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.
wheels
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spinning Wheel got to go 'round
Talkin' 'bout your troubles
It's a cryin' sin
Ride a painted pony
Let the Spinning Wheel spin
You got no money, you got no home
Spinning Wheel all alone
You never learn
Ride a painted pony
Let the Spinning Wheel turn
Did you find your directing sign
On the straight and narrow highway
Would you mind a reflecting sign?
Just let it shine within your mind
And show you the colors that are real
Someone is waiting just for you
Spinning Wheel spinning true
Drop all you troubles by the river side
The lyrics to The Ventures' song "Wheels" speak to the cyclical nature of life and how our troubles follow us wherever we go. The opening lines "What goes up must come down, Spinning Wheel got to go 'round" speak to the inevitability of highs and lows and the constant turning of the wheel of life. The lyrics then go on to acknowledge the difficulty of dealing with our troubles, referring to it as a "cryin' sin."
The chorus then offers a solution, suggesting that we ride a painted pony and let the spinning wheel spin. This can be interpreted as a call to let go of our worries and allow life to take us where it will. The second verse goes on to ask if the listener has found their directing or reflecting sign, and encourages them to let it shine within their mind and show them the true colors of life. The final line encourages dropping our troubles by the river side, again emphasizing the need to let go and move on.
Overall, this song is a message of acceptance and embracing the ups and downs of life. It acknowledges that troubles are a natural part of life, but also suggests that we don't have to carry them with us everywhere we go. By letting go and allowing life to take us where it will, we can find peace and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
What goes up must come down
Everything that goes up eventually comes down.
Spinning Wheel got to go 'round
The cycle of life and events continues to spin and repeat.
Talkin' 'bout your troubles
Discussing your problems and issues.
It's a cryin' sin
It is unfortunate and causes emotional pain.
Ride a painted pony
Take a journey through life and enjoy the ride.
Let the Spinning Wheel spin
Allow the cycle of life to continue spinning without resistance.
You got no money, you got no home
You are broke and without a stable living environment.
Spinning Wheel all alone
Facing life's challenges without anyone by your side.
Talkin' 'bout your troubles and you
Talking about your problems specifically affecting you.
You never learn
You continue to face the same problems without learning from them.
Did you find your directing sign
Have you found the path or guidance for your life?
On the straight and narrow highway
On the path of honesty and morality.
Would you mind a reflecting sign?
Would you be open to self-reflection and introspection?
Just let it shine within your mind
Allow enlightenment and clarity to come from within.
And show you the colors that are real
Reveal the true nature of things and bring clarity to your perception.
Someone is waiting just for you
There is a person out there who is meant for you and waiting to meet you.
Spinning Wheel spinning true
The cycle of life continues to spin and bring about real experiences.
Drop all you troubles by the river side
Let go of all your problems and relax by the calming river.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Clayton-Thomas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
comewhatmae1
I do love instrumentals & this has always been one of my favorites. Billy Vaughan has a great version also.
Francesco Alcozer
The version of Billy Vaughn is also beautiful. Greetings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cArPK16kJnM 💫WHEELS💫 Guitar cover by Billy 💛Vaughn
antonio campaneflho
parabéns boas musicas
Janice Andreyka
Wheels... my Dad's fav song during the 1960's. Our family loved to listen to this when we went out to eat... great music to make you feel great !
Ronald Skmyd
Neat instrumental.
antonio campaneflho
boas musicas para se houvir
Inge Schlager
Ein Lied ging um die Welt!
polywog690
ALWAYS ONE OF MY FAVS. MAKES ME THINK OF THE AMISH HERE IN PA. IT REMINDS ME OF THEIR BUGGIES AND THEIR WHEELS .LISTENED 2 THIS AS AKID IN . HOW NEAT TO SEE AMISH BUGGIES ON THE SIDE RDS. OF MY CO. OF INDIANA ,PA. WHEELS HOW COOL IS THAT WHEN IT COMES 2 AMISH THAKS POLYWOG690 INDIANA,PA. JIMMY STEWARTS HOMETOWN.
엄마생각
와 좋다
Eric Caballo
What