Tom Stanton's roots run long and deep into the heart of surf music, picking up the guitar for the first time when he was just 14 years old, his first  influence and guitar hero was Duane Eddy.   Tom reflects "When I heard Rebel Rouser for the first time on the radio, I ran down to the record shop bought that 45rpm and must have played it a hundred times that same day!"    Tom lived and surfed on the beaches of  Southern California, he was there for the emergence of surf music, listening and playing along to bands like the Fireballs,  Dick Dale and the Del-Tones,  Dave Myers and the Surf Tones, the Sentinals, the Lively Ones and the Challengers.   Working at his Dads housing project he was able to save enough money to buy his first real guitar and amplifier.  A 1962 Fender Sunburst Jaguar,  a Fender Bandmaster Amp, and a Fender outboard Reverb Unit!  So with the music in his head and the right gear to play it, it was only a natural progression to start his first surf band in 1962.... the Avengers.  After playing for only one short summer, the word about the band and Tom's playing ability had already begun to spread.  

                                                 Tom Stanton 1963 

Tom was soon approached by the most popular bands of the time, the Crossfires, and was asked to join!   Tom reflects " there were some amazing moments with the Crossfires, such a talented group.   Becoming house band for Reb Fosters Revelair Club in Redondo Beach California was the highlight for me, that place was packed every night.. it was a wild time!"  After two years with the Crossfires a major change was about to take place, Tom then in collage was unhappy with his class schedules and dropped out only to be drafted and sent to Viet Nam.  Tom reflects "their not going to draft me!",  man was I surprised when I opened that big brown envelope and read "Congratulations you have been selected to serve in the United States  Armed Forces",   boy was I shocked.      And while in Nam he met this guy he heard playing a guitar in his hootch.... his name was Berry Curtis, he was in a band called the Kingsmen....... and recorded the infamous hit "Louie Louie".  They hooked up and formed a band while in Viet Nam... they lasted only 3 months, but managed to play quite a few of the local beers halls and even a couple of officers clubs!  After Nam they went their separate ways.

                                   Tom with his Tele ... 1969                    

After Tom returned from Viet Nam in 68 he laid low for the next few years and didn't play out that much, just surfing and working, but his guitar was always close by and he kept practicing, his new influences were Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix,  Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and David Gilmore.  Over time he played with many different bands and musicians always experimenting and developing his own style, then in the early 90's Tom put together a 3 piece  instrumental band playing all his own original  surf rock/fusion style of music.   Soon after that Pulp Fiction was released and Dick Dales legendary anthem Miserlou led the way into the new 3rd wave of surf music.   Tom, inspired by this, and drawing from his surf roots, formed the ... Surf Kings!  

Tom Stanton ... Summer 2003

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