From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Wed Jan 1, 2003  10:03 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Jim Fuller (Surfaris)

JIM FULLER

Born 1 January 1947, Glendale, California

Lead guitarist of The Surfaris.

In early December 1962, a recording session took place that generated
one of surf music's biggest successes and one of the few genre recordings
in which both sides were chart hits. This was an amazing accomplishment
considering that the band (the Surfaris) had been together only four months,
and that "Wipe Out" was a studio afterthought - conceived on the spot so
they would have a flipside for "Surfer Joe," the real reason they had entered
the studio.
The Surfaris were from Glendora, about 30 miles east of Los Angeles. The
three guitarists - Jim Fuller, Bob Berryhill, and Pat Connolly - were only 15
years old, drummer Ron Wilson was 17, and saxophone player Jim Pash
(who was not present at the "Wipe Out" session) was only 13. Glendora
photographer Dale Smallin agreed to manage them. After Ron Wilson came
up with the song "Surfer Joe," Smallin took the band to the Pal Recording
Studio in Cucamonga.
Gimmicks at the beginning of tunes were a big thing then. Someone simulated
the sound of a crashing surfboard by breaking a wooden shingle. Smallin's
"witch laugh" was added. At the end of the recording (the second of only
two takes), Wilson lost control of the drumstick in his right hand. He finished
the take by hitting the crash cymbal with his bare hand. When it was released
nationally by Dot Records, "Wipe Out" was faded before the somewhat sloppy
last verse.
By August 1963, "Wipe Out" reached # 2 on the national charts, and remained
a hot seller for months. As airplay waned, DJs turned the record over and began
to play "Surfer Joe", the vocal side. Although it only peaked at # 62, it kept
the
record selling through most of the autumn. "Wipe Out" experienced a revival in
1966, when it was rereleased and climbed to # 16. Their only other chart entry
was "Point Panic" (# 49) on Decca in 1963.
The band toured Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. "Wipe Out" won Record
of the Year Award in Australia and the BMI Citation of Achievement Award.
The tune continues to be used in movie soundtracks and commercials, and
is undoubtedly one of the most influential pieces of music for rock drummers
and guitarists.
Although "Wipe Out" is recognized as one of the definitive surfing anthems,
some of its lustre has been removed in the wake of a protracted allegation of
plagiarism. Merrell Fankhauser, former guitarist with the Impacts, success-
fully claimed the piece infringed his composition of the same title. Further
controversy arose when the Surfaris discovered that the music gracing their
debut album was, in fact, played by a rival group, the Challengers. However,
despite their understandable anger, such backroom machinations remained
rife throughout the quintet's career. Their third album, Hit City '64,
introduced
a partnership with producer Gary Usher, who employed a team of experienced
session musicians on ensuing Surfaris' releases.
In 1965 the group abandoned beach and hot-rod themes for folk rock. Wilson
had developed into an accomplished lead singer and with Ken Forssi replacing
Connolly on bass, the Surfaris completed the promising It Ain't Me Babe.
However, Usher then severed his relationship with the band and they broke up
when the last remaining original member, Jim Pash, left the line-up.
Fuller was part of California groups like The Seeds, World War III and US.
Berryhill and Pash are born-again Christians. Ron Wilson died in 1989 from a
brain haemorrhage. The Surfaris have reformed on many occasions.

CD: Wipe Out! The Best of the Surfaris (Varese Sarabande).

(Next BTBWY contribution : January 6.)