INSECT SURFERS

INSECT SURFERS "Black Sea"

Insect Surfers began in summer 1979 in Washington, DC. They called their take on surf and ‘new wave’ music ‘Techno-Surf’, as they used a synthesizer and had a science-fiction bent to many of their lyrics. Releasing a couple singles, an album, and an LP, they toured the USA extensively in the early 1980s. Moving to Los Angeles in 1985, guitarist and founder David Arnson reformed the band with guitarist Danny Sullivan in June 1986. By this time the band was playing pretty much an all-instrumental set, as opposed to the DC sound, which had been made up of to 1/3 instrumentals. As of this writing, Insect Surfers are the longest-running modern surf-instrumental band on the planet! In the past 2 decades they have shared stages with such artists as The Ventures, Dick Dale, Link Wray, Davie Allan, Chris Isaak, Jonathan Richman, Southern Culture on the Skids, and won the award for “Best Instrumental Band’ at the ‘L.A. Weekly Music Awards’ in 2003. This compilation, ‘Satellite Beach’ focuses on some of the best tracks that the band has recorded in its Los Angeles years. We hope that you will enjoy the distinctive and creative sounds of ‘Insect Surfers’!! 1: Razorback - our tribute to the style of our revered ‘spiritual uncle’ –Link Wray! 2: Mojave - ‘everybody gets a solo!’ Great composition by Dano. 3: Volcano Juice - I gave myself the assignment of coming up with an instrumental with a Bo Diddley beat! Davie Allan (another inspiring musician!) was kind enough to play a great fuzz/wah-wah solo on the track with us! 4: Mr.Yunioshi - originally found on the ‘Shots in the Dark’ compilation, a tribute to Henry Mancini’s compositions. We were originally gonna do ‘ATouch of Evil’, but ‘Man or Astroman’ beat us to it! Pete Curry of ‘The Halibuts’ and ‘Los Straitjackets’ plays bass and drums on this one! 5: Zorba’s Theme - a classic, Theodorakis is amazing. ( The DC Insects even used to cover his tune ‘The Chase’, from the great movie ‘Z’). Originally released on the Blood Red Records compilation ‘Mondo Drive-In’. 6: Tethys - a. one of Saturn’s moons, b. a Greek Titan sea goddess, c. the name of earth’s first ocean, d. all of the above ! 7: Tiger Shark - responsible for the most shark attacks. 8: Polaris - played live, we start this with a very spacey beginning (see ‘Ursa Minor’ on our ‘Mojave Reef’ cd). One of our favorites. 9: Black Sea - besides guitar, we used an electric saz that I bought in Istanbul !. 10: Massachusetts - from the ‘Melody Fair-A Tribute to the Bee Gees’ compilation. Our first appearance on a compilation! 11: Bouzouki - a composition from DC days. We thought it would be fun to put an electric sitar on this! 13: Diamondback - one of our spaghetti westerns… 14: Outsider - a wave that comes in from waaay outside in the distance, better catch it, quick! One of Dano’s classic compositions! 15: Flamin’ Eddie’s Drag Strip - Dan Valentie came up with the title. Alan Anderson , from the late great band ‘PopDefect’ recorded and engineered this. 16: Horizon Riders - is another spaghetti western! 17: Psychotronic - uses some samples from the films ’Plan 9 From Outer Space’ and ‘Manster’! 18.Silver Coast - we recorded the ‘Mojave Reef’ sessions in famed science-fiction writer Ray Bradbury’s old house in Venice, California. Lots of beach and jungle noises on this one!

By The Insect Surfers, as performed live at the Acid Beach Party 6, 2007, The Echo in Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA www.youtube.com/lindysuebeer

July 15, 2006 Reuniting with former Bass player Mike O'Neil, the Insect Surfers jam on their tribute to Link Wray, Razorback! From their 20th anniversary party at Safari Sams in Hollywood, CA. This fantastic cover tune can be found on The Insect Surfers 2004 release "Satellite Beach." www.youtube.com/hitwitstuff

Short film starring insect surfer figures. Music by Los Angeles based band, Insect Surfers' "Batwave" from their Mojave Reef album. It won Honorable Mention at the "Show Us Your Shorts" competition sponsored by thedesertsun.com, in conjunction with the Palm Springs Festival of Short Films in Sept. 2005. www.youtube.com/YumeArtStudio