DICK DALE:
GUITAR HERO, MILITARY HERO, PILOT -
AND STILL KING OF THE SURF GUITAR AND SO MUCH MORE WITH
SPACIAL DISORIENTATION

For more than five decades, Dick Dale has been setting the world on fire with the sheer passion, dexterity and volume that emanates from his soul and that he channels through his weapon of choice - a Fender guitar. He plays it left handed, upside down and backwards, which some might term "spacial disorientation," or more aptly, spacial reorientation, but more than that, it's a trademark of that dazzling Dale stage presence and signature sound.

Dale was crowned the "King of the Surf Guitar" in the '50s, and has ruled the waves with 10 albums dating back to his 1962 debut, Surfers' Choice. With the roar of the ocean cranked to 11 on his amp, Dale also earned the title of father of heavy metal. Surf's up again and daddy's returned with the recent release of Dale's 11th album, Spacial Disorientation, on the Ryko-distributed Sin-Drome/The Music Force label.

"I'm the first person to take rock and roll and turn it into heavy, loud music, because we never even had amplifiers in those days that were that powerful. We created them," he explains.

Always the adventurer, the axe master conquers previously uncharted waters with rock and blues vocals and arrangements on songs such as "Smoke on the Water" and "Front Porch Blues." Dale also delves the emotional deep and surfaces with the unexpected acoustic treasures, "Mexico / Esperanza," "Yours" and "Silent Night." For an even more eclectic cocktail, Dale sings the blues on "Walkin'" and blasts with the Beast on "The Eliminator."

"There's a Dick Dale style, no matter what I do," he points out, "when I play my trumpet, my sax, the pianos, keyboards and drums. I have a percussive, pulsating way of playing, and it's a very rhythmic sound. Everything I write comes from the indigenous peoples of the world," says Dale, who has spent time amid the cultures of Australia, Hawaii, Jamaica, Mexico, South America and many more, but says he mixes his colorful world view with healthy doses of personal emotion.

A^ pilot who owns two planes, has two private airstrips on his 29 Palms, California, ranch, and sometimes flies himself to his many club gigs throughout the year, Dale named Spacial Disorientation for the condition that pilots sometimes experience when they lose their sense of direction.

"That's what my music does to people; it takes them on a ride," he laughs, but reminds on a serious note, "People can either create with their talent, or destroy with their talent. What you project is what you draw."

A consistent innovator, as Spacial Disorientation proves, Dale is always in the moment and never elsewhere. "I don't think of yesterday; it's all used up. And I don't think of tomorrow, because who knows what tomorrow brings? And if I worry today about tomorrow, I'll screw up today. So I worry about this moment, right at the moment I'm speaking, because that's the most important thing. I make everything happen at this moment, and I savor the moment I'm breathing, like a fine wine."
Dale has an excellent foundation for his emotional centeredness. While serving in the Crash Crew in the Air National Guard in the 146th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Dale's job was to rescue pilots and crews from downed aircraft before they perished in the flames. With life-and-death situations resting on his shoulders, he learned early on the significance of every second. For his life-saving heroism, Dale received a Presidential Letter of Commendation, and later was transferred to March Air Force Base to continue to serve in the Crash Crew servicing the SAC (Strategic Air Command) in the Air Force, and in 2000, was inducted into the White House Congressional Hall of Records.

That same year, the influential LA Weekly presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Dale's many other accolades include RIAA platinum certification for his infamous "Miserlou," (Quentin Tarantino's inspiration for Pulp Fiction and the film's theme song), a Grammy nomination with Stevie Ray Vaughn for their musical collaboration in the film, Back to the Beach, and, of course, induction into the Surfing Hall of Fame.

Dale's music has lent a sonic dimension to other films, as well, including "Surf Buggy" in Jesus' Son, "Nitro" in Barbed Wire and "Surf Beat" in Kid in King Arthur's Court. National TV commercials for Domino's along with Mountain Dew, among the top five most expensive commercials, and Nissan, all carry an extra punch, thanks to "Miserlou." Phillips Flat Screen TV spots set a distinct mood with "Esperanza" and Soloflex inspires with "Take It Off." His music has also been featured in ads for Barclay's Bank of London, Heineken Beer and several other products. Hit TV series Friends and Star Trek Voyager, along with the Super Bowl in 2000, have all reveled in the Dick Dale sound. Dale himself has appeared in several films, including Let's Make Love, starring Marilyn Monroe and Yves Montand.

With Spacial Disorientation, Dale is performing in intimate clubs and connecting with fans on a personal level with his usual impromptu, all-access meet-and-greets from the stage after every show. As if this isn't enough (and for Dale it isn't), he replies to each of the hundreds of emails he receives through his extensive web site, DickDale.com.

Like the ocean that originally inspired his multi-faceted sound, the "King of the Surf Guitar" is in perpetual motion, with a rhythm all his own.