Dick Dale



"“Sort of like Hendrix, nobody else can do what he does. People should see it, it's absolutely astonishing.” (31 March 1995)"

Dick Dale (born Richard Anthony Monsour on May 4, 1937) is an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar ... The use of 'Miserlou' in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction gained him a new audience. . . (read more at Wikipedia)

Links To Peel
Peel became a huge fan of Dick Dale after seeing the guitarist at The Garage in London in March 1995. He recalled the experience soon afterwards on the TV programme Ten Of The Best:

"'Dick played a blinder. I mean, he still cares about it. And he got stuck in, and I just went berserk, I have to admit. I went down to the front, I was covering everybody in beer, and dancing – which is something I don’t do easily – and shouting at him between numbers. It was just marvellous.'"

After introducing himself to Dale backstage, Peel arranged what would be the first of five sessions by the guitarist for his show. At the end of 1995, the unrestrained enthusiasm of the DJ helped Dale become the oldest artist ever to chalk up a Festive Fifty entry, a record he renewed a year later. For Radio 4 listeners, the guitarist’s 'Let's Go Trippin' became familiar as the theme tune of Peel’s Home Truths show, which started in April 1998. In September 2000, Dale shared the bill with the Fall at a special ‘Peel Sessions Live’ event at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

In earlier decades, Peel hadn’t counted Dale among his favourites, despite living in America when the guitarist was enjoying his greatest chart success. However, the passage of time obviously painted him in a rosier hue:

"'He was almost the only person that existed in California when I lived there in 1960: the man who single-handedly virtually invented a genre.'"

Unlike others of his generation, the veteran king of surf guitar was able to offer something musically to Peel in a new era and from then on the DJ always held him in the very highest regard. On 02 October 2001, Peel learned that Dale would be opening for Clinic at some shows on the US west coast:

"'Has the world gone mad? There's Dick Dale, one of the world's most important artistes, opening for Clinic. I'd say more like Elton John, Paul McCartney opening for Dick Dale really would make more sense to me.'"

The final time Dale was to feature on the Peel show was 22 April 2004 when the guitarist's fifth session was broadcast. Peel commented:

"'If you were making a list of the great surf guitar players, Dick Dale would fill the first 10 places at least.'"

In 2012, seven Dick Dale LPs were found in Peel's record collection when TheSpace and JohnPeelArchive websites released details of the first 100 albums by artists beginning D, along with a short video D Is For Dick Dale.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1995 Festive Fifty: Nitro #26
 * 1996 Festive Fifty: Nitrus #27

Peelenium

 * Peelenium 1961: Let's Go Trippin'
 * Peelenium 1996: Nitrus

Sessions

 * Five sessions. No known commercial release.

1. Recorded: 1995-03-30 (in tandem with Andy Kershaw show, TX 1995-05-07). First Broadcast: 08 April 1995. Repeat: 23 December 1995.
 * Bo / Crankin’ / The Wedge / Nightrider / 3rd Stone From The Sun / Miserlou

2. Recorded: 1995-07-10. First Broadcast 12 August 1995. No repeats.
 * Fish Taco / Kiss Of Fire / Let's Go Tripping / Peter Gunn

3. Recorded: 2000-09-21. First Broadcast 05 October 2000. No repeats.
 * Death Ride / Dune / Wake The Dead / Dulce Corazon

4. Recorded: 2002-08-28. First Broadcast 10 September 2002. No repeats.
 * Avalanche / Jesse / Gremmie 02 / Surftrip

5. Recorded: 2004-03-24. First Broadcast 22 April 2004. No repeats.
 * Shakin Stomp J P / Death Of A Gremmie / D D Shuffle / Mi Corazon (My Heart) / Dd Boogie

Other Shows Played

 * 1980s
 * 14 October 1986: Miserlou (The History of Surf Music - The Instrumentals)
 * 15 May 1989: King Of The Surf Guitar (vocal) (CD - King Of The Surf Guitar: The Best Of Dick Dale & His Del-Tones) Rhino
 * 26 May 1989 (BFBS) (Peel 105 (BFBS)): 'King Of The Surf Guitar (LP-King Of The Surf Guitar)' (Capitol)
 * 01 June 1989: 'King Of The Surf Guitar (LP-King Of The Surf Guitar)' (Capitol)


 * 1990
 * 01 January 1990: Nightrider (album - Checkered Flag)
 * 08 January 1990: Motion (album - Checkered Flag) Capitol ST 2002
 * 12 April 1990: Miserlou
 * 16 June 1991: Miserlou (album - The History Of Surf Music - The Instrumentals)
 * Peel 004 (Radio Bremen): Miserlou (v/a LP - The History Of Surf Music Volume One: Original Instrumental Hits 1961-1963) Rhino
 * 06 July 1991: Miserlou (album - The History Of Surf Music - The Instrumentals)


 * 1993
 * 17 September 1993 (BFBS): Nitro (album - Tribal Thunder) Hightone (surprisingly lukewarm response by John to Dick's new album bearing in mind how much he came round later)
 * 01 October 1993: Nitro (CD – Tribal Thunder) Hightone (JP: “I can do that you know. Well I can’t to be honest, but I would like to be able to.”)
 * 01 October 1993 (BFBS): unknown track (album - Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 08 October 1993 (BFBS): The Eliminator (album - Tribal Thunder) Hightone (John seems to be coming round to the idea of Dick Dale doing new material....)
 * 09 October 1993: Trail Of Tears (album - Tribal Thunder) Hightone HCD 8046
 * 15 October 1993 (BFBS): Trail Of Tears (album - Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 30 October 1993: Nitro (CD – Tribal Thunder) Hightone


 * 1994
 * 25 November 1994: Shake 'N' Stomp (LP: The Surfer's Choice) Del Tone
 * 26 November 1994 (BFBS): Jungle Fever


 * 1995
 * 21 January 1995: The Beast (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 03 February 1995: (Ghost) Riders In The Sky (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 24 March 1995: Nitro (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 31 March 1995: (Ghost) Riders In The Sky (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone (John positively raves about a Dick Dale gig he has been to, urges everyone to see him live, and reveals that the following week's programming has been changed to allow broadcast of a session by the man.)
 * 01 April 1995: Mexico (LP-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 01 April 1995: Scalped (LP-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 01 April 1995 (BFBS): Nitro (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 08 April 1995 (BFBS): Scalped (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 08 April 1995 (BFBS): Hava Nagila (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 08 April 1995 (BFBS): Mexico (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 08 April 1995 (BFBS): The Beast (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 14 April 1995: Shredded Heat (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone ((JP: "Here in the Radio One studios we have this rather officious little indicator which flashes red every time - well, it says 'warning: headphone level too high'. I'm pleased to say it remained red throughout that entire track.")
 * 15 April 1995: Nitro (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 24 April 1995 (BBC World Service): Ghostriders In The Sky (LP - Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 29 April 1995 (BFBS): Nitro (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone (JP: 'Now there's a god if you like, and brothers and sisters, I like!')
 * 29 April 1995: The Eliminator (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 05 May 1995: Hava Nagila (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 06 May 1995 (BFBS): The Eliminator (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 13 May 1995: Take It Off (CD-King Of The Surf Guitar: The Best Of Dick Dale & The Del-Tones) Rhino
 * 13 May 1995 (BFBS): Hava Nagila (CD-King Of The Surf Guitar: The Best Of Dick Dale & The Del-Tones) Rhino
 * 13 May 1995 (BFBS): Hava Nagila (LP-Unknown Territory) Hightone 31 Years Of Dick segue spoiled by worng speed moment
 * 19 May 1995: Mr. Eliminator (LP-King Of The Surf Guitar: The Best Of Dick Dale & The Del-Tones) Rhino
 * 26 May 1995: Tidal Wave (LP-King Of The Surf Guitar: The Best Of Dick Dale & The Del-Tones) Rhino
 * 27 May 1995 (BFBS): Mr. Eliminator (CD-King Of The Surf Guitar: The Best Of Dick Dale & His Del-Tones)
 * 03 June 1995: The Victor (CD-The Best Of Dick Dale & His Del-Tones) Rhino Entertainment
 * 19 June 1995 (BBC World Service): Scalped (LP - Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 24 June 1995 (BFBS): Nitro (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone (JP: “You see, if Dick Dale can still do it, why can't Duane Eddy?”)
 * 24 June 1995: Tidal Wave (LP-King of the Surf Guitar: The Best of Dick Dale and the Del-Tones) Rhino
 * 30 June 1995: Mexico (album - Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 03 July 1995 (BBC World Service): Night Rider (LP - King Of The Surf Guitar - The Best Of Dick Dale & The Del-Tones) Rhino
 * 07 July 1995: Nitro (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 14 July 1995: (Dick Dale interview live from Phoenix Festival)
 * 14 July 1995: Shredded Heat (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 27 August 1995: Scalped (CD: Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 02 September 1995: Mexico (Compilation CD -...Hold On) Melody Maker
 * 16 September 1995 (BFBS): Mexico (Compilation CD-...Hold On) Melody Maker
 * 22 December 1995: Shredded Heat (CD: Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 30 December 1995: Nitro (Peel Session) FF#26 (JP: “Man of the year for me...”)
 * 30 December 1995 (BFBS): Shredded Heat (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone


 * 1996
 * 27 April 1996 (BFBS): (Peel has a promo of the new Dick Dale LP (Calling Up Spirits), which, being on cassette, he cannot play on air: he pronounces it to be "good twangy guitar stuff", aside from Dick's attempts to sing on one or two songs: his voice is, John thinks, not dissimilar to his own (no compliment intended).)
 * 28 April 1996: Nitrus (CD - Calling Up Spirits) Beggars Banquet
 * 04 May 1996 (BFBS): 'Nitrus (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * (JP: 'This man is a god! And to think that the Melody Maker or the NME, forget which one it was, dismissed him as a heavy metal guitarist or something.') However....


 * 04 May 1996 (BFBS): 'Fever (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet) only a portion played in order to demonstrate Dick's lack of prowess in vocals
 * 04 May 1996 (BFBS): 'Catamount (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * 07 May 1996 (Radio Mafia): 'Nitrus (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * 11 May 1996 (BFBS): 'The Wedge Paradiso (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * 18 May 1996 (BFBS): 'The Pit (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * 15 June 1996: 'Nitrus (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * 29 June 1996 (BFBS): 'Temple Of Gizeh (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * 15 July 1996: 3rd Stone (session) (John Peel's Classic Sessions)
 * 21 July 1996: 'The Pit (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * 27 July 1996 (BFBS): 'Doom Box (CD-Calling Up Spirits)' (Beggars Banquet)
 * (JP: 'Sounds like another one of his tunes played slightly slower, but who really cares?')
 * 23 September 1996 (BBC World Service): Dick Dale Stomp (LP - King Of The Surf Guitar) Capitol (JP says that Dick Dale recently asked a London audience to pray for the health of Peel's wife, Sheila.)
 * 21 December 1996: Nitrus (CD - Calling Up Spirits) Beggars Banquet (JP: 'Has to be Dick: I want him and I want him now...)
 * 22 December 1996: Nitrus (LP - Calling Up Spirits) Beggars Banquet FF#27 (Mark Whitby notes (in 'The Festive Fifty', Nevin Publishing, p. 43) that the previous year Dick, at 58 years of age, had become the oldest man to place a Festive Fifty entry, and with this track he beat his own record.)
 * 22 December 1996: Nitrus (LP - Calling Up Spirits) Beggars Banquet FF#27 (Mark Whitby notes (in 'The Festive Fifty', Nevin Publishing, p. 43) that the previous year Dick, at 58 years of age, had become the oldest man to place a Festive Fifty entry, and with this track he beat his own record.)


 * 1997
 * 15 May 1997: The Eliminator (CD – Tribal Thunder) Hightone Records
 * 30 June 1997: Mexico (CD: Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 03 July 1997: Mr. Eliminator (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 24 July 1997: Ghost Riders in the Sky (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 30 July 1997: Secret Surfing Spot (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 06 August 1997: The Wedge (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 07 August 1997: Night Rider (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 14 August 1997 (BFBS): Secret Surfin' Spot (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 19 August 1997: Mr. Eliminator (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 27 August 1997: Flashing Eyes (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 09 September 1997: Firing Up (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 18 September 1997 (BFBS): Banzai Washout (LP-Summer Surf) Capitol
 * 25 September 1997 (BFBS): Third Stone From The Sun (2xCD-Better Shred Than Dead - The Dick Dale Anthology) Rhino
 * 01 October 1997: Miserlou (Peel’s 30 years at R1 anniversary special)


 * 1998
 * 07 January 1998: Nitro (LP - Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 08 January 1998 (BFBS): The Beast (CD-Unknown Territory) Hightone (JP recalls a namecheck from Dick Dale)
 * 25 March 1998: Scalped (CD: Unknown Territory) Hightone
 * 03 June 1998: Nitro (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 25 June 1998: Shredded Heat
 * 22 July 1998: Nitrus (LP - Calling Up Spirits) Beggars Banquet
 * 23 December 1998: Nitro (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone (John laments the absence of a new Dick Dale LP in 1998, so plays a track from an old one.)


 * 1999
 * 03 January 1999 (BFBS): The Eliminator (CD-Tribal Thunder) Hightone (similar comments to 23 December 1998 on lack of new LP)
 * 26 January 1999: (with Davie Allen & The Arrows: Surf Trek (Compilation CD-Attack Of The New Killer Surf Guitars) Shanachie
 * 28 January 1999: (with Davie Allen & The Arrows: Surf Trek (Compilation CD-Attack Of The New Killer Surf Guitars) Shanachie
 * 09 February 1999: (with Davie Allen & The Arrows: Surf Trek (Compilation CD-Attack Of The New Killer Surf Guitars) Shanachie
 * 11 February 1999 (Radio Mafia) (with Davie Allen & The Arrows: Surf Trek (Compilation CD-Attack Of The New Killer Surf Guitars) Shanachie
 * 01 September 1999: The Eliminator (LP – Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 13 October 1999: Let's Go Trippin' (7") Deltone (Peelenium 1961)


 * 2000


 * 12 January 2000: Nitrus (CD-Calling Up Spirits) Beggars Banquet (Peelenium 1996)
 * 23 March 2000: Surfin' Rebel (LP-Summer Surf) Capitol
 * 24 May 2000: Take It Off (LP - King Of The Surf Guitar) Rhino
 * 14 June 2000: Nitro (LP – Tribal Thunder) Hightone (Peel is apparently wearing a Dick Dale t-shirt, with ‘King Of Surf Guitar’ on the back)
 * 28 September 2000: ("I love Dick to the point where my trousers explode at the mere mention of his name".)


 * 2001
 * 06 November 2001: Night Rider (7” single)
 * 19 December 2000: Nitro (LP - Tribal Thunder) (JP: “Always was a mighty record with which to start a programme”) (Festive Fifty 25th anniversary special)


 * 2002
 * 13 June 2002: Nitro (LP - Tribal Thunder) High Tone
 * 22 June 2000: One Double One Oh (2xCD: Better Shred Than Dead) Rhino
 * 06 August 2002: 3013DD (LP - Spacial Disorientation) Dick Dale Records
 * 14 August 2002: H.M.F.I.C (LP - Spacial Disorientation) Dick Dale Records
 * 21 August 2002: The Eliminator (LP - Spacial Disorientation) Dick Dale Records
 * 22 August 2002 (Radio Mafia): 3013DD (Dick Dale)
 * 05 September 2002 (Radio Mafia): The Eliminator (Dick Dale)
 * 06 September 2002 (BBC World Service): HMFIC (LP - Spacial Disorientation) Dick Dale
 * 20 September 2002 (BBC World Service): Haji (Electric) (LP - Spacial Disorientation) Dick Dale
 * 05 December 2002: The Wedge (7") Capitol


 * 2003
 * 08 April 2003: Shredded Heat (LP- Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 16 April 2003: Nitro (LP- Tribal Thunder) Hightone
 * 21 October 2003: The Wedge (7") Capitol


 * 2004
 * 14 April 2004: Nitro (LP- Tribal Thunder) Hightone


 * Other
 * Ten Of The Best: Terra Dicktyl
 * Best Of 1992 Vol 1: Banzai Washout (LP-King Of The Surf Guitar) Rhino