As the sun reaches its zenith on this summer solstice, it’s only fitting to revisit the band whose music became synonymous with the golden glow of surf culture: The Sandals. Born from the coastal breezes of San Clemente, California, this pioneering surf rock group carved their name into music history with a sound as fluid and sun-drenched as the waves they celebrated.
Formed in 1962 by high school friends Danny Brawner, Gaston and Walter Georis, and the Blakeley brothers, John and David, the band originally called themselves The Twangs—a nod to their Ventures-inspired guitar work. After a few name changes, they settled on The Sandells, eventually morphing into The Sandals, a name that evoked both the beach and the laid-back lifestyle they embodied.
Their big break came when filmmaker Bruce Brown heard their demo and invited them to score his now-iconic 1966 documentary, The Endless Summer. The result was a perfect marriage of image and sound. The band’s shimmering instrumentals—especially the instantly recognizable “Theme from The Endless Summer”—captured the freedom, thrill, and serenity of chasing waves around the globe. It remains one of the most enduring pieces of surf music ever recorded.
Unlike the vocal-heavy hits of The Beach Boys, The Sandals leaned into moody, melodic instrumentals that let the ocean do the talking. Their music was cinematic, atmospheric, and deeply tied to place—an auditory postcard from the edge of the Pacific.
Though the band disbanded in the late 1960s, their influence rippled through generations of surf rockers and indie filmmakers. Guitarist John Blakeley later joined the San Francisco band Stoneground, while the rest of the group pursued other creative paths. Yet their legacy lives on every time a longboard glides across a glassy wave—or when a summer playlist calls for something timeless.
As daylight lingers into the evening on this summer solstice, tune in to KNCT at 5 p.m. for The Softer Side with Carl Rossi, where we’ll celebrate timeless acts like The Sandals. Let the music wash over you—just close your eyes and drift to a place where the sun never fades and the waves play on forever.
The Softer Side with Carl Rossi
Every Friday afternoon at 5pm, we’ll explore new and familiar music, hear thematic sets, and themed shows. All this and much more, each Friday on KNCT, Simply Beautiful.
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