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Eulogy
for Jim Pash by Paul Johnson
Friends and surf music fans:
 Jim
Pash, original Surfari and leader of the
version of the band that I have been playing
with since 1990, passed away over this last
weekend due to complications following a
couple of severe episodes of heart failure.
Several of you have already expressed your
sympathy, which is much appreciated by his
family, friends and bandmates. We take
comfort in knowing that Jim is now living
free of his infirmaries and at peace in the
arms of his Savior.
Jim was a true champion of authentic surf
music. His goal for the Surfaris was that
they should continue as the most genuine
representation of the original surf sound
that one could experience today. He was
insistent that all the parts be played true
to the original spirit.
In his prime, Jim was an outstanding lead
guitarist in the Dick Dale style. I offer
his rendering of "Miserlou" on his final
recording (our '03 CD release, Basic Tracks)
as exhibit A of this fact. But on top of
this, he was the best "surf" sax player I've
ever worked with: he was the only guy I ever
heard who could honk out a "Tequila" that
fully stood up against the original (Chuck
Rio, the Champs...)
It was evident to all who knew him that Jim
was one-of-a-kind... the classic "eccentric
genius," always pursuing one inventive
project or another; in the late '80s, he and
Don Murray (drummer for the band 'til HIS
untimely passing in '96) worked tirelessly
on a pilot project they had devised for a
proposed animated cartoon series; in the
process they pulled in $1.5 million venture
capital and employed thirty people in the
project, which barely missed its goal of
being picked up for syndication. They also
developed something they called "Interactor"
- a precursor to the DVD; this was an LP
that allowed kids to choose different
options for the record to play in telling a
story, with up to 3000 possible variations
of the story.
This was the mind of Jim Pash.
 And
then there was his Harp of David project.
Jim was a deeply committed Christian and
student of biblical lore; his fascination
with the Psalms of David led him to do
extensive original research into discovering
just how these musical poems sounded at the
time of their creation. This led him to
actually manufacture instruments to the
"specs" that he determined to be accurate;
he then developed a seminar on this ancient
music that he gave in churches or other
interested groups, in which he demonstrated
the "authentic" music of the Psalms. (Seems
that his penchant for "authenticity" in
music was not just limited to surf...)
When the Surfaris toured, Jim would usually
carry one of his harps onto the plane, which
would invariably invite questions from other
travelers. We used to jokingly say, "Pity
the poor unsuspecting guy who sits down next
to Jim on the plane and ventures to ask,
'Gee, what's that thing?'" because ready or
not, he was in for a lecture on ancient
biblical music that would not stop until the
plane touched down at its destination.
This was the passion of Jim Pash.
Frankly, many of Jim's eccentricities used
to challenge our patience... But now, in
retrospect, these traits are remembered only
as positively endearing marks of a truly
unique and wonderful person (all the more so
because we shall not have the opportunity to
share in them again for yet a little while).
And when we do have the pleasure to see him
again, I expect we'll find him hanging out
with David, engaged in intense discussion
over the nuances of ancient music...
The Surfaris will continue on; we already
have several gigs booked for the coming
season (see my online calendar, linked
below); we are in the process of
"regrouping" for this, and you can be sure
that the band will remain committed to
faithfully pursuing the vision that Jim set
for it.
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