Rockin’ from the roots

Suzie Harrison

If one mixed music, waves, sunshine and fun, they would come up with

the Fabulous Nomads, who claim to be Orange County’s oldest surf

band.

“We formed the band a long time ago,” lead guitarist John Daffron

said. “I was a swim coach at the YMCA Newport, a father was in a surf

band that needed a guitar player; I started playing with them 16

years ago.”

Based in Newport Beach, they play up and down the coast, from

Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Frontman Phil O’Brien started playing surf music back in the 1960s

with a band called 7th Sons. It wasn’t until 1983 that the Fabulous

Nomads were started.

“Phil got permission to carry on the name from the old ‘60s surf

band the Nomads,” Daffron said. The other band members are bassist

Steve LaCorte, keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Scott Fitzpatrick and

drummer Kirk Radmore.

The band’s drummer before Radmore, Joe Shockley, died from a

stroke last summer.

“It took a while to get our feet back on the ground,” Daffron

said.

“Nineteen years ago, when the Nomads where just forming, Joe was

Kirk’s music teacher -- Kirk is one of Joe’s son’s friends,” Daffron

said. “It was just like having a family member take over, which was a

nice poignant end to a tragic thing.”

When the band recently won “Best Roots Band” at the Orange County

Music Awards, they dedicated it to Shockley.

“Roots music is home grown, grass-roots, unique to that

geographical area,” Daffron said. “Surf music is the unique form of

music in Southern California, unique to anywhere in the world.”

Describing their music, Daffron said the band has an energetic

style.

“It’s harder edged than traditional surf music,” Daffron said. “We

see our mission as keeping surf music alive and advancing the

elements of original surf music -- it’s just a little more complex.”

O’Brien describes the band as a fun, dance party band.

“Anyone can join in when they want,” O’Brien said. “This gang is

perfect. We have a lot of fun. I’ve been through nine bass players.

They’re flakes. I really like some of our original stuff. Everything

is just fun to play.”

Because of their roots in the community, Daffron said it wasn’t

uncommon to donate time to play at local benefits or fund-raisers.

“Pat is a music teacher in Newport, Phil works for the city, and I

teach fourth grade at Newport Heights,” Daffron said. “We’re all

local fixtures here. We play for causes and school fund-raisers.” An

album is in the works for release June 14. It will be the group’s

second, called “Rumblin’ Down the Highway.”

The members write a lot of their own songs, Daffron said, but on

this release there will be two cover tunes. The CD release party will

be at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.

Other upcoming events are the Balboa Island Art Walk this month

and the Balboa Island Parade on June 1.

To find out more about the band or to book a gig, go online to

www.fabulousnomads.com.