The Great Wave: Takeshi Terauchi

By the mid-60s the surf rock wave had broken and was being pulled back away from the shore. The tremolo-heavy and reverb-derenched instrumentals were pushed to the side as the British appropriation of R&B took center stage. Though, surf was defined by American artists like Dick Dale, The Ventures, Duane Eddy, Link Wray, and others, there were a few foreign acts that could hold their own against any of the more notable artists. The Shadows in the UK for example.

None, however, really compare to Japanese guitar legend Takeshi Terauchi. Sixties artists who similarly blend Western influences with their native traditions continue to be unearthed, however few were as consistent or prolific. 

Terauchi's phenomenal playing and compositions really set him apart and considering how common it is for artist like him to get the crate-diggers-deluxe-vinyl-reissue in the US nowadays, it's pretty surprising it hasn't been done yet.