twang

Ah, too too bad. But guitar legend Bob Bogle died Sunday. Who has NOT learned a Ventures song in this room? Stand up. I didn't think so. Everyone has done it. And anyone who tried realized that it was not as easy as it sounded.

The simple melody, the repeating riff, it all sounded so cool and so accessible. But when you learned those riffs, suddenly you knew that you were only copying the notes. The feel, the sound, the audacity to play such a bare bones production. Only Booker T and the MG's came close.

Formed in 1958 with fellow guitar player Don Wilson, they started the act as a duo in Tacoma Washington, probably being the first of the real Northwest sound bands to make it outside the northwest. And somehow managed to survive the Beatles and the British invasion. They both knew each other and worked as stone masons before hitting the clubs to watch bands and hang with their guitars. They had a single in 1959 that featured vocals, but it was a flop.

They soon added musicians to fill out their sound and had their first huge hit with "Walk, Don't Run" in 1960. It almost never got off the ground. After they recorded the song, they went shopping for a label. No one was biting so they formed their own label and by chance a local DJ had a copy of their record which he used to intro the news.

This was the break they needed. With the hit behind them, one more piece of luck moved the band into legendary territory. Nokie Edwards and Bob Bogle switched instruments- Nokie to lead guitar, and Bob to bass. A perfect fit. Bob had defined the sound and feel of the Ventures and Nokie ran with it.

And who didn't want to buy a Fender Jaguar after that? Thats Bob at the top left.