Mediterranean marauders, Saharan spies, Bengal buccaneers, assemble! Join the Silk Road Secret Agents as we meander through the legendary trade routes connecting Asia and Africa with Europe via The Middle East, sewing a rich tapestry of musical heritage as we go. We will rely on sound waves, realized from thousands of years of cultural exchange, to disrupt conventional perspectives and diffuse critical intel behind often elusive recordings. Flaring film scores, squelching psych odysseys, infernal disco fevers and more will be at your disposal so meet us at the epicenter of the Old World. Requirements include enthusiasm for iconoclasm and reliable sonic transportation.

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It is an undisputed claim that the first “surf” song ever recorded was Dick Dale’s 1962 interpretation of “Miserlou”, a high-octane interpretation of an Arabic folk melody that sizes up the magnitude of a tidal wave. Not only did “Miserlou” pave the way for other instrumental acts like The Surfaris, The Chantays and more; it also established the basis for such instrumental music to come full circle and resynthesize in the melody’s region of origin.

Today we will be surfing the SWANA, and uncovering the Middle Eastern roots of surf music. We’re going to talk about three artists: Richard Anthony Monsour (Dick Dale), Aris San and Omar Khorshid – this set has guitars soaked in reverb, horns that leave sand everywhere, and drums that break harder than the last wave you wiped out on. Tune into this transmission as we lead you on a mission to showcase 60’s, 70’s and 80’s surf music from Athens to Alexandria and beyond!