John Blair Interview (Part One)

I had the opportunity to speak to another surf music legend and author, John Blair, of Jon and the Night Riders.

This was a great conversation, and learning about how things happened for John was fascinating.

Give it a listen!

Surf Instro Review and Interview: Desert Undertones 7" Vinyl - Massacre Canyon/The 48ers

Release Date:  May 1, 2024

Label: Independent

Website:  https://desertundertones.com/

Product Provided By: https://www.facebook.com/cifanzine/

Dylan Oldham (guitar), Christopher Marshall (bass), and Curt Pleiss (drums) are Desert Undertones. Hailing from Arizona, they aim to bring you exciting and memorable surf tunes. They hit the bullseye with “Massacre Canyon B/W “The 48ers”.

The tracks come housed in the sleeve you see here on black 7” vinyl. The retro cinematic artwork was provided by David Venegas, who captured their sound and intent.

 

The band partnered with Matthew Clark, creator of Colorado Instrumental Fanzine, who kindly provided copies of his fanzine, which included the vinyl for my review. He also had an interview with the band members in issue #3 (shown here). Their enthusiasm for the music is contagious, compelling you to seek it out and listen now (Stream it from the player I have provided). 

 

“Massacre Canyon” is a slow burner with some fine glissando sections and a nod to the foundation of surf instro. The atmosphere of intrigue and the rider kicking up dust on the cover is created in the music as you listen.

 

The music evolves with a unique blend of spaghetti western influences, but with their special sauce, creating a sound that is both familiar and refreshingly new.  

 

At 3:27, there is enough time to create that dual atmosphere, where the retro surf morphs into the desert/western sound portion of spaghetti, just not a full meal, but just enough around the fringes of surf to pique your interest with what they are doing.

 

“The 48ers” are the people who cashed in on the gold before the 49ers realized it was there.

 

This track is a solid rocker with plenty of rhythm, strong bass, and drums to complete the powerful trio formula. The guitar resonates beautifully throughout and between the changes, with shimmering leads that conjure images of sun and surf (except they do their surfing on the dunes of the desert). It then concludes with a perfect outro that reverberates and echoes.

 

Desert Undertones can spread the gospel of surf and intend to put out a whole album of tracks at some point this year. The prospect of a second full album is something I, and I'm sure many of you, eagerly anticipate.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Surf Music and Art Founder

June 26, 2025

Interview With Ivan Pongracic

After all these years, since the 90s, I finally got the chance to speak with one of the most admired guitar players in the world, Ivan Pongracic! He is well known in the surf instrumental community for his work with The Space Cossacks, The Madeira, and Lords of Atlantis.

Give it a listen to find out more about this remarkable man and musician!

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

The Final On Vinyl Podcast: Merrell Fankhauser Interview - January 15, 2025

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I have been covering Merrell Fankhauser’s music since 1999, when I conducted a two-part internet (email) interview with him.

This current audio interview was long overdue and was my absolute pleasure. Merrell was one of my primary inspirations when I started reviewing music.

His longevity in the business speaks volumes. He started in the ’60s and is still going strong at 81!

In this interview, he discusses how his music has reached fans over the years and his relationship with keyboard player Nicky Hopkins (Rolling Stones, etc.)

Please sit back and listen to a music legend about how he has stayed fit and successful, and take some time to stream some of the best of his catalog via Spotify.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Surf Music and Art Founder

January 19, 2025