BEST VENTURES SONG EVER

[64sunburst]

When I was in junior high, 'Ventures In Space' and 'Walk Don't Run '64' were probably my favorite albums, but my favorite song back then was 'Journey to the Stars' from the 'Fabulous Ventures'. I was crazy about all the space-themed stuff back then. By the time the late 60's rolled around I didn't really listen to thier albums, although judging by some of your comments there were some gems there. But now over 40 years later, the one album I keep going back to is 'The Ventures Knock Me Out' where I think they did some of the best covers they ever did like 'I Feel Fine', Pretty Woman', 'Sha La La', and of course 'Slaughter on 10th Ave.' The B-side of Slaughter, "The Stranger" was also very cool. But my favorite song(ever), and it might seem an odd choice, is their cover of 'Gone, Gone, Gone'. I just think they kick butt on that song, and the guitars sound great on it.
And actually I like Nokie's country pickin'.
byron

[ElTwang]

There's probably a lot of Ventures recordings out there I haven't heard yet, but 'Ventures In Space' is one of the best instro-albums ever in my opinion. The textures, layers, playing and tone is amazing ALL the way on that album.

[brutus]

Well it seems that the mid 60's Ventures recordings are the most popular on this forum. I would agree it is the golden age for them. That said, I would add Flights of Fancy, Super Psychedelics Guitar Freakout just for the fact that they play alot of songs on those albums that aren't variations on blues progressions. And also there is a forgotten gem of a L.P called The Horse with some wicked fuzz from Gerry and
some great "vocals" from the boys on the song "Here comes the judge" plus they cover James Brown! The idea of cheesy is relative when talking Ventures all the albums have some. As far as the great Gerry vs Nokie debate when I think of the Ventures as a surf style band I think of Nokie but, when I think of them as a great instrumental group I think of Gerry. Now in the early 70's they did seem to lose their way a bit except for the two Pops in Japan albums there is some really sweet guitar playing. I think Gerry was better at getting that late 60's vibe (for better or worse than Nokie) compare Summertime Blues with Nokie to Sunshine of your Love with Gerry. So to me you can't go wrong buying every album from Walk Don't Run thru Pops in Japan (it took a lot of hours in the used rec. store but i have them all)
Now i'm working on Sandy Nelson great drums of course and also great guitar I would assume Jerry Cole and Billy Strange did alot the guitar work for Sandy check him out you will like em. And also if you dig that golden era Ventures check out this band called Switch Trout on Estrus records from Japan they totally nail it. One more thing ANY AND ALL DAVIE ALLEN OLD, NEW, IT ALL IS KICK butt!! Well these are just my opinions thanks for reading.

[zak]

Now in the early 70's they did seem to lose their way a bit except for the two Pops in Japan albums there is some really sweet guitar playing.

I just can't forgive 'em for that really limpwristed version of Yuzo Kayama's "Black Sand Beach" - I bet Nokie would have done something cool with that already great song...or at least get the harmonics in the intro right hahaha. It's as though Gerry just went "oh, there's no high D harmonic at the 12th ret, I just won't bother playing it if I can't move my hand out of position" haha. The Kayama original makes it sound like Lawrence Welk. The stuff on Pops In japan sounds like they had to learn all those songs in a big hurry, the material is cool though - just executed in a way that makes me wish they'd cut those two records in '66 and '67 or something.

[brutus]

I would have to agree with you Zak but when you compare Pops to say..Swamp Rock
the Pops stuff sounds truly inspired. I don't know why they didn't record that material a the height of Venturesmaina in Japan.. but then why in heck did they record Snoopy vs. The Red Baron!!... I just blame the label. Hey we should put forth our worst Ventures song list. One more thing I really gained a lot of respect for Gerry's playing after I picked up From the Vaults 1 and 2

[zak]

Oh wow...it would be tough to put together a "worst" list! So many choices...

I really can't handle the "Joy" record - it sounds like a freakin' Genesis album, not the Ventures!
Hearing Takeshi Terauchi tackle "classical" material on his "Let's Go Classics!" LP really drives home how bad "Joy" is.
http://jukebox.au.nu/instromania/instro ... e_bunnys_/
The difference between the somnambulist rendition of "Für Elise" on "Joy" and the demented Shin-ei flavored fuzz dementia of Terauchi's 'Davie Allan-San' take on the tune is like night and day.

Then there's the goddawful "Hollywood Metal Dinamic Sound 3000" record which for some reason got paired up with the comparatively cool-as-hell "Underground Fire" (which is redeemed from some lousy song choices by copious amounts of glorious Fuzzrite tone). "Hollywood Metal Dinamic Sound 3000" is basically "Hollywood: Yuya Uchida Meets the Ventures" without Yuya Uchida's vocals and the Ventures succeed in sounding like a completely disinterested wedding band. Don't let the 60s photo on the cover fool you - this is pure cheese with horrid production from 1975.



Then there's laughably titled pair "Wild Again" from '97 - anything but "wild" haha...and the following year's "New Depths" - new depths of what, exactly? Quality?

I'd rather talk about and listen to the stuff I actually like by the Ventures...the entire "Live In Japan '65" CD and the pseudo-live "On Stage" LP, the surprisingly consistent "Batman Theme" LP and a hefty chunk off of the other LPs from '66 (Go With, Where The Action Is, and Wild Things), a big portion of the "A-Go Go" LP, the "Fabulous Ventures" and "In Space" and a bunch of other songs scattered on other records.

[Bushers]

I have HUGE Ventures collection back home in the UK, I collected albums and was in the UK fan club (then run by Gerald Woodage) for several years. Used to go to alot of record fairs and 2nd hand record stores always on the lookout for 'new' stuff. Back then the internet wasnt around and finding anything was either through a magazine or at these fairs, I was lucky enough to have an Auntie in the US that (bless her) brought over several albums she found at a record store in Seattle, I burdened her with over a dozen albums on that trip, all on the (harder to find in UK) Dolton label.

I have albums/singles/EP's from all over the world, one rare one I have is a Spanish copy of Dance with the Ventures (from 62, or was it 63, darn memory!) in ORANGE vinyl! A mint copy of Live in Japan on Toshiba records in red Vinyl and my favorite live album, Live Again! Truly amazing period of Ventures work.

I am of the mind that 64-67 was their best period/sound starting with WDR 64 up to Go/Super Psychedelics. Though I do like many of tunes on other albums of course!

[dubtrub]

Hey Jason, do you have the new Ventures book? It is a 'must have' for any Ventures fan.

I'm in the process of rereading my copy. I had a bad experience the first go around. It's a better read this time.

[brutus]

I must correct myself the Ventures did release Pops in Japan 1 and Pops in Japan 2 in 67 and 68. I don't have those but now i can hear them on the freddie link!!
I still like Golden Pops and Pops in Japan 71 better plus the album covers are pretty sweet.

[Veenture]

Man, this question is like torture! ...almost an impossible question to put to an avid Ventures fan. I would have to say that I particularly like the stuff after MOSRITE and FUZZrite entered the scene, hands down. If I were allowed to choose, say only 5 tunes (bummer), then it would definitely have to include:

THE SWINGIN' CREEPER (1965)
RAP CITY (1964 recording)
THE STRANGER (Ventures' arr. of "The Stranger In Paradise") aka TEN SECONDS TO HEAVEN (1965 recording)
TOMORROW'S LOVE (1964) (I only discoverd it when I bought the CD ...that the track on my vinyl LP record is actually "Love Goddess Of Venus" (recorded a year earlier) under the wrong title!
THEME FROM ENDLESS SUMMER (1967 single)

Darn, now I feel bad having to leave out all my equally fav numbers...

let me quickly sneak in "INSTANT MASH" (1962) and "SAIGON" (recorded 1965 and release 1999 and I all but passed out upon hearing it for the first time...)

Pwew...