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6 unusual facts about The Ventures


Ereki no Wakadaishō

The film was inspired by the mid-sixties electric guitar boom created by the popularity of groups such as The Beatles and The Ventures.

George T. Babbitt, Jr.

As a teenager in the late 1950s, Babbitt became the original drummer for The Ventures rock group.

Ginza Musik

The name Ginza is taken from the 1966 song Ginza Lights by The Ventures.

The Ventures

Of their 38 chart albums, 34 of them occurred in the 1960s, and the Ventures rank as the 6th best pop album performer for that decade, according to "Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums".

The Encyclopædia Britannica states that the Ventures "served as a prototype for guitar-based rock groups."

Needing a permanent drummer for the group after George T. Babbitt, Jr. dropped out because he was not old enough to play night clubs and bars, they hired Howie Johnson and, in the midst of a fast-paced touring schedule, recorded an album to capitalize on the success of the single.


Bob Bogle

The Ventures song, Wild Child, was sampled by The Wiseguys on Start The Commotion, giving Bogle his only hit writing credit on the British charts, reaching number 47 and spending 2 weeks on the chart.

Dick Glasser

He also did session work for the label as a guitarist, in addition to producing a number of recordings for other acts including Vic Dana, The Fleetwoods, and The Ventures.

Limbo Rock

The song was covered by a long list of artists including Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, The Champs, The Ventures, Fozzie Bear, Sebastian the crab, Chet Atkins and Hank Snow (on their joint album C.B. Atkins & C.E. Snow by Special Request), The Knickerbockers, Klaus Wunderlich, The Routers, Arthur Lyman, Skiantos, Jaume Sisa.

Paul Warren

He began being a guitar player for hire between the years 1981 and 1987, working for such greats and The Ventures, Tina Turner and Prism.

Pink Fairies

Their music was upbeat good-time rock and roll, often jamming on The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", The Ventures' "Walk Don't Run", "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and other standards.

The Fortunes

The keyboard player in the original line-up, David Carr, lived and worked in Hollywood, California, doing session work, frequently working with The Ventures and also Kim Fowley.

The Lively Ones

Their 1963 song "Surf Rider" (written by Nokie Edwards from The Ventures) was used in the final sequence (and end credits) of Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction.

Wong shadow

Its origins lie in American R&B, surf rock artists like The Ventures, Dick Dale, Exotica, rockabilly and country and western brought over by American and Australian Soldiers serving in Vietnam in the late 1950s and early 60's when on R&R.


see also

Bob Bogle

Bogle's lead guitar on the Ventures' 1960 cover of "Walk, Don't Run" helped to influence the next generation of guitarists including John Fogerty, Steve Miller, Joe Walsh and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Dolton Records

The label's final single released was "Theme From The Wild Angels"/"Kickstand" (DOR-327) by The Ventures; theirs was also the final album released on Dolton, "Guitar Freakout" (BLP-2050/BST-8050).

Walk, Don't Run, Vol. 2

It features "Walk Don't Run '64," an updated recording of the Johnny Smith cover; as a single, it would be the second time the band had a Top 10 hit in the U.S. with that same composition. The album also includes a rendition of blues classic "The House of the Rising Sun," and "Rap City," the Ventures' arrangement of Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5.