INSTRUMENTAL GUITAR
VA - Fantastic & Rarities Instrumental Guitar Volume 1 - 6 [2011 - 2012] (6 x CDs)
Fantastic & Rarities Instrumental Guitar Volumes 1-6, released between 2011 and 2012 by Magic Records, is a lovingly curated deep dive into the golden age of instrumental guitar music, a time when twang, reverb, and melodic swagger ruled the airwaves. Across six volumes, this French series resurrects rare and forgotten gems from the 1950s and 1960s, blending surf, rock & roll, and cinematic flair into a sprawling celebration of guitar-driven soundscapes.
What makes this collection so compelling is its sheer breadth. It doesn’t just stick to the usual suspects like The Shadows, The Ventures, Duane Eddy, or Link Wray, though they’re all here in alternate takes and live versions, it also shines a spotlight on lesser-known European acts like Les Fantômes, Les Drivers, and Les Monegasques, whose fuzzed-out riffs and space-age themes add a uniquely continental flavor. The inclusion of groups like Jerry Cole & His Spacemen, Davie Allan & The Arrows, and The Surfaris injects a dose of West Coast surf and garage grit, while tracks from Electric Sound Orchestra and The Spotnicks push into sci-fi territory with eerie tones and cosmic textures.
Each volume is remastered in high definition, giving these vintage recordings a crispness that lets the guitar tones shimmer and punch. The sequencing is thoughtful, often pairing well-known tracks with obscure B-sides or demo versions, creating a sense of discovery even for seasoned collectors. There’s a cinematic quality to the whole series, you can almost picture drive-in movies, neon-lit diners, and transistor radios humming with these tunes.
But beyond nostalgia, Fantastic & Rarities is a testament to the guitar’s expressive power. Whether it’s the galloping rhythms of “Rebel Rouser,” the haunting surf of “Mr. Moto,” or the psychedelic pulse of “I Robot,” each track tells a story without words. It’s music that moves, rhythmically, emotionally, and historically.
Taken as a whole, the six-volume set feels like a lovingly assembled museum of instrumental guitar artistry. It is a cultural archive, a sonic time capsule, and a celebration of the unsung heroes who made their guitars speak louder than words. For fans of vintage guitar music, it’s essential listening. For newcomers, it’s an invitation to explore a world where melody and mood reign supreme. (B)
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Track lists
Vol. 1
01 Shadows - Quartermaster's Stores 2:20
02 Spotnicks - The Rocket Man 1:54
03 Ventures - Perfidia 2:02
04 Rene & His Alligators - Telstar 3:11
05 Jet Harris & Toni Meehan - Scarlett O'hara 2:16
06 Cougars - Red Square 2:00
07 Skyrockets - Guitar Humoresque 3:17
08 Duane Eddy - Ford Version - Caravan 2:42
09 Jerry Cole & His Spacemen - The Strut 2:15
10 Richie Allen Orchestra - Reskin 2:06
11 Wllie Lewis & Ses Champions - Temp?te Sur Hawaii 2:51
12 Billy Mure 'Supersonic Guitars' - Hindustan 2:05
13 Hunters - Tally Ho 1:59
14 Les Space Travellers - Shooting Star 1:59
15 W. Gimmicks - Crazy Race 2:19
16 Lonnie Mack - Memphis 2:27
17 Golden Guitars - Desafinado 1:55
18 Shutdown Douglas - Twin Cut Outs 2:23
19 Les Pingouins - Bach 1:43
20 Les Gardians - Gardian's Time 1:57
21 Les Francais - Good Night Irene 2:35
22 Les Stevens - Peter Gunn 2:56
23 Fencemen - Sunday Stranger 2:40
24 Jorgen Ingmann & Sa Guitare - Bonanza 1:37
Vol. 2
01 Shadows - Driftin' 2:30
02 Spotnicks - The Spotnicks Theme 2:02
03 Ventures - Walk,Don't Run 2:03
04 Rene & His Alligators - Guitar Boogie 2:29
05 Toni Meehan & Jet Harris - Applejack 2:03
06 Cougars - Fly By Night 1:42
07 Skyrockets - Begin The Beguine 2:31
08 Duane Eddy - Ramrod 1:24
09 Jerry Cole & His Spacemen - Out of Limits 1:59
10 Richie Allen Orchestra - In A Persian Market 2:04
11 Willy Lewis & Ses Champions - Galloping Twist 2:31
12 Billy Mure 'Supersonic Guitars' - Guitars in Space 1:53
13 Hunters - Golden Earrings 2:02
14 Les Spaxce Travellers - 93 000 000 Miles 2:24
15 W. Gimmicks - Hawaiian Ski 2:49
16 Lonnie Mack - Suzie-Q 2:32
17 Golden Guitars - Choro Sim 2:11
18 Shutdown Douglas - Night Road 2:17
19 Les Pingouins - Shuffle 1:43
20 Les Gardians - Syncope 1:55
21 Les Francais - Que Me Reste-t-il 2:40
22 Les Stevens - Guitar Boogie 2:22
23 Rolls - Z?bulon 2:04
24 Jorgen Ingmann & Sa Guitare - Pine Tops Boogie Woogie 2:23
Vol. 3
01 String-A-Longs - Wheels 1:56
02 Shadows - Back Home 2:40
03 Jet Harris & Toni Meehan - The Tall Texan 2:16
04 Spotnicks - Galloping Guitars 1:54
05 Ventures - Night Train 2:49
06 Duane Eddy - The Lonely One 1:39
07 Village Stompers - Midnight in Moscow 2:16
08 Skyrockets - Johnny on His Strings 2:38
09 Tony & The Initial (Les 4 Kiwis) - How High The Moon 4:39
10 Rene & His Alligators - Rinky Dink 2:29
11 Les Milords - Le Vol Du Bourdon 2:30
12 Les Gardians - Gardanne Organ 2:35
13 Les Sunlights - Saturday Night 1:52
14 Willy Lewis & Les Champions - La Cumparsita 2:23
15 W_Gimmicks - Let's Go Racing 2:32
16 Les Strangers - Perfidia 2:03
17 Hunters - The Storm 2:07
18 Roy Clark - Dented Fender 2:28
19 Lonnie Mack - Wham ! 2:09
20 Krewkats - Trambone 1:39
21 Les Space Travellers - Meteorite 1:49
22 Scorpions - Riders in The Sky 2:17
23 Fencemen - Bach 'N' Roll 2:13
24 Jerry Cole & His Spacmen - One Color Blues 2:28
Vol. 4
01 String-A-Longs - Panic Button 1:57
02 Shadows - F B I 2:18
03 Jet Harris & Tony Meehan - Diamonds 2:23
04 Spotnicks - Ghost Riders in The Sky 2:01
05 Ventures - Sleep Walk 2:01
06 Duane Eddy - Dixie 4:23
07 Village Stompers - Dominique 1:57
08 Skyrockets - La Golondrina 3:08
09 Rene & His Alligators - Heisser Sand 2:17
10 Tony & The Initials (Les Four Kiwis) - Drunken Sailor 2:40
11 Les Mustangs - Théme Du Lac Des Cygnes 2:10
12 Electric Sound Orchestra - With A Hmm-Hmm-On My Knee 1:55
13 Les Sunlights - Caravan 2:03
14 Les Champions - Le Marsupilami 1:55
15 W Gimmicks - Daddy's Madison 2:43
16 Strangers - Telstar 3:02
17 Les Monegasques - Golf Drouot Story 2:19
18 Staccatos - Mainline 2:33
19 Lonnie Mack - Down in The Dumps 2:09
20 Krew Kats - Samovar 2:09
21 Les Space Travellers - Space Message 1:50
22 Planets - Chunky 2:16
23 Fencemen - Sour Grapes 2:04
24 String-A-Longs - Brass Buttons 2:03
Vol. 5
01 Shadows - Little B 4:59
02 Spotnicks - Take Five 3:05
03 Ventures - Caravan (Live Version) 5:42
04 Tony & The Initials - How High The Moon 4:39
05 Jet Harris & Tony Meehan - Diamonds 2:23
06 Shadows - See You in My Drums 2:46
07 Surfaris - Wipe Out 2:11
08 Dave Allan & The Arrows - The Chase 1:39
09 Rock-A-Teens - Woo Hoo 2:05
10 Sandy Nelson - Let There Be Drums 2:16
11 Phil Upchurch - You Cannt Sit Down 2:13
12 Shadows - Shadoogie 2:22
13 Ventures - Wipe Out 4:07
14 Dave Allan & The Arrows - Bongo Party 1:26
15 Surfaris - Surfing Drums 3:05
16 Sandy Nelson - Teen Beat 2:58
17 Dave Allan & The Arrows - Cycle Party 2:41
18 Shadows - Big B 3:36
19 Shadows - Little B (Live Version) 6:33
20 Dave Brubeck - Take Five 5:23
Vol. 6
01 Shadows - Wonderful Land 2:06
02 Spotnicks - Johnny Guitar 2:41
03 Ventures - Blue Moon 2:13
04 Marksmen - Night Run 2:19
05 Duane Eddy - The Battle 2:06
06 Link Wray - Rumble 2:24
07 Blue Stingrays - Surfer's Life 4:09
08 Belairs - Mr Moto 2:08
09 Les Guitars Du Diable - Calcuta 2:19
10 Richie Allen & The Pacific Surfers - The Rising Surf 2:42
11 Les Cousins - The Robot 2:44
12 Les Golden Strings - Rebel Rouser 2:18
13 Les Milords - Chevauchée Du Diable 1:53
14 Les Sorciers - Cyclone 2:25
15 Les Monegasques - Psychose 2:12
16 Les Dangers - Rocket Bye Bye 1:54
17 Les Drivers - Red River Rock 2:35
18 Les Guitares - Calvacade Sidérale 2:09
19 Les Cyclones - Let's Go 2:02
20 Les Bourgeois De Calais - Sur Un Marché Persan 2:10
21 Les Players - Your Other Love 1:55
22 Jerry Cole & His Spacemen - Pipeline 2:26
23 Les Fantomes - Tolhrac 2:28
24 Electric Sound Orchestra - P S I Love You 2:02
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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
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Thanks for this Butterboy it brings back many pleasant memories of my early teens in Perth. There was a period of a couple of years immediately after the rock & roll boom and before the arrival of the Beatles/Stones and the UK style mod/R&B music, when the instrumental groups ruled the local music scene. I guess it was circa 1960/1961 and we used to go to "stomps" around the suburbs and see these local bands playing Shadows & Ventures & Duane Eddy music. I think it was one of the reasons so many excellent guitar players appeared a bit later in the mid and late 1960s, as they had solid grounding in their formative years learning these guitar-based instrumentals.
ReplyDeleteHi Bob Mac.
DeleteThanks for sharing such a vivid and personal memory. I too have a soft spot for early instrumentals.
What a fantastic snapshot of Perth’s music scene in that transitional era. The energy of live instrumental bands, the twang of guitars echoing through suburban halls, and the excitement of a generation discovering its sound.
You’re absolutely right, those early guitar-driven groups laid the foundation for a wave of exceptional players in the mid to late ’60s. The melodic focus of instrumental music gave them a solid base to build on. It’s no wonder so many went on to shape the local and international scenes.
Glad this compilation could stir those memories.
Cheers.