The ShadowMusic Web Community

Just been announced that he died of a heart attack last week whilst doing a solo tour in Japan.
A number of tributes posted on the web and on the Ventures Official Site

Mike

Sad news...RIP Gerry...he was a great player..

That's all three main lead players of the Ventures who have now sadly passed away..Gerry, Bob Bogle and Nokie Edwards..

So So sad, loved his lead playing with the Ventures.
all my favourites going.
R.I.P Gerry, never be forgotten.
Norman

Rest in peace Gerry...

cockroach wrote:Sad news...RIP Gerry...he was a great player..

That's all three main lead players of the Ventures who have now sadly passed away..Gerry, Bob Bogle and Nokie Edwards..

Of the original band, only Don Wilson is still with us. Although he is retired from touring with the group, I think he does still record with them.

That is sad news.

It was indeed sad news, four months ago.

i only became aware of Gerry McGee through the recordings posted on YouTube; he made a valuable contribution to The Ventures' canon of work - sadly all things must past - but I did note that there may be a new documentary on The Ventures. A new update was due as previous programmes have taken the story only up to the 1980's, and The Ventures were still active until a couple of years ago, both on stage and putting out new recordings and solo things.

Kindest regards,
Christopher

I thought that The Ventures, subsequent to the loss of Gerry McGee and the retirement of Don Wilson, were done, but I am glad to see, from their website the band, with a mix of old and newer members, intend to keep going. I think that is inspirational.

Kindest regards,
Christopher

I think it was Bob Bogle‘s simple style that attracted fans back in 1960 and brought the Ventures to national and worldwide fame. So many wanted to learn to play guitar or form guitar bands, because they would listen to Bob Bogle and say, “I can do that!“

Walk Don’t Run seemed simple t to do.

Nokie Edwards was of course the more accomplished guitarist. However, if from day one he had been the lead guitarist of the Ventures, playing his style, the Ventures may not have become the hit they were. As I said, the simplicity of Bogle‘s style was probably a major component of their early sound and success. That is true of Hank Marvin and the Shadows, too, probably.

Gerry McGee, playing with a thumb pick and usually no trem bar, had his own style, very different from the original Ventures’. Although he was an excellent guitarist, I didn’t relate much to his music. It was no longer “Ventures” to me.

The Ventures is like George Washington’s axe The head and handle have been replaced many times, but people still refer to it as George Washington‘s axe.

Sorry, my thoughts only.

With best regards,

Andy

Very true Andy - perhaps they ought to call it Sons of the Ventures, or Ventures 2, as per the movies and comic book worlds?

In my country, the rise of The Beatles wiped out from the media most of the artists and performers from the period 1956 to 1963. All the local bands dropped the Shadows tunes from their set lists and replaced them with Beatles and R&B and blues tunes.It was not until the current century when, thanks to the Web, I was able to catch up, so to speak, with all that I had missed or not been aware of.

My preference is for The Ventures in the period 1960 to 1965, after which they recorded more covers and less original material. For commercial reasons I guess.

During a visit to Paris in 1962 I found the EP "Twist with The Ventures" - in Hanover in 1979 I purchased "Bobby Vee Meets The Ventures", and about 10 years ago, in a old record store I got the first two Ventures' albums on a CD. Now I just need to click on YouTube!

It just provides an alternative to the mass produced stuff that the Multimedia conglomerates want to stuff us with! I have tried to watch the most recent 1/2 doz Bond movies and given up after about 30 minutes - they are all stunts and CGI.

End of rant!

Kindest regards,
Christopher