THE BONGO TEENS & PRESTON EPPS - SURFIN' BONGOS

• the bongo teens & preston epps: surfin' bongos
  (2010, download, -, crossfire publications)

When Art Laboe of the Original Sound label contacted Paul Buff about recording some surf tracks with bongos in the spring of 1963, Buff got together with guitarist Dave Aerni and became The Bongo Teens. Other than guitar, Paul Buff played and recorded everything else himself.

Laboe's idea was to combine three tracks from Preston Epps (of "Bongo Rock" fame) with whatever Paul Buff could come up with. Including Preston Epps' #14 hit "Bongo Rock" and his #78 hit "Bongo Bongo Bongo," "Surfin' Bongos" was completed that summer and was originally issued by Original Sound in September 1963.

March 2010 sees the first official reissue of that album from the original mono and stereo album masters, along with many rarities and unreleased tracks drawn from master tapes and acetates. In addition, The Bongo Teens' version of "Bustin' Surfboards" (originally by The Tornadoes) was featured in the film "Aloha Summer."
The 2010 edition is a download only release and is available in separate MONO and STEREO editions with the same bonus tracks.

As part of the bonus rarities of the 2010 re-release, both sides of The Rotations' single ("Heavies"/ "The Cruncher") and the Brian Lord & The Midnighters single ("The Big Surfer"/ "Not Another One!") are included along with extremely rare tracks ("Baja Rhythm" and "La Gran Ola") that were only released in Mexico. "The Big Surfer" was written by Frank Zappa, who played guitar and portrayed a surfer on the track.