The Pyramids "Penetration"

[@chriscampbell9191]

Very cool seeing an African American dude playing surf music. Left handed Strat player, like Jimi Hendrix. Dick Clark was a real class act.

[@7734Duke]

I saw them at the COW PALACE in San Francisco...they came out with BEATLES WIGS....and then shook them off and went into PENETRATION...it was a classic...

[@scretching08]

Nice!

[@victornice858]

Duke Feist cool!

[@victornice858]

Duke Feist - Hey Duke! These guys, ahead of their time in looks, the thing is, no attitutude. Reflective of the time. Good character with the young people. The terrible Viet Nam war was coming. 100000 good young people would die or be adversely effected by it. There would still be prosperity for a few more years in the middle class. -1971 was to be the beginning of the end for all of that. Many of the musical acts of the last 42 years would literally be booed off stage at this time. Also, the band was a mix of black and white. ( politically correct or just common sense ). I'll trust your judgement. God Bless Everybody!

[@dannyc1174]

Yup, yer absolutely right, Duke. In fact they did this on a number of shows - great marketing move

[@johnhollingsworth2132]

They did that when they appeared in the film Bikini Beach.

[@damonlevine]

Even though integrated pop bands were not necessarily rare in the U.S. around this time, it's still cool to see visual evidence of one. Love their mid-60s SoCal style.

[@ScotchArsh]

However, Will Glover was the only African-American in a surf band. So cool.

[@Rjelmiles]

By not playing with his instrument, he was enjoying safe sax.

[@babybear19791]

Rjelmiles Good one. 😆

[@dannyc1174]

Yeah, man, as Bradford D. sez: Good One...and it is!! lol

[@fenderstratguy]

Of course....nobody else is actually playing anything either.

[@daleskidmore1685]

Ahhhhh.....

[@davidcudlip6587]

HaHa, I just filled my Depends.

[@websurfer5772]

Yay! I found this song. Never heard of The Pyramids. I love finding old gems.

[@limburgercheese1234]

I've known Will (The "left handed guitarist") for a number of years. He got most of the old band together for a reunion at The Crazy Horse Saloon in Irvine CA in 2005ish. He once told me a story about how his Mom bought him a very expensive custom made left handed guitar in 1963, for around $500 which was a fortune in that day. Left handed guitars were not common back then. Another fun memory happened at my favorite dive bar, Swallows Inn, in San Juan Capistrano. Will was spotted in the crowd by the band that was playing that night. He sat in for a couple songs using a borrowed right handed guitar, upside down, and played some very convincing solos with the strings in backwards order.

[@stuartross4904]

Clark was so good at interviewing newcomers and making them feel at ease. Sorely missed.

[@jackuzi8252]

It took about 40 years, but their shaved-head thing finally caught on.

[@smasica]

A Brutha playing a surf tune. Cool.

[@Headsign]

A brutha paying a surf tune in a skinhead band ;)

[@SuperPattab]

@@Headsign HAHA!! Exactly what i thought!

[@dannyc1174]

Yup, that's Willie Glover. NC native who moved to Long Beach w/ his family when his dad was transferred there in the military. Only black surf musician, I think , but certainly the only left-handed black surf musician. He was not on the original recording of "Penetration" as he had gone to get something to eat during the session and missed the cut which Skip Mercier, the lead player, played both his lead and Willie's rhythm part on. But...Willie wrote and sang the flip B-side, "Here Comes Marsha", which has a wonderful melody and a number I've always loved. Think Willie is still with us and may be playing out in California.

[@danielmauro6576]

@@dannyc1174 What...they couldn't wait for Willie Glover to return from eating to include him in the original cut? Why didn't he get something to eat AFTER recording the cut, then?

[@dannyc1174]

@@danielmauro6576 I hear ya, bro....and, sadly, today I'm sure someone would be shoutin' "racism"...that it wasn't Willie's fault that he missed the session, but, in fact, it was! An', yeah, why DIDN'T he wait to eat until after?

[@Hectout]

Very nice video, and cool to see the interviewer do a great job, passing the mic to all all them, without any difference, and hypocrisy. That was apparently a great show.

[@SailorBarsoom]

Dick Clark had class.

[@Inky1967]

Dick loved the music!

[@michaelginesi6432]

Classic surf instrumental from the 60's and a music genre that continues to live on today.

[@frankmartinez4856]

This is my most favorite Surf song! Saw them at the Rhythm Collision in 2020!

[@ussclaudejones1]

Great Instrumental, one of the best all time!

[@imperialfreek]

Dick always so gracious to every guest...gives a lot of legitamacy to the acts.. interesting interview...

[@Marshall208]

"I left my guitar at home." "Don't worry, just use my saxophone. Just pretend it's a guitar."

[@karlaj.4056]

He fooled me lol

[@calebsj]

fantastic sax holding

[@elieselane2433]

....it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it..........

[@briwolfe1]

Wow! A true classic surf instrumental...good stuff!!

[@fredeagle8766]

I'm practising the sax part, but can't get the right notes.

[@trevordeke]

"Hey boys, do you want to come on my show and do some syncronized dancing while we play your single in the background?"

[@astonmargolis-dias7089]

yeah, kind of weird

[@elieselane2433]

.........."yes, we do ......... "............

[@victornice858]

trevor deke bajus Trevor, make the music yourself then be a smartass. If they held a gun to your head you wouldn't be able to play or dance this so please, don't be so cynically stupid!!

[@friedcash9815]

That's a conspiracy... jk

[@389383]

@@victornice858 Be nice nice.

[@sauquoit13456]

As noted above, on this day in 1964 {March 28th} the Pyramids performed "Penetration" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'... At the time the song was in it's second of two weeks at position #28 on Billboard' Top 100 chart, two weeks earlier it had peaked at #18 {for 1 week} and it spent ten weeks on the Top 100... "Penetration" was the California group's only Top 100 record... And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the week "Penetration" peaked at #18, the Beatles had the top three records on the Top 100, #1. I Want To Hold Your Hand", at #2 was "She Loves You", #3 was "Please, Please Me"... In addition, the Fab Four had four other Top 100 records, "I Saw Her Standing There" {at #15}, "My Bonnie" {at #26}, a covered version of "Twist and Shout" {at #55}, and "From Me To You" {at #73}...

[@larrypower8659]

“My Bonnie” was their version of a an Irish or Scottish folk standard, “My Bonnie lies over the ocean / My Bonnie lies over the sea,” etc.

[@kirbygene]

Back when America thought the Beatles' long hair was a gimmick.

[@qqrk1372]

Ah, the good ol' days when bands could play AND had cool choreography!

[@gavin2489]

The guitars aren't even plugged in. They're playing with a track

[@qqrk1372]

***** DUH!!!!

[@gavin2489]

ohhhhhhhhhh

[@ou812360]

Brings back some great memory's . A time when they played great music. First time I seen them was on a Surf movie in the early 60's

[@olivermullan4919]

I dig these guys so much and this song is by far the greatest surf instrumental out there. Absolutely immense.

[@davidcudlip6587]

Even better then "Miserlou"?

[@callmebigpapa]

If you want to learn to play the song it is on Rocksmith

[@profile2047]

What an asinine comment.

[@no1reallycaresabout2]

3:43 More than 50 years later, and mothers' reactions to their sons buzzing all their hair off hasn't changed

[@paulluchter137]

But long hair got far longer than the '64 Beatles...

[@chrisfreeman9960]

@@paulluchter137 Amazing how long hair on boys was so controversial, barbers thought they would loose out because their base of young males wouldn't be coming in for haircuts. Eventually longer hair on males prevailed, and the barbers who kept up with the times eventually became part of the male hairstyling industry. We went from barbers to hairstylists, and hairstylists made more money, thanks to the Beatles and their long hair.

[@bluesky6449]

first soul brother to show up in a white band live

[@LordWellfleet]

From what I've read, it was a whimsical anti-Beatles statement.

[@kawboyzx1400]

wow! I thought that I was the only brown person into surf music❤️🙏🏾

[@StratBurst92]

My all time favorite surfing instrumental.

[@alfredoroldanmunoz4131]

Futuristic song, and futuristic looking, thank you.

[@stoneagequeen53]

Interesting! I grew up at this time, but never heard of this song or the group. Thanks for posting. It's very representative of that time with the surfer type music, etc.

[@walpolescrew]

“Don’t worry Mom and Dad, they’re not dirty long-hairs, they play nice, wholesome, surf music. Oh, the song name? PENETRATION!”

[@5400bowen]

It was nice to see no big deal made about race back then. I sense zero uptight attitudes. The left handed black guitarist seemed completely at ease with his high school buddies. Refreshing.

[@georgecoles7988]

Love the sax solo🎷🎷🎷

[@7734Duke]

RIP Ron the drummer

[@dannyc1174]

Yes, sadly Ron McMullen passed in 2015

[@highefficiencycommunicatio7383]

Allegedly, when Alice Cooper first saw KISS, his response was: “What these guys need is a gimmick.” I don’t know why I just thought of that...

[@keegan1948]

Straight from Long Beach!

[@bobpierce115]

Love this group and the song! I do believe they were influenced by the Chantays and their instrumental classic 'Pipeline' from '63.

[@billsteinly8105]

Ed Sullivan probably would have wanted them to change the title of their tune.

[@Happynsnappy]

Shout out to Long Beach Poly High School!!!

[@G8GT364CI]

I found this from a top 40 song list from March 28, 1964 and put it in KZbin and look at the date of this show, March 28,1964 weird. It was also #28 that week. I was 11 when this was a hit. Same time as when The Beatles hit big in the U.S.

[@TrumperVex]

I'm an old guy so I was around for this stuff. And even tho I was a budding drummer, I always knew everyone on these shows was NOT playing the music. I could never understand why they didn't just play live instead of this (sometimes way off) acting stuff.

[@kentonadler]

The one dude dances with a sax better than anyone.

[@nowisthetime12]

+Kenton Adler but he neva plaz it. What's up with that?

[@elieselane2433]

....that's the way TV was done in those days ------- the mics couldn't handle the live sound, so ..............

[@barclaysauers255]

The only sport that has it's own music: 'SURFING'.

[@olvinyldude]

Dick Clark show...Those were the days Quality show, & entertainment

[@ryanscottnix]

+olvinyldude Well said! Now everything is about the shock value.

[@olvinyldude]

Yes...Sad, because so much talent lost...

[@boyvale]

The whole interview over their heads LOL.

[@ZergRushJohnny]

Epic sax solo begins at 1:58

[@davidcudlip6587]

I just blew coffee out of my nose !

[@CARLOSBARCELOIV]

Lol

[@kookadams85]

The Penetration l.p is phenomenal

[@Petemonster62]

I did not know The Pyramids had a sax player until I saw this video! If you watch the video of " Shindig " where The Dave Clark 5 play " Everybody Knows ( I Still Love You )", their sax player isn't always playing sax when he should.

[@Zehbron]

They sounded a lot like the Chantays ("Pipeline").

[@alaskan_bergwanderer]

+EyeWarnedYouB4 - These guys did this song first, The Ventures, probably along with The Chantays made it more popular. My surf band covers this, and we make sure to credit The Pyramids! :-)

[@markroberts1301]

Penetration, what a great name for a tune... When Dick posed the question at the beginning of the lead in with " It wouldn't be appropriate to ask the girls" I thought I was in a parallel universe! He segued well though!

[@clarkerobertson2764]

James Carville on bass

[@angelofinaldi5918]

Those guitars are worth a lot of money today..

[@sarahwaters4448]

isnt it weird billie jean king, camaron diaz, i think war, snoop dog . . nicolas cage, mike chavez dancer, bradley noel from sublime, pyramids, and others! . . came from poly high school lb??

[@Mr5thWave]

Nice to see a Canadian girl band, The Surfragettes, bring this oldie back. No, they're not bald. Well...at least on top...that I know of....

[@greenlantern84]

😏

[@Almogaver1305]

The first SHARP band in history...?

[@DonnieDarko1]

🤔🤔🤔

[@deathtomichaelknagge4397]

I keep asking same? Can find no dorect link but this HAD to of influenced hard mods /skins just a few years later?.but i can find nothing

[@omarmoon57]

SURF HEADS AGAINST RASH PADDLE BOARDS

[@LXNNNIE]

This is rad on so many levels.

[@davidlaliberte3759]

The sax player really added alot. Good thing he was there

[@pitsmcgoo]

Best song of all time.

[@gremmiehodad]

Before passing judgment on the talent of any of these guys listen to their the best of CD! Remember it was 1963-64! Some of their stuff was early garage! Speaking of The Beatles... Check their out there appearance in the movie " Bikini Beach" for their "hair raising" intro when they come out on stage in Beatles wigs take a bow and their wigs fly off to reveal their shaved heads! Also, Skip had to be the first guitarist to do a backflip off stage while playing! Check it out in the movie where they're having some fun with the video making him flip back and forth!

[@SailorBarsoom]

_Bikini Beach_ added to queue. Thank you for the recommendation.

[@dannyc1174]

You are right on, My Friend - thanks for standing up for The Pyramids - one of the best surf instrumental bands, but they also played a lot of R&B material.

[@bobstuckrath1805]

Radio commenter Paul Harvey supported this combo at the time as an alternative to saving the barber vocation. As a note, the Pyramids were among the very rare bands to have a bald bass/lead guitar player.

[@BIGBADWOOD]

FIRST SKIN HEAD BAND IN AMERICA !

[@pgh45rpms]

RIP drummer Ron McMullen who died in 2015.

[@gwenshusterman610]

RIP Tom - passed away in Long Beach 9/18/2003

[@MrEdsTheRef]

Great to see this original band playing their classic song and forerunner to skinhead fashion which i followed in 1969😂

[@JoshPenalty]

4:04 "Do you have to shave often?" "Well, every, so, fri, week"

[@dannyc1174]

Wow - ran across this vid again and see my last comment of 5 yrs ago! Just to correct & add a little: it should be Skip MERCIER (not "Mercer") on lead. And I forgot to note that rhythm player Willie Glover is a leftie like The King of The Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, and Dick's friend Jimi Hendrix! Also, BTW, sax man Tom Pitman was a member of the group but did not happen to play sax on "Penetration"; however the band wasn't going to exclude him from this Dick Clark show just because he wasn't playing on the record. The Pyramids were great and, once again, be sure to check out the flip side "Here Comes Marsha", as well as their later releases: "Midnight Run", "Contact" and "Pressure".

[@RELopez-mk4ic]

The Baldies...where is Terror?

+R.E. Lopez don't fuck with the baldies!

[@RELopez-mk4ic]

+bikernvet Ha Ha....Don't fuck with the Wongs! Teddy Wong LMAO!!

[@Zookzookzook13]

The Baldies are getting a different kind of Penetration....in the state penitentiary.

[@waukivorycopse2402]

Why it's Joey, my favourite Wanderer!

[@jeanoday6916]

LEAVE THE KID ALONE!!🤣

[@calebkief851]

Dang who knew Michael Che was in a band with bald guys

[@ralphbenites1819]

I see will all the time.he’s my neighbor 🎸 and good friend

[@MrPunkforlife]

The 5 Skins. 8D

[@DonnieDarko1]

😉

[@MrPunkforlife]

@Al Bundy 8D LOLOL

[@horarwgt]

"Penetration" reached #18 nationally over a 10 week chart run beginning February 2, 1964 -- just as The Beatles arrived and the surf rock era began to fade. The group did appear in "Bikini Beach" (unfortunately NOT performing "Penetration") but never scored another hit. Remarkably, a lot of beach music stars were also essentially one-hit artists (The Chantays, The Rivieras, tc.) The fact that the Pyramids recorded for the obscure Best label was no help.

[@dannyc1174]

Good comments and right on!

[@ybspain2150]

Jeux how times have changed! Bald heads give for 5 minutes of laughs and anecdotes! ... not to mention a song titled "Penetration", people were so candid they didn't even think to be outraged!

[@raveon09]

great surf stuff!

[@romcallis]

I remember them from the Frankie and Annette movies

[@kelvyquayo]

If I was crazy I’d think this was a psy-op to prepare kids for the upcoming DRAFT 😳.. the Gulf of Tonkin would be a few months after this…

[@brunoanastasi6901]

Steve Khan recorded a brilliant cover on his sensational "Casa Loco" album,1983

[@professormikeysoldschool]

Such a fun performance. More coming soon on Guitar 🎸 🦖MOMSTERS OF THE SURF GUITAR,.

[@kanealson5200]

If this isn't one of the strangest things I've ever seen.

[@keegan1948]

One's black, they're all bald, the guy with the sax isn't doing anything, and they're from Long Beach - Surf music in a nutshell

[@ralphgarcia913]

And I thought Jimi Hendrix was the first black left handed guitarist that played a Fender Stratocaster.

[@Ojoe2010]

Somehow I get the feeling these guys lost some bet the night before.....

[@GenerationX1967]

Ojoe2010 the story is they shaved their heads to protest Beatlemania...

[@arvidsmith1038]

Always felt like a rewrite of pipeline........ cool song , interacial Surf band most rare ...

[@PlayingInVestapol]

@5:44-Yeah, Thats where I've seen them before.."Beach Party Bingo". They even back Little Stevie Wonder in that movie

[@bilscu]

Wow..I remember this..........................................................

[@1Bandit455]

Great Surf song - also listen to the Ventures version - more powerful sounding :)

[@TokyoCore]

The Ventures released this in 1963... EMI-Liberty records... and indeed a very powerful version, later added to their "Ventures in Space" album in 1964.

[@loreroad]

Terrell Owens is in that group?

[@dburch7894]

Nice surf jam.

[@recordguy4321]

I'll second that, amazing post thanks NRR

[@mbaluan3894]

Being so rebellious with shaved heads and nowadays it is an everyday look.even for women!!!!!!😊

[@tomlehr861]

Im digging the moves

[@ozzyr.3749]

Billy Corgan on the bass

[@dannyc1174]

Nope - Steve Leonard ;-)

[@brucedunkle9136]

"Penetration" is great, but "Contact" is the true bad-ass, reverb-drenched surf tune in this band's catalog.

[@dannyc1174]

Yes, it is - and "Pressure" also great but what I really like is "Midnight Run" by them

[@Markieo]

The greatest surf instrumental EVER! Just my opinion, your mileage may vary...

[@claudiodean6363]

Very Cool !!!

[@MrJesseLonge]

BEST THING EVER

[@PacRimJim]

Great tune. Miss the instrumental.

[@guillermoortega4119]

AWESOME

[@jakesmith4506]

so cool

[@sugarjoe50]

With the British Invasion underway, acts like this were fading fast.

[@chelorec]

I think, Blue Man Group should do the parody on it. Can be very funny😂😂😂