The difference, by ear
Space rock inherits the idea of a guitar treated with effects into a wash rather than played as a lead, at much slower tempos.
Space rock is sung cleanly where surf rock is mostly instrumental, and much slower: 90 to 130 bpm against 160 to 200. Songs run longer in space rock: usually 6 to 20 minutes, against 2 to 3 minutes in surf rock. To hear the difference, play Dick Dale next to Hawkwind. They share a root in rock, and surf rock came first, by eight years.
In figures
Surf rock
Where it sits
Rock › Rock and roll › Surf rock
In short
Instrumental, drenched in tank reverb, with fast tremolo picking. The sound of the Californian coast, later recycled by punk and by Tarantino.
How it sounds
- Fender tank reverb dialled almost to maximum - the wet sound is mandatory.
- Fast tremolo picking on a single note, a technique Dick Dale took from his family's Lebanese music.
- Almost always instrumental; where there are vocals, they are Beach Boys-style harmonies.
Key acts
- Dick Dale
- The Ventures
- The Beach Boys
Start here
The pickDick Dale - Misirlou. A Greek folk tune turned into artillery.
Full page →Space rock
Where it sits
Rock › Psychedelic rock › Space rock
In short
A repetitive riff under a thick layer of synthesizers and cosmic whoosh. Lemmy went straight from here into Motörhead.
How it sounds
- A repetitive riff, often on a single chord, held for tens of minutes.
- Analogue synthesizers, oscillators and white noise as a permanent layer.
- Hypnotic structure with almost no harmonic development.
Key acts
- Hawkwind
- Gong
- Spacemen 3
- Monster Magnet
Start here
The pickHawkwind - Silver Machine. That's Lemmy singing, two years before Motörhead.
Full page →