Ventures book

[dubtrub]

What about calling the Folks you ordered the book from? Tell them your situation, and maybe they might send another book out to you..........maybe......

Well, I'm just about finished with the book, after which it will go on a book shelf probably to never be read again. At least by me. It is a very well researched book with a tremendous amount of Ventures history and several segments on Mosrite guitars and some on Semie. It is obvious there is/was a tremendous amount of hostilities on Don Wilson and Bob Bogle's part regarding Semie. I am not a huge Ventures fans although I have many of their CD's. My main interest in purchasing the book was to learn more about the Ventures/Mosrite falling out. The book does give a very clear picture of what transpired from the Ventures point of view. Which is probably pretty accurate. For those with an interest, I would highly recommend the book for historical purposes especially if you are a Ventures fan.

[Haole Jim]

'Am still picking through the tome. As usual with nonfiction, a bit here, a bit there, in no order at all. Some modern, some mid, some old and so on. Definitely not being read front-to-back.

One thing which seems odd-particularly "shocking" is even at their heights, the Ventures did not seem to be dirty-filthy-stinking-rotten-rich like so many music industry types. Like, no Michael Jackson fantasyland or huge yachts or private islands.

Is that impression erroneous?

[jtr654]

They were never really that big remember that the Beatles were huge than. The Ventures never sold anything near as much as them.

[Dennisthe Menace]

They were never really that big remember that the Beatles were huge than. The Ventures never sold anything near as much as them.

On the flipside, the Ventures sold twice as many Albums than the Beatles in
Japan due to there was no Language Barrier with Instrumental music ........

[jtr654]

They had 2 top 20 hits in 1960 and 1 in 69 and they didn't write most of their songs is probably why they weren't rich. They made most of their money from preformances not royalities.

[Veenture]

They made most of their money from preformances not royalities.

The Ventures' live performing was not about an act such as the likes of KISS etc.; it was their appealing MUSIC style and band set-up as well as doing instrumentals that attracted a multitude of fans worldwide but indeed especially in Japan. Incidentally, The Ventures have written over 1000 tunes and their record sales did it mostly for them I would think.
"After surpassing 40,000,000 in record sales there, the Ventures became the first foreign members of Japan's Conservatory of Music".
There's more impressive and interesting trivia to their credit:........................ http://www.theventures.com/index.php?pg=trivia
Since the two humble 'brick-laying' amateur guitar players and founding members (Don & Bob) started out, I'd say the Ventures haven't been doing so badly to date.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Don't forget WDR '64. That made it in the Top 100 hits of all time for 1964.....
not bad considering the "British Invasion" was already taking place......

[jtr654]

I for one didn't know they sold that many records. Their royality rate must have been really low or the should be at least Multi millionaires, or they did some really bad business moves.

[Dennisthe Menace]

jtr654 posted:

.....or they did some really bad business moves.

......it's called the Amplifier Business......having a guitar company wasn't good enough for the xxxxxxxx.....

[juan_10]

Nice thread I was intrigued about the Billy Strange connection with the Ventures ..
I think that in the UK we have pretty much accepted that Jimmy Page played guitar on a LOT of other peoples hit records ..
. but the term 'ghost guitarist' made me chuckle when applied to Billy .. rather like the 'ghost writer' that does most of today's
celebrity biographies.... I see it suggested here that the Ventures were often on the road while their albums were being recorded.

Does that mean that they got back off tour , and then learned the 'new album tracks' ... certainly from Billy Strange's later work as a producer/musical director
it seems he was very well 'connected' in the Business, for sure they weren't too worried who was on the records by the time the monkees came along .
Seems a common practice of the business of that era at least. Is it really them on all those records ? jv