The Surfaris
The Surfaris are an American surf music band formed in Glendora, California, in 1962.[1][2] They are best known for two songs that hit the charts in the Los Angeles area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" and "Wipe Out", which were the A-side and B-side of the same 45 rpm single.
Not to be confused with The Original Surfaris.
The Surfaris
Glendora, California, U.S.
1962–1966, 1973, 1976, 1981–2017 for the actual Surfaris band led by Jim Fuller. Bob Berryhill’s Surfaris has continued from the 80s to present.
DFS, Princess, Dot, Decca, GNP Crescendo, MGM Records
Bob
Gene
Deven
Joel Berryhill
The Surfaris were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019 for their hit instrumental song, "Wipe Out".
Career[edit]
The original band members were Ron Wilson (drums, vocals), Jim Fuller (lead guitar), Bob Berryhill (rhythm guitar), and Pat Connolly (bass).[1]
In the fall of 1962, Southern California high school students Jim Fuller and Pat Connolly called friend and guitarist Berryhill for a practice session at Berryhill's house. The trio practiced for about four hours and met drummer Wilson at a high school dance later that evening, whereupon the band was born. "Wipe Out" was written and recorded by the quartet later that winter, with the song reaching #2 nationally in 1963 before becoming an international hit.[1]
Saxophone player Jim Pash joined after their "Wipe Out" / "Surfer Joe" recording sessions at Pal Studios engineer Paul Buff. Band manager John Reisman from the Fuller/Pash lineup of the band in the 80's points out that Jim Pash is on the Wipe Out cover and was a member of the band in 1962. Pash told Reisman that his Pash's mother said he had to stay home and do chores the day the band went to the studio to record Surfer Joe, and that 'Wipe Out' was written on the spot when Paul C. Buff, the engineer, said what are you going to put on the B-side. Fuller wrote the main lick and Ron Wilson added a drum cadence he had been working on for the high school band. In a conversation with Paul Buff, Buff told Reisman that the song 'Wipe Out' was recorded on Dec. 4, 1962.
Ken Forssi, later of Love, played bass with The Surfaris after Pat Connolly left.[1]
"Wipe Out"[edit]
Wilson's energetic drum solo made "Wipe Out" one of the best-remembered instrumental songs of the period. "Wipe Out" is also remembered particularly for its introduction. Before the music starts, Berryhill's dad broke a board (imitating a breaking surf board) near the mic, followed by a maniacal laugh and the words "Wipe Out" spoken by band manager Dale Smallin. "Wipe Out" was written in the studio by the four original members (Berryhill, Connolly, Fuller, and Wilson). It was initially issued on the tiny DFS label (#11/12) in January 1963. It was reissued on the tiny Princess label (#50) in February 1963. It was picked up by Dot (45-16479) in April 1963, and later reissued as Dot 45-144 in April 1965. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.[3]
Following the death of television personality Morton Downey, Jr., news reports and obituaries incorrectly credited him as the composer of "Wipe Out" (as well as The Chantays' "Pipeline").[4] As of 2010, Downey's official website continued to make this claim but it has been changed to state he "also played major roles in the production of the hit surf music era songs 'Pipeline' and 'Wipeout'."[5]