I'm not really sure I understand your continuous use of the word "cheesy" to describe these bands. I think of this music more as "fun" than anything. Most pop music of that era was done with tongues planted firmly in cheeks. That's because that's the way rock'n'roll was meant to be. Fun, silly, goofy, with big hooks and a strong back beat. Maybe it sounds "cheesy" to you now, but I think it's great. Again, consider the time period, and try to put yourself there. I can listen to an oldies radio station all day (the ones like the Krazy Q here in St. Louis that have stayed true to the '50s & '60s "oldies" format) and it's usually only the teen-age heartthrob crap that turns me off.
The only thing the Ventures really had in common with the Trashmen is they both recorded instrumental tunes (well, and they both recorded a lot of covers... but that was true for a LOT of '60s bands, esp. the instrumental ones). Beyond that, they're pretty different bands. The Ventures' sound was a lot more polished and executed in a way that made their music much more accessible to the general public (much like "Telstar" at the time). You didn't hear them doing any songs like "Church Key" or "Bird Dance Beat" with those hysterical vocals. They were just a more serious band, and (correct me if I'm wrong) strictly instro. But the Ventures' early stuff is pretty cool. They were such great musicians (esp. Nokie) that they could pull off just about any cover of a popular hit at the time and turn it into a great instro. And while they did do a lot of surf/beach-themed music, I still consider them more of just an instro band. My favorite album of theirs is The Ventures in Space which is pretty amazing and the first time a surf/instro band used the outer-space theme. I have a collection of their stuff on CD, and it's pretty great, too (the WalkâDon't Run collection on EMI). Every song on it is a classic. I also really like the Ace Records' comps of their stuff called In the Vaults... I think there are three or four volumes. Here's the first one. By the way, if you like the Ventures in Space album, you should definitely check out Jerry Cole and His Spacemen, too.
By the way, Sundazed Records has a fantastic series of '60s surf/instro that you should get to introduce yourself to many of the best instrumental bands of that time. It's called Lost Legends of Surf Guitar. Here's Vol. 1.
With most '60s band, I stick to their earlier material (with a few exceptions), and the same holds true for the Ventures. Most just began to suck post-Sgt. Peppers (after '67).
Cyco Sanchez said:
But I have to ask one more thing, without opening another thread: What is this thing about The Ventures? I really love their early stuff, but then I bought this 10th anniversary album and was shocked. It IS cheesy, or am I also wrong in this case?
