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She Said, Z Said: All ‘80s, All the Time
Z: “It was a bad party. It was a bad BAD bad BAD party.”
She: No one knows what you’re talking about.
Z: “We’re hanging out. We’re hanging out.”
She: OK, I’m sorry, four people know what you’re talking about. Maybe five.
Z: The Tan. How can anyone not know about Santa Barbara’s pre-eminent surf band from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s?
She: I don’t know. They have jobs? They’ve evolved a little bit in the past three decades?
Z: C’mon. It was such a massive blast from the past seeing them during Fiesta at the all-Santa Barbara über ‘80s reunion at EOS.
She: The ‘80s again? I think that’s all we’ve written about this month. People are going to start thinking we write a column called “She Said, Z Said, Cyndi Lauper Said.”
Z: It’s August. It’s a slow news month. People will understand.
She: Really? OK. In that case, I totally agree. It was rad! I love the Tan.
Z: For those in town who don’t know, Spencer the Gardener’s first band out of high school was the Tan.
She: I saw them every chance I could get. They were so cute.
Z: I actually even hired them once, when I was in charge of getting a band for a La Colina Junior High School dance. I was a ninth-grader with excellent taste and considerable power.
She: Aha. That must have been when you were peaking.
Z: For years, every time we went to a bad party, we’d replace “bad” with whatever the party was in my favorite Tan song. “It was a bar mitzvah party. It was a bar BAR bar BAR mitzvah party.”
She: Those weren’t really bad parties — those were great parties. I remember dancing till my head was spinning.
Z: Are you sure it wasn’t the spiked Big Gulps?
She: Quite.
Z: The surprising thing to me is that apparently every generation has a Santa Barbara surf band that they love.
She: What?
Z: I was talking to a woman who is a decade older than me, and she went to a concert starring the Tridents and the Duquanes during Fiesta.
She: I’ve heard of the Duquanes.
Z: They are two local bands that have been doing surf songs forever.
She: According to an article in Southern Oregon’s Mail Tribune, “In 1966, the Duquanes triumphed at a Santa Barbara ‘Battle of the Bands’ and became a rock ‘n’ roll legend where the surf meets the sun. They became so popular that they were booked for 72 weeks in a row, an amazing feat for four teenagers who weren’t from Liverpool.”
Z: That’s awesome. The Tan’s not from Liverpool either, you know.
She: I think they’re from the Mesa. Hey, do you think Toad the Wet Sprocket counts as a surf band?
Z: Probably a stretch, even though they had a few Beach Boys-esque harmonies. But apparently, there’s a band called Kelp that’s keeping the surf beat alive these days.
She: Kelp is a good name for a surf band. Actually, the perfect name for a Santa Barbara surf band would be Tar the Tourists.
Z: Or how about just “Dude”?
She: Hey, I wonder if the Kelp audience wears towels, like guys did for Tan concerts?
Z: “It was a surf party. It was a surf SURF surf SURF party.”
She: It was really fun. Still, we seem to be stuck in the ‘80s lately. Too many margaritas or something.
Z: Uh, spiked Big Gulps?
She: Bad BAD for you on so many levels. Speaking of which, doesn’t it seem like we should have written something about health care this week?
Z: “It was a Democratic party. It was a dem DEM dem DEMocratic party.”
She: Yes, dear.
— Share your favorite surf band memories with .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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» on 08.17.09 @ 06:43 AM
Dancing with She and Z at EOS was very ‘80s and fun! Ah, those were the days. We used to go out to Winchester Canyon (the TImbers) to dance to the TAN at the under-age dance club. VERY fun!
» on 08.17.09 @ 09:57 AM
Really wherever Z&L are, that’s where the party is! That’s why I was at EOS, not to relive Tan memories, whom I’d never heard of. Either I was just out of it (very possible) or the Tan’s reach didn’t extend to the backwaters of Summerland and Carpinteria. Though note that the 80s Carp High band, The Upbeat, are still around: http://www.reverbnation.com/theupbeat
» on 08.17.09 @ 11:00 AM
Love the Tan. Thanks for much for the reminder of this fun group. Let us know if they’re playing again. I’d love to hear them.
» on 08.17.09 @ 11:13 AM
It was indeed a RAD party. Thanks for writing about this. So fun.
» on 08.17.09 @ 11:28 AM
Oh you guys make me laugh. This column is quickly becoming my favorite thing about Monday mornings. Thanks for giving me something to look forward to besides another week at work.
» on 08.17.09 @ 12:36 PM
I don’t who the Tan are but I do remember the Duquanes. I always wondered what happened to those guys. Thanks.
» on 08.17.09 @ 05:53 PM
Love the Tan. That YouTube link is great too. Thanks for another fun story.
» on 08.18.09 @ 09:23 AM
Thanks for the blast from the past. I look forward to your interview with Cindi Lauper.
» on 08.18.09 @ 03:30 PM
Love love LOVE the Tan. Thanks for letting us appreciate this vicariously.
» on 08.18.09 @ 07:49 PM
I can’t believe I didn’t hear about this. I loved the Tan. Please, let us know if they ever reunite again.
» on 08.23.09 @ 06:00 PM
So sorry I missed this. Sounds like a blast.
» on 08.23.09 @ 08:13 PM
The Tan was the band I have the most fond memories of the times. I was young and life was so much fun. The Tan made it memorable as long as I live! I can’t help but smile when I think of them, the raging parties in Montecito and everywhere else they played. Hang out at the beach all day and listen to the Tan at night, ahhh such fond memories, thank you guys for the fun!!!
» on 11.11.09 @ 11:26 PM
Help me! help me! When I was in college (a few years back), picked up The Tan EP in a bargain bin in Seattle and brought their “bad BAD” sounds to the East Coast. It was the standard Saturday evening prep listen. Alas the LP’s gone & I cannot find it on CD. Anybody know where I can find it?
Thanks!
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