The Avantis

The Avantis were a surf group from Los Angeles, California that was active from around 1963 to 1964. They recorded some singles on a couple of labels. They are known for their 1963 surf rock instrumental, "Wax 'Em Down".

The Avantis
OriginLos Angeles, California, United States
GenresSurf
Years active1963 - 1964
LabelsAstra
Chancellor
Regency
Sundazed
Past membersPat Vegas
Lolly Vegas
Danny Hamilton
Mike Kowalski
Judd Hamilton

Background

The group was made up of Mexican-Americans, Pat and Lolly Vegas who led the band. The group challenged the norm as the brothers Pat and Lolly were of Native American as well as Mexican heritage. The brothers came from Fresno, California.[1] Their drummer was Mike Kowalski. The line up also included guitarist Danny Hamilton. They were also a support act for the Beach Boys. Later in 1963 they changed their name, and were going by the name of Pat & Lolly Vegas, and were the house band of The Haunted House Nightclub in LA.[2][3][4] During their time, they worked closely with Judd Hamilton (Older brother of Dan Hamilton[5]) who was the arranger and co-composer on their records.[6][7][8] For a period of time, Judd Hamilton was also in the group.[7]

According to Walk-Don't Run: The Story of the Ventures by Del Halterman, the group was assembled by Judd Hamilton who took Pat and Lolly Vegas and added his brother Danny and drummer Danny Leeds to form the group.[6] However the notes by Pat Vegas on the sleeve of the 2014 Sundazed release of "Gypsy Surfer" / "Wax 'Em Down" state that the line up was Pat Vegas, Lolly Vegas, Danny Hamilton and Mike Kowalski.[3]

An article about the group also appears in the Pipeline magazine in its Summer 2008 issue.[9]

Info on releases

"Wax 'Em Down"

In September 1963, "Wax 'Em Down" b/w "Gypsy Surfer" was released on Chancellor 1144. Both sides were written by Pat Vegas, also with Judd Hamilton handling the arrangements for both sides.[10][7][11] The single was their debut on the Chancellor label in 1963. Music magazine, Cashbox in its September 28 issue, gave it a favorable review with a B+ Rating, saying that the Avantis were a pro-sounding group and the track was first rate surfin’ stuff.[12] It became a minor hit for the group that year.[13][14] The single was distributed in Canada by Sparton of Canada Ltd.[15] It also got into the C-FUNTASTIC FIFTY chart in Canada. On October 12, 1963, the chart recorded the single's status as having moved up one notch from 37 to 36, sitting right behind "Fools Rush In" by Rick Nelson.[16] The record also ended up being bootlegged on an infamous label called Astra.[17]

"Wax "Em Down" in later years

Some decades after the record was recorded, an acetate demo of "Wax 'Em Down" caused a bit of a stir when it ended up at the Ventures fan club in the UK. Being only partially labeled, rumors were going around the club that it was an unreleased Ventures recording. The truth was realized when a labeled copy of the Avantis 45 came to light.[17]

In a review of Rock Instrumentals Volumes 1-10, Reverb Central/Phil Dirt referred to the song as "a dry guitar chamber reverbed adventure in the surf culture". With the B-side he said that "it was a chilling track with the organ break being different from the other discs of the day".[18]

"Wax 'Em Down" appears on the 2014 VA comp, Long-Lost Honkers & Twangers Ace CDLUX-013, which also includes The Impacts, The Exports, The Swanks, and Johnny & The Hurricanes.[19]

Other songs

"Surfin' Granny" b/w "Do The Surfin' Granny" was released on Regency RP-107. The A side was written by Danny Whitten, Judd Hamilton and Pat Vegas, with the B side by Danny Hamilton and Pat Vegas. Judd Hamilton arranged both sides.[20][21][22] Later in 1964 "Phantom Surfer" (Regency 110) was released. The recording "Phantom Surfer" featured some extra studio musicians, David Gates on guitar and Leon Russell playing Hammond organ.[23]

Later years

Some time after they ceased performing as The Avantis, they released Hotrodders' Choice (as The Deuce Coupes) on the Del-Fi label. Later they would go on to form Redbone.[24][25] In 1970, Dan Hamilton along with Tommy Reynolds and Joe Frank Carollo, co-founded Hamilton Joe Frank & Reynolds. They had a million dollar smash hit with "Don't Pull Your Love".[26]

Dan Hamilton died on December 23, 1994 at the age of 48.[27] Lolly Vegas died of Cancer on March 4, 2010 in Reseda, California. He was 70 years of age.[28]

Discography
Singles
Title Label and cat Year Notes #
"Wax 'Em Down" / "Gypsy Surfer" Chancellor C-1144 1963 [29]
"Surfin' Granny" / "Do The Surfin' Granny" Regency RP-107 1964
"Phantom Surfer" / "Lucille" Regency 110 1964 [30]
Wax 'Em Down / "Gypsy Surfer" Astra A-1006 1965
"Gypsy Surfer" / "Wax 'Em Down" Sundazed S-287 2014 [31]
EPs
Title Tracks Label and cat Year Notes #
"For Gremmies Only" 1st 60s Surf E.P. Side A. * The Teenbeats - "Mr. Moto", "Surf Bound" * The Vaqueros - "Echo"
Side B. * The Gamblers - "LSD-25", "Moon Dawg! * The Avantis - "Gypsy Surfer".		 Moxie M-1029 1980 [32]

Compilation albums
"Wax 'Em Down" appears on ...
Artists Title Label and cat Year F Notes #
Terry Lee The Best Of The TL Sounds Astra Recording Co. ALP-1000 1966 LP [33]
Various artists Surfin' U.S.A. Vol. 2 Surfville Records 1003 LP [34]
Various Artists Wax 'Em Down! Revell Records RR-1001 LP [35][36][37]
Various artists Surf-Age Nuggets: Trash & Twang Instrumentals 1959-66 RockBeat Records ROC-CD-3098 2012 CD [38]
Various artists Long-Lost Honkers & Twangers Ace Records CDLUX-013 2014 CD [39]
"Gypsy Surfer" appears on ...
Artist Title Label and cat Year F Notes #
Various artists Surfin' U.S.A. Vol. 2 Surfville Records 1003 LP [34]
Various artists Guitar Player Presents...Legends of Guitar: Surf, Vol. 1 Rhino Entertainment R2-70724 1991 CD [40][41]
Various artists The Birth of Surf Ace Records CDCHD-1155 2007 CD [42]
"Phantom Surfer" appears on ...
Artist Title Label and cat Year F Notes #
Various Artists Wax 'Em Down! Revell Records RR-1001 LP [35][36][37]

References
  1. Surfing about Music, By Timothy J. Cooley - Page 59 Surf Music and the California Surfing Boom
  2. Plásticos y Decibelios, 2 septiembre, 2020 - ARCHIVOS MUSICALES, REDBONE: LA SENSACIONAL HISTORIA DE LOS INDIOS VAZQUEZ-VEGAS - Julian Ruiz
  3. 45Cat - The Avantis (Los Angeles) - Discography, sleeve back notes for Sundazed / Chancellor S 287
  4. Written in Music, 22 februari 2017 - Pat ‘Redbone’ Vegas heeft nog steeds een droom - Ans van Heck
  5. AllMusic - Dan Hamilton, Biography by Bruce Eder
  6. Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - Page 102
  7. Music Metason - ArtistInfo, The Avantis
  8. Northwest Music Archives - "Lucille" / "Phantom Surfer", "Surfin' Granny" / "Do The Surfin' Granny"
  9. Pipeline, Summer 2008 - Pipeline 77
  10. Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - Page 102
  11. Billboard, September 28, 1963 - Page 41 Singles Reviews, Popular
  12. Cashbox, September 28, 1963 - Record Reviews
  13. Ask Mr Music - FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2003
  14. Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - Page 102
  15. Cashbox, October 5, 1963 - Page 13 MR. DEALER-MR. ONE STOP MR RACK JOBBER look what ABC PARAMOUNT just cooked up !
  16. Vancouver Top 40 Radio - C-FUNTASTIC FIFTY, WEEK OF OCTOBER 12, 1963
  17. Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - Page 102
  18. Reverb Central - Collection: Rock Instrumentals Volumes
  19. Record Collector, January 2014, Issue #423 - Various Artists - Long Lost Honkers & Twangers - Reviewed by Kingsley Abbott
  20. Music Metason - ArtistInfo, The Avantis, Surfin' Granny / Do The Surfin' Granny
  21. You Found That Eastside Sound, Friday, March 30, 2012 - EASTSIDE LEGENDS - PAT & LOLLY VEGAS, "Surfin Granny" b/w "Do The Surfin Granny" on Regency in 1963
  22. The Illustrated Discography of Surf Music 1961-1965, by John Blair, 1985 - ISBN 9781560750406 - Page 4
  23. Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, By Del Halterman - Page 102
  24. Indigenous Pop: Native American Music from Jazz to Hip Hop, edited by Jeff Berglund, Jan Johnson, Kimberli Lee - Page 99 Redbone
  25. BadCat Records - Pat and Lolly Vegas
  26. Rock Obituaries: Knocking On Heaven's Door, By Nick Talevski - Page 240
  27. The Billboard Book of One-hit Wonders, Wayne Jancik - Page 198
  28. Variety, March 9, 2010 - Guitarist and vocalist Lolly Vegas dies, Co-founded all-Native American rock group Redbone
  29. Global Dog Productions - 45 Discography for Chancellor Records
  30. Music Archives - AVANTIS, The (CA)
  31. Global Dog Productions - 45 Discography for Astra Records
  32. Worth Point - 1ST 60'S SURF EP FOR GREMMIES ONLY 6 SONG 45 7" NM MOXIE VINYL SURF ROCK
  33. Popsike - TERRY LEE: Presents The Best Of the TL Sounds LP Pittsburgh Oldies Moldies 331/3
  34. Surfadelic, June 8, 2019 - SURFIN’ U.S.A. vol. 1 & 2 (60's Surfin’ & Rockin’ Instros)
  35. Popsike - V/A WAX EM DOWN LP vinyl avantis enchanters surf garage
  36. Popsike - v/a - Wax Em Down Vol 1 SURF / GARAGE / PUNK LP
  37. MuseCat - Various - Wax 'Em Down! release
  38. Discogs - The Avantis Discography, Appearances
  39. Record Collector, JANUARY 2014, Issue#423 - Various Artists - Long Lost Honkers & Twangers - Reviewed by Kingsley Abbott
  40. Rubber City Review, January 1, 2010 - SURF’S UP IN CLEVELAND By Tim Quine
  41. Shook Down Underzine, 02/06/2014 - JOIA OCULTA TALLY HO! , PJ & THE GALAXIES (1964)]
  42. Ace Records - The Birth Of Surf, Various Artists (Birth of Surf)

Further reading
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