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

Surf Instrumental Reviews: The Knights-King Richard's Red Hot New Mexican Chile Stew – Art

One of the progenitors of surf instrumental music, Dick Stewart, and his band The Knights returned in 2006 with a new release titled King Richard's Red Hot New Mexican Chile Stew – Art. The title is a playful nod to Stewart's love for spicy food and Southwestern roots. I knew the band's previous release, In Progression, would be hard to top; it is my favorite, and I do not think The Knights will ever come up with anything better than that album. It stands alone in uniqueness for the instrumental genre. That does not take anything away from this new release; it is destined to be a classic as well. This excellent CD will find its way into the hearts of the true instrumental fans waiting for a new release from the Stewart camp.

You may recognize some of the tracks on this new album from the band's 1998 CD release, Surfin' the Web. This CD is no longer available, so hang on to your copy if you have one. The tracks on Surfin' the Web were never mastered, so Stewart decided to fix that and add a few new twists and turns, such as updated arrangements and improved sound quality.  One of the tunes, "Cool Links," now has a son, Jason, ripping off some slick fretwork on the bridge to make the newly mastered recording sound as crisp and powerful as possible. Listening to the Stewarts play is like guitar 101—old school vs. the new wave; it is a lot of fun, and the contrasts are fascinating and can be very educational if you own your six-string.

 

The first track kicks things off with style with a haunting wind blowing as "Phantom Riders" begins-it is Dick's own "Ghost Riders In The Sky" 2006 if you will, which he happens to cover on this release as well (remastered and reissued). I love the song; it has the melody and rhythm you cannot resist, and I think it will go down as an instrumental classic—you heard it here first. An essential nod for a job well done goes to Dick's son Richard for his fine bass playing on the track.

 

"Riley's Switch" (formerly "Surfin' The Web," now updated and mastered) is a tribute to the legendary town of Clovis, New Mexico, once called Riley's Switch. One thing you can count on with Dick Stewart when he records an album is that you will get a history lesson about the area in which he lives. He is an avid historian and has studied meteorology over the years. His music uniquely blends history and culture, offering listeners a rich and intriguing experience.

 

Stewart's love affair with the Southwest continues with this brilliant release, from "Chas" Pike's colorful and cultural artwork on the CD cover to the surf-rock-country (with Southwest spice, incorporating elements of traditional Southwestern music) influenced music you will hear on this CD. Other outstanding new tracks are the atmospheric (evoking a sense of space and depth) "Cimarron," "Waterfalls," with its rapid-fire metallic picking pushed through a phase shifter, and the self-explanatory "Calm and the Storm."

 

Once again, King Richard and his court have gathered to delight all comers to his castle instrumental. I am glad, but I expect it to be when a new album comes out. Dick Stewart is a fantastic man; he is 66 with the heart and spirit of a man 30 years younger. It’s no wonder he keeps crankin' out the tunes with regularity. There are not many original '60s instrumental dudes around still making music. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to hear one of the best still bending the strings with passion and purpose.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

August 10, 2006

Tracks & Credits:

01. Phantom Riders (Dick Stewart – first lead guitar, Jason Stewart – second lead guitar, Ritch Stewart – bass) (3:58)

02. Cool Links (Dick Stewart – first lead guitar, Jason Stewart – second lead guitar, Gary Snow – bass, Steve Hudgins – drums) (3:47)

03. Riley’s Switch (Dick Stewart - lead and rhythm guitar, Gary Snow – bass, Steve Hudgins – drums) (3:30)

04. La del Moño Colorado (Dick Stewart – lead guitar, Floyd “Flaco” Gonzales – rhythm guitar, Jose “Prospero” Montoya – bass, Anthony Lucero – drums) (2:20)

05. Ghost Riders (Dick Stewart – lead and rhythm guitar, Gary Snow – bass, Steve Hudgins – drums) (3:59)

06. Mother Road (Dick Stewart – lead and rhythm guitar, Gary Snow – bass, Steve Hudgins – drums) (5:14)

07. El Rancho Grande (Dick Stewart – lead guitar, Floyd “Flaco” Gonzales – rhythm guitar, Jose “Prospero” Montoya – bass, Anthony Lucero – drums) (2:32)

08. Cimarron (Dick Stewart – lead and rhythm guitar, Gary Snow – bass, Steve Hudgins – drums) (3:28)

09. El Incendio de Los Alamos (Dick Stewart – lead and rhythm guitar, Gary Snow – bass, Steve Hudgins – drums) (3:16)

10. Waterfalls (Jason Stewart – all instruments) (2:08) 

11. Poco de Todo (Dick Stewart – lead guitar, Little Ralph Pais – backup lead guitarist, Floyd “Flaco” Gonzales – rhythm guitar, Jose “Prospero” Montoya – bass, Anthony Lucero – drums) (2:30)

12. Penetration (Dick Stewart – first lead guitar, Jason Stewart – second lead guitar, bass, and keys) (3:22)

13. Surfin’ the Rio Grande (Dick Stewart - lead and rhythm guitar, Gary Snow – bass, Steve Hudgins – drums) (4:16)

14. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow  (Dick Stewart - lead and rhythm guitar, Gary Snow – bass, Steve Hudgins – drums) (4:13)

15. Calm and the Storm (Jason Stewart – all instruments) (4:12)

16. A Medias de la Noche (Dick Stewart – lead guitar, Little Ralph Pais – backup lead guitarist, Floyd “Flaco” Gonzales – rhythm guitar, Jose “Prospero” Montoya – bass, Anthony Lucero – drums) (3:12)

17. Adios (Dick Stewart – lead and rhythm guitar and vocal, Jason Stewart – keys) (1:52)

Davie Allan Interview 2004

Here is an interview I did via email with Davie Allan in 2004. Note the fancy fonts above!

MuzikMan:  Where are you from and how did you get your start in the music industry?

Davie Allan: I’m a California native, born in Los Angeles. I became interested in music quite young but it was seeing Elvis on TV that really got me thinking about a possible career. In high school I met and became friends with Mike Curb who would be my producer in the early years. We started doing demos in school and then the first of two big breaks came when Tower Records (Capitol subsidiary) released the first Arrows’ single “Apache ‘65.” The second break came when we joined forces with A.I.P. (American International Pictures) and started doing their movie soundtracks. “The Wild Angels” led to a couple dozen biker and “B” movie scores.

MuzikMan:  You decided to release your first Christmas album after over 40 years recording, what prompted this decision?

Davie Allan: Two years ago I found out that Little Steven was closing his Underground Garage radio show with “Blues Theme.” I wrote and thanked him and a friendship was born.  In June of this year, he said I should do a Christmas album and that he would pay for it and release it on his new label Wicked Cool Records. I picked the tunes, arranged them, recorded them, and then he came out here to oversee the keyboard overdubs.

MuzikMan:  Little Steven has done a lot of great work exposing worthy artists like yourself and I applaud his work. What was it like working with him in the studio while producing the Christmas album?

Davie Allan: I had already recorded all the tracks when he had an idea for the Christmas With The Kranks film. He wanted a takeoff on “007” to go into “Hark The Herald Angels Sing.” I put together an arrangement, Steven flew out, and fine tuned it and played rhythm guitar on it. He then came out for three days for the vintage keyboard overdubs. He is an absolute pleasure to work with and honest…what a rarity today! That track didn’t make it into the film but we had a blast recording it, however, "Feliz Navidad" did.  

MuzikMan:  At what point did you decide not to become a rock star and concentrate your energies on movie soundtracks and instrumental recordings?

Davie Allan: Actually, it all tied in together. The soundtracks led to a few hits and a great U.S. tour in ’67.  I’m still trying to be a rock star! Kidding!

MuzikMan: Has the Sundazed career retrospective "Devil’s Rumble" help to define your career and gain you new fans?

Davie Allan: As thrilled as I am for settling with Curb and getting the 60’s recordings re-released, I still put my music of today on the front burner. Also, I have not seen a statement to know how it has sold.  There’s another part to the Curb/Sundazed story coming up in the spring. Three of my albums from the 60’s (Apache ‘65, Blues Theme and Cycle-Delic Sounds Of…) will be re-released on CD and Vinyl.

MuzikMan:  Who would you consider to be the most influential musician you have worked with?

Davie Allan: My early influences, bedside Elvis, were Duane Eddy and Nokie Edwards of The Ventures.  As far as someone I have worked with being an influence, one name comes to mind from the 60’s-Billy Strange.

MuzikMan: What kind of music do you listen to leisurely, besides other instrumental and surf bands?

Davie Allan: I don’t listen to other instrumental bands and not much of today’s music but I love 50’s and 60’s rock ‘n’ roll (especially Elvis and The Beatles), plus ELO and Heart from the 70’s and the big bands from the 40’s, especially Glenn Miller. I’m also a big fan of Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra but my all time musical hero is Henry Mancini.

MuzikMan: What do you see as the future of music delivery in lieu of traditional brick mortar record institutions such as Coconuts, Sam Goody etc.? There is a lot happening right now that wasn’t a few years ago. Can you tell me what are some of the major changes you have witnessed since the 60s?

Davie Allan: I wouldn’t be surprised if record stores almost become obsolete. The internet is definitely taking over and unfortunately, it is affecting my Christmas album in a negative way. It was released too late for the label to get it into the stores so for this year it’s only sold through Little Steven’s online store. Steven plans a big re-release next year.

MuzikMan: Are you or do you plan to actively tour to support your recordings?

Davie Allan: We did a European tour in '96 (it was my first since 1967!) and in 1999 we went to the east coast. There haven’t been any other tours but we played at three festivals this year (in NY, Atlanta and Spain) plus a big Halloween show in San Francisco. 

MuzikMan: What kind of life style do have now opposed to when you were young and restless (in LA)?

Davie Allan: Not much of a difference if at all. I’m still trying to make some sense of my career, I love movies as I did then and much of the same music. Also, I still stay away from drugs and alcohol. Sadly, I have no faith in people today. I was naïve and trusting back then and I sure paid for it. As I said earlier, Little Steven is a rarity .

MuzikMan: What are your plans for recording in the immediate future? Do you ever want to reach far beyond the realm you are accustomed to working in-I mean totally shock your audience with something so different that they will not believe it?

Davie Allan: We already have another album in the works that is along the lines of Restless In L.A. in that we’re adding vocals. The new album (working title: Moving Right Along) has more vocal tunes and remakes of “Apache” and “Blues Theme” to coincide with the 40^th anniversary of The Arrows’ first recording and first chart record (“Apache ‘65”).

MuzikMan: Is There Anything you would like to say in closing?

Davie Allan: I have to go back and mention Steven Van Zandt again because I was quite close to hanging it up earlier this year. Besides closing his show with “Blues Theme”, playing my newer recordings and producing the Christmas album, he placed one of my tunes on The Sopranos (“The Loud, The Loose And The Savage” from Restless In L.A.) and had us open his “Underground Garage Festival” in New York on August 14^th. I now plan to submit the new album to him after the first of the year.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

December 21, 2004

Visit Davie's Website @ http://www.davieallan.com

Surf Instrumental Review: Satan's Pilgrims-Plymouth Rock- The Best of Satan's Pilgrims

Website: https://satans-pilgrims.com/

 

The time has arrived in Satan's Pilgrims' career to release the best of the set, and it is about time. Plymouth Rock—The Best of Satan's Pilgrims celebrates 10 years of successful recordings in the popular yet underrated genre of instrumental surf music. 

I am getting further and further away from referencing the surf influences, but it is necessary because that is where it all started and why bands like this carry on and continue to make such great rock 'n' roll today.

CD 1 offers 20 tracks of the boys' very best, and CD 2 is nothing but new, rare, and unreleased music with a bonus video section. They should have left out the videos; they are of inferior quality, visually and in sound. The music is the most essential thing, so other than the video extras, this is a fine two-disc set.

There are not many new things to say about this kind of music unless there is some experimental mixing of different styles; it is similar for the most part (but you could say that about other genres, too!). However, only the great bands cover all the styles within the genre, and this band offers up that smorgasbord of sound. I greatly enjoy this music; it's a necessary evil for my listening pleasure. I always thought these guys were among the best, right up there with their peers.

Plymouth Rock- The Best of Satan's Pilgrims is pure, unadulterated fun that has always been the attraction for me with this kind of music, and the added benefit of nostalgia and the culture that goes with it makes it more colorful. It is well worth picking up if you love surf-instro music.

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

March 26, 2005

Rating-7.5/10

Space Pop-Surf Review: Merrell Fankhauser-Area 51 Suite

Website: http://www.merrellfankhauser.com

It has been several years since Merrell Fankhauser released new studio recordings (he has also released several compilations and DVDs over the years). Rockin and Surfin was a 2004 release that I enjoyed immensely, so it was no surprise that I had a similar experience listening to the latest release, Area 51 Suite. Please remember, music fans, that Fankhauser has been getting it done in the recording studio since the '60s and has overcome health issues and every other obstacle thrown his way to continue entertaining us all. Two versions of the release are available, the CD and the CD/DVD, which feature music videos and interviews with people from the ET and Sci-Fi community.

 

This collection of tracks, called space pop, is a delightful blend of influences with a significant surf undertone. The subject matter, revolving around space and extraterrestrials, adds an intriguing layer to the instrumental tracks, creating a unique and captivating hybrid of 'space pop.'

 

The first and title track, "Area 51," effectively creates an air of mystery and intrigue. Indeed, that was the intent, so mission accomplished and a great way to open the curtain to the show.

 

"Signals From Zoran, " also an excellent track, takes a page out of the surf-instrumental book.

 

The following track, "Stardazed," is a slower bluesy ballad that puts you in a starry-eyed mood and may have you looking up at the sky, wondering who is out there watching us.

 

"Bimini Road," an underwater rock formation near North Bimini Island in the Bahamas, is a very appropriate surf-blues number that takes you on an underwater adventure. Instrumental music, if it is terrific, takes little time to create a picture of the track title in your mind; here again, Fankhauser succeeds.

 

"Shadow People" is a picturesque instrumental that brings those in the shadows to life. The music flows along and rocks its way into your psyche, making it inevitable to start thinking about unexplained phenomena and people you do not know or why they are here. It's one of the more complex and changing tracks that takes things to another musical level for the artist.

 

Then, to switch things up yet again, "Cocktails In Space" is entirely different from all the previous tracks. It includes a segment with a flute, giving it a new-age feel and texture.

 

When "Crash Landing" comes at you with a synthesizer depicting a spacecraft coming your way and Merrell's guitar kicks in, it forms a spy thriller surf sound that keeps you hooked. This track was the one that reminded me a lot of his previous surf-instrumental work. Many tracks begin with a spacey laser or craft landing-like sound to ensure you stay with the overall Area 51 Suite theme.

 

The biggest treat for old and new fans will be Fankhauser's most prolific track, "Calling From A Star." I go back to 1999 with Merrell, and that is when I first heard of this fantastic track. The title says it all, and his voice is exceptional, backed by perfectly placed instrumentation. I don't think he could have recorded a better track in his long and influential career. Every track offers the listener something different, and even though the premise is visitors from outer space, you will hear the diversity of an artist on display at every turn. Surf, space, pop, rock, blues, and country- about every main genre- get superb coverage on this eclectic slice of musical excellence.

 

This is a solid release and one of Merrell Fankhauser's most exceptional releases in his career. He has made some great music over the years, and this reminds us all once again of his importance to the history of rock music and how his capabilities to entertain have not waned. His candle is still burning brightly, and Area 51 Suite gives you a one-way ticket to the stars.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Area 51, Calling From A Star, Crash Landing

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

May 12, 2013

Tracks:

Disc 1

1. Area 51

2. Signals From Zoran

3. Stardazed 

4. Bimini Road 

5. Catalina USO 

6. Crash Landing

7. Aliens In The Mist

8. Shadow People 

9. Cocktails In Space

10. Lost Continent Blues

11. Alien Talk

12. Calling From A Star

 

Disc 2

1. Area 51 

2. Vitina Marcus: Interview

3. Alien Talk

4. Dr. David Jungclaus: Interview

5. Out on the Desert

6. The Little A'le'inn 

7. Beyond The Rainbow

8. Calling From A Star