Skaterhater - The Phantom Surfers & Davie Allan (America)

Label:	Lookout Records
Released:	1998
Highlights:	Curb Job (Skaterhater Overture) Supercycle (Love Theme From Skaterhater) Grindhouse Drag Run

Rating: 7.5/10


Skaterhater is probably not only the world?s first and only surf instrumental rock opera but also the first instrumental album that contains actual songs (those wacky Phantom Surfers...) Performed as a collaboration between The Phantom Surfers and Davie Allan (The Man With The Fuzzrite), Skaterhater is actually pretty good. The theme is based loosely around the somewhat silly story of how, back in 1966, the residents of a town called Sidewalk City conspired and subsequently managed to rid their town of all skateboarders. For nearly 30 years they managed to keep their town free of the skateboard skurge until one day they reappeared and once again the residents of Sidewalk City and the skaters went to war.

Of course, being an instrumental album, such storylines doesn?t count for much and instead it?s the playing that counts. Skaterhater is dominated by Davie Allan, whose guitar sound is so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. The sound is also pretty good for a Phantom Surfer?s record especially seeing the whole album was recorded on a one track. All in all, Skaterhater is not an essential album but is pretty cool all the same.

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