Penetration
The Pyramids, 1964. Solo by The Pyramids.
A clean, catchy lead melody over a stomping beat took this Long Beach band into the national top 20.
Penetration rides a stomping, almost march-like beat, and its lead guitar melody is as catchy as any vocal hook of the era. The tune is stated cleanly, with a bright tone and a touch of reverb, and it repeats with small variations that keep it from going stale. The playing is disciplined and simple, relying on a strong melody and a firm groove rather than speed or tricks. That clarity helped the Long Beach band crack the national charts at a time when surf instrumentals were competing with the British Invasion. Listen for the call-and-response between the lead melody and the stomping rhythm, and notice how the guitar stays crisp and clean even as the beat hits harder.
Penetration by The Pyramids is featured in our Surf (#9) list. The solo is played by The Pyramids and the song was released in 1964.
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Who played the guitar solo on Penetration?
The Pyramids played the solo on The Pyramids's Penetration (1964).