We had a lot of cool name ideas but when we came across the name of an old John Ford film from the early 1900's called "The Phantom Riders" we knew it was a perfect match for our unusual "desert surf" sound!

Yes, all over southern California right now.
We are a "live " band, so... yeah, we love to play shows as much as we can.
Some of the more special moments were opening for surf guitar legend Dick Dale a couple of times at the Ventura Theater (in Ventura,CA) playing with Slacktone at the famous Lava Lounge in Hollywood, CA and most reently being asked to join the 5th annual Acid Beach Party where we performed with some of the best surf instro bands in So. Cal. including the Insect Surfers and Kelp (held at the infamous Mr T's Bowl in L.A., CA).

Well, especially for bands like us who are kind of a contradiction to everything in music that's popular today, it gives unsigned artists and working bands that have recorded a CD a way to reach people with their music that wasn't even available to people like Dick Dale and Link Wray (let alone the Stones and Beatles) when they were young.

If a major label was seriously interested in us we might consider it so we could reach more people. But with our type of music it's more likely an Indy label would want us.

The Phantom Riders formed in 2000. After picking a bunch of cool cover tunes to play, we started to write our own tunes as well as develop our sound and style. Very quickly we began to play live shows with other local bands and open for established bands who came to town like The Paladins and Cadillac Angels.
Two years later with the help of fellow musician and entrepreneur Charlie Vartanian, we recorded and released our debut CD "The Phantom Riders" which has received excellent reviews both online (Phil Dirt's Reverb Central) as well as in print (VCReporter, WetSand Magazine). The band has continued to fine tune our sound, perform live shows all over So. Cal. and write new tunes for the next CD release, scheduled for mid 2004

All the great surf instrumental stuff,British Mod as well as all the early and new instro garage rock and American roots music in general.
Here are a few of our faves,
LInk Wray
Dick Dale
Duanne Eddy
The Paladins
The Cramps
Los Straitjackets
Slacktone
Bomboras

The Lava Lounge
Hollywood, CA

Fender tube amps, Guild guitars, Danelectro pedals and Baritone guitar, Fender Basses, Slingerland and PorkPie Drums
Zildjian cymbals and Vic Firth sticks