Surf Music And ArtSurf Music Reviews and Art

Thursday, August 7, 2025

Surf Instro Live Review & Interview (John Blair): Jon & The Nightriders-Recorded Live At Hollywood’s Famous Whisky A Go-Go (January 10, 1981)

Release Date: April 18, 2014

Label: VOXX

Jon & the Nightriders tore the roof off Hollywood’s Whisky A Go-Go in January 1981. This legendary venue has hosted some of the most iconic live performances in music history, and that night in January was captured for this LP.

The Live At Hollywood’s Famous Whisky A Go-Go LP is heavyweight quality vinyl purchased directly from Jon Blair.

Here is the lineup of musicians for the classic surf rock recording:

Jon Blair-Lead Guitar

Dave Wronski-Rhythm Guitar

Niki Sixx-Bass (Not the Motley Crue band member. Listen to the interview)

Dusty Watson-Drums

What a powerhouse of talent! Wronski’s rhythm guitar is a force to be reckoned with, a fact proven by his future lead performances with Slacktone. And with his bandmate Dusty Watson on drums, this lineup is a force of nature.

If you’re a surf instro fan, you will immediately recognize all the classic tracks the band covered.

The recording is excellent musically and for overall clarity and crispness of sound. Additionally, you get a download card for your digital archives with four bonus tracks. These include three alternate versions of classic tracks, providing a unique perspective on the band’s performance. It is quite the package of music.

This record explodes with some incredible surf rock instrumentals. “Rumble At Waikiki” kicks things off, and it’s a wild way to start. The music is blasting at full volume. This is the way this music should be played, just as Dick Dale did when the first wave of surf commenced.

Every track is superbly done with the vintage reverb, tremolo, and glissando riffing in the spotlight every step of the way. For instance, on “Surf Party,” the band cranks, and you get a good taste of all those aspects of this music.

While every track is played with speed and accuracy, more than a few are in hyperdrive. “Force of Gravity,” a bonus track, is an excellent example of that.

Worthy of note are all the transitions they make within each track. Even though the music is known for its short recording times, one of the trademarks is how transitory it can be.

The Marketts get a nod on the other bonus track on Side B with “Outer Limits.” The Ventures’ “Walk Don’t Run” and The Astronauts’ “Baja” get their due as well on the digital download. You will hear fired-up versions of those legendary tunes, with the bass and guitar cranking it out.

The six-and-a-half-minute “Medley” is excellent. As “Banzai Washout,” “Surf Jam,” and “Pipeline” get the Nightrider treatment. Chances are, you have not heard these songs played live in such a way on a surf instro LP too often. They just cut loose on every track and rock out.

Recorded Live At Hollywood’s Famous Whisky A Go-Go is not just a look at surf music history; it’s a visceral experience. The passion, color, and precision with which each track is played are a testament to the enduring power of live music.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Surf Music and Art Reviews Founder

August 4, 2025

Tracks:

A1. Rumble At Waikiki 2:44

A2. Mr. Moto 1:58

A3. Surf Party 2:21

A4. The Nightrider 2:03

A5. Surfin' And Spyin'1:31

A6. Hawaii Five-O 1:39

A7. Force of Gravity * Bonus

B1. Baja 2:34

Medley (6:13)

B2.a Banzai Washout

B2.b Surf Jam

B2.c Pipeline

B3. Church Key 2:15

B4. Squad Car 1:55

B5. Outer Limits* Bonus

Digital Download Bonus Tracks:

15. Walk Don't Run 2:41

16. The Nightrider (alt) 2:15

17. Squad Car (alt) 1:55

18. Baja (alt) 2:47

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Surf Rock Review: The Fuzziyama Surfers-Nagahama / Chanbara Ogin EP

Release Date: August 2025

Website

After their debut album Wild Echizen (Otitis Media Records, 2022), The Fuzziyama Surfers from Japan’s megapolis Nagoya are back with a small CD. The four-track EP was successfully launched at the Surf Guitar 101 Festival in Long Beach, California, in August 2025. This marked the band’s inaugural live performance on American soil. Following this, the silver disc will only be available in their homeland.

We know today that surf music was smuggled into Japan many decades ago by the secret agent Mr. Moto. There, he handed the electronic circuit diagrams over to the custodians of the three-string long-necked lute. This led to the electrification of plucked instruments in the Far East, and “Eleki” was born. The rest is history.

Fuzziyama is, as electric guitar players will immediately notice, a portmanteau of "Fujiyama" and "Fuzz Box". The latter is an essential distortion device used to create sawing sound effects on the guitar. Here, this marvelous thing is equated with the sacred mountain of the Japanese.

The band’s mastermind and composer is Masumi Fujio, who is known to everyone in the scene as “Fuzzio”. He already rocked with the “surfin’ instrumental band” The Windows and did his finger exercises diligently. He has long deserved a place in the “Nippon Guitars” hall of fame. No one else in the Far East plays “Misirlou” more in tune across the frets than he does.

In any case, the artwork for his new sound carrier, designed by Chiaki (the band’s second guitarist) using the two-color duplex process, is a success. The reduction in color makes it stand out from other record sleeves. But what’s even more striking is that the Fuzziyama Surfers have a female drummer.

It is said that Karen Carpenter from the Carpenters is the reason why there are comparatively many female drummers in Japan. During their successful 1974 tour (see Live at Budokan), a woman was seen drumming for the first time in Japan, triggering a boom that continues to have an impact today.

Nakkie from the Fuzziyamas is currently one of the best live drummers on the scene. Her playing swings, which is so crucial to surf beat. Through her personality and her spontaneous screeches, she also brings a lot of energy and vitality to the band.

This blood-pressure-increasing stage sound is captured unadorned on all of the band’s recordings. The following four tracks were frantically taped in spring 2025 in Geru Matsuishi’s earthquake-proof recording studio on the outskirts of Japan’s “motor city”, Toyota.

(1)“Nagahama” (長浜) means “long beach” in Japanese and possibly refers to the location of the band’s first guest performance in the US. Unusually for surf music, the piece begins with a piano chord progression, which immediately calls to mind the forgotten oldie “Nut Rocker” by B. Bumble and the Stingers. Although the piano was a vital element of early style-defining surf bands such as the Bel-Airs and the Challengers, it is reviled in the genre today and has largely been replaced by the organ. The fast-paced interludes in “Nagahama” even evoke progressive rock, revealing that the composer is a “child in time” who floats in deep purple spheres.

(2) “Oh! Showgatsu” (お正月) is a traditional Japanese lullaby sung to young children on New Year’s Eve. Shōgatsu, the turn of the year, is one of the most important holidays in Japan. However, a night’s sleep is not on the cards here. The band pulverizes the bedtime song with an unbridled “lock’n’lol” attitude.

(3) “Chanbara Ogin” (チャンバラお銀) is a nod to Kagerō Ogin, a female ninja character from a light-hearted Japanese soap opera who is adept at cheating and poisoning. “Chanbara” is the Japanese genre term for samurai films. Not entirely inappropriately, the track has a spaghetti western feel. However, the guitars remain as sharp as the blade of a katana longsword.

(4) Things continue to be martial in “Kita-Kaze” (キタカゼ). The title means “North Wind”, but also refers to the eponymous Japanese Tier IX destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Second World War ship has long since been scrapped, old rivalries have blown away in the wind, and a pacific friendship has developed between Americans and Japanese people.

Japan may well be the main factor why the surf music community is global today. Bands like the Fuzziyama Surfers are continuing the instrumental rock tradition that Takeshi Terauchi and the Blue Jeans started so gloriously in the early ’60s.

Although their EP has only four tracks, it introduces you to a wide range of Japanese popular culture. Want more? This sample CD is meant to whet your appetite for the band’s upcoming LP. You could say it’s the miso soup before the sashimi.

Jimmy Dee, Staff Writer at Surf Music and Art

Tracklist:

01. Nagahama (長浜)

02. Oh! Showgatsu (お正月)

04. Chanbara Ogin (チャンバラお銀)

05. Kita-Kaze (キタカゼ)

Surf Instro 7" 45 Vinyl Review and Interview (Bernard Yin): Par Avion – Featuring Paul Johnson and Friends - Mr. Moto/Squad Car

Order This Product

Par Avion – Featuring Paul Johnson and Friends is a one-time special limited-edition release on black 7” vinyl with the classic surf tracks “Mr. Moto” and “Squad Car.”

The guitars on “Mr. Moto” were played by Paul Johnson, who originated the music with his band The Bel-Airs; John Blair (of Jon and The Nightriders); and Bernard Yin and his band Par Avion.

On bass, Rebecca Ramirez, piano, Marc Doten, and drums, the excellent Dusty Watson.

For “Squad Car,” the lineup includes Paul Johnson, Bernard Yin, Sys Malakian, and Ferenc Dobronyi on guitars. And DJ Bonebreak on drums, Rebecca Ramirez on bass.

The retro artwork is perfect for the release. Dirk Braun provided the front cover, and the back illustration was from the Rick Griffin estate; the layout comes courtesy of Kustom Deluxe Design and Printing.

These are all the various elements that came together to make this project complete. As Bernard said in his introduction packet, “It takes a village.”

Listening to these two legendary tracks in the “Longboard” style, as Bernard explains, is a treat for the ears. The sound is crystal clear, thanks to the high-quality vinyl, which ensures the best listening experience.

"Mr. Moto" has several guitar variations running throughout. I continue to listen in amazement at how these musicians can pack so much into a short running track. The drums and bass provide solid support, while the transitions are so intricate that kudos are due to the backend for keeping everything on track. I appreciate how they paid tribute to the original music and vibe before it fades out. It was a brief reminder of the value of looking back at where it all started with Paul Johnson.

"Squad Car" has a slower tempo, and the cymbals are subtle yet keep time with grace. The guitars resonate with reverb and pinpoint accuracy, featuring stinging leads. The melodicism is superbly done, and you get to hear a brief run of glissando towards the end, where the bass also peels off some strong notes.

Par Avion – Featuring Paul Johnson and Friends will be available online and at SG 101 2025 by Frankie and The Pool Boys (check in with Ferenc). Also, at Par Avion’s upcoming Mountain Mini Tour, and The Tiki Oasis poolside at noon on August 9th. Don’t miss out on this special release!

These are the kind of releases that the surf community loves to see, and they become instant collector’s items. I appreciate how the artwork is integrated into this music, and that is what makes the surf instro genre so special to the artists and fans.