There was a contest on a local AM station back in the early 60's and my high school "won" the Astronauts for one of our dances. Too cool for school. I also spoke with Rich Fifield a while back, who is in the Denver area. Very nice guy and had some wild stories. I am now a 60 year old drummer in a local "Surf" and still think the Astronuts were one of the all time greats.
I agree...I prefer the Astronauts' version of "Let's Go Trippin" to the legendary Dick Dale's version even though he wrote and first recorded it and "Baja" stands with the best of the surf tunes by any group...
I just turned 70 today. Saw a bumper sticker 'I may be old but I saw all the good bands". Yep, I did. Janis, Jim, Jimmy...sadly gone but also saw these guys several times. I am from Colorado and a local radio station had a promotion that whatever school sent in the most postcards requesting the Astronauts for their school dance would win them for such. Unbelievably my high school let us sit in class and fill out cards...we won..
Yo, I just saw this. Bro, Im 75 in a few days. Man, we saw the top bands as we hit the surf. WE surfed, danced and just lived with them. I had my own band and we rode the wild surf. Let this be the cry, Ride the wild surf, cowabunga.
I love this early 1960's Surf instrumental band and I love this song ALOT ! The Astronauts were one of the best Surf rock bands back in the early-mid 1960's and they are still # 1 to me ! 😏
Rich Fifield on lead..the Jazzmaster, The two rhythms, Jaguars, are Bob Demon and Dennis Lindsey, both now deceased. Bass is Stormy Paterson and on Drums Jim Gallagher.
WOW...I remember The Astronauts when they played at Kearney State College (Nebraska) in 1963 or 1964 before a HUGE crowd and also at the Kearney Airport a year or so later. I was a sophomore or junior in college and before the airport performance they were drinking beer, talking to us and they had brought a couple of college-age black girls with them from Boulder. Rich Fifield was the "cool" guy in the group and I have their CD Surfin' With The Astronauts"! Best song...KUK.
The ultimate Big Eight party band! Saw them at an interfraternity dance in Lincoln when we were still high school - the auditorium was full and they ROCKED!
Great Video. I've been playing The Astronauts on my radio show for years! They put the Reverb in Reverb ! Whenever I play their music, the studio speakers at the station shake! One of the greatest surf bands of all time, if not THE greatest!
Indeed he is. He is still here in Colorado and I spoke with him a year or two back. Just listened to their "Live" at Tulagis and Baja albums yesterday and his drumming on those knocked me out.
The Astronauts. Loved the matching Olympic white Fenders (Jazz Bass, Jazzmaster and two Jaguar guitars). They also had all matching Fender blonde Tolex covered Fender amps not shown on this video but on an earlier album cover. So, so cool!
"Here are the astronauts with firewater here on wilk-radio am 910 scranton am 980 wilkes-barre am 1300 hazleton & 103.1fm circa summer-1986 memories are made of this 🇺🇸🎸📻.
Thing I remember the most about The Astronauts on stage around 63' in front of a crowd of a couple thousand at Kearney State College was the four twanging guitars lead by Rich Fifield and the big drivin' beat of Jim Gallagher their young drummer. It was a time of C.U., Tulogi's, Estes Park, The Sink, girls, beer and cool guys in the band. Stormy was like the jock, Bob the slightly older cool guy and Denny the steady one. The KSC college kids loved them in person and they were cool!
along with the surfaris,the Astronauts were one of my fave instro bands at that time and "fire water" was the first track i;d ever heard of them off "Surf Party" album if my memory serves me well??they had a great "Wet" sound the lp was;nt up to much but at the time worth buying 4 the two Astronauts tunes/good to hear again//
apparently this number and many of their others were recorded i a BIG studio at RCA...........hence the natural reverb on top of those old spring units {thank god we can achieve the same for much less cost these days]
The more I hear bands like The Astronauts, or even Chicchi with Sweet Pappa, the more I'm becoming a sucker for the certain umph of a band having 3 guitars, bass and drums!
Both of their "Live" albums.. Club Baja and Tulagi's are favorites. Not many instrumentals but some great classic vocal tunes. Perfect for chugging down that 3.2 beer.
Best surf sound IMO. The bassy tone they got down onto record, the relentless reverb-drenched rhythm guitar, that trademark Jaguar lead sound, and classic drums. I had no idea they were from Colorado! Check out their surf album! Thanks for posting. C
..wow, what's ur dad doin these days, i think he's just a few years older than me now! Some of these old surf bands are back together playin on the West coast today, the Vara-Tones are a good example of a group that played together in the 60's and are back together & doin what they love best, playin the 'surf sound' the way it used to be played!
The Astronauts were as good as The Ventures, I think. But The Ventures were the ones who really brought this sound together, even though they did not invent it. That would be Dick Dale, California transplant from Quincy, MA. There were a lot of bands doing this in the early 60's. I grew up on it and it still resonates with kids today, if they give it a chance. It's the raw energy of it all. Let's face it: The Ventures were not kids when they started. They were in their twenties and already accomplished guitarists. In fact they didn't consider themselves a "surf" band, and they weren't from California, either. The greatest instrumental band of all time really figured how to make a small band sound big, with rhythm AND lead guitar. They started the trend for self contained guitar rock & roll bands. The Greatest!
Looks like a frat house party! Many frat houses had live bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Those good old days when going to college was fun in a unique way.
Just scored the Surf Party original soundtrack on vinyl from my dad's collection. Easily one of the coolest records I own now--purely for Firewater off side 1, and the whole of side 2 with JImmie Haskel and The Routers.
Rich is your Dad? I live in Denver area and saw the Astronauts live several times. I play in a local surf band which covers a number of their songs and spoke to Rich a couple of times last year... great guy. Yes, I have copies of all the movies they were in and plan on adding more some day.
Yeah, drummer got a bit the Gus Grissom looks, one of the astronauts that perished while doing his job. Space definetely was a source of inspiration, you also had the Spotnicks, and probably the Gemini's or Mercuries ?
There was a contest on a local AM station back in the early 60's and my high school "won" the Astronauts for one of our dances. Too cool for school. I also spoke with Rich Fifield a while back, who is in the Denver area. Very nice guy and had some wild stories. I am now a 60 year old drummer in a local "Surf" and still think the Astronuts were one of the all time greats.
Jim Gallagher is the archetypical surf drummer! Watch what he does! He had a great backwards shuffle too - a unique stylist,
Surfin' With The Astronauts is one of the greatest surf albums of all time. Even Keith Richards quotes as it being one of his early main influences.
I agree...I prefer the Astronauts' version of "Let's Go Trippin" to the legendary Dick Dale's version even though he wrote and first recorded it and "Baja" stands with the best of the surf tunes by any group...
Absolutely! I still play it daily on guitar.@@coinneachmaclellan3121
I just turned 70 today. Saw a bumper sticker 'I may be old but I saw all the good bands". Yep, I did. Janis, Jim, Jimmy...sadly gone but also saw these guys several times. I am from Colorado and a local radio station had a promotion that whatever school sent in the most postcards requesting the Astronauts for their school dance would win them for such. Unbelievably my high school let us sit in class and fill out cards...we won..
🤣👍
Yo, I just saw this. Bro, Im 75 in a few days. Man, we saw the top bands as we hit the surf. WE surfed, danced and just lived with them. I had my own band and we rode the wild surf. Let this be the cry, Ride the wild surf, cowabunga.
I love this early 1960's Surf instrumental band and I love this song ALOT ! The Astronauts were one of the best Surf rock bands back in the early-mid 1960's and they are still # 1 to me ! 😏
Rich Fifield on lead..the Jazzmaster, The two rhythms, Jaguars, are Bob Demon and Dennis Lindsey, both now deceased. Bass is Stormy Paterson and on Drums Jim Gallagher.
To bad Bob and Dennis are gong I sure enjoyed their music and still do today rest in peace guys.
god that's so sad there gone .look talent never here group play like that. dam cool and they will be missed
Great
now they're going to live forever thanks to the internet
RIP rich fifield and Jim Gallagher who both passed away today in 2021 on November 20th and november are 18th recpetfully
WOW...I remember The Astronauts when they played at Kearney State College (Nebraska) in 1963 or 1964 before a HUGE crowd and also at the Kearney Airport a year or so later. I was a sophomore or junior in college and before the airport performance they were drinking beer, talking to us and they had brought a couple of college-age black girls with them from Boulder. Rich Fifield was the "cool" guy in the group and I have their CD Surfin' With The Astronauts"! Best song...KUK.
The ultimate Big Eight party band! Saw them at an interfraternity dance in Lincoln when we were still high school - the auditorium was full and they ROCKED!
Great Video. I've been playing The Astronauts on my radio show for years! They put the Reverb in Reverb ! Whenever I play their music, the studio speakers at the station shake! One of the greatest surf bands of all time, if not THE greatest!
Indeed he is. He is still here in Colorado and I spoke with him a year or two back. Just listened to their "Live" at Tulagis and Baja albums yesterday and his drumming on those knocked me out.
The Astronauts. Loved the matching Olympic white Fenders (Jazz Bass, Jazzmaster and two Jaguar guitars). They also had all matching Fender blonde Tolex covered Fender amps not shown on this video but on an earlier album cover. So, so cool!
"Here are the astronauts with firewater here on wilk-radio am 910 scranton am 980 wilkes-barre am 1300 hazleton & 103.1fm circa summer-1986 memories are made of this 🇺🇸🎸📻.
Thing I remember the most about The Astronauts on stage around 63' in front of a crowd of a couple thousand at Kearney State College was the four twanging guitars lead by Rich Fifield and the big drivin' beat of Jim Gallagher their young drummer. It was a time of C.U., Tulogi's, Estes Park, The Sink, girls, beer and cool guys in the band. Stormy was like the jock, Bob the slightly older cool guy and Denny the steady one. The KSC college kids loved them in person and they were cool!
along with the surfaris,the Astronauts were one of my fave instro bands at that time and "fire water" was the first track i;d ever heard of them off "Surf Party" album if my memory serves me well??they had a great "Wet" sound the lp was;nt up to much but at the time worth buying 4 the two Astronauts tunes/good to hear again//
that drummer deserves more credit for his unique style and 1 small cymbal.
"Cymbolic"!
apparently this number and many of their others were recorded i a BIG studio at RCA...........hence the natural reverb on top of those old spring units
{thank god we can achieve the same for much less cost these days]
The more I hear bands like The Astronauts, or even Chicchi with Sweet Pappa, the more I'm becoming a sucker for the certain umph of a band having 3 guitars, bass and drums!
What a great sound these guys had! Can’t believe I’d never heard of them until I saw the movie “Surf Party” a few days ago.
matching guitars....so frkn cool.
Damn, i wish i could be there, having fun and listening to surf...
my dad is good friends with the drummer Jim, he is such a nice guy
Tutta la magia della grande musica Surf di mitici 60s!!
Great continuity--Rich Fifield has a sweater on in all the "front" shots, and shirt sleeves in the "rear" shots.
Look at those awesome vintage Fender guitars and bass guitar!!! What I wouldn't do to have them now!!
I suppose you noticed this little contract here?
Support your local surf band!
Surf is PERFECT for the twist!!
great sound 4 guitars Baha outstanding
Wow, do I see 3 Jazzmasters? No wonder they have such a strong surf sound!
Great to see and hear those Fender Jaguar's and Jazzmaster guitar's
Colorado repping! 🎸
Used to see them play at University of Wyoming. I have most of their lp's and 45's, including the ones only released in Japan.
Catchy guitar rifts!!!! Thanks for posting.
Fantastic, 5 stars.
Nice find, I love these guys.
Indeed, this music for long-distance space travel.
Frat house favorites.
Magnificent, relentless.
These guys are so cool!
the best band in the history....
just love this great surf music at its best.
It sure gives them a cool sound...a tidal wave of reverb!
Solid!
Both of their "Live" albums.. Club
Baja and Tulagi's are favorites. Not many instrumentals but some great classic vocal tunes. Perfect for chugging down that 3.2 beer.
Love that Fender twang.
I wonder if that's "Freddie's" Fender?
I would LOVE another drink...thanks!
Awesome tune!
AMAZING !
That e low string. So epic. So dripy
Best surf sound IMO. The bassy tone they got down onto record, the relentless reverb-drenched rhythm guitar, that trademark Jaguar lead sound, and classic drums. I had no idea they were from Colorado! Check out their surf album! Thanks for posting. C
Jazzmaster is lead.
This was sick 🩵
Rich Fifield, old friend...
So young!
And Jim Gallagher as well...within 2 days of each other.
..wow, what's ur dad doin these days, i think he's just a few years older than me now! Some of these old surf bands are back together playin on the West coast today, the Vara-Tones are a good example of a group that played together in the 60's and are back together & doin what they love best, playin the 'surf sound' the way it used to be played!
The Astronauts are out of this world! If athletes get "athlete's foot" do Astronauts get "missile toe"?
I predict that all of a sudden there's going to be a lot more people watching this clip. LOL
Offshore winds and 10 ft glass...who's coming?! 🏄♂️
Very cool! Long live The Astronauts!
Great recording !! 😍
That drum beat looks like a muscle-burner-- he never lets up on that left hand.
The Astronauts were as good as The Ventures, I think. But The Ventures were the
ones who really brought this sound together, even though they did not invent it.
That would be Dick Dale, California transplant from Quincy, MA. There were a lot of
bands doing this in the early 60's. I grew up on it and it still resonates with kids
today, if they give it a chance. It's the raw energy of it all. Let's face it: The
Ventures were not kids when they started. They were in their twenties and already
accomplished guitarists. In fact they didn't consider themselves a "surf" band, and
they weren't from California, either. The greatest instrumental band of all time
really figured how to make a small band sound big, with rhythm AND lead guitar.
They started the trend for self contained guitar rock & roll bands. The Greatest!
Imagine what the value of those axes and amps would be today!!!
genial esa película yo la tengo pero no se como se llama recuerdo encontrar ese cassette vhs en las cosas viejas de mi casa
-Santo dios! esto es hermoso .
#Amazing.
This is great - real "surf".
love it.
SUPER
best music
Great scene! The Astronauts could fit in as the Housemartins. haha
The real thing!!!
This is so rad
Looks like a frat house party! Many frat houses had live bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Those good old days when going to college was fun in a unique way.
Thanks for the comment about the video. The guitars are actually two Fender Jaguars and a Jazzmaster. Beautiful indeed.
Just scored the Surf Party original soundtrack on vinyl from my dad's collection. Easily one of the coolest records I own now--purely for Firewater off side 1, and the whole of side 2 with JImmie Haskel and The Routers.
Damn, I'd love to get this song in MP3 for my player.
@khkartc I dig the way he holds the left drumstick
I love it :) ty for putting this up :)
great riff, killer
Yeee this is me rn!
all that reverb must have sounded cool echoing off the rockey mountians
gnarly
Keep fit video? Long live the 'Surf'!
Love those Fender Strats
Jaguars
Surf or garage rock !
Your choice ! :)
That looks like Rob and Laura's house on the Dick Van Dyke Show. Prolly no one here old enough to temember that. hahaha.
Sure, vinyl available on ebay as are CD's including a box set. "Surfin' With" is the best IMHO.
Rich is your Dad? I live in Denver area and saw the Astronauts live several times. I play in a local surf band which covers a number of their songs and spoke to Rich a couple of times last year... great guy. Yes, I have copies of all the movies they were in and plan on adding more some day.
Yes, I just found an LP one on Amazon
Solid Gold Nugget
From the 1964 movie, Surf Party
viva le surf
0:20 look at them dangum hippie beatniks makin all dat noiz
@ KKBundy 12345 You sound like Al Bundy.
Well they are not pluged in cuz its a Movie set Duh ... AMAZING song
FENDERS RULE!!
I found all there CD's on E-bay ...
Hepy👍👍👍👍👍
Notice no one is touching the piano. Most every living room used to have one.
always that one guy who won't dance
***** "L-7" ;-)
thats me
Fucking awesome.
Yeah, drummer got a bit the Gus Grissom looks, one of the astronauts that perished while doing his job. Space definetely was a source of inspiration, you also had the Spotnicks, and probably the Gemini's or Mercuries ?
excellent drumming. check out the left hand technique. most drummers aren't that strong on left handed accents
Nope, two Jags and a Jazzmaster(the lead). Tough combo to beat.
Yes I did make a mistake and call them strats sorry about that.