The Ventures

Original members

Bass: Bob Bogle, born 6 Jan 1934, Wagoner, Oklahoma Lead guitar: Nokie Edwards, born 9 May 1935, Lahoma, Oklahoma Rhythm guitar: Don Wilson, born 10 Feb 1933, Tacoma, Washington Drums: Howie Johnston, born 1938, Olympia, Washington Replaced in 1963 by Mel Taylor, born 24 Sept 1933, Brooklyn, NY; died 11 Aug 1996, Tarzana, California

The Ventures are perhaps the most successful instrumental group of the rock era, having sold over 50 million records since 1960. The group formed in Seattle in 1959, and soon recorded a cover of Chet Atkins' own cover of jazz guitarist Johnny Smith's "Walk, Don't Run." The initial release was on the Blue Horizon label, which was founded and funded by Wilson's mother. It quickly became a regional hit, however, and was picked up and rereleased nationally on the Dolton label. For most of the next 10 years, the Ventures would crank out an endless series of LPs on Dolton, mostly filled with covers of other vocal and instrumental hits. Their tremendous success in the early 1960s inspired countless teenagers to form their own guitar-led quartets, aided in no small part by the series of instructional books put out under Edwards', Wilson's, and Taylor's names. Among the group's hits were "Perfidia" (1961), "Lullaby of the Leaves" (1962), "Walk Don't Run '64" (1964), and a cover of the theme to the television show, "Hawaii Five-O" (1969). Although their

popularity in the USA faded by the late 1960s, the Ventures were enduring favorites in Japan, and continue to tour and record for the Japanese market to this day. They sold over 30 million albums in the Japanese market alone, many of these live albums recorded in Japan. Virtually nothing the Ventures recorded is without something of interest, but their mid-to-late sixties material is definitely worth checking out, particularly now that much of it available in attractive 2-fer CD sets from One-Way Records. In many cases, the best stuff on these albums are not the covers, but the original tunes, such as "Night Stick" and "A Swingin' Creeper" from Ventures a Go-Go.

Recordings

Walk Don't Run, Dolton BST-8003 The Ventures, Dolton BST-8004 Another Smash, Dolton BST-8006 The Colorful Ventures, Dolton BST-8008 Twist with the Ventures, Dolton BST-8010 (later reissued as Dance!) Dance with the Ventures, Dolton BST-8014 (also issued as The Ventures Twist Party, Vol. 2) The Ventures Beach Party, Dolton BST-8016 (also issued as Mashed Potatoes and Gravy) Going to the Ventures Dance Party, Dolton BST-8017 The Ventures Play Telstar and the Lonely Bull, Dolton BST8019 Play Guitar with the Ventures, Dolton BST-17501 Surfing, Dolton BST-8022 Play the Country Classics, Dolton BST-8023 (later reissued as I Walk the Line) Let's Go, Dolton BST-8024 The Ventures in Space, Dolton BST-8027 The Fabulous Ventures, Dolton BST-8029 Walk, Don't Run--Vol. 2, Dolton BST-8031 The Ventures Knock Me Out!, Dolton BST-8033 The Ventures on Stage, Dolton BST-8035 Ventures a Go-Go, Dolton BST-8037 Ventures Meet Bobby Vee, Liberty LST-7289 The Ventures Christmas Album, Liberty LST-8038 Where the Action Is, Liberty LST-8040 Batman Theme, Liberty LST-8042

Go with the Ventures, Liberty LST-8045 Wild Things, Liberty LST-8047 Guitar Freakout, Liberty LST-8050 Super Psychedelics, Liberty LST-8052 Golden Greats by the Ventures, Liberty LST-8053 $1,000,000 Weekend, Liberty LST-8054 Flights of Fantasy, Liberty LST-8055 The Horse, Liberty LST-8057 Underground Fire, Liberty LST-8059 More Golden Greats, Liberty LST-8060 Hawaii Five-O, Liberty LST-8061 Swamp Rock, Liberty LST-8062 Tenth Anniversary, Liberty LST-35000 New Testament, United Artists UAS-6796 Shaft, United Artists UAS-5547 JOY, United Artists UAS-5575 Rock & Roll Forever, United Artists UAS-5649 Only Hits, United Artists UA-LA 147 The Jim Croce Songbook, United Artists UA-LA217-C The Ventures Play the Carpenters, United Artists UA LA231G Now Playing, United Artists UA-LA471G TV Themes, United Artists UA-LA717G Rocky Road, United Artists UA-586G NASA 25th Anniversary, Tridex TDX1003 Superpak, UXS-80 Radical Guitars, IL 1006 Greatest Hits, TDX 100 Legendary Masters, EMI E2 93451 The Compact Ventures, Garland GRZ003 Live in Japan '65, EMI E2 32820 Tele-Ventures, EMI 53738 In the Vaults, CDCHD 651 Surfing, GNP Crescendo GNPD 2246 Wild Again, GNP Crescendo GNPD 2252 New Depths, GNP Crescendo GNPD 2259