Norman Knowles is a surf musician, band leader, and record producer from California. He is the composer of several classic surf songs, including as co-writer of the surf classic "Church Key", which was a hit for The Revels. He also has been involved in band management, managing another surf band, The Sentinals. Knowles has made a significant contribution to the surf genre.
Background Knowles' compositions include "Church Key", "Intoxicate",History-of-rock.com - Surf Instrumental Groups, Revels and "Six Pak".Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series Volume 14, Part 5, Number 1, Music, January–June 1960 - Page 401 He also produced "Latin’Ia" by The Sentinals.The Bluegrass Special, June 2011 - Surf In Verse He was responsible for the first recorded release by The Impacts.Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands Of The Sixties, Robert J. Dalley - Page 149 He co-owned a record label with Tony Hilder. The label, Westco Records was located in Morro Bay.Who Put the Bomp, No 15, Spring 1976 - Page 42 SURF THEORY FOR THE SEVENTIESThe Illustrated Discography of Surf Music, 1961-1965, Compiled by John Blair - Page 71 As well as being the saxophonist and the band leader being of The Revels, he was also a both a member and manager of another surf rock act, The Sentinals.Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands Of The Sixties, Robert J. Dalley - Page 149
Having become tired of travelling and not making much money, Knowles got out of performing. He moved into management and booking acts. In 1989 and at the age of 50, he was working as an Amtrak ticket agent He had his own 200-acre ranch near King City in central California.The Los Angeles Times, Friday, January 6, 1989 - Reunion Discussed : Former Surf Musicians See a New Wave of Popularity - By GERALD FARIS
Career 1950s to 1960s Between 1959 and 1961, Knowles was leading The Revels.Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sixties, Robert J. Dalley - Page 259 They were originally called Gil Serna and The Rockets. When he changed their name to The Revels, the group's career took off.The Golden Age of Rock Instrumentals, By Steven Otfinoski - Page 142 He had success with a composition. Besides his co-composition with Dan Darnold, the classic "Church Key" (which was a hit for The Revels),Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series, - Page 1330 Church Key:Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius, By Philip Lambert - Page 61 he co-composed "Six Pak" which was also a California hit.Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series - Page 401Real Life Rock: The Complete Top Ten Columns, 1986-2014, By Greil Marcus - Page 403 9 = The Exiles, directed by Kent McKenzie (Milestone) and Revels, Intoxica! (Sundazed) Knowles got his inspiration for the song from Darnold's taking four seconds to drink a beer.The Golden Age of Rock Instrumentals, By Steven Otfinoski - Page 142 Along with The Revels, Knowles provided music for the Kent Mackenzie directed 1961 film, The Exiles which was about Native Americans living in Los Angeles.Drumbeat, November 2016 - Page 70 THE EXILES Years later he recalled some of the tracks they recorded for the film which included "It's Party Time" and possibly "Revellion". He stated that the song "Commanche" that was written for the movie was cut out.The Center for Studies in American Culture - September 28, 2010 The Center for Studies in American Culture September 28, 2010 (XXI:5), Kent MacKenzie, THE EXILES (1961, 72 min) Page 3 to 4 In 1962, The Sentinals released "Latin Soul" bw "Christmas Eve" on Era 3097. The A side was composed by Robert Hafner and the B side, a joint composition by Hafner and K.C. Reeth. Along with Tony Hilder, Knowles produced both sides. This was just one example of the Hilder, Knowles, Hafner involvement.45Cat - The Sentinals - Discography, The Sentinals, Latin Soul, Era 3097Discogs -- The Revels – On A RampageDiscogs -- The Revels – Revellion / Conga Twist In 1963, Surf Mania by The Surf Teens was released. In addition to producing the album, the album contained five compositions by Knowles.Standard Catalog of American Records, 1950-1975, Tim Neely - Page 1079 SURF TEENS, THEAllMusic - Surf Teens, Surf Mania, CreditsAllMusic -- Surf Teens, Surf Mania, Overview
In 1966, Knowles was out of the music business and became branch manager of an oil company. The company folded during the 1973 fuel crisis.Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands Of The Sixties, Robert J. Dalley - Page 263
Later years He played on the California Live album by Merrell Fankhauser which was released in 1991.Reverb Central - Merrell Fankhauser - California Live Along with Sam Eddy and Tony Hilder, Knowles worked with Bob Irwin of Sundazed to aid in the 1994 release of Intoxica! The Best Of The Revels. Irwin had done the same with another surf producer John Hodge for a release by The Pyramids.Billboard, August 10, 1995 - Page 87 REVERSE TAKEOFF: SURF'N'ROD MUSIC REVIVALS INTENSIFIESGoldmine Standard Catalog of American Records: 1950-1975, Tim Neely - Page 1004 In 1995, he was a member of the reformed version of The Centurians and they played at the 1995 Pier Fest at Huntington Beach.Surf Bands of the Sixties (Second Edition), by Robert J. Dalley - , 9781560750420 - Page 53The Centurions Surf Band, Myspace - Photos In 1997 Knowles played on the Bustin' Surfboards '97 album for The Tornados, on the track "Devils Tail". He recalled the difference in the recording session as it was back in 1962, compared to how it was in 1997.The San Bernardino County Sun, Friday, May 23, 1997 - The Tornadoes busy 'Bustin' Surfboards' again By JASON FOSTER
Influence Among the musicians that have been influenced by Knowles is Bill Swanson, sax player for surf band, The Eliminators.The Eliminators - About Us, Bill Swanson - Sax
Management Not long before The Impacts, a Del-Fi act had their California surf hit "Latin’ia", Knowles offered to manage them.San Luis Obispo Tribune, March 01, 2012 - Surf music: SLO County's radical history Patrick S. Pemberton In 1962, Knowles had introduced the group to Tony Hilder.Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sixties, Robert J. Dalley - Page 259 By 1963, Knowles was managing The Sentinals, who at that time, according to the San Lus Obispo Telegram-Tribune were fast becoming as big a draw as the Four Seasons in the Valley area.San Lus Obispo Telegram-Tribune Saturday March 16, 1963 - S.L.O. Musicians Gain Momentum In Struggle For National Notice, By Tom Valentine
Record Producer His label, Westco was in operation from around 1962 to 1965. The main purpose of the label was to have recordings played on air and to sell them to the larger record companies.Who Put the Bomp, No 15, Spring 1976 - Page 42 SURF THEORY FOR THE SEVENTIES
In the late 1990s, the Bacchus Archives record label got in touch with him about the Surf Teens' album he produced in 1963. The album was released on the budget Sutton label and was distributed by the rack jobbers at their usual outlets. Due to the budget type release of the original, there was no info on the record or the cover about the band. There was a rumor that Knowles had some unreleased recordings of the group which turned out to be true. The record was re-released on vinyl as a limited edition of 500 pressings.Independent Label Distribution, September, 2014 - COMING OUT ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, THE SURF TEENS, Surf Mania, LP
Partial production list Group / Act Release Catalogue Year Notes # The Revels "Revellion" / "Conga Twist" Impact 22-IM, 22-IMX Side A co-composed with Mark HilderProducer both sidesDiscogs - Norman Knowles, Discography, Production The Sentinals Latin'ia / "Tor-Chula" WCEB 23 1962 Producer both sides The Sentinals "Latin'ia" / "Tor-Chula" Era 3082 June 1962 Producer for both tracks The Sentinals "Latin Soul" / "Christmas Eve" Era 3097 December 1962 Both tracks co-produced with Tony Hilder The Revels With Sam Eddy "It's Party Time" / "Soft Top" Westco WC-3 / WC-4 Producer both sides Kenny Hinkles' FriendsKerry Hinkle "The Bee" / "Over You" Westco WC-5 1963 Producer both sides45Cat - Search 45cat, "Norman Knowles" Jeff Hamman And The Surf-Teens "Moment Of Truth" / "Moonshine" Westco WC-9 1963 Producer both sidesDiscogs - The Surf Teens, Discography, Singles & EPs The Sentinals "I've Been Blue" / "Hit The Road" Westco WC 12 1964 Side b co-composed with J. Waller, The SentinalsProducer both sides The Revels On A Rampage Impact 1LP-IM 1964 Discogs - The Revels – On A Rampage
Group / Act Release Catalogue Year Notes # The Surf Teens Surf Mania Sutton SSU 339 1963 Later released on Bacchus Archives BA 1127Discogs - The Surf Teens – Surf Mania Sutton – SSU 339Discogs - The Surf Teens – Surf Mania, Bacchus Archives – BA 1127Album producer The Revels On a Rampage Impact 1LP-IMX 1964 Executive producerDiscogs - The Surf Teens – Surf Mania
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