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Riding the ‘cerebral surf’ wave:
How Santa Cruz’s epic
surf-rock trio The Mermen keep on shredding
by Wallace Baine

WHY THE MERMEN ARE
SANTA CRUZ’S
GREATEST CULT BAND 
by Wallace Baine

“The best Rock and Roll is poetry in motion, with or without words – and some of the best records of 1995 came without. The Mermen play an extreme brand of surf music, and black minor-chord moods of guitarist Jim Thomas are like a rough ride on the icy seas of the mid- Atlantic. Hints of Dick Dale filter through the cracked-sidewalk  wave forms of Sonic You. But on long hauls like the nine minute “Obsession for Men” Thomas sounds more like Neil Young at the wheel of Crazy Horse. “

David Fricke, ROLLING STONE

“…ferocious and haunting instrumentals of an almost orchestral density…. roaring through mesmerizing waves of feedback and melody …. the Mermen never collapse into surf kitsch or fall back on the genres beloved but overfamiliar cliches… the burbling underwater atmospherics…and the shimmering riffs…disguise intricate arrangements, and the muted arpeggios and grandiose leanings are a long way from Wipe Out….”

David Dudley, NEW TIMES

20220903 The Mermen at Golden Gate Park Bandshell SF-4271_r3_2200px

Upcoming Shows

THE MERMEN
Halloween show

Thursday
October 31, 2024


Park Chalet
1000 Great Highway
San Francisco, CA

CANCELED

Past Shows

LIVE MUSIC by
THE MERMEN
Outdoors on Balboa St

The Mermen
3:00PM

Sunday
September 15, 2024

Free Admission

In front of
The Balboa Theatre

38th and Balboa St.
San Francisco, CA

Read more…

Pleasure Point Outdoors

Sunday
September 1, 2024

The Mermen
4:00PM – 6:00PM

Anthony Arya
 2:30PM – 3:30PM

The Pacific Jack Band
1:00PM – 2:00PM

Free Admission

Pleasure Point Outdoors
East Cliff Drive
Between 37th and 38th Ave
Santa Cruz, CA

Golden Gate Park Bandshell
3rd Annual
Surf Music Festival

12:00pm The New Shockwaves
1:00pm Uncle Sea Monster
2:30pm The Mermen

Saturday
August 31, 2024

Free Admission

Golden Gate Bandshell
CITY of AWE

SURF GUITAR 101 FESTIVAL 2024

THE MERMEN
3 hour show
8:00PM – 11:30PM
Friday
July 26h, 2024

Golden Sails Hotel 
Long Beach, CA

The Mermen
with
Flamin’ Groovies


Saturday
July 13, 2024
Doors: 7:00PM 
Show: 8:00PM

The Chapel
 777 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA

Pleasure Point
Street Fair

The Mermen
3:00PM – 5:00PM

Saturday
June 22, 2024

Free Admission

Portola Drive
btw 41st and 38th Ave
Santa Cruz, CA

THE MERMEN

The Mermen perform their groundbreaking album
FOOD FOR OTHER FISH
In celebration of 
its release 30 years ago
Read about the album here

Sunday
April 7, 2024
Doors 3:00PM
Show 4:00PM

Great American
Music Hall

859 O’Farrell St
San Francisco, CA

Click a year below to see past shows

2022.12.19 THE MERMEN – JAMES BOND THEME at The Junction Mill Valley CA

2022.9.22 THE MERMEN – Little Stinky Kitty at Taros Essaouira Morocco

Popular Songs

THE MERMEN - SPLENDEURS ET MISERES - cover front. Photos by Jim Thomas. Cover design by Sienna Digital.

SPLENDEURS ET MISERES
(2021)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

A MURMUROUS
SIRENIC DELIRIUM

(2019)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

THE MAGIC SWIRLING SHIP
(2017)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

WE COULD SEE IT
IN THE DISTANCE
(2017)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

BLUES OF ELSEWHERE
JIM THOMAS SOLO
(2011)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR
(2012)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

SINGER OF THE SEA 

JIM THOMAS SOLO
Film Music (2013)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

IN GOD WE TRUST
(2009)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

VINYL (2LP) SOLD OUT

THE AMAZING CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND HAPPINESS ROADSHOW
(2000)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

SUNKEN TREASURE
(1996)

CD SOLD OUT

ONLY YOU
(1996)

CD SOLD OUT

MERMEN AT
THE HAUNTED HOUSE
(1995)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

SONGS OF THE COWS
(1996)

CD SOLD OUT

A GLORIOUS LETHAL EUPHORIA
(1994)
CD SOLD OUT

FOOD FOR OTHER FISH
(1994)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

KRILL SLIPPIN’
(1989)

CD $20
(shipping + tax included)

Buy CD

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