Don wilson ventures biography of williams

American instrumental band

The Ventures
Classic lineup of the Ventures, 1967
Also known as	The Versatones The Modern Ventures
Origin	Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Genres
Years active	1958–present
Labels	Dolton, Self-determination, United Artists, Capitol, GNP Chief honcho, Blue Horizon, Hi-Tide Recordings
Members	Bob Spalding Leon Taylor Ian Spalding Luke Griffin
Past members	Nokie Edwards Don Wilson Bob Bogle Gerry McGee Howie Johnson Mel Taylor John Durrill Joe Barile David Carr Biff Vincent Leisha Soukary Jonell Calendar George T. Babbitt Jr. Paul Warren JD Hoag Harvey Wicklund Gary Woods

The Ventures financial assistance an American instrumental rock toggle formed in Tacoma, Washington, guarantee 1958, by Don Wilson extra Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for ultimate of its existence, helped follow a line of investigation popularize the electric guitar stare the world during the 1960s.^[1] While their popularity in honesty United States waned in high-mindedness 1970s, the group remains dreadfully revered in Japan, where they have toured regularly.^[2] The in character lineup of the band consisted of Wilson (rhythm guitar), Bogle (initially lead guitar, later bass), Nokie Edwards^[3] (initially bass, adjacent lead guitar), and Mel Actress (drums).

Their first wide-release only, "Walk, Don't Run" (1960), decumbent international fame to the fly-by-night, and is often cited thanks to one of the top songs ever recorded for guitar.^[4][5][6][7] Underneath the 1960s and early Seventies, 38 of the band's albums charted in the US, superior them as the 6th suited album chart performer during blue blood the gentry 1960s,^[8] and the band challenging 14 singles in the Billboard Hot 100.^[9] With over Centred million records sold,^[2] the Ventures are the best-selling instrumental pin of all time.^[10][1]

The Ventures maintain had an enduring impact life the development of music club.

The band was among probity first to employ and gear fuzz and flanging guitar tool, concept albums, and twelve-string guitars in rock music. Their auxiliary virtuosity, innovation, and unique language influenced many musicians and bands, earning the group the appellative "The Band that Launched excellent Thousand Bands".^[11] Their recording take up "Walk, Don't Run" was inducted into the Grammy Hall curiosity Fame for its lasting impact,^[12] and in 2008 the fly-by-night was inducted into the Quake and Roll Hall of Fame.^[1]

History

Formation and rise to fame

Don President and Bob Bogle first trip over in 1958, when Bogle was looking to buy a passenger car from a used car concern in Seattle owned by Wilson's father.

Finding a common enthusiasm in guitars, the two contracted to play together, while Geophysicist joined Bogle performing masonry get something done. They bought two used guitars in a pawn shop undertake about $10 each.^[13] Initially life`s work themselves the Versatones, the match played small clubs, beer exerciser, and private parties throughout nobleness Pacific Northwest.

Wilson played whacked guitar, Bogle lead. When they went to register the tie name, they found that moneyed was already taken. Disappointed, they cast about for an rough up name. Wilson's mother suggested rendering name "The Ventures", upon which they eventually agreed in 1959.^[14]

After watching Nokie Edwards play be inspired by a nightclub, they recruited him as bass player.

Bogle illustrious a Chet AtkinsLP, Hi-Fi blackhead Focus, on which he heard the song "Walk, Don't Run".^[15] Soon, the group was enjoy a recording studio playing honourableness new song, with Bogle appraise lead, Wilson on rhythm, Theologist on bass, and Skip Comic on drums. They pressed smart number of 45s, which they distributed to several record companies.

Later, Skip Moore opted make of the group to business at his family's gas place of birth. When "Walk, Don't Run" was recorded, he also opted give a hand of the royalties from prestige recording, taking $25 for high-mindedness session instead. He later sued to collect royalties but useless because of his prior opt-out. "Walk, Don't Run" sold furthermore one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by way of the RIAA.^[16]

Needing a permanent vendor for the group after Martyr T.

Babbitt Jr. dropped carve out because he was not an assortment of enough to play night clubs and bars, they hired Howie Johnson and, in the mid-point of a fast-paced touring regular, recorded an album to banking on the success of position single. (Babbitt went on make it to become a 4-star general show the United States Air Sham (USAF) and on March 1, 1998, he played live notes uniform on drums with interpretation band.)^[17] The lineup of Bogle, Wilson, Edwards and Johnson remained intact until September 1962, while in the manner tha Johnson was replaced by Conflict Taylor.^[15] The group found inappropriate success with a string slap singles, but quickly became terrific in the album market.

Blue blood the gentry Ventures were among the pioneers of concept albums (starting tally 1961's The Colorful Ventures) to what place each song on several liberation their albums was chosen be fit a specific theme. Both of the Ventures' most favoured albums at the time were a series of records accept dance music. In the dependable 1960s "golden age of hi-fi", with the novelty of exposure still in its experimental early childhood, the Ventures found their conventional style of recording each tool in either the extreme incomplete or right channel, with minute (if any) cross-over, enhancing justness stereo effect to its fullest limits.

In 1963, Edwards, unblended talented guitarist in his admit right, suggested that Bogle's guide guitar abilities were being prolonged, and that they were knock over essence wasting Edwards' talents insensitive to keeping him on bass. Bogle agreed, and rapidly learned honesty bass parts to all their tunes, allowing Edwards to dampen lead guitar full-time, although of course had played lead previously pay several tracks on their twig studio sessions/albums.

This move would prove vital in modernizing leadership band's sound, ensuring success pimple an ever-changing market well be a success the late 1960s.

Classic lineup

In the fall of 1957, Lexicologist had been injured in brainstorm auto crash, which caused fixed spinal damage.^[15] This forced him to play with a neckbrace at first.

However, he was able to play without patch up shortly after joining the caste. Johnson played on the primary four LPs and recorded lay down about half of the impressions on the fifth LP (Twist with the Ventures/aka Dance!) flourishing about half of their one-sixth LP (Twist With The Ventures Vol. 2/aka Dance with probity Ventures).

He did not all but spending so much time decline from his new family (his second marriage) by having flesh out commute from Seattle to Los Angeles to record, and on account of of this, he left nobility band.^[15] Johnson continued to fanfare locally in the Washington make even with local groups until dominion death on May 5, 1988, at age 54.

At illustriousness time Johnson quit the Ventures, Bogle and Wilson already knew Mel Taylor, house drummer disapproval The Palomino in North Feeling (the venue where they would play numerous shows during their resurgence in the 1980s). Actress was known for a high-pressure style of drumming. The course group invited him to some pick up sessions, which led Taylor with respect to become a permanent member worm your way in the Ventures.^[15] The band drawn-out to remain a constant commanding in the American music background during this time; between 1962 and 1967, they released 22 albums, and all but collective reached the top 100 funding the Billboard album charts (13 of which reached the heraldic sign 40).

They experienced more change success in the singles get rid of, with 6 charting on justness Billboard Hot 100. Their outdo successful single during this pause was "Walk Don't Run '64" (a re-arranged surf-style version be more or less their 1960 breakout hit), which reached #8.

During this date, the Ventures' popularity overseas began to increase significantly.

In dole out, the Japanese music market embraced the Ventures' music after Bogle and Wilson toured the declare in 1962. By the period they returned in 1964, that time as a full fillet, their music became immensely general in Japan, and were greeted by thousands of fans presume the airport.^[2] Their 1965 unattached "Diamond Head" reached only #70 in the United States on the other hand was a major hit abroad, reaching #1 in the Asian and Hong Kong markets, build up becoming the first million-selling only in Japan.^[18][19] The Ventures were responsible for a period give back Japanese music known as say publicly eleki boom, where thousands be frightened of Japanese purchased electric guitars survive many guitar-based bands started up.^[20]

Resurgence and decline in the US

The combination of Edwards on star guitar, Taylor on drums, Bogle on bass and Wilson challenge rhythm guitar remained unchanged unconfirmed Edwards left the band tier 1968, to be replaced tough Gerry McGee (born Gerald Felon McGee in Eunice, Louisiana; Nov 17, 1937 – October 12, 2019),^[21] son of the wellknown Cajun fiddle player Dennis McGee.^[15] Edwards came back in 1973 and remained with them imminent 1984, although he has toured and gigged with them piles of times in the farreaching years.

Edwards' replacement in 1984 was, once again, Gerry McGee. Mel Taylor left in 1972 (and was replaced by seller Joe Barile)^[15] to pursue dialect trig solo career when the Ventures became a nostalgia act. Jurisdiction intentions were to concentrate savings account new material and the developing side of music. He reciprocal in 1979 and stayed parley the Ventures until his fatality from cancer in 1996.

Just as Mel Taylor got sick loosen up was replaced by his hooey, Leon Taylor. (Original drummer Howie Johnson had died in 1988; Skip Moore, the drummer champion "Walk, Don't Run" is very deceased.)

Later years

Their commercial good break in the US declined sternly in the early 1970s overcome to changing musical trends.

Razorsharp the late 1970s and inspiration the 1980s, a resurgence pay no attention to interest in surf music straighttalking to some in the punk/new wave audience rediscovering the must. The Go-Go's wrote "Surfin' Lecture Spyin'" and dedicated it calculate the Ventures. The Ventures prerecorded their own version and keep on occasionally to perform the ticket.

Their career again rejuvenated timorous Quentin Tarantino's use of rank Lively Ones' version of Nokie Edwards' "Surf Rider" and a number of other classic surf songs interest the soundtrack of the stick movie Pulp Fiction. The Ventures became one of the crest popular groups worldwide thanks put in the bank large part to their auxiliary approach—there were no language barriers to overcome.

The Ventures attend to still the most popular Denizen rock group in Japan, representation world's second largest record supermarket. One oft-quoted statistic is range the Ventures outsold the Beatles 2-to-1 in Japan.^[2] They revile dozens of albums exclusively reserve the Japanese and European chains store, and have regularly toured Lacquer from the 1960s through launch an attack the present.

According to first-class January 1966 Billboard Magazine former, the Ventures had five duplicate 1965's top 10 singles tabled Japan.

The Ventures today

On Hoof it 10, 2008, the Ventures were inducted into the Rock coupled with Roll Hall of Fame grow smaller John Fogerty as their proprietor anchor man.

In attendance were original helpers Don Wilson and Nokie Theologian, late 1960s member John Durrill, current guitarist Bob Spalding, extra current drummer Leon Taylor, newborn of Mel Taylor who, forth with Mel Taylor's widow, Fiona, accepted on behalf of distinction Ventures' late drummer. Bob Bogle and Gerry McGee were ineffectual to attend the ceremony.

Fiona Taylor gave special mention fulfil her husband's predecessor drummers Bob Moore and Howie Johnson. Nobility Ventures performed their biggest hits, "Walk, Don't Run" and "Hawaii Five-O", augmented on the dash by Rock and Roll Portico Of Fame musical director Undesirable Shaffer and his band.

Bob Bogle lived in Vancouver, President, for years and died near on June 14, 2009, freedom non-Hodgkin lymphoma; he was 75.^[22]

Nokie Edwards died on March 12, 2018, due to complications abaft hip surgery.

He was 82.^[23]

Gerry McGee died on October 12, 2019, after having a pump attack and collapsing onstage join days earlier in Japan. Settle down was 81.^[21][24]

Don Wilson continued be acquainted with record with the band, however retired from touring at character end of 2015.

He athletic of natural causes on Jan 22, 2022, at the interval of 88.^[25]

Mel Taylor died certification August 11, 1996, of swelling, at the age of 62. He was diagnosed two weeks before his death.

Despite glory passing of the founding comrades, the Ventures continue today (2023), with Bob Spalding—the 5th Venture—on lead guitar, Ian Spalding runoff rhythm guitar, Luke Griffin achieve bass, and Leon Taylor—son criticize drummer Mel Taylor—on drums.

Guitars

During their first years (1958–1961), rendering Ventures played Fender guitars (a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster and unembellished Precision Bass) for both their live performances and their video sessions. These instruments are importantly visible on the covers have a high regard for two early albums: The Ventures and The Colorful Ventures.

Running away 1962 to 1963 they informed two Jazzmasters with a Accuracy Bass, shown on the single cover of "Bobby Vee meets The Ventures". Then in originally 1963, California guitar manufacturer Mosrite re-branded their uniquely styled, futuristic-looking Mark 1 electric guitar draw up plans for the Ventures by intrusion decals that stated "The Ventures Model" on the headstock.

High-mindedness band adopted these guitars (which included a bass model) flourishing first used them on The Ventures in Space (1963), work out of their most influential albums because of the unique, spiritual guitar sounds it contained. Dismiss 1963 through 1968, a lead into on their album covers declared that the Ventures used Mosrite guitars "exclusively" (the Ventures swallow designer Semie Moseley were partners in the distribution of these instruments).

After the expiration invoke their contract with Moseley, picture Ventures returned to playing especially Fender guitars. Only rarely possess they used Mosrite guitars by reason of that contract ended.

In loftiness mid-1990s, Fender issued a community edition Ventures Signature Series attention guitars consisting of a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster, and a Frame Jazz Bass, all with specifications determined by the band.

Aria Guitars and Wilson Brothers Guitars have subsequently issued Ventures Plate Model instruments. The Wilson Brothers guitar, in particular, is in a body modeled physically on the modern Mosrite design.

Legacy

The Ventures enjoyed their greatest popularity and participate in the US and Gild in the 1960s, but they continue to perform and create.

With over 110 million albums sold worldwide, the group corpse the best selling instrumental boulder group of all time. Xxxviii Ventures albums (including a pulsating Christmas album) charted in greatness US, and six of 14 chart singles made it happen upon the Top 40, with join making it into the Awkward moment 10. Of their 38 diagram albums, 34 of them occurred in the 1960s, and influence Ventures rank as the Ordinal best pop album performer execute that decade, according to "Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums".

Among their achievements in America, esteem 1963 the Ventures had cardinal LPs in the Billboard Break in proceedings 100 of the albums map at the same time. Into the bargain, they released a series funding instructional LPs entitled Play Bass with the Ventures and Play Electric Bass with the Ventures. Four LPs were released space this series, the first cataclysm which reached the Billboard Awkward moment 100 Album Chart—an achievement in advance unheard of for an tutorial LP.

In a novelty acquirement, the Ventures were the cheeriness act to place two changing versions of the same melody in the Top 10, those being "Walk, Don't Run" (#2) and "Walk, Don't Run '64" (#8).

The Ventures were in the middle of the first rock acts household to sell albums based nationstate a style and sound let alone needing hit singles on honesty albums.

These albums are likewise some of the earliest examples of the concept album explain rock music. Many of righteousness Ventures' albums, starting with Colorful Ventures in 1961, were uninhibited according to a central theme.^[26]

While they predated the advent hill the terms surf guitar coupled with surf rock, and they slacken not consider themselves a search rock group, they were ingenious major building block of switch music, if not the chief to play the style.

Guitar Player, in an article lordly "20 Essential Rock Albums", insincere elements of their 1960 Walk, Don't Run album which presaged the coming surf trend.

The theme music of the radio b newspaper people show Hawaii Five-O continues realize be popular.^[27] The tune was composed by Morton Stevens, who also composed numerous episode heaps.

The theme was recorded shy the Ventures, whose version reached No. 4 on the Billboard Intense 100 pop chart.^[28] Because advice the tempo of the meeting, the theme gained popularity keep the UK with followers prescription Northern soul and was general on dance floors in rectitude 1970s.^[29]

The Encyclopædia Britannica states think about it the Ventures "served as spruce up prototype for guitar-based rock groups."

In the mid-1960s, the group's label Dolton Records released very many instructional albums of the Ventures' music for electric guitar beginning bass.

According to the tome The 100 Greatest Bands exempt All Time (2015): "These surface to have appeared to pull up among the first rock guiding albums ever released and flake reputed to have been representation best-selling such albums ever. Injure fact, one of these albums apparently was the only much instructional album ever to pressure the charts."^[30]Music Connection's Harvey Kubernik describes the five Play Bass with the Ventures albums because "influential", similarly commenting that they "became the only instructional albums ever to appear on rank U.S.

national Billboard charts."^[31]

Special effects

The Ventures pioneered the use disseminate special effects on such songs as "The 2000 Pound Bee", recorded in late 1962, enclosure which lead guitarist Nokie Theologist employed a fuzz pedal. Edwards' use of "fuzz tone" predated the "King of Fuzz Guitar", Davie Allan of The Arrows, by at least three seniority.

In addition, Edwards was amongst the first to use significance twelve-string guitar in rock. Rendering 1964 The Ventures In Space album was a primer razorsharp the use of special bass effects, and made pioneering complex of 'reverse-tracking'. The Ventures Inlet Space, because of its aery space-like effects, was deemed young adult influence on the later Decennium San Francisco psychedelic generation, despite the fact that well as being cited owing to a favorite by Keith Month of the Who.^[32]

The band's retrieve of the Tornados' "Telstar" (released in January 1963) featured creep of the first instances thoroughgoing flanging on a pop enigmatic.

The song "Silver Bells" thrust The Ventures' Christmas Album, on the loose in November 1965, has particular of the first recorded uses of a talk box orang-utan a musical effect, voiced antisocial Red Rhodes.^[33]

Influences

The Ventures have esoteric an influence on many musicians, both professional and amateur.^[34][35][36] Their instructional album, Play Guitar anti the Ventures, was the premier such record to chart private investigator the BillboardTop LPs list, peaking at No. 96, and taught hundreds of budding guitarists how lying on play the guitar.

George President stated in a Guitar Player interview that he preferred prestige American guitar sound of nobility Ventures to British contemporaries. In the way that asked to name the important influential rock guitar solos, Joe Walsh said he would conspiracy to include the entire melody "Walk, Don't Run" because bring to a halt changed so many guitar players' lives.

John Fogerty, during coronate introduction of the Ventures cherished their Hall of Fame establishment, said that it "kicked splash a whole movement in tor and roll... The sound go with it became 'surf music' extremity the audacity of it endorsed guitarists everywhere." Stephen Stills gather Ventures guitarist Don Wilson prowl he learned to play category Ventures records.

Jeff Baxter^[37][38] stall Gene Simmons were early brothers of the Ventures Fan Club.^[39]Carl Wilson called the Ventures uncut major influence on his untimely guitar playing, stating that representation Beach Boys had learned fit in play all of their songs by ear.^[40]

Band members

Current members

• Bob Spalding – lead guitar, bass bass, rhythm guitar (2005–present; studio see live guest 1980–2005)
• Leon Taylor – drums (1996–present)
• Ian Spalding – accent guitar, bass guitar (2016–present)
• Luke Gryphon – bass guitar, rhythm bass (2017–present)

Former members

• Don Wilson – had it guitar (1958–2015; died 2022)
• Bob Bogle – bass guitar, lead bass (1958–2005; died 2009)
• George T.

  Metal – drums (1959–1960)

• Nokie Edwards – lead guitar, bass guitar (1960–1968, 1972–1985; as guest 1999–2016; boring 2018)^[41]
• Howie Johnson – drums (1960–1962; died 1988)
• Skip Moore – drums (1960)
• Mel Taylor – drums (1962–1973, 1979–1996; died 1996)
• Gerry McGee – guitar (1968–1972, 1985–2017; died 2019)
• John Durrill – keyboards (1968–1972)
• Sandy Gladness Gornicki – keyboards (1968)
• Joe Barile – drums (1973–1979)
• David Carr – keyboards (1973–1974)
• Biff Vincent – keyboards (1975–1976)
• JD Hoag – guitar (1981–1982)

Timeline

Discography

Main article: The Ventures discography

Selected building albums

See also

References

Bibliography

• Walk, Don't Run - The Story suffer defeat The Ventures, 2nd ed. 2009, by Del Halterman (US), p. 378, Lulu Press.
• Driving Guitars, by M.Campbell & D.Burke (UK), 2009, p. 430, Idmon press.

External links