Domenic Priore writes this, check it out here:

Pop expo: A column explained.

via The Swinging Sixties.

Hong-Kong (not too sure)

Apollo
The Skippers
The White Cloud

Singapore

The Stylers
The Sparklers
The Atoms
The reQuests
The Trailers
The Commanders
Top Singapore Garage Group
The Melodians
The Blue Beats

Japan

The Circle
Sharp Five (older guy playing classical theme Eleki style in a bar)
Takeshi Terauchi & The Bunnys
Psychedelic Eleki
??????
Tsugaru jonkara bushi at Live in Akasaka
Flying Guitar
Isamu Houda & Hot Style – Bumble Bee Twist
??????????
The Sharp 5

bonus video

from Tiki Kiliki via Lou Smith on The Exotica Mailing List:

Photos and Videos from Hukilau 2009

Here’s a few links to incredible photos from the weekend. If any of you would like to share your photos or videos, please send links to me so that I can send them out to everyone on the list:

• From my Photography Team Go11Media: Go11Media
• From Dr. Strangrum: Flickr
• From Crystallize: Flickr
• Great event video from Chris Kridler … YouTube
• Chris also wrote this review: Florida Today

Performers videos and other photos:
• Haole Kats video YouTube
• Los Straitjackets video YouTube
• The Intoxicators video YouTube
• The Stolen Idols video YouTube

2009 Hukilau photos
• tornadotiki.com
• tinyurl 1
• tinyurl 2
• Picasa 1
• Picasa 2
• Phinz
• Chip and Andy
• Mr Bali Hai
• Gooneybird

Here I list some boutique guitar makers (or luthiers) who have some designs that could be working well for Surf music. Obviously they often have features familiar from the various famous Fender guitars such as the Stratocaster, the Jazzmaster or the Jaguar. There’s also a new model which combines features of the Jazzmaster and the Jaguar, called The Johnny Marr Jaguar. My rule of thumb was really for them to have at least two single coil pick-ups and a vibrato unit. I haven’t played any of these, but from my experience of digging at Surf music since the late eighties I have an idea what works. You have to acustom yourself with a guitar, especially for instrumental music, and for some players the feel of the whole Fender package might be too far from their heritage, or the sound is too cookie-cutter-like.

The pictures are links.

OK, this might already be a controversial choice. But recently I find myself listening to Morpheus by The Toads who had a Gibson for lead, and it worked for them. This here is obviously based on Gibson’s Les Paul model, except for the unusual shape.

Harvester

Here we have a similar candidate, with a set neck too and even mini humbuckers. Isn’t it a beauty? The 1963 Mosrite Ventures model had a set neck as well, with no lack of attack for sure! This being a very boutique enterprise, the builder would probably drop in a pair of singles coils if you ask him to. Kindly.

Roadrunner Bazaar

Roadrunner Surfmaster

Roadrunner Grave Digger

Roadrunner Anty

These are creations by a frenchman. He seems to be into all the right bands and the inspiration for his guitars is as cool. He beats his own path, never copying a bodyshape, and coming up with different electronic layouts and color schemes. Unique stuff, perfect references for Surf.

Needham

Needham double cutaway

Needham Guitars from Austin, Texas. They remind me of Les Paul Juniors, Danelectros and a bit of Microfrets. Very nice, clean dual single coil designs.

Campbell Transitone

Unusual combo of Jazzmaster style pick-ups with a 3/3 headstock and a Stratocaster-style vibrato.

Micro-Frets Signature

This american 1960s and 70s company was revived in recent years. As far as I gather the company fits the boutique builder description. Carl Perkins and Buddy Merrill were famous Micro-Frets players.

Billyboy

The italians. Gone are accordion cover materials and pearloid fretboards, but this Billyboy is just as creatively weird in the style department as his ancestors of Eko and Galanti fame.

This one here by Fano looks like a cross between a Rickenbacker and a Les Paul – but if you are aware of the Chantays original recording of Pipeline you know they used a Barth guitar. Paul Barth was a southern California luthier who worked for Rickenbacker and Magnatone before making a few instruments under his own name. Pipeline happens to be a prototypical Surf instrumental, despite the lack of a vibrato on any guitar involved, so this guitar gets the blessing for its purist, Barth inspired style.

Wronski Slackercaster

Dave Wronski of Surf instrumental greats Slacktone is working for Fender Musical Instruments and got this one of a kind Surf-machine together. This could also be in the later Do-It-Yourself article in this series, but since a proper custom shop of a righteous guitar company is involved I decided to declare it a boutique guitar.

Billy Childish

Unfortunately I have no idea who made this guitar for Billy Childish. I certainly haven’t seen one before, so maybe it’s a one off, who knows? I would describe it as Bo Diddley meets Chuck Berry in the Höfner workshop. Sounds like a good description for Billy Childish’s music. The reason I don’t consider it a D.I.Y. project is that I can’t picture him building guitars instead of carving expressionistic woodcuts or recording punk-rock-rave-ups.

Here are two more links I couldn’t find proper photos for:
Galasso from Argentina
and Koll Guitars,
for which I have a very soft spot, the Gretsch design influence is a great variation, that few builders successfully pull off.

Ronnie Sargent Custom

Oops I almost forgot this guy. Maybe the weirdest, and a big inspiration for this post!
Ronnie Sargent Custom Guitars

As usual I demand of my readers to provide further info where I missed it! Please use the comment function below.

Phil Polecat writes:

I’m playing an evening of Yma Sumac songs with Chilean opera diva Katherine Prado Johnson & Cuban guitar whizz Ahmed Dickinson + musicians from Peru & Ecuador on 30th April at the Bolivar Hall, 56 Grafton Way, London W1T 5DL.

The show starts at 7.30pm, try and get there by 7.
15- it promises to be a great night! Try and come down! £7 on the door

Phil Polecat

Here’s a great spherical (360° x 360°) photograph of a beautiful coral reef in the pacific ocean.

via Boing Boing

The one and only Hukilau. Great artwork as usual for this famous east-coast Tiki event.

Quoting Otto von Stroheim’s Tiki Events e-mail:

Ok all you beachcombers, beatniks, bongo-beaters, tiki-carvers, mixologists, and exotica disciples from around the globe – grab your conch shell, grass skirt, aloha wear and that favorite bottle of rum and begin to prepare yourself for the 8th annual pilgrimage to most intimate Tiki festival in the world.

Experience Polynesia in America’s Vacationland

June 11 – 14, 2009
It’s time to make those plans to attend what promises to be a most memorable Polynesian Pop weekend as Tikiphiles unite!! We’re pleased to announce the entertainers that will bring you intoxicating tunes, the dazzlers that will provide mesmerizing performances, the seminars and presentations that will leave you spellbound and of course an incredible night at the historic Mai-Kai Restaurant! The full weekend’s schedule goes live in January.

Don’t Forget To Make Your Mai-Kai Reservations Now – For Those First Timers, The Mai-Kai Dinner Is June 13 – You’Ll Have 2 Shows To Choose From And Can Call 954.563.3272 To Make Your Reservations Today
We are responding to the strain on the economy, as we know it’s on everyone’s mind. Check out our ticket and hotel room prices for some big discounts this coming year – our weekend passes are considerably less and a great value!! Don’t delay and get your tickets now!!

We are so pleased to announce this year’s Headliner
Los Straitjackets!

Harold Golen Gallery of Miami presents the Hukilau Tiki Art Show
We have many first time guests to Hukilau as well as many return presenters and performers:

Please welcome these First Time Entertainers to our Island:

*From Beyond: Los Straitjackets
*From Tampa: The Stolen Idols
*From Boca Raton: Gypsy Blue Acoustic Revue
*From Miami: The Van Orsdels
*From Tampa: DJ Lounge Laura Taylor w/Hukilau Go Go Dance Opening Party!
*From Miami: DJ Laura of Miami throughout the weekend
*The Titillating Tidbits of Dancers Candy Del Rio and Sable Sin Cyr

and of course the first ever Hukilau Room Crawl!!
Those returning to Hukilau:

*King Kukulele returns as Master of Ceremonies
*Jeff “Beachbum Berry with “Who’s Your Daddy? a Mai-Tai Paternity Test
*Jeff Chenault with “More Sounds from Sophisticated Savages” Exotica Music Seminar
*Marina the Mermaid and her school of tail flapping beauties
*Surf Sounds of The Intoxicators

This year’s activities will be centered around the tropical Bahia Cabana Resort. Lots of activities will be in the summer sun so please plan accordingly. Check out our Tips From the Natives on the site so that you can be prepared for South Florida weather. All events will continue rain or shine.
Look for upcoming sculpts of the 2009 Munktiki Mug and we are also thrilled to announce that Tiki Tony will lend us a hand by designing the official Tiki pendant for Hukilau 2009! Hukilau Glassware, T-shirts and other keepsakes will be available at the event only – Hukilau merchandise will not be sent out this year (before or after the event) but can be reserved and picked up at the event only.
Thanks to the lovely wahine Heelgrinder for the amazing website and to all of our entertainers that have shared their music to be played as you browse the site.

See you in June 2009 – we’ll be waiting for you!
Let the countdown begin!
Yee-Haw & Aloha,
Tiki Kiliki
The Hukilau