As one of the busiest and most versatile session guitarists of the '60s, Jerry Cole recorded with a litany of legends, including Phil Spector, the Beach Boys and the Byrds. But to those in the know, he's renowned for his own incredible surf and hot rod instrumentals, which he delivered on a series of vintage albums with his band the Spacemen. Cole's modernistic recordings, however, sound completely different from other surf-and-drag releases of the period, with expansive arrangements that often featured elements of jazz and exotica, the better to showcase the guitarist's inventive, assertive playing.
One of Cole's best-loved LPs is this '64 release, which includes contributions from many of the same L.A.-based musicians who played alongside Cole in the now-legendary session ensemble known as the Wrecking Crew. Cole's powerful guitar work powers such turbo-charged numbers as "Night Rumble,""Border Run," Stinger" and "Hot Rod Queen," which live up to the album's title and then some!
Border Run
Night Drag
