R.I.P. Bob Bogle (Ventures)

One of the all-time great surf guitarists...

TACOMA, Wash. - Bob Bogle, lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band The Ventures, known for 1960s instrumental hits like "Walk, Don't Run," has died at age 75.

Don Wilson, the band's other co-founder, tells The News Tribune of Tacoma, Wash., that Bogle became ill over the weekend and died Sunday.

The band sold millions of albums and heavily influenced other rock guitarists. It was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. The hall's Web site hailed The Ventures as "the most successful instrumental combo in rock and roll history."

"Walk, Don't Run" reached No. 2 on the Billboard chart in 1960, and a revised version, "Walk, Don't Run '64," reached No. 8 in 1964. Among the band's other hits were "Perfidia" and the theme from "Hawaii Five-O."

The band got its start in 1958 in Tacoma. Bogle initially played lead and bass and Wilson played rhythm guitar. They were soon joined by Nokie Edwards, another guitarist, and drummer Howie Johnson, later replaced by Mel Taylor.

"Our aspirations were to pick up nothing heavier than a guitar," Wilson said last year. "But it just mushroomed into something where we became internationally known."

The Ventures were particularly popular in Japan, where Wilson and Bogle played as a duo during their first tour in 1962 because the promoter couldn't afford to pay the other two band members.

The two Americans made such an impression, Wilson recalled last year, that when the band came back in 1964, "there were 6,000 people at the airport." He said he didn't realize at first the Japanese fans were there to see The Ventures.

Tonight I'm pulling out my Ventures LPs and having a toast to one of the legends.

RIP Bob Bogle

Thanks for the many years of enjoyment.

R.I.P.

Who doesn't like the Ventures ?

His contributions to rock n roll and music in general are huge.

The Ventures 'Walk don't Run '64' was one of the first albums I ever bought back in '65. That and they had a live in Japan recording that was great. They were the best in my book. R.I.P.

Was that the Live in Japan record that had "Nutty" on it ?
Man, what an amazing guitar song that is.

First Sam Butera, and now this. The month of June 2009 is really turning out to be crappy!

My band already had Walk, Don't Run on the playlist to perform at this Saturday's car show gig.

One of my favorite bands. I will also pull out my beat up records
and have a toast to Bob.

WOW!!! What a bummer!! This is what it was all about, this music intertwined with this lifestyle

grabbed me as a lil kid growing up in San Diego and I have been "stoked" ever since...
These guys used to play all over SoCAL in the 60's thru the mid 80's and I was fortunate enough to have caught them quite a few times. Even saw them at Disneyland.
I had plan to paddle out at 5:00 AM tomorrow morning and will say a little prayer as I see the sun rise...

One day, there will be a cure for tiki,
That's the day I'll throw my rum away...

[ Edited by: KuKu 2009-06-16 19:39 ]

I have worn out 4 of these albums over the years.
Vaya con Dios, Bob.

Very cool to see all the outpouring of condolences here for Bob.
very Sad indeed.

he played together with the other guys for almost 50 years.

R.I.P. Bob

he was also a great bass player.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Crap.

I saw the Ventures at the Palomino in L.A. back in the Seventies. It's still one of the greatest performances, if not the greatest performance, I've ever seen.

Very sad indeed...one of the best ......

[ Edited by: bongofury 2009-06-17 15:57 ]

Tikiyaki, I don't remember if Nutty was on that album, but I remember a great version of Slaughter on 10th ave. Found it on utube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fEAlUX_Cus&feature=related
I played this song until the grooves wore out back in the '60s, even after the Beatles took over me & all my friends listening time.
Ciao
better http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFUguUwxDhY&feature=related
also I noticed later on they switched from Mosrite quitars to fender strats.
check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4f5f5z3CDM&feature=related
[ Edited by: drgoat456 2009-06-17 14:52 ]

[ Edited by: drgoat456 2009-06-17 15:01 ]

Sad, Sad, Sad. I too will toast to his memory tonight. I am glad I got to see them.
I saw them at the Keystone in Palo Alto (or was it called the Edge already) around 1980. They put on a great show but, man were they grumpy.
I don't think they were used to the younger crowds they drew at that time. Most of their fan base was getting on in years. I remember people yelling out requests only to be sharply rebuked with an almost rude "we'll get to that!" I remember thinkin' "fuckin' A old man chill out". But I did enjoy the show and am saddend by the loss of yet another legend.

Very sad. I saw the Ventures at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach in the late 80s, great band.
RIP Bob.

Bob Bogle & The VENTURES

LARGEST selling instrumental group in rock & roll history. The VENTURES still together after 50+ years. Bob Bogle & Don Wilson took a Johnny Smith song off Chet Atkins LP Hi-Fi in Focus & made Walk Don't Run the classic it still is today. They maintain a huge Japanese fan base to this day. They are also probably responsible for the sale of MORE electric guitars than any other group in history. Bob Bogle WILL be missed. Thortiki

The first surf band that struck a cord with me as a kid. Would have loved to seen a live show.

Youtube live from Japan - Walk Don't Run 1964.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei9JqUvPDMA

RIP

DC

Another Icon is gone. What a sad day for this once young surfer/skater who listened to The Ventures, The Surfaris and other surf bands way back in the day when he was shredding and grinding his way around the beaches and city.

Walk, Don't Run was #2 on the charts, 3 months after I was born. I remember hearing it all of the time while I was growing up and it was a natural choice for an O.C. kid. It was in my blood, after all, I was named after Duane Eddy, The Rebel Rouser!

I still have my first The Ventures album. The all time classic!

Condolences!

PTD

I just got back from Costa rica and THIS is the first thread I see?? What a bummer...
Another legend architect of rock n' roll gone. God bless him.

Bob was long this tikiphile / guitar picker's favourite Venture. Maybe because he was not as technically skillful as Nokie or Gerry, and played melody and bass, both forms indulged in, here.

Heaven has another great player.

Thanks to Bob for being himself.

This sucks. I went to school with Bob Spalding's son and have always loved The Ventures