Still Making Waves

Description

SIXTY YEARS ON, AUSTRALIA’S SURF MUSIC SUPER GROUP IS “STILL MAKING WAVES”.

In 1963 Australia’s radio waves and early black & white television music shows were filled with a new phenomenon – surf music with its thundering drums and screeching guitars. A vital, energetic sound that totally captured our beach-loving nation.

At the forefront, leading the pack of local and international surf bands, was The Atlantics. Four fresth-faced teenagers from Maroubra with their smash hit instrumental Bombora.

Written by guitarist Jim Skiathitis and drummer Peter Hood, Bombora surfed its way to number one in Australia and made chart impact around the world including the US. Interestingly, Bombora was also the first song written by and recorded by an Australian band that hit number one on the Australian charts.

Sadly in 2021, after a long-term debilitating disease, drummer Peter Hood passed away. “Obviously it was a very sad time for all of us” says Jim. “I was feeling very down about Peter. I also have arthritis in my hands and fingers. But one day I said to myself – What are you doing, you bloody idiot? So, I picked myself up and started writing some new songs. I rang Martin who was very keen. He also had a few songs. Then Bosco re-joined the band and that was three quarters of The Atlantics, so we wrote and produced this album as a sort of tribute to Peter.”

“Still Making Waves” is the end result. A 16-track album featuring Jim, Martin, Bosco and Mental As Anything drummer Jacob Cook. As the title implies, the band has not moved far from its heartland. Fittingly, the last track “Stranger on Mykonos” features Peter Hood on drums. It was recorded in 2013 at the very last session ever recorded with the band.

“Still Making Waves” will be released on 26th January – Australia Day 2023 – sixty years on from that very first wave.