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Surf Rock: Still Making Waves

Members of the North Bay surfing club ride the waves at Malibu Beach, California, United States on July 12, 1961, just to enjoy the fun. The sport, enjoyed by some 20,000 people in California, is now being invaded by gangs of truant teenagers who spend all their time on the surf with breaks drinking bouts, sex parties and vandalism, according to the police and local property owners. (AP)
Members of the North Bay surfing club ride the waves at Malibu Beach, California, United States on July 12, 1961, just to enjoy the fun. The sport, enjoyed by some 20,000 people in California, is now being invaded by gangs of truant teenagers who spend all their time on the surf with breaks drinking bouts, sex parties and vandalism, according to the police and local property owners. (AP)

Surf rock originated on the sun-kissed California coast, and for many it evokes a fast drive along the shore, or the salty ocean breeze, or waves crashing onto the sand. It enjoyed a brief heyday in the 1960's with Dick Dale, the grand-daddy of the genre. But it's making a bit of a comeback these days. There's a thriving surf-rock subculture right here in Boston.

In today's ARTery segment, we dive into the world of surf rock.

You can see the Boston-based surf rock band  Matt Heaton & the Electric Heaters at Club Passim in Cambridge on June 23rd and 30th. And the legendary Dick Dale will play at the Middle East in Cambridge on July 25th.

Guest

Amelia Mason, a writer and musician living in Cambridge.

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The ARTery: "Surf music, pioneered by Dick Dale, the so-called “King of the Surf Guitar,” enjoyed only a brief moment of glory, from 1961 to 1965, before the Beatles and their fellow British invaders wiped it out (so to speak). Like bellbottoms and aviator sunglasses, it has experienced resurgences in popularity, first in the ‘80s and again after the release of the film “Pulp Fiction” in 1994."

This segment aired on June 20, 2013. The audio for this segment is not available.

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