Wipe Out
The Surfaris, 1963. Solo by Jim Fuller.
Known for the drum break, but the reverb-heavy guitar riff between the drum sections matters just as much.
Wipe Out is remembered for its cackling intro and thundering tom-tom breaks, but the guitar is what keeps it a song rather than a drum solo. Between the drum sections, a simple, reverb-soaked riff rides the beat, clipped and bouncy, giving the listener a hook to hold on to. Jim Fuller's tone is clean and splashy, with the spring reverb turning each short phrase into a wet slap. The track shows how surf bands used repetition and texture, not complexity, to create excitement. Listen for how the guitar re-enters after every drum break at exactly the same energy, and notice the little twangy variations that stop the riff from ever feeling mechanical, even after the fifth or sixth return.
Wipe Out by The Surfaris is featured in our Surf (#3) list. The solo is played by Jim Fuller and the song was released in 1963.
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Who played the guitar solo on Wipe Out?
Jim Fuller played the solo on The Surfaris's Wipe Out (1963).