SH Spotlight "Cecilia Ann" by the Pixies, yes, I wrote & recorded the song as The Surftones with my buddy Frosty

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Dec 31, 2011.

  1. marmil

    marmil It's such a long story...

    I knew something sounded wrong with that song! It's the drums. They didn't sound, to me, like "tiny 60's studio" drums. People in my office were sure they had heard it before on other "extra-legal" Surf comps. Ha! Great story!!
     
    2141 likes this.
  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Dot records licensed both BOSS and PIPELINE from Downey Records and their contracts were so vague, it's hard to tell what was what. Downey had rights to issue in Southern California, Dot, the rest of the country (if you can believe it). That's why you see both BOSS and PIPELINE on the blue Downey label or the Dot label. The Downey versions were mastered from the original tapes but the Dot versions were mastered from "stressed out" United/Western copy tapes that added more echo and massive compression. Even more confusing is that sometimes the Dot tapes were used to recut the Downey versions so it got all mixed up, soundwise.

    This YouTube version seems like the mono Downey 45 version but the extra reverb on there is a giveaway that it's recut from the Dot United/Western "punched up" tape. Maybe Wenzel came around to think that the United version sounded better... Probably.

     
  3. MAYBEIMAMAZED

    MAYBEIMAMAZED Don't think Twice it's alright

    Location:
    DFW TEXAS
    :wiggle: making me dance... lol
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2017
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  4. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    [​IMG]

    Hey, someone spelled Surftones wrong! :agree:
     
  5. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Woah, what is this from?
     
  6. ElevatorSkyMovie

    ElevatorSkyMovie Senior Member

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    So, mastering isn't the way to wealth, eh Steve?

    1. Write surf song
    2. release cd
    3. sell boatloads overseas
    4. Pixies cover it
    5. $$$ profit
     
  7. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    The Bambi Molesters, A Night In Zagreb (live album). I was going to post a quip about how they must have gotten the names from your post in this thread, but that album came out in 2011, and this thread was one of the last things that happened that year. Very interesting!
     
  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    No idea. Maybe a change in publisher protocols.
     
  9. autumn daze

    autumn daze I really don't belong here

    Location:
    Milton Keynes, UK
    This story, thread and forum are all just insanely cool. This is why I love coming here. My wife is asleep and I feel like waking her up to tell her this story, but even at her most awake and attentive she would blankly stare at me with this stuff like 'so what'.

    Mr Hoffman, bravo to you sir.
     
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  10. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Who knows. Their first album was, in their own words, "[an attempt] to prove that there's that one band left on the face of the planet dumb enough to try to achieve the authentic '60s surf sound at the end of the 20th century."

    I would not be surprised if they got ahold of the Surf Legends CD in the early '90s, learned the song from there, and hunted around online until they found your names. One of the links someone posted here is to a 2008 thread where you gave an abridged version of the story; that would be my guess.

    I wish my town had some culture, so I could round up a bassist and drummer and play this. Even just once!
     
  11. Changingman

    Changingman Forum Resident

    The influence of this song goes as far as giving name to a Spanish indie pop band. Cecilia Ann were active from the mid-90's to the mid-00's and released three albums.
     
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  12. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Really? That was their name? Cool.
     
  13. Changingman

    Changingman Forum Resident

    There you go... Their first album was produced by The Posies' Ken Stringfellow. You can find influences of The Beatles, Big Star or The Who in their music.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

     
  14. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Amazing, thanks.
     
  15. Lemon Curry

    Lemon Curry (A) Face In The Crowd

    Location:
    Mahwah, NJ
    I'd guess the sales of this one CD have paid for all the other one-offs you were allowed to assemble.
     
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Actually, yes.
     
  17. Analogmoon

    Analogmoon All the Way Back in the Seventies

    That's a cool tune.

    One of my favorites - speaking of such music is The Vistas (Moon Relay).
     
  18. Rubberpigg

    Rubberpigg Senior Member

    How come I only found out about this now.
    And I am a Pixies and Steve Hoffman fan.
    Cool song.
     
  19. eidosk

    eidosk Active Member

    Location:
    Brazil
    Congratulations for writing this cool song! I have just uploaded a video of me playing it in the style of Dick Dale... I hope you like it :)
     
    MitchLT, JuanTCB, tdavis0903 and 2 others like this.
  20. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Nice, thanks..
     
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  21. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Anyone else? I love hearing these attempts.
     
    punkmusick and 2141 like this.
  22. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    I saw the Pixies about 3-4 weeks ago in Melbourne, the last time they played, cancelling the Sydney and all subsequent shows.

    They played that classic Cecilia Ann as the first song of the encore. The highlight of the night and the only Bossanova song that got a mention. It was majestic.
     
    Mylene and Longers like this.
  23. Raylinds

    Raylinds Resident Lake Surfer

    As a huge fan of surf guitar music I don't know how I missed this old thread until now. That's a great song and story.
     
  24. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Really? After all this time? Cool beans.

    And hey, ask Alexa to play you "Cecilia Ann" by the Surftones. She will. Also on Spotify. Just found this out yesterday. My kids were impressed.
     
  25. MitchLT

    MitchLT Two for the show

    But on Spotify you’re being ripped off for Surftones (which uses your version of the tune):

    “Formed in 1996, the instrumental surf quartet of the aptly titled Surftones were inspired by the beach party antics of surf, sand, and warm weather -- ironically enough, their home turf is based in the very frigid Jyväskylä, Finland. After signing with Maho Pop Records not too long after their first show, the band's debut full-length, Expose Yourself to Surfers, came out the same year they got together. Two years later, they followed with their second album, Who Stole My Hypnotics? ~ Mike DaRonco”
     

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