A belated farewell to Bob Bogle, who whammied his way into the hearts of the world and helped create a whole new kind of rock.
Until Bogle’s passing prompted me to do a little reading, I knew nothing about the Ventures other than the classic 60s songs. But a little research learned me that the Ventures were much more than tremolo surf. They bent with the wind, and when they wind blew heavy with platforms and mustaches, they covered “Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves” and entire albums of Jim Croce and Carpenters songs.
“Easy Listening” isn’t a label that most people find complimentary, but I love that sort of music, and the Ventures became excellent at that, too.
They never broke up, and never stopped recording.
Check the Allmusic bio if you want to learn more about the Ventures’ journey. Here’s an original Ventures composition from 1971.
The Ventures – Cherries Jubilee from The Theme From “Shaft”
