Instromania!: Playlist

Monday, 16 February 2026

Playlist

Frantics - The Whip

Pat And The Wildcats - The Giggler

Niney The Observer - Music Police

Dick Dale And His Del-Tones - The Victor

Keith Mansfield - Powerhouse Pop

Gamins - Freeway

Baker Knight - Theme From "The Devil's Hand"

Noveltones - Left Bank One

Les Aiglons - "Expo" 64

Chiefs - Enchiladas !

Astronauts - Surf Party

Max Raffeng - San Andres

Magic Twangers - Silent Grey Fellow

Attractors - Ra

Concussions - Naked Girl Avalanche

Dalindèo - Johnny's Nightmare

Silent Caravan - Geezers

Combustible Edison - Hot And Bothered

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By the late 1950’s a new craze was sweeping rock’n’roll – hot guitar and saxophone instrumentals.

The first rock’n’roll instrumentals were originally performed by Rhythm & Blues combos popular at dances throughout the fifties. Black recorded music was overwhelmingly vocal, notable exceptions being Jody Williams "Lucky Lou" in 1957 and Mickey Bakers “Do What You Did”.

Rockabilly turned rock’n’roll into a worldwide phenomenon but by 1957 the inevitable conservative backlash had largely driven the music back underground replacing it with middle of the road pop sung by teen idols.

Offering an exciting alternative to this watered down material instrumental bands flourished at the local level and were responsible for keeping alive the raunchiest and wildest aspects of rock & roll. The lack of vocals allowed bands to engage in uninhibited jams and pioneer new musical styles.

Link Wrays “Rumble” in 1958 and Johnny & The Hurricanes “Crossfire” in 1959 were just two of many innovative tunes making an impression on the singles charts. In 1960 Duane Eddy was the first rock’n’roll guitarist to have a signature model guitar and was voted “World’s Number One Musical Personality” by New Musical Express in the UK. That country’s premier instrumental band The Shadows launched their debut single “Apache” the same year and later went on to adopt a distinctively exaggerated brand of choreography widely imitated. The most successful instrumental rock band of all time was The Ventures who’s influential “Walk Don’t Run” in 1960 inspired an entire generation of young guitarists.

Surf Music burst on the scene in Southern California in 1961 and infused new energy into the genre. Adding Spanish/Mexican and middle eastern influences to the rock’n’roll mix it got its unique sound by the use of newly invented technologies such as reverb tanks. Generous use of the whammy bar and rapid double picking on the guitar (as exemplified by Dick Dale in 1963 with “Miserlou”) were other features of the music.