Instrumental Surf Rock
Surf rock came about in this first era of rock and roll, to tell the world about the sun, sand, and girls of California beach culture. The song “Pipeline” gets it name from surfing. When you’re riding a wave horizontally and it closes over your head, it seems that you’re in a rolling in pipe of water. This surf rock instrumental from The Chantays went to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #16 on the U.K. Singles Chart in 1963. They used an upside down mix in that they have the bass and rhythm guitars in the front, with lead guitar, keyboard, and drums in the background. It was also recorded in stereo even though it was released as the usual mono single.
They were the only rock and roll band to perform on The Lawrence Welk Show. (He wasn’t much of a fan of the genre.)
The song has been widely covered. Other versions are those by Johnny Thunders, Dick Dale with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan, The Eagles, The Ventures, Agent Orange, Anthrax, and Bruce Johnston, to name a few.
The Chantays, who were high school friends in Sana Ana, CA, formed in 1961 and the original group members were Bob Spickard, Brian Carman, Bob Welch, Warren Waters, and Rob Marshall. Group membership of The Chantays has changed over the years, but they continue to perform.
