the ventures didn’t write “pipeline.”

Bob Bogle will be sorely missed, not just in America, but in Japan where The Ventures enjoyed tremendous respect. With the absence of potentially-offensive lyrics, The Ventures could be enjoyed by everyone from every walk of life. I’ll never forget the effect they had on my own life, Fare well, Bob.

Bob did play lead (most notibly on “Walk DOn’t Run” and “Perfidia” but he was the bass player for much longer, and a real innovator on that instrument.

well i guess all good things come to an end and with deepest respect we have truly lost a pioneer in music-having listen to the ventures growing up all things must pass and indeed this is true

I OWE MY 45 YEARS OF GUITAR PLAYING
TO THE VENTURES. ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF MUSICIANS WORLDWIDE, THE VENTURES WERE PROBABLY OUR FIRST AND GREATEST INSPIRATION.RIP BOB BOGLE, AND THANKS FOR THE MUSIC THAT CAPTIVATED US ALL.

you’re right – it’s the Chantays who wrote it, but the Ventures did make a popular rendition of it on their Surfing album – EVH could easily have meant that. that’s how a lot of Ventures recordings were – they took very popular songs and made them their own, and often those versions became popular in their own right.

in any case, here’s to Bob – one hell of a great guitarist/bass player (if you don’t believe it, listen to some of their later recordings, especially the non-hits)

I saw them a couple of years ago, and they were still great. Real pioneers. Sad to see Bob go.

The Ventures were a huge influence on a band I am in. And are TACOMA LEGENDS. We were lucky enough to get to open for them once years ago. They were/are all so nice and down to earth guys. Bob will be missed MEGA BIG TIME. R.I.P.

Uncle bob.. You will be remembered til the end of time.. Loved and missed by all…

RIP Uncle Bob…
Ur Family in oklahoma

I knew Bob since I was born, and will miss him… he certainly enjoyed an accomplished, full life though. R.I.P., Bob.

What a great person and band! I’m going to pull out Albums today…Guitar Freakout! Or the collection of them doing all the TV. show songs!
God bless him and his Family.

When I heard “Walk Don’t Run” in 1960, to me that was my bands Theme song in 1964. Later years my band with my two sons stayed with that theme while playing in Palm Desert Ca. Bob will always be in my memories. Mel Taylor and Bob Bogle must be ripping up Rock and Roll Heaven. His style was one in a million. Listen to the songs.. I will miss you Bob.

You were very HOT..rest in peace sweet man…

You were very HOT..rest in peace sweet man…

I knew Bob, not as the musician, but as my friend’s dad. I was a friend of his son when I was in High School and admired Bob’s calm, easy-going personality. I’m very sad to hear he passed. Farewell, Bob. Rest in Peace. To the rest of the family – my sincere, heart-felt condolences to you.

This is a sad day for us all. My first licks on the guitar were from the ventures. playing till i die 37yrs praying for the family you left behind rest in peace.

Merci, Monsieur Bogle.

The Ventures inspired me to play guitar. Bob’s guitar and bass playing have been a huge influence on me.
RIP Bob, and condolences to the whole Ventures family.

I have been a Ventures fan since I was a young boy that first discovered them in 1962. They influnced my musical career as they did to countless other musician’s and I have been a fan for all these years. I regret that I never got to meet Bob. I met Don, Nokie and the late Mel Taylor when performing in my city of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada in 1984 and unfortunatly Bob was not on that tour with them.
By watching videos that I have of The Ventures, Bob always shows a sincere, warm friendly personality. A gentle person whom would be so likeable to anyone just like the other band members whom were the nicest gentlemen.

A true innovator and master of guitar and bass guitar.

Rest in eternal peace Bob. You will be greatly missed by so many.

Van Halen didn’t say The Ventures wrote “Pipeline”, he just learned to play their version first.

I will absolutely miss Bob’s incredible bass play, his genuine niceness.

Why is the theme from ST. ELMO’S FIRE on this playlist?

We’ve lost an all time great, but we’ll always have the music he gave us. My definition of classic is something that never goes out of style. Bob and his playing are classic and timeless…..

I started listening to the Ventures in the 60’s and I started to play the guitar as a hobby and the first song I learned was a Ventures song called Lets Go. I still play the guitar as a hobby to relax and I only play Ventures music. It is my favorite music to play. Bob was a wonderful man to give us his musical talent. His kindness will be missed.

My first musical memory was from a Coors beer commercial in the early 1980’s…. It had the Ventures’ “Walk Don’t Run” in the background and I’ve loved the song (and the band) ever since. I was even teaching one of my students that song (and “Dick Tracy” to another) last week before this news broke out!

Your music will certainly live on, Bob.

Thank you!

I remember Bob showing me how to play “Walk Don’t Run” on his living room couch in Vanouver with his son Brandon and I sitting there. He had a Jazzmaster and just sat there and showed me his way to play it. Brandon; my heart goes out to you and the family. I will be at the services if possible. I know it’s been years; but those were great days I’ll never forget! The band in Heaven just got a great new player. In peace Bob go knowing you were loved and always will be remembered by those you touched.

I was in Hawaii in 1961 through 1963 and organized an intrumental band with the Ventures as inspiration. Bob was a genius in his ability to turn an average piece of music into a work of art. We, as a group, developed a following thanks to the Ventures and Bob, as well as Don and Mel and the rest of the group. God bless you Bob and keep on “Whammin’” with the R&R group in heaven.

Thank you, Bob, for being one of the first influences on my guitar playing.
As a boy of 11, I heard the incredible folk guitar stylings of Peter, Paul,& Mary.
Soon after, I had an acoustic guitar.
Then I heard The Ventures, and my heart fell to their music.
The Beatles soon followed and that sealed the deal.
I HAD to get amplified!!
“Walk, Don’t Run” is the best 2 minutes in rock ‘n’ roll.
Like Eddie Van Halen, the Ventures version of “Pipeline” was the version that I learned, along with”Honky Tonk”,and “Morgen”, bothfrom their first record album(the fact that I am using the word “album” should give away my age,eh?).
Also, the drumming of Mel Taylor was a key ingredient to the Ventures sound, and he has been sorely missed for awhile.
I hope you send these comments to the family to indicate just how much we revered Bob as a player.
We miss him already.

The Ventures were a great band who proved that instrumental music could be just as interesting as vocal music. My favorite album of thiers is “The Ventures in Space.” I have been trying to conceptualize an album as cool as that one for years but have only failed at it. Maybe I’ll meet you in the after life Bob, God Bless

Like others on this site, I grew up listening to The Ventures and learned to play my first guitar licks from their LPs. I met Bob in California in the late 90s during a gig. Even more incredible than Bob’s talent was his easy going, affable personality. He was interested in getting to know others rather than talk about him self. A true gentleman. We will all miss him.

Rest in Peace Bob. You were a great inspiration for many guitar and bass players including myself. My thoughts and prayers are with your family at this time.

When I along with other aspiring guitarists in my NYC neighborhood were trying to learn guitar, the Ventures provided the model for many of us. “Walk Don’t Run” was a cool guitar number but the album that really blew all of us away was “The Ventures in Space.” I can still remember hearing it for the first time and thinking: “That’s the way I want my band to sound!” It’s truly a sad day for rock guitarists everywhere. Bob Bogle was a wonderful instrumentalist and all-around great guy. His music will remain in our hearts and minds until the day we join him. When I get home tonight, I’ll take down the old Tele, turn on the amp, make sure its got plenty of reverb, and then play some Ventures tunes in memory. R.I.P Bob.

EJR: Of course not. But they did the version that everyone recognizes and that helped make their “Surfing” album great.

The thrill of my 75 years was being able to see the Ventures perform live in Lake Tahoe Nv. after following their music since day one!
So long Bob and wish only the best for what may lay ahead for you. There will never be another like you or a group like “The Ventures”

Make that 250 Albums released and over 3000 songs recorded for The Ventures. That was the ammo we needed when we spearheaded the campaign for Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction…and we didn’t even mention how they provided the instrument music for some songs of The Monkees, Hollywood Argyles and drummer Mel Taylor was on Monster Mash and Lonely Bull as well….
Thank you Bob Bogle for giving another great guitar sound to American rock and roll!

On occasion, my dad would stay up late. He’d get drunk, yell at the Philco stereo, which you had to put on 45 to get 33. He listened to more than one genre, he listened to vocal music and instrumental. He listened to the Ventures. I didn’t like him keeping me, my mom and sister awake, but it was an education. He listened to the Ventures when he was stone cold sober, relatively sober

Thank you for all that good music.
A tremendous bass guitar!

Saw them when inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame a few yrs back. They still had it. A correction: Telstar was a hit for The Tornados.

Saw them when inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame a few yrs back. They still had it. A correction: Telstar was a hit for The Tornados.

Truly saddened by this passing…I owe my interest and first musical steps to “Play Guitar with The Ventures”…a instructional Album put out by Dolton (their long time record label) in the late 60’s…Bob was the instructor on that effort…and I owe him a huge debt…Rock on Robert!

I had been a fan since I first started listening to music as a young child! Bob and the Ventures were truly wonderful! I saw them in 1997 at the HOB and it was a fantastic show. Unfortunately, I think that was around the time that Bob was first diagnosed. I still wear my Ventures tour shirt! Such a great guy and awesome talent! Farewell Bob. You and Mel will always be missed!!! So glad you lived to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction! You guy deserved it!!!

I had been a fan since I first started listening to music as a young child! Bob and the Ventures were truly wonderful! I saw them in 1997 at the HOB and it was a fantastic show. Unfortunately, I think that was around the time that Bob was first diagnosed. I still wear my Ventures tour shirt! Such a great guy and awesome talent! Farewell Bob. You and Mel will always be missed!!! So glad you lived to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction! You guy deserved it!!!

I had been a fan since I first started listening to music as a young child! Bob and the Ventures were truly wonderful! I saw them in 1997 at the HOB and it was a fantastic show. Unfortunately, I think that was around the time that Bob was first diagnosed. I still wear my Ventures tour shirt! Such a great guy and awesome talent! Farewell Bob. You and Mel will always be missed!!! So glad you lived to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction! You guy deserved it!!!

The reason I stil play a Jazzmaster guitar has passed on. I learned to play guitar more from sitting in front of the record player figuring out Bob’s music than I ever did in all the formal lessons I took. A legend is gone but not forgotten.

In 1960, I saw Bob Bogle and the Ventures at the Army Guard armory in Moscow, Idaho. Not a musician myself but a forever fan of the gutair, I called the local station KRPL after hearing ‘Walk Don’t Run’ hoping to find a copy but only their ‘demo’ was to be had. But soon I had my own ‘45′. I sat down this afternoon and listened to 3 of their albums. Still the best.

In 1960, I saw Bob Bogle and the Ventures at the Army Guard armory in Moscow, Idaho. Not a musician myself but a forever fan of the gutair, I called the local station KRPL after hearing ‘Walk Don’t Run’ hoping to find a copy but only their ‘demo’ was to be had. But soon I had my own ‘45′. I sat down this afternoon and listened to 3 of their albums. Still the best.

I have followed the Ventures for many, many years. I was fortunate enough to become quite friendly with Bob,Don, Nokie and Mel for a while in the late 70’s. Bob was a very interesting character and will be sorely missed

RIP bob, a great ,great loss to the music community.

“Walk dont run” was one of the first rock’n'roll songs I first listened to, back in 1964 in my hometown Porto Alegre, in southern Brasil. Still a fan of the great Ventures. Best vibes from south america.

Elmo, St. Elmo’s Fire is on there because the Ventures actually covered it in the 80s for one of their movie theme cover albums. They also covered Ghostbusters and a medley of Axel F/Miami Vice for the same album. God only knows how that one obscure track ended up on the list with the more famous ones.

A true legend of rock guitar.One of my main influences,R.I.P.,BOB.

Merci beaucoup monsieur Bogle.

As others have pointed out, the Ventures didn’t write “Pipeline” (or “Walk, Don’t Run” or several other songs they covered, but like those two songs, they did in my opinion the definitive versions, as Hendrix did with “Watchtower” – think “Let’s Go”, “Lonely Bull”, etc. I had the pleasure of meeting Bob and Don backstage after a show (as a 13-year old) in the Philippines. They were very friendly and gracious to this then-young fan. 48 years later I still remember that meeting. Bob will be sorely missed; he influenced 2 generations of guitarists and was always a gentleman. Many of today’s rock guitarists could use a lesson from him – a true Hall of Famer!

Happy trails Bogleman. You are missed by millions to include me.

A lot of people think that it was the Beach Boys who introduced California to the rest of the world. Nope, The Ventures made history by putting their unique twist on Rock ‘n Roll, creating a new genre of music – Surf Rock. It was their Surf Rock that introduced the world to Southern California’s lifestyle, later enlisting Jan and Dean, The Beach Boys etc. to help spread the gospel according to The Ventures. Bob Bogel really caught the music world by surprise with his surf wild whammy bar and masterful guitar work, helping make shooting Pipeline look easy. He defines Hawaii and if Pipeline or Wipe Out isn’t that state’s state song, then California should claim them both, having radio stations play whichever one best suits the current surf conditions. His music laid the foundation for California beach and surf movies. And while I’m at it, how many Bob Bogel recordings do you think Jeff Beck has?

Johnny Transistor,
June 21, 2009

Like so many, my first band did lots and lots of Ventures songs, more than a dozen, they literally taught us how to play together as a band. We idolized them. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

I am in a surf tribute band, we cover many Ventures tunes….by far one of the most influential guitar players of our time!!! Still I’m Sad May Bob be rockin’ in Heaven!!

I played rhythm guitar in our high school folk group in the late 60’s & early 70’s but my greatest influence was always the Ventures. I literally wore out the albums I purchased. What a tremendous influence they were. Very intriguing that the Japanese recognize their greatness far beyond us in this country.

I was there from “Day One”…you will be missed by so many..The Day One Man.

Stuart

Bob Bogle was the best, in many ways. The Ventures are are great bunch of guys, and great to their fans. For Ventures news, check out the Yahoo group “undergroundfire2″. On their 50th anniversary year, The Ventures are playing 50-some shows in Japan this summer!

No hablo ingles pero quiero decir, que siento mucho el deceso de Bob Bogle, a quien admire desde mi niñez, de igual manera como lo fue Mel Taylor, y a los demas integrantes de The Ventures. A pesar de ello, The Ventures, debe continuar el Show, sigan adelante.
Mis mayores respetos.

The Ventures truly were the greatest instrumental group. It would be hard to pick a favorite album, but “Rock ‘n Roll Forever” ranks right up there. Your music will live on forever. R.I.P. Bob.

Last week I was at ‘the ‘Records to the Rafters (Red Deer) and re-scored an album 40 years lost; Golden greats by the Ventures. I cannot remember ever, as an adult, being so excited. A couple of months before, I scored two VHS tapes – copies of a Lacombe, Alberta player who is friends of the ‘V’. Like the Beatles and the greatest of the greats, the Ventures carved a niche that was merely exemplified by the gentle, sweet, ferociousness of Bob Bogle’a playing; whether bass or guitar. Mel, Bob, Don. Nokie,(in awe of your music since before i began playing} You were magic – you were – well you were – and still are – ‘the Ventures

I spent a great deal of time and heart composing a tremendous tribute to the Ventures and. of course – Bob. and you wiped it out, erased it ’cause I ain’t a dumn ass Yank – Fuck you – their music was universal. Deny me the right to voice a Canadian tribute?’ Fuck you!!!!!

I was with BOB, Nokie, and Mel at their Galveston, Texas concert a long while back as a guest back stage, etc. and with them throughout the day. Im a guitar man too! Nokie is my mentor. Bob played the electric bass like he was on lead guitar. He will be missed. Mow with the also GREAT Mel he will not be forgotten. A real nice guy too!I’ll never forget. Go Ventures! Their music is a Foundation for all musicians.

I have just found out that Bob had passed away…the good Lord likes good guitar picking too!!

Bob Bogle, Don Wilson, and Nokie Edwards were my inspiration in high school. It was because of them I started playing guitar..and I still do today. I still play a lot of the Ventures songs…I don’t care who wrote them, they will always be The Ventures’ Songs.

I had the great pleasure of talking to Nokie Edwards several times, twice he called me discussing his new guitar The Hitchkiker.

If anyone has info on Don Wilson I would appreciate it if they would share it for I would like to send Don a message. My email address: lharvey@alabamaladder.com

T here is none to compare the work of Bob Bogle, maybe some day we can be together and play in a place greater than this…

Lane Harvey – Georgia

It might be pointed out thst we Yanks can spell “dumb” correctly.

Although “that” is sometimes a challenge.

I’m am so Sorry to here of Bob’s passing! My Heart goes out to Bob and his family! If I Had a song to Choose, it Would be “Cherry pink and Apple Blossom White” Taken’ from the Colorful Ventures Album… You Can Tell What Kind of Guitar it is and Also Who’s Playing it! That if your a guitar freak like Myself…. truly the Best for that soft,Velvet like Vintage Sound…. the Best!!!

“Walk Don’t Run” got me started playing guitar all those years ago and I still play it today. Thanks Bob