Surf Paradise

There comes a time in every rocker's life when he grows weary of performing that signature hit, night after night. Even the metalheads of KISS are bound to stop wanting to rock 'n' roll all night (and party every day). Not Dick Dale. "The King of Surf Guitar," who slams...

By Benjamin Leatherman

February 25, 2010

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There comes a time in every rocker's life when he grows weary of performing that signature hit, night after night. Even the metalheads of KISS are bound to stop wanting to rock 'n' roll all night (and party every day). Not Dick Dale. "The King of Surf Guitar," who slams into the Rhythm Room on Sunday, March 7, says he's always on board to blast out "Miserlou," his pulpy surf theme. "That's one thing I can't understand, you know?" Dale says. "I never play the same song the same way twice anyway . . . so I never get tired of playing it." Wielding his ax on coast-to-coast tours is also something the 72-year-old legend can never get enough of. "I'll do it 'til I drop, because when I play, everything is 100 percent-plus. I used to have a saying: 'When I stop playing, it'll be in one big explosion of body parts onstage.'"
Sun., March 7, 7 p.m., 2010

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Benjamin Leatherman is a staff writer for Phoenix New Times where he focuses primarily on arts, culture, music, and nightlife. He began writing for New Times in 2003 and joined the staff full-time in 2005. Prior to that, he contributed to magazines such as Tips & Tricks and The Wrestler. Benjamin has earned multiple awards from the Arizona Press Club including an award for sports enterprise reporting in 2009 and an award for statewide arts reporting in 2014. He holds a bachelor’s of arts in journalism from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Contact: Benjamin Leatherman

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