Eddie & the Showmen

Eddie & the Showmen were one of Southern California's finest surf bands, enormously popular and influential on a local, home town heroes level. Led by guitarist Eddie Bertrand (originally a member of the proto-surf band the Bel-Airs), the Showmen took the ground work laid down by Dick Dale and put their own unique spin to it. They hold the distinction of being one of the very few surf instrumental groups to have a deal with a large record label. Their first single for Liberty, "Squad Car," became a true classic of the genre, showing that the band could combine melody with large amounts of excitement. Though all their singles sold well, Liberty never saw fit to release an album on the group and the group broke up before Bertrand left his teenage years behind him, changing tastes and style being the general reason for the breakup. Their music remains one of the great hidden treasures of the surf music genre. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide