The Centurions – Bullwinkle Part II

Artist

The Centurions was a surf rock band started by Dennis Rose from Newport Beach, California. They were active in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Their music has been used in at least two films. They reformed in later years and released new material.

Background

The group originated from Costa Mesa, they were a septet.

In recent times, they are best known for their recording "Bullwinkle Part II", a dark and saxy surf tune from their eponymous album. This tune is featured in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction. The song was used to highlight a scene. It was also used in an episode of the TV show How I Met Your Mother entitled "Girls Versus Suits".

Less well known is their cover of the classic song "Intoxica" a twangy and upbeat surf instrumental originally by The Revels, used in the 1972 film Pink Flamingos.

1960s

In 1963, their line-up consisted of Pat Gagnebin, Ken Robinson, Dennis Rose, Joe Dominic, Dennis Kiklas, Ernie Furrow, and Jeff Lear. When they released their album on Del-Fi records in 1963, its cover was identical (as well as catalog number) to Bruce Johnston's release, hence the title "Surfers' Pajama Party" – which was not the name The Centurions had in mind.

Their name was changed from The Centurions to The Centurians sometime after 1967 due to legal reasons.

In 1966, some of the music they recorded, along with music by Dave Meyers and the Surf Tones and The Sentinels was involved in legal action by Al Schlesinger against the Del-Fi Records label. Schlesinger was representing Anthony Music and its principal shareholder Anthony Hilder in an action pursuing $122,000 over royalties not being paid as per an alleged agreement for the masters of albums and another album, Battle of the Surf Bands.