Their first wide-release single, "Walk, Don't Run" (1960), brought international fame to the group, and is often cited as one of the top songs ever recorded for guitar. In the 1960s and early 1970s, 38 of the band's albums charted in the US, ranking them as the 6th best album chart performer during the 1960s, and the band had 14 singles in the Billboard Hot 100. With over 100 million records sold, the Ventures are the best-selling instrumental band of all time.
The Ventures have had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. The band was among the first to employ and popularize fuzz and flanging guitar effects, concept albums, and twelve-string guitars in rock music. Their instrumental virtuosity, innovation, and unique sound influenced many musicians and bands, earning the group the moniker "The Band that Launched a Thousand Bands". Their recording of "Walk, Don't Run" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its lasting impact, and in 2008 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Don Wilson and Bob Bogle first met in 1958, when Bogle was looking to buy a car from a used car dealership in Seattle owned by Wilson's father. Finding a common interest in guitars, the two decided to play together, while Wilson joined Bogle performing masonry work. They bought two used guitars in a pawn shop for about $10 each. Initially calling themselves the Versatones, the duo played small clubs, beer bars, and private parties throughout the Pacific Northwest. Wilson played rhythm guitar, Bogle lead. When they went to register the band name, they found that it was already taken. Disappointed, they cast about for an appropriate name. Wilson's mother suggested the name "The Ventures", upon which they eventually agreed in 1959.
During their first years (1958–1961), the Ventures played Fender guitars (a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster and a Precision Bass) for both their live performances and their recording sessions. These instruments are prominently visible on the covers of two early albums: The Ventures and The Colorful Ventures. From 1962 to 1963 they used two Jazzmasters with a Precision Bass, shown on the album cover of "Bobby Vee meets The Ventures". Then in early 1963, California guitar manufacturer Mosrite re-branded their uniquely styled, futuristic-looking Mark 1 electric guitar model for the Ventures by applying decals that stated "The Ventures Model" on the headstock. The band adopted these guitars (which included a bass model) and first used them on The Ventures in Space (1963), one of their most influential albums because of the unique, otherworldly guitar sounds it contained. From 1963 through 1968, a statement on their album covers announced that the Ventures used Mosrite guitars "exclusively" (the Ventures and designer Semie Moseley were partners in the distribution of these instruments). After the expiration of their contract with Moseley, the Ventures returned to playing mainly Fender guitars. Only rarely have they used Mosrite guitars since that contract ended.
In the mid-1990s, Fender issued a limited edition Ventures Signature Series of guitars consisting of a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster, and a Fender Jazz Bass, all with specifications determined by the band.
Aria Guitars and Wilson Brothers Guitars have subsequently issued Ventures Signature Model instruments. The Wilson Brothers guitar, in particular, is closely modeled physically on the original Mosrite design.
The Ventures pioneered the use of special effects on such songs as "The 2000 Pound Bee", recorded in late 1962, in which lead guitarist Nokie Edwards employed a fuzz pedal. Edwards' use of "fuzz tone" predated the "King of Fuzz Guitar", Davie Allan of The Arrows, by at least three years. In addition, Edwards was among the first to use the twelve-string guitar in rock. The 1964 The Ventures In Space album was a primer in the use of special guitar effects, and made pioneering use of 'reverse-tracking'. The Ventures In Space, because of its ethereal space-like effects, was deemed an influence on the later 1960s San Francisco psychedelic generation, as well as being cited as a favorite by Keith Moon of the Who.
The band's cover of the Tornados' "Telstar" (released in January 1963) featured one of the first instances of flanging on a pop record. The song "Silver Bells" on The Ventures' Christmas Album, released in November 1965, has one of the first recorded uses of a talk box as a musical effect, voiced by Red Rhodes.
The Ventures have had an influence on many musicians, both professional and amateur. Their instructional album, Play Guitar with the Ventures, was the first such record to chart on the Billboard Top LPs list, peaking at No. 96, and taught thousands of budding guitarists how to play the guitar. George Harrison stated in a Guitar Player interview that he preferred the American guitar sound of the Ventures to British contemporaries. When asked to name the most influential rock guitar solos, Joe Walsh said he would have to include the entire song "Walk, Don't Run" because it changed so many guitar players' lives. John Fogerty, during his introduction of the Ventures at their Hall of Fame induction, said that it "kicked open a whole movement in rock and roll... The sound of it became 'surf music' and the audacity of it empowered guitarists everywhere." Stephen Stills told Ventures guitarist Don Wilson that he learned to play on Ventures records. Jeff Baxter and Gene Simmons were early members of the Ventures Fan Club. Carl Wilson called the Ventures a major influence on his early guitar playing, stating that the Beach Boys had learned to play all of their songs by ear.
Bob Bogle lived in Vancouver, Washington, for years and died there on June 14, 2009, of non-Hodgkin lymphoma; he was 75.
Nokie Edwards died on March 12, 2018, due to complications after hip surgery. He was 82.
Gerry McGee died on October 12, 2019, after having a heart attack and collapsing onstage four days earlier in Japan. He was 81.
Don Wilson continued to record with the band, but retired from touring at the end of 2015. He died of natural causes on January 22, 2022, at the age of 88.
Mel Taylor died on August 11, 1996, of cancer, at the age of 62. He was diagnosed two weeks before his death.
The Sound of Silence
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.
In restless dreams I walked alone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dare
Disturb the sound of silence.
"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed
In the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
And the sign flashed out its warning,
In the words that it was forming.
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls."
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
The Sound of Silence is a haunting and deeply introspective song by the American rock group The Ventures. The song begins with the singer addressing his "old friend" darkness, as he has been struck with a vision that has left an indelible mark on him. He then muses on the nature of this vision, which has planted "seeds" in his mind that continue to grow within "the sound of silence." The next verse takes us on a vivid walk through dark cobblestone streets and a flashing neon light that illuminates the darkness. The chorus is repeated, highlighting the theme of the sound of silence that is prevalent throughout the song.
The third verse takes on a more philosophical tone as the singer reflects on humanity's failure to communicate with each other. He describes a world where people talk without speaking, hear without listening, and write songs that go unshared. The song's most poignant line then follows, as the singer says that "no one dares disturb the sound of silence." The singer then implores his listeners to listen to his words, to let him teach them and reach them, to break the silence that has taken hold. However, his message is met with silence, as his words "like silent raindrops fell and echoed in the wells of silence." The final verse is a reflection on the consequences of this silence, as people begin to turn to a "neon god" for their guidance, and the "words of the prophets" are written on the subway walls and tenement halls, echoing through the sounds of silence.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello darkness, my old friend,
Addressing the absence of light and familiarity of being in dark places figuratively, as a representation of depression and isolation.
I've come to talk with you again,
Expressing a need to confront and communicate with this aspect of oneself.
Because a vision softly creeping,
Acknowledging a creeping thought or idea in their mind.
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
Noting how it has been planted in their mind without their conscious knowledge.
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Clarifying that this vision is a thought that has been implanted into their mind.
Still remains
This thought or vision is still present with them.
Within the sound of silence.
The silence and stillness within themselves allows this thought or vision to persist.
In restless dreams I walked alone
Describing how these thoughts or visions infiltrate their dreams, causing them to feel isolated and alone.
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
Describing the imagery of their dreams, using narrow and rough streets to depict the difficulty in navigating them.
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
Painting the scene of their dreams with a dimly-lit street lamp, further portraying isolation and loneliness.
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
The person is physically uncomfortable in their dreams, possibly symbolizing emotional discomfort.
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
Interrupting the dream sequence with a jarring image, a neon light that contrasts with the previous dreary imagery.
That split the night
Illustrating the neon light in a way that portrays it as slicing through the darkness of night.
And touched the sound of silence.
The brightness of this neon light is painting a picture that this dream state may not be fully cut off from one's dreamscape and reality.
And in the naked light I saw
Moving from the imagery of dreams, they now describe seeing the truth or reality in plain sight.
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
Describing the overwhelming number of people present around them.
People talking without speaking,
Outlining that this community is communicating but not effectively being heard or spoken to.
People hearing without listening,
People are hearing the communication of others but reacting without truly listening to what is being said.
People writing songs that voices never share
Their creative expression is being consumed and enjoyed by others without them actually sharing their voice/personal opinion.
And no one dare
Fear prevents any individual from speaking out or being heard in these interactions.
Disturb the sound of silence.
A reference to the absence of genuine interaction and individuality that has prevailed in this community.
"Fools" said I, "You do not know
The artist takes on a condescending tone, looking down on the people in this community.
Silence like a cancer grows.
They liken the isolation and lack of communication in their community/software to a cancer.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
The artist wants to be listened to and wishes to share a message that will help and enlighten the people around them.
Take my arms that I might reach you."
Tying in with the previous line, the singer hopes to reach out and properly connect with the people around them.
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
Describing how their words fell on deaf ears and were not received by the people around them.
And echoed
Alluding to how their words were only heard by themselves and sounded loudly in their mind.
In the wells of silence
The echoes of their voice ultimately fade and sink into the larger pool of silence that surrounded them.
And the people bowed and prayed
The people of this community are shown having a tendency towards religious/superstitious behavior.
To the neon god they made.
Related to the earlier imagery of the neon light, the people worship a 'neon god' that they themselves have created.
And the sign flashed out its warning,
The 'neon god' that they have collectively created sends out a warning.
In the words that it was forming.
The sign is also sending out a message or meaning through the words it is forming.
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
Expanding on this message with a biblical reference, specifically involving their false idolatry.
Are written on the subway walls
Their false idolatry is intertwined with the walls that they have constructed.
And tenement halls."
These walls and halls are the physical spaces that they've created, also outlined in previous lyrics.
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
The message being conveyed holds symbolic importance and can only be heard and interpreted correctly in silence.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
임해권
This album i have ... ^^ i bought it when i was just a boy.... the ventures was my idol.... at that time i didnt realize it was so wonderful, today its great.... Ummm... this recalls my young....
Sayani Pradhan
💕 love the ventures
임해권
Bravo... and Wonderfullll..... it's too good to say ...
H N
Would anybody know who played which instrument in this play? This is not a typical "driving guitar" Ventures style, is it? I'd love to hear their interpretation and play of this song...
Dimitris 004 & daughter - New channel
Despite its title, "Tenth Anniversary" is neither a compilation or a nostalgic exploration of the Ventures' career. Instead, the Ventures (by this time including both ace studio guitarist Gerry McGee and keyboardist John Durrill)chose to create a two-LP set covering a wide spectrum of late 1960s pop.
For this album the line-up of the band is as follows:
* Mel Taylor - drums
* Don Wilson - rhythm guitar
* Bob Bogle - bass guitar
* Gerry McGee - lead guitar
* John Durrill - keyboards
TM D
Thank you
Dimitris 004 & daughter - New channel
You're welcome !