had seen his uncle play on the oud in Lebanese
once invited by Keith Moon, of The Who, to
restaurants, while the bellydancers sashayed around
record with him. Moon was so drugged out that he
the tables. Dale adapted it for his high-speed
collapsed in the studio. Dale was not impressed.
playing on the guitar, with spectacular results. He
Dale also didn’t like the long tours that were
performed the song on the Ed Sullivan Show in
involved in promoting records, which is one of the
1963 – the first rock guitarist to play the show.
reasons that he did not become as well-known as
some of those who followed after him.
Dale appeared in the “Beach Party” films
with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. He
also appeared in a movie with Marilyn Monroe,
Let’s Make Love, in 1960. For Back to the Beach
in 1987, he recorded a new version of Pipeline with
Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was nominated for a
Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. But it was the
appearance of Misirlou in the soundtrack of Quentin
Tarantino’s 1994 film Pulp Fiction that helped to
raise new interest in surf music, and reinvigorate
Dale’s career. The tune had another revival when it
was covered by the Black Eyed Peas as “Pump It”
in 2005.
Dale’s first album, 1962
Misirlou is still his most famous track. It’s a
folk-tune that goes back a long way in the
Dale blazed the way for instrumental hits like
Mediterranean world. Some say that it has Turkish
Wipe Out by the Surfaris, and Pipeline by the
or Greek origins, though no-one can really be sure.
Chantays. Surf music ruled the airwaves from 1961
What is unmistakable is the Middle Eastern flavour
to 1963, when the Beatles arrived. But it was not
of the melody. (The title means “The Egyptian.”)
the end for Dick Dale. He went on playing,
Middle Eastern rhythms and melodies have been
recording, and influencing other musicians, like
essential to surf music. And through Dale’s work
another famous left-hander: Jimi Hendrix, who
they have become a part of Western popular culture.
admitted how much he had learned from Dale.
He still pays tribute to them. He can be heard
Dale was also a personal friend of Elvis
playing the oud, the instrument that gave him his
Presley. Though he didn’t have many close friends
early inspiration, on the final track of his album
in the industry, because he didn’t like drugs or
Tribal Thunder. He also plays a searing version of
alcohol. He didn’t use them himself, and he didn’t
Hava Nagila.
like being around people who did use them. He was