Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"Dick Dale needs to be experienced in order to be appreciated. I can't explain his music. It's kind of primal, kind of tribal, it's kind of raw and will gnaw at your gut for hours after listening to it. It takes a "different kind" of soul to not only listen to Dick Dale, but appreciate him. I've never left a Dick Dale concert without somehow changing in some way. He's like a Shaman, a wizard, an alchemist. He can transform the ordinary into something pure and golden. He is truly one of the world's greatest (and most overlooked) musicians." - Amazon.com
"Dick Dale’s live show is like flying through the air at high speeds and then thundering down on the earth like a herd of elephants. It soars and it rumbles. If you’ve never seen him play before, you’re missing out. Everyone should experience a performance like this-to have and to hold and to store in their rawknroll repertoire of unforgettable moments.." - RawkNRoll.com
"Hearing Dale play “Miserlou” as wild as ever is simply a joyous reminder that it didn't take a 1994 Quentin Tarantino movie to make this song a bitchin' American classic. That immortality happened a long time ago. " - MYSA.com (San Antonio Express News)
"He is the godfather, creator, master, and god of surf and power rock and roll. And if it wasn’t for Dick Dale, Leo Fender may never have had such a good amp." - Dean Markey Strings (www.deanmarkley.com)
"Dick Dale's achievements are measured in far more than hot licks. Jimi Hendrix is acknowledged as having given birth to the guitar-effects industry, but Dale's sonic innovations of the early '60s set the stage for everything to come." - Rolling Stone
"It's almost an insult to the artist when a flyer promoting a Dick Dale concert refers to him as a "guitar legend" and then goes on to note, "as heard in Pulp Fiction and as remixed by Black Eyed Peas." About time the kiddies turned off MTV." - Miami New Times
Quentin Tarantino said to me, "I’m your biggest fan, Dick Dale. Your song ‘Misirlou’ is a masterpiece. It’s like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I want your permission to use ‘Misirlou’ to give me the energy to create a masterpiece of a movie to complement the masterpiece of your song ‘Misirlou.’"
- Fender Players Club (fenderplayersclub.com)
Discography
* Surfers' Choice (Deltone 1962)
* King of the Surf Guitar (Capitol 1963)
* Checkered Flag (Capitol 1963)
* Mr. Eliminator (Capitol 1964)
* Summer Surf (Capitol 1964)
* Rock out with Dick Dale and his Del-Tones:Live at Ciro's (Capitol 1965)
* The Tigers Loose (Balboa 1983)
* Tribal Thunder (HighTone 1993)
* Unknown Territory (1994)
* Calling Up Spirits (Beggars Banquet 1996)
* Spacial Disorientation (2004)
* Mr. Eliminator (2006)
Compilations/Anthologies/Soundtracks:
* Hot Rod Music on Capitol (Capitol 1963)
* The Big Surfin' Sounds on Capitol (Capitol 1964)
* King of the Surf Guitar: The Best of Dick Dale & The Del-Tones (Rhino 1986)
* Pulp Fiction Soundtrack (MCA 1994)
* Cowabunga Surf Box Set (Rhino 1996)
* Better Shred Than Dead: The Dick Dale Anthology (Rhino 1997)
* MOM II Music for our Mother Ocean: (Surf Dog Records 1997)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Universally acknowledged as the original king of surf guitar, Dick Dale made a splash with the instrumental hit "Misirlou" in the early 1960s, establishing the template for surf music. In addition to his musical innovations, Dale was responsible for advances in sound technology, working closely with the likes of Leo Fender on new developments in guitars, amplifiers, and reverb units.
Dale was nominated for a Grammy for his performance of "Pipeline", with Stevie Ray Vaughn and the use of "Misirlou" in 1994's smash film PULP FICTION helped create a new wave of interest in the surf pioneer's sound, introducing him to a new generation of listeners.
Among his many awards and honors, Dale was inducted into the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame in 1996 and was presented with a Platinum Record Award for Miserlou, the theme to the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack. In 1998 he was inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame and in both 1999 and 2002, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the LA Weekly for his contribution to music. In 2002, Dick Dale was voted upon and placed into the White House Congressional Hall of Records. He was also listed as one of the top 100 greatest guitarists of all-time by RollingStone Magazine, charting at #31.
Of recent interest, Dale was presented with the Guitar Player Legend Award by Guitar Legend Magazine, the 3rd such award to be given in 40years. In addition, his songs have been featured in a number of other movies, television shows and commercials, including the Black Eyed Peas song "Pump It" (from the 2005 album Monkey Business) which heavily samples"Misirlou". "Misirlou" is also featured in the PlayStation 2 video game, Guitar Hero II, as well as the Wii launch title Rayman Raving Rabbids.
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