57 Years Ago: The Trashmen Release ‘Surfin’ Bird’

The band’s founding members recall the surf music classic that influenced punk rock

On November 13, 1963 the Trashmen released the surf rock classic “Surfin’ Bird.” Despite its sound, the band recorded the song 2,000 miles away from the sun, sand and surf of Southern California.

By 1962, the Trashmen had developed a loyal following in Minneapolis, where they played covers of tunes by Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis at roller rinks, armories and ballrooms. Drummer and lead singer Steve Wahrer, lead guitarist Tony Andreason, rhythm guitarist Dal Winslow and bassist Bob Reed were in their teens when they formed what would become the prototypical garage band.

Later that year, a trip to California by Wahrer, Andreason and Winslow would change the band’s musical direction. Andreason says that he immediately fell under the spell of the Southern California surf.

“I had never seen the ocean. I had never been even close to the ocean. I remember when we saw it, I just went out on the beach and I just sat there staring at it.”

At Huntington Beach, the band fell in with some local surfers, who introduced them to the infectious beat of surf rock.