Huntington Beach Bands

“At Huntington and Malibu, they’re shooting the pier/At Rincon, they’re walking the nose,” Mike Love sang on the Beach Boys’ breakthrough hit, “Surfin’ Safari,” in 1962. It wasn’t the last time Surf City factored in pop music history. Here are some of the famous bands and artists connected with Huntington Beach:

Jan and Dean

The lyrics of their 1963 hit “Surf City” don’t specify Huntington, but when Dean Torrence moved here in 1991, he campaigned to officially bestow that nickname on the city. The Marketing and Visitors Bureau thanks him.

Dick Dale

The surf guitar pioneer was a common face around Huntington venues in the 1960s.

The Vandals

The venerable punk band formed here in 1980.

The Offpsring

Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel, two of the auteurs behind “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” “Why Don’t You Get a Job?” and other modern punk classics, launched Nitro Records here in 1994.

Avenged Sevenfold

The late Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan’s band grew up in Huntington Beach and still makes its home here.

Matt Costa

The local singer-songwriter has contributed to the soundtracks of “Curious George” and “I Love You, Man.”

Scott Weiland

The Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver front man attended Edison High School in the early 1980s.