Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Ooh Whee Marie
2. Stop Teasing
3. Jessie Pearl
4. Let's Go Trippin'
5. Del-Tone Rock
6. Shake 'N' Stomp
7. Misirlou
8. Surf Beat
9. Peppermint Man
10. Misirlou Twist
11. Run for Life
12. Take It Off
13. King of the Surf Guitar
14. Hava Nagila
15. Riders in the Sky
16. Secret Surfin' Spot
17. Wedge
18. Night Rider
19. Mag Wheels
20. Mister Elevator
21. Flashing Eyes
22. Banzai Washout
23. Tidal Wave
24. Spanish Kiss
25. Angry Generation [Live]
26. Ramblin' Man

Disc 2:

1. Firing Up [Live]
2. King of the Surf Guitar [Live]
3. Jessie Pearl [Live]
4. One Double One Oh! [Instrumental]
5. Pipeline - Dick Dale, Stevie Ray Vaughan
6. Nitro
7. Shredded Heat
8. Terra Dicktyl
9. Unknown Territory
10. Niterider
11. Bandito
12. Third Stone from the Sun
13. In Liner [Surf Beat '97]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #65567 in Music
• Released on: 1997-06-10
• Number of discs: 2

Amazon.com
Dick Dale was already on the way to a full-scale comeback when Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction turned Dale's 1962 hit "Miserlou" into a major sensation. But there is much more to the King of the Surf Guitar than one hit, as this definitive anthology amply demonstrates. Better Shred Than Dead features instrumentals that show off Dale's dazzling, percussive technique and Middle Eastern and Latin influences ("Let's Go Trippin'," "Hava Nagila," "Miserlou," "Spanish Kiss") as well as some lesser-known vocal numbers. More recent material is also included, such as his 1987 duet with Stevie Ray Vaughan on "Pipeline," plus material culled from the first two albums of his comeback years and various other sources. All hail the king, back on his throne after far too many years. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews

Ear-Bleedin' Good
From his first vocal demo, "Ooh-Wee Marie" in 1959 to the "In-Liner (Surf Beat '97)" theme from a video game in 1996, this anthology covers the long career of Dick Dale. With the aid of Leo Fender, Dick Dale would change how people listened to live music...ear bleedin' loud. You can hear how Dale's sound changes throughout the album becoming heavier, more Beast-ly. He plays with a pick destroying, lightning fast tremolo style with his guitar strung upside-down. His songs are packed with adrenaline pumping rhythm and speed of cutting a curl on a long board.

The first disc covers most of Dick Dale's surf guitar classics, such as: "Misirlou", "Shake-N-Stomp" and "Let's Go Trippin'". Don't miss "Spanish Kiss" a Spanish flavored instrumental, with a hint of flamenco, showing off his acoustic flare, (one of my favorites). The second disc attacks some of his more recent songs, including live versions of "King of the Surf Guitar" and "Jessie Pearl". Dick Dale pairs up with the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan for a cover of "Pipeline", and also performs a tribute to Jimi Hendrix with a powerful version of "Third Stone from the Sun".

This is a great way to get the best of Dick Dale without purchasing all of his albums. His playing is loud and fast, and he has influenced many guitarists over his career (including Hendrix, and is considered to be the godfather of shred metal). The only thing that could make this album better would be seeing it live.

Dick Dale plays before an audience with such an intensity, energy, and real enjoyment for the music. Not to mention loud. His bassist/guitarist, Ron Eglit, is an amazing musician in his own right. The two play off of each other well, and have fun on stage. Not only does Dick Dale play to the audience, he plays with the audience. Throwing picks into the audience, roaming through the house, and staying after the show to write autographs for his fans. He truly is the king of the surf guitar.

An American Master
Not for the weak, this compilation is absolutely essential to anyone who is interested in rock guitarists. We are blessed that this artist is still both recording and touring. Dick Dale is a visionary who lives his life on his own terms. His live shows are highly recommended. This man is an American legend.

Essential King
I was fortunate enough to witness a Dick Dale show last month in
Santa Cruz County. What I wanted to hear was some fast, loud and
reverb-crazed guitar music and he certainly did not disappoint.
He also played some nice acoustic material. This anthology is a
basic overview of his career. It includes the all-time classic
"Miserlou" and 2 CD's worth of spine-tingling, brash, loud and
brilliant guitar playing. Remember, this guy was doing it loud
and fast way before anyone else. Like in the late 50's/early 60's
time zone (Hendrix, Blackmore, Iommi, Beck have all acknowledged
Mr. Dale as the original and their source of inspiration). So if
you want to go back to the beginning and check out the guy that
started it all, not someone who jumped into the fray in the middle of the ride, this is a great place to start. I also highly
recommend his most recent CD "Spacial Disorientation" which is available at Amazon as well. Every listener that thinks they have collected/heard/seen just about all heavy metal, rock guitar and turn-it-way-up tunes should check out the Main Man,
the one that invented it all. This dude is the real deal. Buy it now and wear it and your speakers out.....