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101-597: The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington , in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle . The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar across the world during the 1960s. While their popularity in the United States waned in the 1970s, the group remains especially revered in Japan , where they have toured regularly. The classic lineup of

202-428: A "concept album" could potentially encompass all soundtracks , compilations , cast recordings , greatest hits albums , tribute albums , Christmas albums , and live albums . The most common definitions refer to an expanded approach to a rock album (as a story, play, or opus), or a project that either revolves around a specific theme or a collection of related materials. AllMusic writes, "A concept album could be

303-475: A Precision Bass) for both their live performances and their recording sessions. These instruments are prominently visible on the covers of two early albums: The Ventures and The Colorful Ventures . From 1962 to 1963 they used two Jazzmasters with a Precision Bass, shown on the album cover of "Bobby Vee meets The Ventures". Then in early 1963, California guitar manufacturer Mosrite re-branded their uniquely styled, futuristic-looking Mark 1 electric guitar model for

404-625: A central concept, such as cars, surfing, and teenage lifestyles. Writing in 101 Albums That Changed Popular Music , Chris Smith commented: "Though albums such as Frank Sinatra's 1955 In the Wee Small Hours and Marty Robbins ' 1959 Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs had already introduced concept albums, [the Beach Boys' 1963 album] Little Deuce Coupe was the first to comprise almost all original material rather than standard covers." Music historian Larry Starr , who identifies

505-452: A collection of songs by an individual songwriter or a particular theme – these are the concept LPs that reigned in the '50s ... the phrase 'concept album' is inextricably tied to the late 1960s, when rock & rollers began stretching the limits of their art form." Author Jim Cullen describes it as "a collection of discrete but thematically unified songs whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts ... sometimes [erroneously] assumed to be

606-673: A constant presence in the American music landscape during this time; between 1962 and 1967, they released 22 albums, and all but one reached the top 100 of the Billboard album charts (13 of which reached the top 40). They experienced more moderate success in the singles market, with 6 charting on the Billboard Hot 100. Their most successful single during this time was "Walk Don't Run '64" (a re-arranged surf-style version of their 1960 breakout hit), which reached #8. During this time,

707-503: A deeper level of significance." In the 2016 BBC documentary When Pop Went Epic: The Crazy World of the Concept Album , narrated by Rick Wakeman , it is suggested that the first concept album is Woody Guthrie's 1940 album Dust Bowl Ballads . The Independent regards it as "perhaps" one of the first concept albums, consisting exclusively of semi-autobiographical songs about the hardships of American migrant labourers during

808-427: A major influence on his early guitar playing, stating that the Beach Boys had learned to play all of their songs by ear. Instrumental rock During the 1980s and 1990s, the instrumental rock genre was dominated by several guitar soloists, including Joe Satriani , Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai . The 2000s gave way to a new style of instrumental performer. For example, John Lowery (a.k.a. John 5) , released

909-412: A narrative, as in musical comedy or opera . ... [He was the] first pop singer to bring a consciously artistic attitude to recording." Singer/pianist Nat "King" Cole (who, along with Sinatra, often collaborated with arranger Nelson Riddle during this era) was also an early pioneer of concept albums, as with his Wild Is Love (1960), a suite of original songs about a man's search for love. In

1010-524: A novelty achievement, the Ventures were the first act to place two different versions of the same song in the Top 10, those being "Walk, Don't Run" (#2) and "Walk, Don't Run '64" (#8). The Ventures were among the first rock acts able to sell albums based on a style and sound without needing hit singles on the albums. These albums are also some of the earliest examples of the concept album in rock music. Many of

1111-404: A number of 45s , which they distributed to several record companies. Later, Skip Moore opted out of the group to work at his family's gas station. When "Walk, Don't Run" was recorded, he also opted out of the royalties from the recording, taking $ 25 for the session instead. He later sued to collect royalties but failed because of his prior opt-out. "Walk, Don't Run" sold over one million copies, and

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1212-459: A number of solo albums; one of the best-known of these was his 1990 release, Passion and Warfare . Jason Becker released two albums with Cacophony . Cacophony were a primarily instrumental group featuring Becker and Marty Friedman (the latter of whom went on to play with the thrash metal band Megadeth ). After the release of Cacophony's second album Go Off! in 1988, Becker released two solo albums before being diagnosed with ALS . He now uses

1313-405: A product of the rock era." Author Roy Shuker defines concept albums and rock operas as albums that are "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical. ... In this form, the album changed from a collection of heterogeneous songs into a narrative work with a single theme, in which individual songs segue into one another." Speaking of concepts in albums during

1414-631: A progressive rock album released in 1973, was all instrumental (save for some brief spoken words) and is one of the best-selling instrumental albums ever, with 16 million copies sold. A portion of it was used in the soundtrack of the Academy Award-winning film The Exorcist . One of the most acclaimed albums of the band Camel , 1975's The Snow Goose , was entirely instrumental. Many of Pink Floyd 's early compositions were largely instrumental pieces containing structured jams fusing psychedelic , progressive and space rock . Frank Zappa

1515-767: A series of solo instrumental albums. The 2000s also saw the rise of instrumental music by bands that have been labeled post-rock . Instrumental rock was most popular during rock and roll 's first decade (mid-1950s to mid-1960s), before the British Invasion . One notable early instrumental was "Honky Tonk" by the Bill Doggett Combo , with its slinky beat and sinuous saxophone-organ lead. Jazz musicians who scored pop hits include Earl Bostic and Arnett Cobb . Several rhythm and blues sax players had hit instrumental songs, including Big Jay McNeeley, Red Prysock , and Lee Allen , whose "Walking with Mr. Lee"

1616-411: A special category for "concept album" in its annual recordings of the year awards , to celebrate "albums where a creative mind has curated something visionary, a programme whose whole speaks more powerfully than its parts. A thought-through journey, which compels to be heard in one sitting." In a year-ending essay on the album in 2019, Ann Powers wrote for Slate that the year found the medium in

1717-441: A specific theme. Some of the Ventures' most popular albums at the time were a series of records of dance music. In the early 1960s "golden age of hi-fi ", with the novelty of stereo still in its experimental stages, the Ventures found their characteristic style of recording each instrument in either the extreme left or right channel, with little (if any) cross-over, enhancing the stereo effect to its fullest limits. In 1963, Edwards,

1818-432: A state of flux. In her observation, many recording artists revitalized the concept album around autobiographical narratives and personal themes, such as intimacy, intersectionality , African-American life, boundaries among women, and grief associated with death. She cited such albums as Brittany Howard 's Jaime , Raphael Saadiq 's Jimmy Lee , Jamila Woods ' Legacy! Legacy! , Rapsody 's Eve , Jenny Lewis ' On

1919-440: A talented guitarist in his own right, suggested that Bogle's lead guitar abilities were being stretched, and that they were in essence wasting Edwards' talents by keeping him on bass. Bogle agreed, and rapidly learned the bass parts to all their tunes, allowing Edwards to take lead guitar full-time, although he had played lead previously on several tracks on their first studio sessions/albums. This move would prove vital in modernizing

2020-617: A wheelchair and is completely unable to play. Pepeu Gomes , a Brazilian electric guitar player, was considered in 1988 by American magazine Guitar World one of the ten best guitar players in the world. Although he has pure instrumental rock songs with no Brazilian flavour, he mixes the Brazilian rhythms and tunes from well known popular songs, or simply composes by himself using Samba , Choro , Maracatu etc. In 1990, Steve Vai released Passion and Warfare . A fusion of rock, jazz, classical and Eastern tonalities, Passion and Warfare

2121-423: Is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Sometimes the term is applied to albums considered to be of "uniform excellence" rather than an LP with an explicit musical or lyrical motif. There is no consensus among music critics as to

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2222-467: Is another example of a modern concept album. Dorian Lynskey, writing for GQ , noted a resurgence of concept albums in the 2010s due to streaming : "This is happening not in spite of the rise of streaming and playlists, but because of it. Threatened with redundancy in the digital era, albums have fought back by becoming more album-like." Cucchiara argues that concept albums should also describe "this new generation of concept albums, for one key reason. This

2323-467: Is because the unison between the songs on a particular album has now been expanded into a broader field of visual and artistic design and marketing strategies that play into the themes and stories that form the album." Towards the end of the 80s, however, as heavy metal suited a fairly niche crowd, a few heavy metal artists began producing concept albums, particularly among the more progressive groups. King Diamond's Abigail and Savatage's Hall of

2424-563: Is one of rock music's first recorded guitar jam sessions. During the 70s, some musicians released instrumental records such as Dennis Coffey's "Scorpio"(1971), Booker T & the MGs' "Melting Pot", Incredible Bong Band's "Apache", Hot Butter's "Popcorn"(1972) and Rhythm Heritage "Theme from S.W.A.T."(1976). The Allman Brothers Band is often not considered an instrumental rock band , but they play many instrumentals and include long instrumental passages in longer versions of their songs. A good example

2525-433: Is one of the most famous concept albums by any artist. In addition to The Wall , Danesi highlights Genesis ' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) and Frank Zappa 's Joe's Garage (1979) as other culturally significant concept albums. According to author Edward Macan, concept albums as a recurrent theme in progressive rock was directly inspired by the counterculture associated with "the proto-progressive bands of

2626-495: Is the 22-minute version of Whipping Post in At Fillmore East LP. Their instrumentals, " In Memory of Elizabeth Reed " and "Jessica" are popular, with "Jessica" being featured as theme for both the 1977 and 2002 formats of Top Gear . Jeff Beck also recorded two entirely instrumental albums in the 1970s: Blow by Blow and Wired . Successful among mainstream audiences, both have strong jazz influences,

2727-513: The Beatles ' music catalog as guitar -based instrumental rock on the Apple iTunes music download service. The 2000s gave way for a new style of performer. John Lowery (a.k.a. John 5) released a solo instrumental album after leaving Marilyn Manson in 2003. Vertigo is composed of a fusion of metal , rockabilly , rock and roll , and bluegrass musical styles. The album was a success, and

2828-564: The Billboard Top LPs list, peaking at No. 96, and taught thousands of budding guitarists how to play the guitar. George Harrison stated in a Guitar Player interview that he preferred the American guitar sound of the Ventures to British contemporaries. When asked to name the most influential rock guitar solos, Joe Walsh said he would have to include the entire song " Walk, Don't Run " because it changed so many guitar players' lives. John Fogerty , during his introduction of

2929-506: The 1930s. In the late 1940s, the LP record was introduced, with space age pop composers producing concept albums soon after. Themes included exploring wild life and dealing with emotions, with some albums meant to be played while dining or relaxing. This was accompanied in the mid-1950s with the invention of the gatefold , which allowed room for liner notes to explain the concept. Singer Frank Sinatra recorded several concept albums prior to

3030-495: The 1960s rock era, including In the Wee Small Hours (1955) and Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely (1958). Sinatra is occasionally credited as the inventor of the concept album, beginning with The Voice of Frank Sinatra (1946), which led to similar work by Bing Crosby . According to biographer Will Friedwald, Sinatra "sequenced the songs so that the lyrics created a flow from track to track, affording an impression of

3131-652: The 1960s", observing: "the consistent use of lengthy forms such as the programmatic song cycle of the concept album and the multimovement suite underscores the hippies' new, drug-induced conception of time." Progressive soul musicians inspired by this approach conceived concept albums during this era reflecting themes and concerns of the African-American experience , including Marvin Gaye (1971's What's Going On ) and George Clinton (the 1975 Parliament album Mothership Connection and Dope Dogs ). With

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3232-550: The 1970s, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), because "overall impression" of an album matters, "concept intensifies the impact" of certain albums "in more or less the way Sgt. Pepper intended", as well as "a species of concept that pushes a rhythmically unrelenting album like The Wild Magnolias or a vocally irresistible one like Shirley Brown 's Woman to Woman , to

3333-529: The 1980s, the instrumental rock genre was dominated by several guitar soloists. Swedish virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen made a name for himself in 1984 by playing in the popular band Alcatrazz , and then by releasing his debut solo album Rising Force later that year, reaching #60 on the Billboard Charts. Joe Satriani 's 1987 album Surfing With The Alien was a surprise hit, containing the popular instrumental ballad "Always With Me, Always With You", and

3434-592: The 1990s, instrumental music flourished among indie-rock groups and with the popularity of post rock groups like Tortoise , Mogwai and Cul de Sac . Don Caballero gained notice for their instrumental math rock, as did neo-surf-rockers the Mermen and Man or Astro-man? . Quentin Tarantino 's film Pulp Fiction made heavy use of rock instrumentals on its soundtrack, spurring some interest in classic instrumentals, and revitalizing Dick Dale 's career. With

3535-598: The Beach Boys ' Pet Sounds (1966), the Beatles ' Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), and the Who 's Tommy (1969) are variously cited as "the first concept album", usually for their "uniform excellence rather than some lyrical theme or underlying musical motif". Other records have been claimed as "early" or "first" concept albums. The Beach Boys' first six albums, released over 1962–64, featured collections of songs unified respectively by

3636-413: The Beach Boys' 1964 releases Shut Down Volume 2 and All Summer Long as heralding the album era, cites Pet Sounds as the first rock concept album on the basis that it had been "conceived as an integrated whole, with interrelated songs arranged in a deliberate sequence." The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time (2015) states that the Ventures "pioneered the idea of the rock concept album years before

3737-607: The MG's and saxophonist Junior Walker . Just before the British Invasion , Lonnie Mack 's version of Chuck Berry 's "Memphis" reached #5 on the Billboard Pop chart in June 1963. Employing both the blues scale and distortion, it ushered in the era of blues rock guitar of Eric Clapton , Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan . The early incarnation of Fleetwood Mac with bandleader Peter Green achieved number one chart positions with

3838-561: The Moon (1973) and the Eagles ' Hotel California (1976)." In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Dark Side of the Moon at number one among the 50 greatest progressive rock albums of all time, also noting the LP's stature as the second-best-selling album of all time. Pink Floyd's The Wall (1979), a semi-autobiographical story modeled after the band's Roger Waters and former member Syd Barrett ,

3939-602: The Mountain King , both released in 1987, stand some of the earliest examples of concept albums produced by a heavy metal artist. A year later, Iron Maiden's , Seventh Son of a Seventh Son , released in 1988, would become one of the most notable examples of a heavy metal concept album at the time. Around this time, progressive metal began taking form with artists such as Queensrÿche , Fates Warning , and Savatage. Shortly later in 1988, Queensrÿche would release Operation: Mindcrime , which would be considered one of

4040-479: The Piltdown Men 's "McDonald's Cave"), but the guitar was most prominent. Duane Eddy scored several hits (his best known probably being " Rebel-'Rouser "). Eddy was the first rock & roll artist to release an album in stereo. The Fireballs , featuring the distinctive guitar work of George Tomsco, began their career in the late 1950s with instrumental hits such as "Torquay" and "Bulldog." The band pioneered

4141-458: The U.S. national Billboard charts." The Ventures pioneered the use of special effects on such songs as "The 2000 Pound Bee", recorded in late 1962, in which lead guitarist Nokie Edwards employed a fuzz pedal . Edwards' use of "fuzz tone" predated the "King of Fuzz Guitar", Davie Allan of The Arrows, by at least three years. In addition, Edwards was among the first to use the twelve-string guitar in rock. The 1964 The Ventures In Space album

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4242-456: The UK charts until 1963 when Beatlemania arrived, combined with DJ indifference to non-vocal singles. The Ventures ' precise guitar work was a major influence on many later rock guitarists; they also helped shape surf music. The band reached chart success with songs such as " Walk-Don't Run " and "Hawaii Five-O". In the U.S. they greatly escalated the guitar instrumentals and use of the vibrato bar on

4343-685: The US , ranking them as the 6th best album chart performer during the 1960s, and the band had 14 singles in the Billboard Hot 100 . With over 100 million records sold, the Ventures are the best-selling instrumental band of all time. The Ventures have had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. The band was among the first to employ and popularize fuzz and flanging guitar effects, concept albums , and twelve-string guitars in rock music. Their instrumental virtuosity, innovation, and unique sound influenced many musicians and bands, earning

4444-535: The United States but was a major hit overseas, reaching #1 in the Japanese and Hong Kong markets, and becoming the first million-selling single in Japan. The Ventures were responsible for a period in Japanese music known as the eleki boom , where thousands of Japanese purchased electric guitars and many guitar-based bands started up. The combination of Edwards on lead guitar, Taylor on drums, Bogle on bass and Wilson on rhythm guitar remained unchanged until Edwards left

4545-478: The Ventures at their Hall of Fame induction, said that it "kicked open a whole movement in rock and roll... The sound of it became 'surf music' and the audacity of it empowered guitarists everywhere." Stephen Stills told Ventures guitarist Don Wilson that he learned to play on Ventures records. Jeff Baxter and Gene Simmons were early members of the Ventures Fan Club. Carl Wilson called the Ventures

4646-534: The Ventures by applying decals that stated "The Ventures Model" on the headstock. The band adopted these guitars (which included a bass model) and first used them on The Ventures in Space (1963), one of their most influential albums because of the unique, otherworldly guitar sounds it contained. From 1963 through 1968, a statement on their album covers announced that the Ventures used Mosrite guitars "exclusively" (the Ventures and designer Semie Moseley were partners in

4747-526: The Ventures had five LPs in the Billboard Top 100 of the albums chart at the same time. Additionally, they released a series of instructional LPs entitled Play Guitar with the Ventures and Play Electric Bass with the Ventures . Four LPs were released in this series, the first of which reached the Billboard Top 100 Album Chart—an achievement previously unheard of for an instructional LP. In

4848-480: The Ventures were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with John Fogerty as their presenter. In attendance were original members Don Wilson and Nokie Edwards , late 1960s member John Durrill, current guitarist Bob Spalding , and current drummer Leon Taylor, son of Mel Taylor who, along with Mel Taylor's widow, Fiona, accepted on behalf of the Ventures' late drummer. Bob Bogle and Gerry McGee were unable to attend

4949-459: The Ventures' albums, starting with Colorful Ventures in 1961, were organized according to a central theme. While they predated the advent of the terms surf guitar and surf rock , and they do not consider themselves a surf rock group, they were a major building block of surf music, if not the first to play the style. Guitar Player , in an article titled "20 Essential Rock Albums", cited elements of their 1960 Walk, Don't Run album which presaged

5050-404: The Ventures' popularity overseas began to increase significantly. In particular, the Japanese music market embraced the Ventures' music after Bogle and Wilson toured the country in 1962. By the time they returned in 1964, this time as a full band, their music became immensely popular in Japan, and were greeted by thousands of fans at the airport. Their 1965 single " Diamond Head " reached only #70 in

5151-445: The Who's Tommy is "popularly thought of as the first rock opera, an extra-long concept album with characters, a consistent storyline, and a slight bit of pomposity", it is preceded by the shorter concept albums Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake ( Small Faces , 1968) and S.F. Sorrow ( The Pretty Things , 1968). Author Jim Cullen states: "The concept album reached its apogee in the 1970s in ambitious records like Pink Floyd 's Dark Side of

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5252-407: The age of 62. He was diagnosed two weeks before his death. Despite the passing of the founding members, the Ventures continue today (2023), with Bob Spalding—the 5th Venture—on lead guitar, Ian Spalding on rhythm guitar, Luke Griffin on bass, and Leon Taylor—son of drummer Mel Taylor—on drums. During their first years (1958–1961), the Ventures played Fender guitars (a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster and

5353-486: The album after that, Songs for Sanity , which features guest appearances by Steve Vai and Albert Lee , became one of the top selling records on the record label Shrapnel. He followed this in 2007 with The Devil Knows My Name , which features Joe Satriani , Jim Root , and Eric Johnson . The 2000s saw a rise in the popularity of bands that have been labeled post-rock ; many of these bands have created instrumental rock songs. Constellation Records has released some of

5454-406: The band consisted of Wilson (rhythm guitar), Bogle (initially lead guitar, later bass), Nokie Edwards (initially bass, later lead guitar), and Mel Taylor (drums). Their first wide-release single, " Walk, Don't Run " (1960), brought international fame to the group, and is often cited as one of the top songs ever recorded for guitar. In the 1960s and early 1970s, 38 of the band's albums charted in

5555-475: The band in 1968, to be replaced by Gerry McGee (born Gerald James McGee in Eunice, Louisiana ; November 17, 1937 – October 12, 2019), son of the famous Cajun fiddle player Dennis McGee . Edwards came back in 1973 and remained with them until 1984, although he has toured and gigged with them dozens of times in the subsequent years. Edwards' replacement in 1984 was, once again, Gerry McGee. Mel Taylor left in 1972 (and

5656-401: The band's sound, ensuring success in an ever-changing market well into the late 1960s. In the fall of 1957, Johnson had been injured in an auto crash, which caused irreversible spinal damage. This forced him to play with a neckbrace at first. However, he was able to play without it shortly after joining the group. Johnson played on the first four LPs and recorded on about half of the tracks on

5757-401: The band. Aria Guitars and Wilson Brothers Guitars have subsequently issued Ventures Signature Model instruments. The Wilson Brothers guitar, in particular, is closely modeled physically on the original Mosrite design. The Ventures enjoyed their greatest popularity and success in the US and Japan in the 1960s, but they continue to perform and record. With over 110 million albums sold worldwide,

5858-407: The band.) The lineup of Bogle, Wilson, Edwards and Johnson remained intact until September 1962, when Johnson was replaced by Mel Taylor. The group found early success with a string of singles, but quickly became leaders in the album market. The Ventures were among the pioneers of concept albums (starting with 1961's The Colorful Ventures ) where each song on several of their albums was chosen to fit

5959-725: The best-known examples of instrumental post-rock, such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Do Make Say Think . Other examples include Austin TV , Mogwai , The Cancer Conspiracy , the Mercury Program , 65daysofstatic , God Is An Astronaut , Russian Circles and Explosions in the Sky . Within the indie rock label, bands such as Ratatat and Delicate Steve are popular instrumental rock acts. Guitarist Omar Rodriguez Lopez 's solo albums typically are instrumental ( Old Money ) or mostly instrumental ( Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo ). In

6060-566: The blues boogie inflected "Satch Boogie" — both staples for guitarists learning their craft. Satriani released a follow-up album, Flying in a Blue Dream , two years later. After Malmsteen left Alcatrazz , he was replaced by the extravagant Steve Vai , who had previously been playing with the Frank Zappa band. Continuing the tradition (and following a brief stint in David Lee Roth 's band from 1986 to 1988), Vai went on to release

6161-472: The ceremony. Fiona Taylor gave special mention to her husband's predecessor drummers Skip Moore and Howie Johnson. The Ventures performed their biggest hits, "Walk, Don't Run" and "Hawaii Five-O", augmented on the latter by Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame musical director Paul Shaffer and his band. Bob Bogle lived in Vancouver, Washington , for years and died there on June 14, 2009, of non-Hodgkin lymphoma ; he

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6262-418: The coming surf trend. The theme music of the television show Hawaii Five-O continues to be popular. The tune was composed by Morton Stevens , who also composed numerous episode scores. The theme was recorded by the Ventures, whose version reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. Because of the tempo of the music, the theme gained popularity in the UK with followers of Northern soul and

6363-412: The definition a bit, to where the album is the concept, then it is clear that progressive rock is entirely a music of concept albums—and this flows rather directly of Rubber Soul (December 1965) and then Revolver (1966), Pet Sounds , and Sergeant Pepper's . ... in the wake of these albums, many rock musicians took up "the complete album approach." Popmatters ' Sarah Zupko notes that while

6464-421: The distribution of these instruments). After the expiration of their contract with Moseley, the Ventures returned to playing mainly Fender guitars. Only rarely have they used Mosrite guitars since that contract ended. In the mid-1990s, Fender issued a limited edition Ventures Signature Series of guitars consisting of a Jazzmaster , a Stratocaster , and a Fender Jazz Bass , all with specifications determined by

6565-456: The drummer on "Walk, Don't Run" is also deceased.) Their commercial fortunes in the US declined sharply in the early 1970s due to changing musical trends. In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, a resurgence of interest in surf music led to some in the punk / new wave audience rediscovering the band. The Go-Go's wrote "Surfin' And Spyin'" and dedicated it to the Ventures. The Ventures recorded their own version and continue occasionally to perform

6666-431: The early 1960s, concept albums began featuring highly in American country music , but the fact went largely unacknowledged by rock/pop fans and critics, who would only begin noting "concept albums" as a phenomenon later in the decade, when albums became closely aligned with countercultural ideology, resulting in a recognised " album era " and the introduction of the rock concept album. The author Carys Wyn Jones writes that

6767-476: The emergence of MTV as a music video network which valued singles over albums, concept albums became less dominant in the 1980s. Some artists, however, still released concept albums and experienced success in the 1990s and 2000s. NME ' s Emily Barker cites Green Day 's American Idiot (2004) as one of the "more notable" examples, having brought the concept album back to high-charting positions. My Chemical Romance ’s The Black Parade (2006)

6868-455: The field of classical music has adopted the idea of the concept album, citing such historical examples as Schubert's Winterreise and Schumann's Liederkreis as prototypes for contemporary composers and musicians. Classical composers and performers increasingly adopt production and marketing strategies that unify otherwise disparate works into concept albums or concerts. Since 2019, the classical music magazine Gramophone has included

6969-583: The fifth LP ( Twist with the Ventures/aka Dance! ) and about half of their sixth LP ( Twist With The Ventures Vol. 2/aka Dance with the Ventures ). He did not like spending so much time away from his new family (his second marriage) by having to commute from Seattle to Los Angeles to record, and because of this, he left the band. Johnson continued to play locally in the Washington area with local groups until his death on May 5, 1988, at age 54. At

7070-534: The first 'concept album' even though the songs were unrelated." Author Bill Martin relates the assumed concept albums of the 1960s to progressive rock : In discussions of progressive rock, the idea of the "concept album" is mentioned frequently. If this term refers to albums that have thematic unity and development throughout, then in reality there are probably fewer concept albums than one might first think. Pet Sounds and Sergeant Pepper's do not qualify according to this criterion ... However, if we instead stretch

7171-446: The first 'concept album', but Sgt. Pepper was the record that made that idea convincing to most ears." Musicologist Allan Moore says that "Even though previous albums had set a unified mood (notably Sinatra's Songs for Swingin' Lovers! ), it was on the basis of the influence of Sgt. Pepper that the penchant for the concept album was born." Adding to Sgt. Pepper ' s claim, the artwork reinforced its central theme by depicting

7272-476: The first instances of flanging on a pop record. The song " Silver Bells " on The Ventures' Christmas Album , released in November 1965, has one of the first recorded uses of a talk box as a musical effect, voiced by Red Rhodes . The Ventures have had an influence on many musicians, both professional and amateur. Their instructional album, Play Guitar with the Ventures , was the first such record to chart on

7373-408: The first progressive metal albums, and was also a concept album. Thus it could be argued that from the genre's inception, progressive metal has been a hotspot for concept albums, like its rock counterpart. Other notable progressive metal concept albums are Dream Theater 's Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory , Opeth 's Still Life , and Orphaned Land 's Mabool . In the 21st century,

7474-427: The first rock instructional albums ever released and are reputed to have been the best-selling such albums ever. In fact, one of these albums apparently was the only such instructional album ever to make the charts." Music Connection ' s Harvey Kubernik describes the five Play Guitar with the Ventures albums as "influential", similarly commenting that they "became the only instructional albums ever to appear on

7575-448: The four Beatles in uniform as members of the Sgt. Pepper band, while the record omitted the gaps that usually separated album tracks. Music critic and journalist Neil Slaven stated that Frank Zappa 's Absolutely Free , released the same day as Sgt. Pepper , was "very much a concept album, but The Beatles effortlessly stole his thunder", and subsequently Sgt. Pepper was hailed as "perhaps

7676-455: The genre is generally acknowledged to have been born". Writing in his Concise Dictionary of Popular Culture , Marcel Danesi identifies the Beatles' Rubber Soul (1965) and the Who's The Who Sell Out (1967) as other examples of early concept albums. Brian Boyd of The Irish Times names the Kinks ' Face to Face (1966) as the first concept album: "Written entirely by Ray Davies ,

7777-593: The group remains the best selling instrumental rock group of all time. Thirty-eight Ventures albums (including a seasonal Christmas album) charted in the US, and six of fourteen chart singles made it into the Top 40 , with three making it into the Top 10 . Of their 38 chart albums, 34 of them occurred in the 1960s, and the Ventures rank as the 6th best pop album performer for that decade, according to " Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Albums". Among their achievements in America, in 1963

7878-541: The group the moniker "The Band that Launched a Thousand Bands". Their recording of "Walk, Don't Run" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its lasting impact, and in 2008 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Don Wilson and Bob Bogle first met in 1958, when Bogle was looking to buy a car from a used car dealership in Seattle owned by Wilson's father. Finding a common interest in guitars,

7979-550: The guitar-based instrumental " Albatross " in February 1969. Previously, only three other rock guitar instrumentals had cracked Billboard's top five: the Virtues' "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" in 1959, and Duane Eddy 's " Because They're Young " and the Ventures ' "Walk, Don't Run" in 1960. In August 1964, Checker Records released the album Two Great Guitars , recorded by rock and roll pioneers Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley , which

8080-681: The guitar/guitar/bass/drums configuration, paving the way for the Ventures , the Shadows , and the surf music scene. The Fireballs were one of a few instrumental bands that successfully transitioned into vocal music, having the biggest hit of 1963 in the US (" Sugar Shack "). B Bumble & the Stingers gained hit " Nut Rocker ". The Shadows , from the UK , had several hit singles from 1960 onwards, including "Kon-Tiki" and " Apache ". The Shadows (alone and accompanying Cliff Richard ) featured heavily in

8181-469: The invention of progressive rock and rock opera . There is no clear definition of a "concept album". Fiona Sturges of The Independent stated that the concept album "was originally defined as a long-player where the songs were based on one dramatic idea – but the term is subjective." A precursor to this type of album can be found in the 19th-century song cycle , which ran into similar difficulties in classification. The extremely broad definitions of

8282-520: The late 1960s and 1970s with their explosive instrumental output that merged rock, jazz, classical and heavy metal styles, though their albums also included songs with vocals, Genesis also had multiple instrumental parts in their long songs, and when Peter Gabriel left the band the drummer Phil Collins suggested continuing as an instrumental act, but the other members didn't like the idea. Alan Parsons Project had instrumentals on every album, especially on early releases. Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield ,

8383-424: The late 2000s a new style of heavy metal called djent emerged. Some of the leading bands in the scene such as Animals as Leaders are instrumental acts, while many others started as instrumental acts before later acquiring vocalists. A number of Math Rock artists, such as Toe , mainly use instrumentals in their music without many vocals and are thus instrumental acts. Concept album A concept album

8484-406: The latter featuring a cover of Charles Mingus 's jazz standard " Goodbye Pork Pie Hat ". Several progressive rock and art rock performers of the 1960s and 1970s featured virtuosic instrumental performances (and occasional instrumental songs), but many of their compositions also featured vocals. Early 70s, EL&P gained cover hit "Nut Rocker". King Crimson gained a massive cult following in

8585-624: The lead guitar. Surf music was quite popular in the early 1960s, and was generally rather simple and melodic—one exception being Dick Dale , who gained fame for his quick playing, often influenced by the music of the Middle East , and frequently using exotic scales . Around the time of the British Invasion, rock changed appreciably, and instrumental hits came mostly from the R&;B world. Notable artists include Booker T. &

8686-460: The most popular American rock group in Japan, the world's second largest record market. One oft-quoted statistic is that the Ventures outsold the Beatles 2-to-1 in Japan. They produced dozens of albums exclusively for the Japanese and European markets, and have regularly toured Japan from the 1960s through to the present. According to a January 1966 Billboard Magazine article, the Ventures had five of 1965's top 10 singles in Japan. On March 10, 2008,

8787-467: The name "The Ventures", upon which they eventually agreed in 1959. After watching Nokie Edwards play at a nightclub, they recruited him as bass player. Bogle owned a Chet Atkins LP , Hi-Fi in Focus , on which he heard the song " Walk, Don't Run ". Soon, the group was in a recording studio playing the new song, with Bogle on lead, Wilson on rhythm, Edwards on bass, and Skip Moore on drums. They pressed

8888-625: The rise of grunge , guitar-orientated instrumental rock of the type popular in the 1980s became less popular, and there were few artists who continued to thrive in that style. There have been many new releases of instrumental rock albums in the 2000s. The majority of the popular performers from the 1980s have made rejuvenated and generally well-received comebacks, with a revitalized sound apparent on their recent releases. Artists such as Steve Morse, Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert, Ron Jarzombek and Joe Satriani have continued releasing instrumental rock music and touring with success. Les Fradkin has popularized

8989-463: The song. Their career again rejuvenated by Quentin Tarantino 's use of the Lively Ones ' version of Nokie Edwards ' "Surf Rider" and several other classic surf songs in the soundtrack of the hit movie Pulp Fiction . The Ventures became one of the most popular groups worldwide thanks in large part to their instrumental approach—there were no language barriers to overcome. The Ventures are still

9090-505: The songs were supposed to be linked by pieces of music, so that the album would play without gaps, but the record company baulked at such radicalism. It's not one of the band's finest works, but it did have an impact." "Popular consensus" for the first rock concept album, according to AllMusic, favours Sgt. Pepper . According to music critic Tim Riley , "Strictly speaking, the Mothers of Invention 's Freak Out! [1966] has claims as

9191-425: The specific criteria for what a "concept album" is. The format originates with folk singer Woody Guthrie 's Dust Bowl Ballads (1940) and was subsequently popularized by traditional pop singer Frank Sinatra 's 1940s–50s string of albums, although the term is more often associated with rock music . In the 1960s several well-regarded concept albums were released by various rock bands, which eventually led to

9292-479: The time Johnson quit the Ventures, Bogle and Wilson already knew Mel Taylor , house drummer at The Palomino in North Hollywood (the venue where they would play numerous shows during their resurgence in the 1980s). Taylor was known for a hard-hitting style of drumming. The group invited him to some recording sessions, which led Taylor to become a permanent member of the Ventures. The band continued to remain

9393-618: The two decided to play together, while Wilson joined Bogle performing masonry work. They bought two used guitars in a pawn shop for about $ 10 each. Initially calling themselves the Versatones, the duo played small clubs, beer bars, and private parties throughout the Pacific Northwest . Wilson played rhythm guitar, Bogle lead. When they went to register the band name, they found that it was already taken. Disappointed, they cast about for an appropriate name. Wilson's mother suggested

9494-439: Was 75. Nokie Edwards died on March 12, 2018, due to complications after hip surgery. He was 82. Gerry McGee died on October 12, 2019, after having a heart attack and collapsing onstage four days earlier in Japan. He was 81. Don Wilson continued to record with the band, but retired from touring at the end of 2015. He died of natural causes on January 22, 2022, at the age of 88. Mel Taylor died on August 11, 1996, of cancer, at

9595-518: Was a primer in the use of special guitar effects, and made pioneering use of 'reverse-tracking'. The Ventures In Space , because of its ethereal space-like effects, was deemed an influence on the later 1960s San Francisco psychedelic generation, as well as being cited as a favorite by Keith Moon of the Who . The band's cover of the Tornados ' " Telstar " (released in January 1963) featured one of

9696-454: Was a technical break-through in regards to what could be achieved in the field of guitar composition. This was followed up by the 1995 trio album Alien Love Secrets and Fire Garden , released a year after. In 1995, Michael Angelo Batio of Nitro released his CD No Boundaries , which began his solo career. His albums predominantly feature instrumental rock, but have occasionally featured vocals by himself and other vocalists. During

9797-598: Was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA . Needing a permanent drummer for the group after George T. Babbitt Jr. dropped out because he was not old enough to play night clubs and bars, they hired Howie Johnson and, in the midst of a fast-paced touring schedule, recorded an album to capitalize on the success of the single. (Babbitt went on to become a 4-star general in the United States Air Force (USAF) and on March 1, 1998, he played live in uniform on drums with

9898-471: Was known for intermixing instrumental rock tracks with his novelty songs on his albums. The jazz rock of the 1970s often had considerable stylistic cross-over with rock with groups such as Colosseum, Soft Machine , Nucleus, Brand X , Chicago , Chase, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Affinity. Surf rock's "2nd Wave" began in the late 1970s with the release of Edie & the Hot Rods' first single. During

9999-412: Was popular on dance floors in the 1970s. The Encyclopædia Britannica states that the Ventures "served as a prototype for guitar-based rock groups." In the mid-1960s, the group's label Dolton Records released several instructional albums of the Ventures' music for electric guitar and bass. According to the book The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time (2015): "These appear to have appeared to be among

10100-528: Was quite popular. There were several notable blues instrumental songs during the 1950s; Little Walter 's rollicking "Juke" was a #1 R&B hit. Instrumental hit songs could emphasize electronic organ ( the Tornados ' " Telstar ", Dave "Baby" Cortez 's "The Happy Organ", Johnny & the Hurricanes ' "Red River Rock"), or the saxophone ( the Champs ' "Tequila", Bill Black's Combo 's "Don't Be Cruel",

10201-401: Was replaced by drummer Joe Barile) to pursue a solo career when the Ventures became a nostalgia act. His intentions were to concentrate on new material and the progressive side of music. He returned in 1979 and stayed with the Ventures until his death from cancer in 1996. When Mel Taylor got sick he was replaced by his son, Leon Taylor. (Original drummer Howie Johnson had died in 1988; Skip Moore,

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