Night Rider or Nightriders may refer to:

Literature

Film

Music

Phantom Rider is the name of several fictional characters, Old West heroic gunfighters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character name was originally called Ghost Rider, and was changed following the introduction of Marvel's motorcycle-riding character.

Publication history

Marvel's first Ghost Rider look was based on the Magazine Enterprises character Ghost Rider (Rex Fury), created by writer Ray Krank and artist Dick Ayers for editor Vincent Sullivan in Tim Holt #11 (1949). The character appeared in horror-themed Western stories through the run of Tim Holt, Red Mask, and A-1 Comics up until the institution of the Comics Code.

After the trademark to the character's name and motif lapsed, Marvel Comics debuted its own near-identical, horror-free version of the character in Ghost Rider #1 (cover-dated Feb. 1967), by writers Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich and original Ghost Rider artist Ayers. (Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend, being popular at the time, inspired the comics. The song was also the inspiration for the Magazine Enterprises' horror-Western comic-book character the Ghost Rider.

Night Rider is a 1978 (see 1978 in music) album by Oscar Peterson and Count Basie.

Track listing

Personnel

Recorded February 21, 22, 1978:

References

The Hondells were an American surf rock band. They are perhaps best known for their Top 10 single from 1964, a cover of the Beach Boys' "Little Honda".

History

The Hondells were a band manufactured Gary Usher, originally consisting of session musicians. Their hit song, "Little Honda," was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love of The Beach Boys. The song was inspired by the popularity of Honda motor bikes in Southern California during the early 1960s: In contrast to the prevailing negative stereotypes of motorcyclists in America as tough, antisocial rebels, Honda's campaign suggested that their motorcycles were made for everyone. The campaign was hugely successful; by the end of 1963 alone, Honda had sold 90,000 motorcycles. The Beach Boys had recorded "Little Honda" for their 1964 album All Summer Long, and subsequently producer Gary Usher gave former Castells vocalist Chuck Girard a copy of the All Summer Long LP and instructed him to learn "Little Honda."

Usher then recruited a group of studio musicians – including Glen Campbell and Hal Blaine – to record an album of Honda-related songs for Mercury Records, with production credited to Nick Venet, though Usher was the brains behind the record. Aside from "Little Honda", most of the songs were written by Usher and KFWB disc jockey and lyricist Roger Christian. The album's cover showed a four-member group and its liner notes contained an elaborate back story, penned by Christian, which posited one Ritchie Burns as the founder and leader of the band. At the time the album was delivered, the name of the group had not been decided. Under consideration were two names: "The Rising Sons" and "The Hondells." Venet chose the latter and released "Little Honda" as a single under the new group name. As the song climbed the charts, Usher assembled a band to tour in support, and "Little Honda" eventually peaked at No. 9 on the U.S. pop singles chart.