Remembering Dick Dale

• Variety has confirmed that Dick Dale, best known as the “King of the Surf Guitar,” died Saturday night, March 16 at the age of 81. Dale’s bassist, Sam Bolle, confirmed his passing to The Guardian. Dale’s signature 1962 hit “Misirlou” became popular with a whole new generation of fans in 1994 when Quentin Tarantino used it as the opening theme of Pulp Fiction.

Born Richard Anthony Monsour in Boston on May 1937, Dale developed his distinctive sound by adding to instrumental rock influences from his Middle Eastern heritage, along with a “wet” reverb sound and his rapid alternative picking style. In a 2011 interview with the Miami New Times, Dale said that the hectic drumming of Gene Krupa, along with the “screams” of wild animals and the sound and sensation of being in the ocean inspired his sound.

At the turn of the ’60s, Dale was pivotal in the development of the Fender Stratocaster guitar. “Everything that came out of Leo Fender‘s head, I was his test pilot,” Dale told the Miami New Times in that same 2011 article. “He used to say, ‘When it can withstand the barrage of punishment from Dick Dale, then it’s fit for human consumption.’ So I blew up over 50 amplifiers. And that’s why they call me the ‘Father of Heavy Metal.'”

Dale’s fifth single, 1961’s “Let’s Go Trippin,’ is considered the first surf rock instrumental and has been credited with launching the early ’60s craze. The Beach Boys would subsequently record a cover version that was included on their Capitol Records’ debut album, which was released in late 1962. On “Misirlou,” Dale transformed the traditional Greek folk song into a sped-up, one-string performance, which became a national sensation after he performed it on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1962. In 1994, Tarantino resurrected it as the opening theme for Pulp Fiction.

Dale is survived by his second wife Lana, who served as his manager, and his son James, who worked with him as a drummer.