History Music / DickDale

For a number of reasons, Dale's music ended up being influential enough on HeavyMetal that some commentators have, in all seriousness, referred to him as the Father of Heavy Metal. Part of this was his connection to the development of the amplifier and electric guitar; part of it was due to his showmanship and the intensity (and loudness) of his performances; the technique of tremolo picking, which he popularised, also wound up being ubiquitous in metal music, particularly ThrashMetal and BlackMetal. Dale also played a major role in popularising the usage of Middle Eastern scales in rock music.

* CareerResurrection: Thanks to ''Pulp Fiction''.
* CarSong / CoolCar: "The Scavenger", "Grudge Match".

* ShoutOut: Music/JimiHendrix included a tribute to Dale in the song "Third Stone from the Sun" from ''Music/AreYouExperienced'' with the line "And you'll never hear surf music again." This was Hendrix' sly way of encouraging Dale to get better after hearing that Dale had cancer. Given that Dale's career continued for some five decades afterward, one can argue that it worked. Dale later covered the song in gratitude.

* Determinator: Once said he couldn't stop touring because he'd literally die, and that sadly was NotHyperbole; due to numerous health problems, he needed touring income to pay for whatever his health insurance wouldn't cover. Fortunately, he was able to keep going until the ripe old age of 84.

* {{Instrumental}}: "Misirlou" and "Let's Go Trippin'" in particular, though there are more songs.

* {{Sampling}}: He is ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTnV_ExKicw not]]'' happy about Music/TheBlackEyedPeas using "Misirlou" for "Pump It".

* SurfRock: The TropeMaker, or at the very least, the TropeCodifier and GenrePopularizer for the first wave, if you'll pardon the pun. (Music/TheBeachBoys naturally codified and popularised the second wave.)

For a number of reasons, Dale's music ended up being influential enough on HeavyMetal that some commentators have, in all seriousness, referred to him as the Father of Heavy Metal. Part of this was his connection to the development of the amplifier and electric guitar; part of it was due to his showmanship and the intensity of his performances; the technique of tremolo picking, which he popularised, also wound up being ubiquitous in metal music, particularly ThrashMetal and BlackMetal. Dale also played a major role in popularising the usage of Middle Eastern scales in rock music.

* SurfRock: The TropeMaker.

He's also known for his staccato, rapid-fire style of playing, which lead him to break the heaviest guitar strings on the market at the time. In fact, his playing was so intense that Fender made custom amplifiers for him, including the first 100 watt amp. For these and other reasons, Dick wound up being a huge influence on Music/JimiHendrix. Interestingly, Dick was left-handed, and managed to pave all this new ground while playing his guitar upside-down ''without restringing it'', which even the fellow leftie Hendrix couldn't boast.

His heyday was in the 1960s, prior to UsefulNotes/TheBritishInvasion. However, Dick also managed a resurgence in popularity when one of his signature tunes, the cover of "Misirlou", was featured on the soundtrack for ''Film/PulpFiction''.

He's also responsible for the soundtrack to ''VideoGame/RocketJockey'', but given the [[SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove obscurity]] of said game, nobody noticed.

Dick Dale is also an environmental activist, stemming from when he almost lost a leg due to an injury from swimming, made worse by a pollution infection.

Dale now lives in Twentynine Palms, California and still occasionally performs, notably with his son, Jimmy Dale, on the drums.

* DrugsAreBad: He not only abstains from drugs, but also discourages his crew as well.

* AwesomeMcCoolname: The AddedAlliterativeAppeal helps.

His heyday was in the 1960s, prior to the TheBritishInvasion. However, Dick also managed a resurgence in popularity when one of his signature tunes, the cover of "Misirlou", was featured on the soundtrack for ''Film/PulpFiction''.

* FutureMusic: Collaborating with composer Aarin Richard and ride producer Eddie Sotto, he provided [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ypNd0cod4&feature=channel&list=UL the theme music]] for [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disneyland's]] ride Space Mountain. This piece was used from 1996 to 2003 (when the ride was closed for remodeling; after it reopened in 2005, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTfK4snGyf0&feature=channel&list=UL a new, more symphonic piece]] by Creator/MichaelGiacchino was used).

* LongRunner: Dick is definitely a lifer: his first single was released in 1959. And he's still at it.

!!LET'S! GO! [[IncrediblyLamePun TROPIN'!]]

* GreatestHitsAlbum: A career spanning over ''five decades'' is bound to build up a significant amount.

* MusicOfNote: As the pioneer of SurfRock definitely so!

* FutureMusic: Collaborating with composer Aarin Richard and ride producer Eddie Sotto, he provided [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ypNd0cod4&feature=channel&list=UL the theme music]] for [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disneyland's]] ride Space Mountain. This piece was used from 1996 to 2003 (when the ride was closed for remodeling; after it reopened in 2005, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTfK4snGyf0&feature=channel&list=UL a new, more symphonic piece]] by MichaelGiacchino was used).

* FutureMusic: Collaborating with composer Aarin Richard and ride producer Eddie Sotto, he provided [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ypNd0cod4&feature=channel&list=UL the theme music]] for {{Disneyland}}'s ride Space Mountain. This piece was used from 1996 to 2003 (when the ride was closed for remodeling; after it reopened in 2005, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTfK4snGyf0&feature=channel&list=UL a new, more symphonic piece]] by MichaelGiacchino was used).

He's also known for his staccato, rapid-fire style of playing, which lead him to break the heaviest guitar strings on the market at the time. In fact, his playing was so intense that Fender made custom amplifiers for him, including the first 100 watt amp. For these and other reasons, Dick wound up being a huge influence on JimiHendrix. Interestingly, Dick was left-handed, and managed to pave all this new ground while playing his guitar upside-down ''without restringing it'', which even the fellow leftie Hendrix couldn't boast.

* MusicOfNote

* {{Sampling}}: He is ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTnV_ExKicw not]]'' happy about TheBlackEyedPeas using "Misirlou" for "Pump It".

* TheSouthpaw
* SurferDude

He's also responsible for the soundtrack to ''VideoGame/RocketJockey'', but given the [[NeedsMoreLove obscurity]] of said game, nobody noticed.

His heyday was in the 1960s, prior to the TheBritishInvasion. However, Dick also managed a resurgence in popularity when one of his signature tunes, the cover of "Misirlou", was featured on the soundtrack for ''PulpFiction''.

* {{Sampling}}: He is ''not'' happy about TheBlackEyedPeas using "Misirlou" for "Pump It".

* EpicRiff: This guy made a career out of them!

* SignatureSong: "Misirlou," "Let's Go Trippin'."

* FutureMusic: Collaborating with composer Aarin Richard and producer Eddie Sotto, he provided [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ypNd0cod4&feature=channel&list=UL the theme music]] for {{Disneyland}}'s ride Space Mountain. This piece was used from 1996 to 2003 (when the ride was closed for remodeling; after it reopened in 2005, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTfK4snGyf0&feature=channel&list=UL a new, more symphonic piece]] by MichaelGiacchino was used).

!!LET'S! GO! [[AWorldWidePunomenon TROPIN'!]]

* ThisIsSparta: The start of "Let's Go Trippin'".

He's also responsible for the soundtrack to ''RocketJockey'', but given the [[NeedsMoreLove obscurity]] of said game, nobody noticed.

His heyday was in the 1960s, prior to the TheBritishInvasion. However, Dick also managed a resurgence in popularity when one of his signature tunes, the cover of "Misirlou", was featured on the soundtrack for ''PulpFiction''.