BEST VENTURES SONG EVER

[brutus]

Saigon is a great song. I also like El Greco and Squaw Man.

[thunderhead]

The Ventures Medley from Live in Japan is a great track and I think is the Late Great Bob Bogle on Lead Guitar. Diamond Head, Journey to the Stars, Drivin' Guitars, Cruel Sea just so many great tunes. I have a new favorite every week and I listen to Live In Japan almost every week, can't get enough of it

[mosriteer]

Anything with Nokie on lead is great. The tunes from the Mosrite era really stand out. My favorite albums are: Fabulous, KMO, WDR v 2, Super Psychedelics, A Go Go, In Space, $1m weekend and On Stage. (On Stage is a fake live album, as many already know). Nokie had 4 solo albums in the 69 to 74 time frame - they have great tunes, including several composed by Wilson and Bogle. The albums by G(J)erry McGee that stand out are UF, HFO and Swamp Rock.

From a technique standpoint, Fabulous is a great album, as it is rich with great lead techniques. I cut my fingers on that one. This was also the very first LP I ever owned.

What does not get mentioned often are some of the fantastic original compositions by the Ventures (Runnin' Wild, J2*s, Walkin with Pluto, Lonely Girl, Creeper, Swingin' Creeper, Solar Race, Go Go Slow, Ginza Lights, Go, 007-11 and many others - from the 60s; Victoria Station, Dont Leave Me Now, Until the End, Expo-Seven-o etc in the 70s, 80s).

Somebody mentioned the Ventures book. On Page 177 there's a picture of a bound body Mosrite clone that I had hand-built virtually from scratch as a teenager in India - now that's Mosrite dedication!

-Kanad

[dubtrub]

Kanad,

You said 'had' hand built. Don't you mean that you built it yourself? That was my understand from the book. Also do you still have it or have any photo's of it?

[mosriteer]

Danny:
I did build it from absolute scratch, using the pic on the back of Fabulous as a guide, built the PU cases, bobbins, wind the PUs, add a preamp on board, machined the vibrato assembly, cut 1/8 thick steel plates for the bottom plate of the vibrato - everything!! Took two years of my life: from '71 to '72 when I was doing my undergrad degree. I "apprenticed" with a luthier to learn how body binding and hand carving was done. The guitar's still in India. One of these days, I will go and get it. I have plenty of photos someplace.

BTW, I had left out Hokkaido Skies - an all time best original by Nokie.

-Kanad

[Haole Jim]

In this jaded opinion, the original "Walk Don't Run," period. End of discussion, from here.

Without that tune bringing Bob and Don into the pop music mainstream, who can say if any other would have done it, or if they might have just been forever-unknown weekend warrriors of the northwest?

Seriously; how many tens of millions of famous, infamous, expert, duffer and wannabe pickers cut their fingertips on learning that tune? How many Mk Is, Jazzmasters and Strats did that song sell?

And the song did serve as the "signature" sound for the group, especially in the early years.

[Veenture]

You are absolutely right Jim and thankfully WDR came along or I wouldn't be here on this forum now writing these words but I think it’s only fair to say -and few Ventures fans will disagree with me- that it was Nokie and later Gerry also who had lifted the band onto a higher level with their unique talents, at the same time contributing also, in no modest way, to the longevity of the group; something which many a band can only dream of.

And of course many wonderful tunes tickled our ears since WDR. I love all of their music (well OK, 99%) but especially the recordings made during the ‘Mosrite era’

Nokie Edwards pretty much said it right: “it is the combined talents of each member” that made The Ventures so successful and last that long (50 years now!)

[thunderhead]

Right on Veenture!!! I love Nokie and the Mosrite days but also Love the Gerry Era. I agree with what Nokie said and it is the combined efforts of Don and Bob to work with other Musicians that sustained the Band. The Ventures will always be my Favorite Band and The Mosrite Sound will always do it for me!!!

[Haole Jim]

No disagreement here; Nokie and later Gerry took the band to the stars, all but literally.

Gotta admit, hearing Gerry do "Quiet Village" just blew this long-time fan into jaw-hanging awe. And the magnificent Nokie, personal belief is if he had not come along and gone onto lead, The Ventures would never have "gone the distance."

[Veenture]

Right again Jim ...yeah, the distance....I would think the same would have to apply to the Mosrite brand...