The Power of East Coast Surf

Band Name: The X-ChromaTones

Genre: Surf

Geographical Area: Northeast Ohio

Interview by email with Tom & the band on 3/31/09

1. What is the current line-up of your band?

Dyno Don Ressler – Guitar and Bass

Tommy Rock Stanger – Guitar

Tsunami Tom Hinders – Bass and Guitar

Dick Dynamite Kandalec – Drums
 

2. How and when did you get started with your band?
 

One night while getting together to play some tunes in November of 2007 over at Don Ressler’s house, Don, who had just left a long-standing Cleveland surf/oldies band in order to divert his attention to a more high-energy surf lineup, asked Tsunami Tom if he’d be interested in playing in a band. Was he kidding?! In no time, The X-ChromaTones had come together with the addition of Tommy Rock on guitar and Dick Dynamite on drums. Last summer, the band played 8 gigs and have continued to practice on a weekly basis. This year looks to be even busier, having started off on Jan. 2 with SurfQuake on the Lake, when the X-ChromaTones played with fellow Cleveland surf/spy band Spy-Fi, the AmpFibians from Cincinnati, and the venerable Cocktail Preachers from Chicago.
 

3. What bands or music have influenced you most?

The Ventures, Link Wray, Dick Dale, Los Straitjackets

 

4. What is the break down of cover vs. original material in your live shows and/or recordings?
 

So far, we are only doing covers; however, we have just begun working on several originals.
 

 

5. What recording have you done?
 

We have just begun recording some one-track songs at practice over at Tommy Rock’s house (http://www.x-chromatones.com/RidingHigh.html). We’re looking forward to developing our recording skills with a new recording system that Tommy just purchased!

6. What kind of gear do you use?
 

Tommy Rock – Having been an avid guitar collector for years, Tommy plays a variety of unusual guitars, from his ’59 Jazzmaster to a Hagstrom 12-string and everything in between, including a DiPinto Galaxie.

Dyno Don – a sunburst Jazzmaster, a white Jazzmaster and a DiPinto Galaxie, which Don calls his “Swiss army knife” of guitars

Tsunami Tom – Fender Jazz bass, Danelectro longhorn bass, Ventures model Mosrite guitar

Dick Dynamite – Pearl drums, Paiste and Zildjian cymbals
 

 

7. What is your band’s favorite food/beverage?
 

Coffee, and lots of it!


8. How do you get gigs?
 

Don is well-known in the Cleveland area and his reputation continues to bring gigs in.  Each member has brought in different gigs and this will continue. Lately, word of mouth has been responsible for new gigs!
 

9. What are the difficulties you find playing your kind of music in your area? 
 

Instrumental surf is not well-known in the northeast Ohio area and there are no venues that actively support it; yet, once they hear it, everybody loves what we play. We’re doing our best to promote the surf genre, which makes us appreciate what NESMA is doing even more!


10. What positive attributes does your band have that sets you apart from other bands (of any genre)?
 

Our playing is truly a team effort, because each of us contributes something unique to the band. We are all very enthusiastic about what we’re doing and our enthusiasm is apparent not only in our playing, but also in our choice of songs and in our stage presence. Our selection of songs is quite unique, including such songs as Devil Girl From Mars (Slackmates), Secret Agent Betty Page (Surfaholics), Sputnik (Webb Wilder), Hurricane (Ventures), My Heart Will Go On (Los Straitjackets), The Outlaw (Link Wray), Man of Mystery (Shadows), etc.

 

11. What have you found to be the single most effective promotional tool you’ve used to further your band’s musical path?

What NESMA is doing is essential! Working with other bands and being part of a broader community of surf fans has already presented us with new opportunities that definitely affects our musical path. Our website has also generated interest. Once we get some original songs recorded, our next step will be a page on MySpace!


12. What’s the most interesting performance experience you’ve had?
 

SurfQuake on the Lake was an amazing night. We had a great turnout and we showed the owners and staff of the Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, one of Cleveland’s premier music venues, that instrumental surf is a viable genre. Last summer, playing at Mike’s Barn, a musicians club and one of northeast Ohio’s hidden treasures, was also a great experience.


13. What do you hope to get out of being a NESMA member?
 

Networking with and hopefully doing some gigs with fellow NESMA bands will be awesome. Helping NESMA bands to find gigs in northeast Ohio, and supporting them when they come, will also be a welcome opportunity.