The Bel-Airs were an early and influential surf rock band from South Bay,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, active in the early 1960s. They were best known for their 1961 hit "Mr. Moto", an instrumental surf rock song that featured a

flamenco Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...

-inspired intro and contained a melodic piano interlude. The song's theme was used in the solo for the song "Seed" by Sublime. Upon splitting up, guitarist Eddie Bertrand formed

Eddie & the Showmen Eddie & the Showmen were an American surf rock band of the 1960s. Formed in Southern California by Eddie Bertrand, formerly of The Bel-Airs, they released several singles on Liberty Records. Their highest-charting single in Los Angeles was "Mr. ...

in 1964, while guitarist Paul Johnson later joined Cat Mother & the All Night Newsboys in 1970. Original Bel-Airs drummer

Dick Dodd Joseph Richard Dodd Jr. (October 27, 1945 – November 29, 2013) was an American actor and musician who was a cast member of ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' starting in its first season, and later a member of several musical groups including The Stande ...

joined Bertrand in Eddie & the Showmen, and later joined

the Standells The Standells are an American garage rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in the 1960s, who have been referred to as a "punk band of the 1960s", and said to have inspired such groups as the Sex Pistols and Ramones. They are best kno ...

, playing drums and singing lead on their major 1966 hit, "

Dirty Water "Dirty Water" is a song by the American rock band The Standells, written by their producer Ed Cobb. The song is a mock paean to the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and its then-famously polluted Boston Harbor and Charles River. History Accordi ...

Richard Delvy Richard Delvy (April 20, 1942 – February 6, 2010) was an American music entrepreneur. He started in the music business as a drummer who played with The Bel-Airs and took his experience to broader appeal with The Challengers, who were in the ...

replaced Dick Dodd on drums,

Randy Nauert Randy Nauert (pronounced "Nort"; January 1, 1945 – February 7, 2019) was an American surf music and culture entrepreneur. He started in the music business as a bass player who played with The Bel-Airs and took his experience to broader appeal ...

replaced Steve Lotto on bass, and Art Fisher replaced Eddie Bertrand on guitar. Delvy, Fisher Nauert and Roberts went on to found the surf group The Challengers. Johnson has continued in music, both in recording and as a performer. Among other music associations, he has been a member of the "Jim Fuller version" of

the Surfaris The Surfaris are an American surf rock band formed in Glendora, California, United States, in 1962. They are best known for two songs that hit the charts in the Los Angeles area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" and " Wipe Out", which ...

since 1990. Bertrand also continued in music, touring as Eddie and the Soundwaves, among other performance configurations. Dodd has participated in various reunions and later recordings of the Standells. Eddie Bertrand died of cancer on October 27, 2012, at age 67. Dick Dodd died of cancer on November 29, 2013, at age 68.

Band members

*Eddie Bertrand (lead guitar) *

( drums), replacing Dick Dodd *Dick Dodd (drums) *George Dumeshousen (drums) *Art Fisher (lead guitar), replacing Eddie Bertrand * Paul Johnson ( rhythm guitar) *Steve Lotto (bass, vocals) *

(bass guitar), replacing Steve Lotto *Jim Roberts (

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

) *Chas Stuart (

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

)

Discography

*"Mr. Moto" b/w "Little Brown Jug" (Arvee A-5034, 1961) *"Volcanic Action" b/w "Runaway" (Arvee A-5054, 1962) *"Kami-Kaze" b/w "Vampire" (Triumph TRI-54, 1963) (also included in ''

Surfbeat ''Surfbeat'' was the first album recorded by the Los Angeles-based surf rock group The Challengers. They recorded the album in a 3½ hour session at the end of 1962. The album was released in early 1963 and became a huge hit, helping to propel ...

'' by The Challengers) *"Charlie Chan" b/w "Baggies" (Lucky Token LT-107, 1964) *"Liverpool" b/w "The Intruder" (Lucky Token LT-111, 1965) ;CD compilations *''The Origins of Surf Music 1960-1963'' (Iloki IL-1007, 1993) *''Volcanic Action!'' (

Sundazed Sundazed Music is an American independent record label based in Coxsackie, New York. It specializes in obscure and rare recordings from the 1950s to the 1970s. In 2000, Sundazed had a staff of 15 and two mixing studios, including a vintage audio ...

SC-11100, 2001)

References

External links

Paul Johnson's Guitar Heavensecondhandsongs.com: List of "Mr. Moto" covers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bel-Airs, The Surf music groups Instrumental rock musical groups Musical groups from California Musical groups established in 1961 1961 establishments in California