Trashmen - Surfin' Bird: The Best of the Trashmen
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 13 / 7 / 2020
Label:
Select Label
Format: N/A
intro
Maarten Schiethart reflects on a compilation from mid-Western surf-twang pioneers The Trashmen from last year, who were finally given a comprehensive Best-of CD in the UK.
The Trashmen fully enjoyed their short-lived career. Beginning as basically a covers band, they took the shine off the songs they found, and put the emphasis on the grittier aspects of tunes popular in their heyday. With the manic performance of 'Surfin' Bird' they reached number four in 1963 in the Billboard 100 chart, after which they tried to build on that success with 'Bird Dance Beat' and 'Bird Bath' to little avail. The Trashmen recorded their debut album when they were still climbing the charts. And were probably told to back off a little. Like a bunch of ranch-hands taking on a couple of sunny Beach Boys, The Trashmen gathered grime and sleaze on hit songs from 1963 onwards, at the same time as a certain Cliff Richard was introducing the spit-and-polish concept to rock and roll. 'Whoa Dad!'and 'Tube City' are two more examples on this CD of fabulous bangers that most people have missed out on. I first heard of The Trashmen after hearing The Cramps covering 'Surfin' Bird' on their "Gravest Hits" EP in 1978. Now, over 40 years later, I am returning to them. Short-lived and well-remembered for one song, they knew how to rumble. The band's prime quality was to be able to dig up that dirty groove from a seemingly harmless song. As a recognised member of the Church of Vinyl, I do commend to you this compact disc.
Track Listing:-
Also In ReView
Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield (2019)
Andreas Dorau (2022)
Andrew Gold (2023)
Anthony Moore (2022)
Bark Psychosis (2018)
Beatles (2023)
Bert Jansch (2020)
Bert Jansch (2019)
Beth Orton (2014)
Big Eyes Family (2021)
Billy Idol (2018)
Bitter Springs (2021)
Blind Mr Jones (2015)
Blondie (2022)
Blue Nile (2014)
Bodines (2023)
Boyracer (2023)
Breathless (2016)
Brinsley Schwarz (2017)
Cardiacs (2014)
Chesterfields (2025)
Chvrches (2014)
David Bowie (2022)
David Gray (2020)
Death and Vanilla (2016)
Donald Fagen (2021)
Doug Dillard Expedition (2024)
Earthworks (2020)
Flamin Groovies (2015)
Flaming Stars (2024)
George Harrison (2024)
Giant Sand (2020)
Giant Sand (2018)
Gomez (2018)
Gong (2015)
Grace Jones (2016)
Grace Jones (2014)
Graham Day and the Forefathers (2019)
Hawks (2021)
Hawkwind (2022)
Hot Pepper (2018)
Ian A. Anderson (2021)
Ian Dury (2021)
Iron Butterfly (2014)
Jesse Garon and The Desperadoes (2025)
John Cooper Clarke (2016)
Joni Mitchell (2021)
Keith Richards (2022)
Lapre (2020)
Lemonheads (2022)
Loft (2025)
Loft (2021)
Madness (2014)
Madonna (2024)
McCarthy (2015)
Mercury Rev (2019)
Miscellaneous (2020)
Miscellaneous (2014)
Monochrome Set (2015)
Mothmen (2015)
Neil Innes (2020)
New Leaf (2022)
New Musik (2023)
One Thousand Violins (2023)
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (2015)
Orchids (2023)
Party Day (2021)
Pele (2017)
Phil Alvin (2015)
Phil Ochs (2016)
Primitives (2015)
Prolapse (2022)
Robin Trower (2025)
Roger Mcguinn (2018)
Rubik (2021)
Saloon (2025)
Sorrow (2018)
T. Rex (2023)
Television Personalities (2018)
Terry Allen (2016)
Thin Lizzy (2023)
Townes Van Zandt (2015)
Ty Segall (2022)
UB40 (2015)
Various (2022)
Various (2022)
VIPS (2020)
Wolfhounds (2015)
Zz Top (2018)
Band Links:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_TrashmenHave a Listen:-
Picture Gallery:-
most viewed articles
current edition
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every SongArmory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
Bathers - Photoscapes 1
Colin Blunstone - Thalia Hall, Chicago, 16/7/2025
Visor Fest - Valencia, Spain, 26/9/2025...27/9/2025
Billie Eilish - O2 Arena, London, 10/7/2025
Robert Forster - Interview
Loft - Interview
John McKay - Interview
Editorial - July 2025
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPManic Street Preachers - (Gig of a Lifetime) Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, December 1999
Oasis - Oasis, Earl's Court, London, 1995
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Beautiful South - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Pixies - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Prolapse - Interview
Doris Brendel - Interview
Simon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
Paul Clerehugh - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Amy Macdonald - Is This What You've Been Waiting For?Sick Man of Europe - The Sick Man of Europe
Alice Cooper - The Revenge of Alice Cooper
Phew, Erika Kobayashi,, Dieter Moebius - Radium Girls
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the Jumbo
Lucy Spraggan - Other Sides of the Moon
Blueboy - 2
Cynthia Erivo - I Forgive You
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Lapsley - I'm a Hurricane, I'm a Woman In Love
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart