen to this YouTube clip - and listen to the end. It’s worth it. It is, after all, a ‘harbinger of the flames… yet to come.’
Unsteady Freddie is the host of an online surf-centric radio show called Twang Shebang. The show, which can be streamed or downloaded, features a cracking mix of modern surf bands from around the world. It’s infectious, baby!
