October 2003
Band Name: The Sharkskins
Genre: Nitro Burnin' Surf
Geographical Area: Southeastern PA (Philly), covering Central PA, South Jersey (Shore
points) and Delaware.
Interview with: Buddy Luv Goo by email on 9/21/03
1. What is the current line-up of your band?
Buddy Luv Goo - Guitar
Dash Riprock - Guitar
Javier Bel Air - Bass
Rod Bearings - Drums
2. How and when did you get started?
Back around '97(?) me & Dash found each other in a band playing 60's garage
rock (Shadows of Knight, Kingsman, Swinging Blue Jeans type of stuff). We both really dug the sound of the reverb
and style of surf, so we decided to go on and do our own thing. We have had a couple of bass
players and drummers in & out over the years. The current line-up with Javi & Rod
has been together for about 3 years now. It's real difficult finding people who
actually "understand" the concept of the instro surf band. The current line-up are all in tune with it and has been the
most secure to date.
3. What bands or music have influenced you most?
The whole "Pulp Fiction" thing really started it all, though we were always fans of Dick Dale and the
classic instrumental surf. I dig the really early stuff from those teen surf bands - real raw garage
stuff. Within the past ten years, I'd have to say the Dickster, The Huntington Cads & The
Ghastly Ones. More recently, Los Straitjackets, the Dynotones, & SCOTS. Rick
Miller is amazing with the surf stuff.
4. What is the breakdown of cover vs. original material in your live shows and/or recordings?
About a third of our material is original with myself & Dash writing the
bulk. When we gig, we try to play as many originals as possible. It
all depends on the venue and other bands on the bill. Sometimes ya gotta play
"Miserlou" and
"Pipeline" so the people know where you're coming from. At our current "home base", La
Tazza 108 we play mostly our own stuff. We
get a real good crowd and reception there.
5. What recording have you done?
We've done some demo stuff of covers to get our "foot in the door" so to speak. They've been the
home-made variety but recorded (oh no!) digitally at our rehearsal studio. "Pipeline",
"Intoxica!",
"Endless Summer" etc. We're on a compilation called "Supertones Surf/Modern Surf Band
Spotlight" on Golly Gee Records. We cut two tracks for that - "The Mild Bunch Rides
Again" (an original), plus "Flamenco Surf" by the Supertones, who are an alleged band from NYC
whom I've yet to see or find - some good tunes though. We recorded these two at an awesome
studio called the Atomic Ranch in New Jersey. All analog with vintage ribbon mics and
equipment - a real fun place and a real kool engineer/owner, Jet Weston. Plans are in the
works to go back to the Ranch and lay down some tracks of new material, probably in November.
6. What is your band’s favorite food/beverage?
Well, chances are there'll be a pizza and some beer at every practice. When we play out though,
it's usually Bombay Sapphire martini's, Corona's and of course Shark Bites. As for food, Frank
from La Tazza makes a great charbroiled sirloin burger with fries with these strange spices on
'em. And when they're free, they're AWESOME!
7. How do you get gigs?
Usually we call up club owners and say "pretty, pretty, please!". Actually, right now, it's whoever in
the band can get a gig, gets a gig. We have a promo package with a demo CD, bio, picture
and contact info we either send or hand deliver to venues. We've recently been getting inquiries
from people who find us on the Net through our website and affiliation with sites like
Surfbands.com and the Cowabunga Web Ring.
As we speak (write) we're trying to get a legitimate local booking agent to handle it,
though. They usually have the connections that we don't.
8. What are the difficulties you find playing your kind of music in your area?
We've heard everything from "Do you play the Beach Boys?" to "Why are you playing surf
music? That's only for Southern California." In this area, the college kids and 20-somethings in
Philly are pretty hip to what we're laying down but if we try the 'burbs, it's like night and day. If
you're not playing crap like Linkin Park or whatever the flavor of the week is, you're dead.
They just don't "get it". There is kind of a roots rock-a-billy scene in the area. Though they can
be cliquish at times, the crowd generally digs us. We're friends with several of the bands.
There is also a retro garage thing happening, so we try to ride that wave too, playing surf though.
9. What positive attributes does your band have that sets you apart from other bands (of any
genre)?
In this area? Well, I can proudly say that we are probably the only surf band in the Philly
area. So, I think we give people something that is actually different, y'know like I said, playing a set
at a rock-a-billy show, etc. We haven't been booed off of the stage yet! Plus, we're
the only band who plays these joints in matching blue blazers and oxford shirts with vintage gear,
y'know, givin' em some class. We also treat the ladies right, dig?
10. What have you found to be the single most effective promotional tool you’ve used to further
your band’s musical path?
Email and the website, though it's still a work in progress. It beats the hell out of the old school
mailing lists. If you get a last minute gig, you can shoot out an email to everyone on the list in
seconds. If it was the old way (I remember those days), you'd be playing to crickets. Being
on that comp really helps too, especially on a national level. We've been getting emails from fans and
other bands from all over the country and that's kinda kool!
11. What’s the most interesting performance experience you’ve had?
That had to be a few years ago at what is now known as the Tweeter Center in
Camden NJ, right across the river from Philly. They called us up and asked if we wanted to play two nights as
a "pre-show" band for Jimmy Buffet. It seems that year, Buffet wanted a surf band to play
outside before his gigs, kind of a welcoming band. At the Center, there's a concourse where
they set-up staging for things like this. It was a blast playing for all of these happy, high and
drunk Parrotheads stumbling into the show. If you ever want to see otherwise respectable
people shit-faced and high on the herb, go to a Buffet show! That and the wicked thunderstorm
that blew across the river towards us for one of the nights, made them the most memorable
gigs.
12. What do you hope to get out of being a NESMA member?
We think NESMA is great way for bands to share ideas and support each other,
even though they're hundreds of miles away from each other in some cases. We really dig the
idea of a "Surf Summit" with bands from up and down the East Coast. If we can make that
happen, people will see and recognize that surf music is just as viable here as it is on the left
coast. And who says there's no surf on the East Coast? Didja check out them waves
(Hurricane) Isabel kicked up recently?
Hey! Stay kool and may you all be blessed with the everlasting reverb.
Buddy
(See more information & photos of the band here.)
