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The Ventures Thread


SteveAJones

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Gerry McGee of The Ventures performs a very beautiful Acoustic Medley live in Japan (1997):

(1). STRANGER IN MIDOSUJI,

(2). REFLECTIONS IN A PALACE LAKE

(3). WAKARETA HITO TO

(4). HOKKAIDO SKIES.

Kyoto Bojo (Reflections In A Palace Lake) is a Gerry McGee composition he wrote in 1970. It is among my Top 10 favorite instrumentals of all time:

Edited by SteveAJones
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From Seattle, The Ventures defined instrumental guitar rock in the 1960s. Their hits bookended the decade, from 1960s Walk Dont Run to 1969s Hawaii Five-O. Nokie Edwards twang-guitar and the crisp rhythm of Don Wilson, bassist Bob Bogle and drummer Mel Taylor gave every Ventures album their trademark bent note sound. Long admired by other bands like the Beatles (and especially George Harrison), Stephen Stills, Joe Walsh, Aerosmith, and others, the Ventures hit the Billboard chart nearly three dozen times in the 1960s. The transparent stereo mixes enabled guitarists to isolate and learn every riff, an idea that fueled 1965s essential instruction LP Play Guitar With the Ventures. Founders of surf rock, the Ventures inspired a classic line of Mosrite guitars and have maintained a flourishing touring and recording career for decades, especially in Europe and Japan.

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Are they the group who originally performed the Hawaii Five-0 theme song?

Correct. The Hawaii Five-O theme song was composed by Morton Stevens - who also composed numerous episode scores - .and recorded by The Ventures, whose version reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart.

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  • 3 years later...
  • 2 years later...

The Ventures: Stars on Guitars will have its first (non-public) screening tomorrow at the cast and crew party in Malibu on Saturday, October 26!
 
"I’ve written and directed quite a few movies, but this is my first documentary—and it is truly the hardest (but hopefully most rewarding) thing I have ever done. Sorting through the maze of music rights alone is enough to turn Mother Theresa into the Tasmanian Devil. And there are so many moving parts, not the least of which was single-handedly coordinating 35+ interviews spanning several states and different countries. When making a narrative film, you have a script to follow and a fictional story that won’t step on anybody’s toes. But documentaries are about real people. They grow and stretch and morph as they’re being filmed, always changing shape until the final edit. 
 
"Thanks to the help of my family and music friends, The Ventures: Stars on Guitars features some of the biggest names in music. We have Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (Steely Dan), Lalo Schifrin (Academy Award-winning composer of The Mission Impossible theme), John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), and Billy Bob Thornton (The Boxmasters); plus female stars like Josie Cotton, Liz Brasher, The Surfrajettes, The Neptunas, and Ruiko of The Whys; insiders including Seymour Duncan (premier pickup maker), Del Casher (inventor of the wah-wah pedal), and we even tracked down the Surfing and Spying album cover model, Pleasant Gehman (aka: The Princess of Hollywood).
 
"This is my dad’s story and I am so proud to be able to bring it to the world as a filmmaker."

---Staci Layne Wilson

ventures.jpg

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48 minutes ago, reids said:

Very cool news 😎👍 Are you going to the Malibu premiere, Steve? 

R😎

Oh, no that's much too far to travel for any film premier however I do hope to see this documentary soon and eventually own it on dvd.

The Ventures co-founding member Don Wilson, 86, no longer performs in Japan with them, but I was fortunate to see him play here a few times.

I hope Don and everyone associated with this project who can attend have a truly great time tomorrow night in Malibu.

 

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16 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

Oh, no that's much too far to travel for any film premier however I do hope to see this documentary soon and eventually own it on dvd.

The Ventures co-founding member Don Wilson, 86, no longer performs in Japan with them, but I was fortunate to see him play here a few times.

I hope Don and everyone associated with this project who can attend have a truly great time tomorrow night in Malibu.

 

Ok, very cool. Steve. I met Nokie Edwards (R.I.P.) in Nashville, TN at Muriel Anderson’s Night of Guitar in the early 2000’s (probably 2004). It was during summer NAMM weekend. I hope it’s released on dvd/blu ray, too!!!

R😎

Edited by reids
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7 hours ago, reids said:

Ok, very cool. Steve. I met Nokie Edwards (R.I.P.) in Nashville, TN at Muriel Anderson’s Night of Guitar in the early 2000’s (probably 2004). It was during summer NAMM weekend. I hope it’s released on dvd/blu ray, too!!!

R😎

Outstanding! Nokie was such a fine guitarist. I defy anyone to go for a drive or take a walk in the rain at two a.m. on a Saturday night while listening to Nokie play and not have a transcendent experience. 

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

Outstanding! Nokie was such a fine guitarist. I defy anyone to go for a drive or take a walk in the rain at two a.m. on a Saturday night while listening to Nokie play and not have a transcendent experience. 

 

 

 

Thx. Much agreed. His playing was always outstanding. 

R😎🎸👍

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  • 1 year later...

Jimmy Page, Randy Bachman, John Fogerty Featured In 'The Ventures: Stars On Guitars' Documentary

Vision Films Inc. presents the definitive history of instrumental rock and roll, "The Ventures: Stars On Guitars", from director Staci Layne Wilson. The documentary will be available on DVD and VOD across cable and streaming platforms in the U.S. and Canada on December 8, 2020. A true labor of love, Wilson, daughter of The Ventures' founder Don Wilson, compiled over 35 interviews and assembled dozens of beloved and brand new music tracks to present the most comprehensive history of the band that still inspires generations of guitar players around the world. Filled with fascinating facts, humorous stories and poignant memories, "The Ventures: Stars On Guitars" is told from the point of view of Don Wilson, the last original member of the band.

 

Synopsis: The Ventures have been thrilling music lovers with songs like "Wipe Out", "Walk Don't Run" and "Hawaii 5-0" for over half a century. Started by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle in 1959, the band went from humble beginnings to worldwide acclaim, culminating as inductees into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as the No. 1 Bestselling instrumental Rock and Roll Group of all time.

 

Hear the history from those who know them the best: Billy Bob Thornton, music legends such as Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (Steely Dan), The Surfrajettes, Lalo Schifrin (Academy Award-winning composer, "Mission Impossible" theme), Randy Bachman (Bachman-Turner-Overdrive), Josie Cotton, John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), and more. Witness the rise and influence of the electric guitar and the relevance of the band in pop culture still today while rocking out to the soundtrack. The documentary features seven original tunes and several versions by The Surfrajettes, The Neptunas, The Ninth Wave, Mick Radford and Michel Perillard.

 

Lise Romanoff, CEO and managing director of Vision Films, says: "Staci Wilson has delivered a passion project  that is truly a creative and entertaining narrative that captures the nostalgia of the surf music scene and will have audiences of all ages dancing in their seats."

 

Director Staci Layne Wilson shares: "Three years ago, I realized I had to make a documentary about my dad's band, The Ventures. As their 60th anniversary approached, I wanted to make sure that there would be fanfare and celebration. This is my dad's story, and I am so proud to be able to bring it to the world."

 

"The Ventures: Stars On Guitars" will be available on iTunes, Vimeo, Amazon, Google Play, and Vudu, and across hundreds of U.S. cable providers, including Comcast, Spectrum, Charter, Cox, Dish, DirectTV and more. DVD retailers include Amazon and other major online retailers.

ventures.thumb.jpg.7ebc630c93e8aee3f1675c204a71ff01.jpg.c505128b169c87ae9637981988f7d01c.jpg

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jimmy-page-randy-bachman-john-fogerty-featured-in-the-ventures-stars-on-guitars-documentary/

 

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  • 1 month later...

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