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Artist
East Bay Ray
12+ albums
punkSurfcountryrockabillysurf punk
about
Raymond Pepperell, better known as East Bay Ray, is the lead guitarist for the well known West Coast punk band Dead Kennedys. Next to Jello Biafra's manic warble, East Bay Ray's tinny surf-inspired spastic guitar work was one of the defining factors of the music of the Dead Kennedys, and by extension, of the "second wave" of American punk. Before the Dead Kennedys, East Bay Ray played guitar with the rockabilly/doo-wop band Cruisin', releasing one single, Vicky's Hickey, sold at their shows. The Dead Kennedys were a notably idiosyncratic punk rock band. Although they kept their music for the most part loud, fast, and aggressive, they threw in eclectic flourishes that were easy for casual listeners to miss. These experiments were represented most prominently in the guitar playing of East Bay Ray, who took cues from sources such as film music (spy movie scores and Ennio Morricone spaghetti western scores), instrumental surf rock (the guitar stylings of Dick Dale and George Tomsco of The Fireballs), as well as the psychedelic music of the 60s (especially early Pink Floyd) with his trademark echo effects. With help from Jello Biafra & Klaus Flouride, East Bay Ray crafted a distant and driving guitar style & sound. In interviews East Bay Ray has cited the playing of Syd Barrett on Pink Floyd's first album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, as well as the music of the Ohio Players, and the guitar playing of Elvis Presley side-man Scotty Moore (with his trademark echo), as influence
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