Photo: Lucky 757
Music is a clear and direct way to pay tribute to the past and in surfing, no sound creates more nostalgia than that reverb-drenched electric guitar. It’s so distinct you can picture Miki Dora cruising First Point Malibu with Dick Dale providing the soundtrack anytime you hear it.
In The Encyclopedia of Surfing, Matt Warshaw defines “surf rock” by two categories: “The pulsating, reverb-heavy, ‘wet’- sounding instrumental form exemplified by guitarist Dick Dale, and the smooth-voiced, multitracked harmonized vocal style invented by the Beach Boys,” he says. “Purists argue that surf music is by definition instrumental.”
If anybody is giving an appropriate nod to those days, it’s Virginia-based band, Lucky 757.
“We were originally drawn to surf rock because we grew up on and loved the sound of The Ventures, Dick Dale, and The Safaris,” band member Sam Haga says.”We started learning a lot of their tunes and wanted to put out our own take of surf instrumental music, so we started writing some tunes. Mar Agitado came first which translates as, Rough Seas. We loved it and knew we had to keep going after that.”
The band releases their newest album, Lonesome Lagoon, on July 21, 2018. A dive into the backstory of how they came together in 2014 and have developed their music to show a clear and conscious connection to the roots of their sound. “Lucky 757 started out as a rockabilly band playing tunes from Gene Vincent (from our hometown in Virginia) and his Blue Caps, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others,” Sam adds. “This paved the way for us to get into surf rock just as Dick Dale had played rockabilly before pioneering surf music. Nokie Edwards of The Ventures also played with Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. Both genres were critical to popularizing the whammy bar and use of reverb which are still widely used.”
Give ’em a listen and you’ll recognize it, clear as day.
Upcoming dates for Lucky 757 performances can be found here, including their July 21 album release show at Turner’s High Noon Bar in Avon, North Carolina. Find them on iTunes here.
