Ventures named to rock hall of fame

The Ventures, the rock band born in a Tacoma construction site almost 50 years ago, will cement its place in music history with its induction into Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in March.

Perhaps best known for the "Hawaii Five-0" TV theme, The Ventures is one of the most prolific rock groups ever, selling some 100 million recordings worldwide.

The band was formed in 1959 when masonry workers Bob Bogle and Don Wilson met at a construction site in Tacoma and found they shared a love of rock 'n' roll. On an impulse, they bought two guitars — a six-string for Wilson and a bass for Bogle — at a pawnshop, got some chord books and taught themselves to play. They recruited drummer Howie Johnson (later replaced by Mel Taylor) and guitarist Nokie Edwards. Wilson, Bogle, Taylor and Edwards still constitute the core of the band.

Their first gig was at a small Tacoma bar called the Blue Moon, where they became the house band, at $15 a night. They saved up $300 to make their first single, "The Real McCoy," on which Wilson did an imitation of Walter Brennan, the star of the then-current "The Real McCoy" TV series. The single flopped, so the band went totally instrumental for its next single, "Walk Don't Run," which went to the top of the charts in the summer of 1960.

They haven't looked back since. They still concentrate on instrumentals, although they cover some vocal rock tunes in their shows.

With the success of "Walk Don't Run," the group relocated to Los Angeles, where they recorded a series of rock instrumental hits, including TV's "Hawaii Five-0." Other hits include "Telstar," "Ram-Bunk-Shush," "Perfidia" and "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue."

"The 'Hawaii Five-0' recording was a big production, with 35 pieces," Wilson said Thursday in a phone interview. "It doesn't typify the Ventures like 'Walk Don't Run' does."

Wilson, who moved back to the Seattle area in 1995 after 35 years in L.A., called The Ventures "the Rodney Dangerfield of rock bands — no respect at all!"

Until Thursday.

"We've been eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 20 years," he explained, "so when we found out we were one of the finalists a couple of months ago, that was nice enough. We didn't think we'd make it. But we did!

"Now I can't retire. I'm a star!"

Wilson, who turns 75 in February, was joking. The group has been looking forward to its 50th anniversary in 2009, he said.

The Ventures have been the most popular American rock band in Japan for more than 40 years, Wilson said. They recently completed their 45th sold-out tour there. The Ventures have released many more albums there than here — at least two a year. Its superstar popularity in Japan has sustained the band all these years. Wilson said the band has recorded some 120 albums all told.

The band rarely performs in America. Its last major performance locally was at the opening of Experience Music Project in 2000. But its induction into the Rock Hall — which will get a lot of attention because Madonna will be inducted at the same time — may renew its career outside Japan.

Wilson jokingly said he has a bone to pick with the Hall. After he and the band were given a VIP tour of it some years ago, their guide showed them how to look up the band on the Hall's Web site. He was identified on it as "Don Smith."

"Maybe now they'll get it right," he joked.

Patrick MacDonald: 206-464-2312 or pmacdonald@seattletimes.com