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Reading Veenture's thread "DOWNLOADING VENTURES TUNES..." and his quest for "Detour" with a visit to the link he provides with the song made me think of something that some of you may agree with and disagree with. I heard The Ventures version of "Detour" and quickly listened to Duane Eddy's superior version to "wash" my ears!

It goes without saying that I'm a The Ventures fan from the '60s to this moment as I type this and if you read my introduction you can see that I'm a in-their-face fan. But I have a bone to pick. I loved their versions of popular (and not so-popular) hits that were originally vocals, e.g., "A Taste Of Honey" by The Beatles. Hearing The Ventures instrumental version is a very pleasant experience. Ditto for the many vocal versions they turned into instrumentals.

However, how could they do instrumental versions of instrumental hits? And "Detour" is an example of a version that is not as good as the original artist. I feel this way about The Beatles songs also. I've heard tons of other artists doing The Beatles songs and they just don't measure. One exception: "Lady Madonna" by Antoine "Fats" Domino.

Of course, it goes without saying that except for the possibility of Los Straitjackets being the best "imitators" of The Ventures, I really don't care for anything I've heard similar-wise including a couple of Japanese groups such as The Mosriters, etc. When The Ventures did "their" stuff, they were/are unbeatable.

Duane Eddy is a mold; The Beatles are a mold; The Ventures are a mold.

The Beatles did other peoples' stuff (Motown) and sometimes improved on the songs. But I haven't heard The Ventures sound better than Duane, Jorgen Ingmann, etc. And forget The Shadows, that's all they are.

Anyway, them's my 2 cents.

Univoxer wrote about the Ventures:

“However, how could they do instrumental versions of instrumental hits?”

Being primarily an instrumental group, I prefer listening to the Ventures’ version to that of Chet Atkins’ instrumental (duh…) version ...of Johnny Smith’s original instrumental version ...of WALK, DON’T RUN, even ‘though the renditions of Smith and Atkins may be (and are) superior. The Ventures had no problem with that and nor do I. We all know what went down in history after WDR…(more than 2 cents...), ‘nuff said.

I also admire all imitators of my guitar hero's that do a good job at it…
It's that VENTURES SOUND that does it for me, if that can be one answer to Univoxer’s rhetorical question.

BTW, I’m a HUGE fan of the Shadows too, so don’t anybody here take a cheap shot at them

Hurray for THE VENTURES
Hurray for THE SHADOWS
Hurray for LITTLE OLD ME for also trying to imitate my guitar hero's…

The Savage, a clear example of the Ventures superiority over the Sh**ows IMO, the Ventures nailed their version

Bushers wrote:The Savage, a clear example of the Ventures superiority over the Sh**ows IMO, the Ventures nailed their version

That is indeed one opinion Jason.
I for one can appreciate both renditions of The Savage, each having their own specific appeal and each in their own right. We could go on for any length of time on your kind of "comparisons" but I'll choose to refrain, thanks...

In one or two instances I may have misspoken since you mention Chet Atkins' less-than-satisfying version of "Walk Don't Run" which I haven't heard, nor Johnny Smith's. So, in this instance The Ventures win. Chet wasn't really a rocker although he tried to play catch up with culture. I enjoyed his records starting in 1956 when he was a quality player and his version of "Trambone" still plays in my head and I enjoy Duane Eddy's version 'cause he's almost true to Chet's. Ditto for "Blue Echo" (take a look and listen to the LAGQ doing it on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBQGrcOxe8U). "Blue Echo" by Atkins and "Echo Boogie" by Jorgen Ingmann; tunes that do not benefit by copying. I was fortunate to see Chet and Les Paul at The Bottom Line years ago.

Now that I've found out about the "ghost musicians" that recorded for The Ventures, then your comment: "It's that VENTURES SOUND" doesn't apply for "that VENTURES SOUND" is someone elses. This revelation has thrown me for a loop and I wind up thinking that, perhaps, The Ventures are not as great as the studio musicians even though I saw The Ventures live and very close to the stage and it was a great experience even without their Mosrites.

Veenture wrote:Univoxer wrote about the Ventures:

“However, how could they do instrumental versions of instrumental hits?”

Being primarily an instrumental group, I prefer listening to the Ventures’ version to that of Chet Atkins’ instrumental (duh…) version ...of Johnny Smith’s original instrumental version ...of WALK, DON’T RUN, even ‘though the renditions of Smith and Atkins may be (and are) superior. The Ventures had no problem with that and nor do I. We all know what went down in history after WDR…(more than 2 cents...), ‘nuff said.

I also admire all imitators of my guitar hero's that do a good job at it…
It's that VENTURES SOUND that does it for me, if that can be one answer to Univoxer’s rhetorical question.

BTW, I’m a HUGE fan of the Shadows too, so don’t anybody here take a cheap shot at them
Univoxer: "Bang! Expensivo gun!"

Hurray for THE VENTURES
Univoxer: I don't know...

Hurray for THE SHADOWS
Univoxer: "Why? What have they done? The didn't even have a Billboard 100 hit! And even with Cliff Richard one #99 "hit" "Bachelor Boy. It amazes me how some people develop a cult following with no track record (pun intended)."

Hurray for LITTLE OLD ME for also trying to imitate my guitar hero's…

Univoxer: "Now we're talking!"

Univoxer wrote:In one or two instances I may have misspoken since...etc..."Now we're talking!"

Clouding the issue, injecting snide remarks into Veenture’s text while (mis)quoting him and using it out of context too are things not taken kindly to, so Univoxer will have do any further “talking” on his own cuz I’m moving on to the next topic

Veenture wrote:

Univoxer wrote:In one or two instances I may have misspoken since...etc..."Now we're talking!"

Clouding the issue, injecting snide remarks into Veenture’s text while (mis)quoting him and using it out of context too are things not taken kindly to, so Univoxer will have do any further “talking” on his own cuz I’m moving on to the next topic

I do remember reading somewhere a long time ago that Glen Campbell recorded some on the Ventures records. I know he had or still has a Mosrite and I have a VHS tape somewhere with him playing it.

Jim

Jim,
If you are referring to "the Ventures Model," by all means, POST IT!!

Dennis:
I will try to find it. It was indeed a Ventures model in Tri burst color and I think he used it when singing and playing By the Time I Get To Phoenix. He was playing with a full orchestra.

Jim