Moon Dawg!
The Gamblers, 1960. Solo by The Gamblers.
An early Los Angeles instrumental often listed among the first surf records.
Moon Dawg! is often listed among the very first surf records, cut in Los Angeles just as the style was taking shape. The guitar plays a twangy, reverb-tinged lead over a loose, rolling beat, with a slightly rough, spontaneous feel that suggests a band discovering a new sound rather than perfecting an old one. The melody is simple and hooky, and the arrangement leaves plenty of space around it. It was later covered by bands including the Beach Boys, a sign of how quickly it entered the surf repertoire. Listen for the rawness of the recording and the playing, and notice how the basic ingredients of surf guitar, twang, reverb and drive, are already in place.
Moon Dawg! by The Gamblers is featured in our Surf (#18) list. The solo is played by The Gamblers and the song was released in 1960.
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Who played the guitar solo on Moon Dawg!?
The Gamblers played the solo on The Gamblers's Moon Dawg! (1960).