Pitchfork

If you haven't heard of Dick Dale at this point, you have some kind of mental deficiency. People have been known to refer to him as "The king of the surf guitar" and "The greatest guitarist ever to walk the planet Earth." Exaggerated as these titles may seem, it's a wonder he's not more famous. Having actually invented surf rock, he is a musical wonder.

You may recognize his amazing display of guitar-picking madness during the opening credits of Tarantino's 1994 breakthrough, Pulp Fiction. The song's called "Miserlou" and it's one of the most technically and musically impressive pieces of guitar work ever recorded. Since Pulp Fiction's release, and the recent resurgence in surf rock's popularity, more than a few Dick Dale compilations have been issued on indie labels and unfortunately, people have rarely noticed. But Rhino Records has just put together a 2-disc anthology of Dale's finest work, Better Shred Than Dead, and it is without a doubt the definitive Dale collection. As hard as it is for some crazy metalheads to believe, he makes Eddie Van Halen look like a church lady at the organ. Throughout these 39 tracks, Dick proves he's more than a man with a talent; he's a legend.