| Background: | group_or_band |
| Origin: | USA |
| Genre: | Pop music, surf |
| Years Active: | 1960s |
| Label: | Arvee, Liberty, Warner Bros., World Pacific |
| Past Members: | Hal Blaine George Dee Michael Z. Gordon Danny Hamilton Judd Hamilton Gene Pello Ray Pohlman Richard Torres |
The Marketts were an American instrumental pop group, formed in January 1961 in Hollywood, California, by Michael Z. Gordon. They are best known for their 1964 million-seller, "Out of Limits".
The Marketts' line-up featured Michael Z. Gordon and various session musicians from the Los Angeles area, including drummer Hal Blaine. The group name was originally spelled "Mar-Kets". The group's direction was spearheaded by producer Joe Saraceno and Michael Z. Gordon, although Saraceno could not arrange or play on any of the group's material.[1] Gordon's songs which were composed for the Marketts are best remembered for their surf rock sound, though not all of their material has this sound; Gordon took the group's style in whatever direction he thought would catch the record-buying public's ear. In the U.S., the group had three Top 40 hits and had two popular albums, many of the songs composed by Gordon.
The Marketts' surfer sound started with "Surfer's Stomp",[2] which was by written by and produced by Gordon[2] and Saraceno. Gordon also wrote their biggest hit, "Out of Limits",[3] which was originally entitled "Outer Limits", named after the 1963 TV series The Outer Limits. Rod Serling sued the Marketts for quoting the four-note motif from his television show, The Twilight Zone, without his approval, which resulted in the change of the title to "Out of Limits".[4] It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1964. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[5] The band name was used as late as 1977 for further releases, though their last hit came in 1966.
| Year | Titles (A-side, B-side) | US Hot 100 | Canada | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | "Surfer's Stomp" b/w "Start" (Non-album track) | 31 | Surfer's Stomp | ||
| 1962 | "Beach Bum" b/w "Sweet Potatoes" | Non-album tracks | |||
| "Balboa Blue" b/w "Stompede" | 48 | 4[10] | Surfer's Stomp | ||
| "Stompin' Room Only" b/w "Canadian Sunset" (from Sun Power) | |||||
| 1963 | "Woody Wagon" b/w "Cobra" | Take To Wheels | |||
| "Outer Limits" (Original pressings) "Out of Limits" (Second pressings) b/w "Bella Dalena" | 3 | 6[11] | Out Of Limits | ||
| 1964 | "Vanishing Point" b/w "Borealis" (from Out Of Limits) | 90 | Non-album tracks | ||
| "Look for a Star" b/w "Come See, Come Ska" | |||||
| 1965 | "Miami's Blue" b/w "Napoleon's Solo" | ||||
| "Lady In The Cage" b/w "Ready, Steady, Go" | |||||
| 1966 | "Batman Theme" b/w "Richie's Theme" (Non-album track) | 17 | 5[12] | Batman Theme | |
| "Theme From 'The Avengers'" b/w "A Touch Of Velvet-A Sting Of Brass" | Non-album tracks | ||||
| "Tarzan" b/w "Stirrin' Up Some Soul" | |||||
| 1967 | "Sun Power" b/w "Sunshine Girl" | Sun Power | |||
| 1968 | "California Summer" b/w "Groovin' Time" | Non-album tracks | |||
| 1969 | "They Call The Wind Maria" b/w "The Undefeated" | ||||
| 1973 | "Mystery Movie Theme" b/w "Sister Candy" | AM-FM, Etc. | |||
