Bob Bogle of rock band The Ventures dies at 75

AP/Yahoo News ^ | 5/16/09

[Kartographer]

TACOMA, Washington – Bob Bogle, lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band The Ventures, known for 1960s instrumental hits including "Walk, Don't Run," has died at age 75.

[Kartographer]

The best TV Theme of all time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LnK8b_jk8w

[A_Former_Democrat]

Thanks for the memories. The Ventures were part of the great American culture we once enjoyed

[null and void]

Surf rock at its best. RIP.

[Buckeye McFrog]

their Christmas music still rocks! Makes you think back to when American cars still had muscle and California was still a place worth going to.

[classified]

Like that song! Good memories, and yes California was a place one dreamed about going to!

[Vinnie]

Aw man! One of my favorite groups.
Of the few tunes saved on my computer and iTouch, The Ventures occupies more bytes than any other group.
Walk, Don’t Run
Apache
Hawaii 5 O
Pipeline

[LimaLimaMikeFoxtrot]

One of the first concerts I ever saw was The Ventures. I got all their autographs and they were really nice to me (a kid asking them 100 questions). RIP Mr. Bogle.

[EyeGuy]

Yep.

And still the best cop show ever made.

Book ‘em Dano. Murder One.

D’ya think most American inner cities these days could use a no-nonsense Steve McGarrett?

I’ve been trying to learn the Ventures’ Tequila since I was eight years old, when I pronounced Tequila: Tah-Quill-Ah, to the unending delight of my guitar teacher.

[Random Access]

1962... sock hop at the high school. Later making out with Donna who I was going love forever (and if I could just remember her last name.....) in the back seat of a 1955 Ford convertible with the Ventures blaring on the car radio.

Sigh.... thanks for all the memories, music and fun.

[relictele]

Very very sad for a lifelong fan - his health had been poor for some time.

I was playing their stuff the other day on my acoustic (love their version of Classical Gas) and wondered about him as he had been in ill health for some time - he had retired from live performances and was unable to attend their long-awaited and long-deserved induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (even though the very concept of the Hall of Fame is ludicrous as are its selection criteria).

I did get to see them live after 30+ years of fandom in the 90s - sadly it was after Mel Taylor passed but his son Leon was behind the drumkit.

Bogle played lead guitar on the Ventures' early hits - the immortal Walk Don't Run and others such as Perfidia and the Lullaby of the Leaves. Nokie Edwards pointed out that the band were wasting his (Edwards') talents on bass and the two swapped instruments for good although Bogle would still play lead guitar on the aforementioned songs live.

It seems that so many obituaries include the words 'quiet and unassuming' but they describe Bogle perfectly. Edwards dazzled crowds with his energetic lead work, Taylor attacked his drumkit with abandon and the gregarious Don Wilson most often spoke for the band on- and offstage while Bogle went about his business with a shy smile.

The Ventures are often overlooked when the lists of influential musicians are compiled but consider the following:

-'Surf' music was really Ventures music picked up by Californians - Dick Dale's claims notwithstanding.

-They were and are some of the best-selling recording artists in history - their sales in Japan alone would put them well up on the list.

-The postwar guitar craze owes much to the Ventures along with Duane Eddy, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran and Chuck Berry. Amplification of the venerable six-string instrument made horn sections instantly obsolete and led to musical experimentation and creativity involving reverb, tremolo, fuzz, etc. Leo Fender made 'em and folks bought 'em - a lot of 'em. Surf, rockabilly, prog-rock, psychedelia - there are many branches of the rock tree that connect to the Ventures.

RIP Bob Bogle and thank you.

[Rebelbase]

I played in a band with a guy who grew up in CA in the 60’s. Warm ups always consisted of him ripping into some of Bogle’s surf licks.

[llevrok]

This band was HUGE in Japan. I can imagine a national day of mourning (and as there should be for a legend).

[KC Burke]

PIPELINE!!!!

[Wilum]

Thank You Mr Bogle;

For 30 years of fun guitar garage band rocking thanks to your direct influence for me to learn guitar.

First song on guitar was Walk Don't Run

[null and void]

Pronounced pee-pay-lee-nay...

</Old Hawaiian joke>

[relictele]

First song on guitar was Walk Don't Run

It's a rite of passage!

[phredo53]

Apache was and Pipeline were among the first tunes I learned by ear when I was 10 years old. The Ventures were a big influence on my play along with Duane Eddy. Of course, a lot of us hillbilly kids also learned Wildwood Flower and Jimmy Brown the Newsboy from Earl Scruggs.
Thanks for the lessons Mr. Bogle. You did what you were sent to do.

[Wilum]

It's a rite of passage!

This is true!

[Disambiguator]

Check out some contemporary surf action:
http://www.poprecords.com/

[windcliff]

ping