Please keep it open.  There is a wealth of Ventures info here that personally I enjoy reading.  For me, the whole problem consists of the sparse participation by the forum's members.  Everybody: We need to be more involved to keep the interest flowing here.

I'm just having fun with you; you are a friend, and really good guy!
But...you are a Venture's nut! However, regarding that subject, you're not alone!

Tom, it was truly a delight to be in attendance, and of course, extra special personally to be included in the performing aspect of this event.
Wow! You continue to amaze us with your steadfast ability to organize this yearly celebration.
Thanks to you as Host, and to all your volunteers with combined efforts in presenting this unique homage to The Ventures these past 9 years.
And thanks to all you attendees, without your support this event would not be possible, it was wonderful to spend time together with you!

Jeff Green - representing The Pickniks with Grant Green, Bob Kenney, John Ramski

    Bob Dowd will be playing lead on "The Shuck" at this year's Fan Fest held in Crum Lynne(Philadelphia), Pennsylvania, October 7, 2017.
    I will be backing him on rhythm guitar and here is what I have transcribed from The Ventures arrangement and that I will be playing.
    BTW - The Don Markham 45RPM is on Donna records. Yes, I have a copy of it.

                    "The Shuck" (Markham-Paxton) Transcribed here in the Key of G Major - Note: The Ventures recording is in F#/Gb

                                                                          -Rhythm Guitar-

                     Chord Positions: (these are the positions I will use, others may want to substitute with other positions)
                     G 3rd Fret
                     C 3rd Fret (When played in a Shuffle/Conjunction with G at the 3rd Fret. The "C" in this context is actually G6sus4)
                     C 8th Fret
                     F 8th Fret (Played in a Shuffle/Conjunction with C at the 8th Fret.  The "F" in this context is actually C6sus4)
                     Aminor7 5th Fret
                     D 5th Fret (At the ends of the Intro & Melody & Bridge)
                     C 3rd Fret (When played in the Intro and at the ends of the Melody)
                     Cminor 3rd Fret (When played in the Intro and at the ends of the Melody)


                     Intro: These are all single strums.
                     Am7 Am7 Am7 Am7  DDDDDD  C C  Cm Cm  G

                     Melody:
                     G/C G/C G/C G/C G/C G/C G/C G/C (Shuffle/Conjunction with the C actually acting as G6sus4)
                     C/F C/F C/F C/F (Shuffle/Conjunction with the F actually acting as C6sus4)
                     G/C G/C G/C G/C (Shuffle/Conjunction with the C actually acting as G6sus4)
                     Am7 Am7 Am7 Am7 DDDDDD C C  Cm Cm G

                     Bridge:
                     C Cm G   C  Cm  Am7 Am7 Am7 Am7  D

                     That's all of it, because the parts repeat.  I will be sneaking in some of the overdubbed parts when I play it.
                                                             ________________________________________________________

                     Ha! Those are my notes posted from YouTube!  Thanks, It's great to be considered "a source"! (No, this video is not of my copy of the recording)


JEFF GREEN4 months ago (On YouTube)

This tune, "The Shuck", reached it's potential on The Ventures album, "The Ventures", Dolton LP #2004. Don Markham and Gary "Skip & Flip", "Monster Mash" Paxton composed the tune.  Don Markham toured with The Ventures early in their career(1960), and without a doubt, Don Markham is the resource from which The Ventures picked this tune.
Don Markham went on to become a saxophonist for Merle Haggard's Strangers.  He stayed with Merle and The Strangers for 4 decades.                                                           Don Markham passed away February 24, 2017, at age 85.





 










 

JEFF GREEN

Sad news!
We Pickniks opened for The Surfaris at The Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom in 2004.
Paul Johnson was with The Surfaris and specifically asked us to play his classic, "Mr. Moto".
We really didn't think it was appropriate for us to play it at that show, but he insisted.
After hearing it, he said he was delighted that our arrangement incorporated some new ideas.
He told us that hopefully one of his future projects was to release an album completely of "Mr. Motos".
Ours was one he said he'd for sure want on it.

Some Bad Luck! Jim Pash's guitar was lost at Hopkin's Airport. 
So... Jim Pash borrowed my Black Jazzmaster, and used it to play "Wipeout!". Wow!
I took that same Jazzmaster as a backup to the 2013 Ventures Fan Fest, and Bob Spalding, who'd brought
an acoustic to The Fan Fest that year, no electric guitar, borrowed my Black Beauty to play that day.
Among the tunes he played was "Walk": Don't Run!" Wow again!
BTW, it's also the very same Jazzmaster that I had with me on the 2003 Cruise To Baja with The Ventures.
It's absolutely amazing, because other than the cruise, the other happenings were unexpected turns of events.

OK, on The Surfaris original recording of "Wipeout!", Jim Fuller did play the lead guitar, Jim Pash was the saxophone player.
But, Jim Pash was not present at the session when "Wipeout!" was recorded, so he's not on the group's biggest hit.
So what's up at The Beachland gig with Jim Fuller playing unplugged acoustic guitar, and Jim Pash playing lead guitar?
...Jim Fuller was having a too much of a good time drinking Wild Turkey, straight, no chaser!
Yet, I have to include that when they held a "Wipeout!" drum contest, led by Jim Pash,
it was Jim Fuller who picked up Don Ressler's Red DiPinto Galaxie, and played "Wipeout!" flawlessly!

The next morning I had breakfast with The Surfaris, and Jim Pash was not there. 
He had gone back to the airport after receiving the call that his missing Fender Stratocaster was found. Yay!
I was with Jim Fuller was at breakfast. Can you guess his breakfast?  It was Yogurt and fruit! Health foods!
Nice guy Jim Fuller signed my record sleeve for The Surfaris "Wipeout!"
Sad, about exactly to the day, a year later, Jim Pash passed away, and now Jim Fuller is gone.
I'm glad I met those guys. I was totally enthralled when I heard "Wipeout!", which I learned
to play in 1963 from my school classmate Bob Barner.(fine guitarist!)

Oh, and The Winner of The Drum Contest is...Sally West, drummer for The Surf Dawgs!===

Jeff Green

Yes Walt, and I forgot to mention, that not only was it a pre CBS bass, it was in a custom color, Shoreline Gold!

Ha! Yes!  This would a way to acquire flatwounds and not incur the expense of a new set of strings!

Walt, I'm itchin' to get these recorded, and we have developed quite a backlog.
When John R. is feelin' a lot better, hopefully soon, we can get crackin'. (We record at his little studio)