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Merrell Fankhauser & the H.M.S. Bounty 
Reviewer: shiloh noone | See all reviews by shiloh noone
Section: Reviews | Category: Music | Area: South Africa | Topic: Music
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When it came to the harmony of the spheres the divine light hovered briefly
over Merrell Fankhauser & the H.M.S. Bounty. The roots of the Bounty started
out in a 1961 surf guitar group called the Impacts who penned "Wipe Out",
later stolen by the Surfaris. The Impacts comprised Merrell Fankhauser lead
guitar, John Oliver bass guitar, Steve Evans rhythm guitar, Martin Brown
pedal steel guitar, Joel Rose saxophone & Steve Metz on drums. In the
changes of 1964 the Impacts partly evolved into The Exiles consisting of a
further Jim Furguson bass, Greg Hampton drums, Larry WIlley vox / bass, John
Day organ, Mark Thompson guitar / keyboards & future Beefheart Jeff Cotton
on guitar. Included in the sessions were Al Casey and Larry Knechtal plus
another future Beefheart bonus John French on drums. The Exiles pushed out
some great bluesy nuggets like "Ready To Roll" and "Run Baby Run" with slide
guitar shades similar to Kincaid's Rising Sons. Cotton would defect to Blues
in a Bottle which included Magic Band Mark Boston and drummer John French.
Further psyche material and old Exiles repertoire, would appear as Merrell
and the Xiles under the name Fapardokly taking its name from the surnames of
original members - Fankhauser, Dan Parrish (bass), Bill Dodd (guitar) & Dick
Lee (drums). (Parish replaced by John Oliver during their residency at the
'Cove Club') The creative energy of Fapardokly showers through the 12 -
string gifted "Lila" (Forever Changes maraschino trumpet) and the gripping
"Music Scene". The searing "Tomorrow's Girl" with raging jingle jangle
guitar was right up there with the Byrds. The Beatle/ Buddy Holly influence
is evident in the psychedelic "No Retreat" and "Super Market", while early
Exiles material were actually far more gravitational with it's slide rhythm
section sizzling through "Exiles Blues" and Ray Charles' revamped "Boys".
Merrell's flawless riffs finally found new dimension when he formed the
psychedelic H.M.S. Bounty with ex Exiles Bill Dodd, ex Impacts bassist Jack
(Metz) Jordan & drummer Larry Meyers. They won a recording deal with 'Uni
Records' and their self-titled album was released in 1968, followed by the
"Tampa Run". The group regularly opened up for Canned Heat, Electric Flag,
and Paul Butterfield Blues Band, largely thanks to the driving "Things",
continually pitched by underground DJs of the San Francisco scene. Most of
the Bounty's songs were blended with love and eclecticism that transpires
from an ethereal beauty that mystifies with each note. Don van Vliet being
the astute 'Captain' had long sighted these hippy marvels. Their songs were
lyrically just as rich as the Beatles coupled with infectious melodies and
slicing guitar. Wallow in the milky slipstream of "Girl I Am Waiting For
You" and "Madame Silky" (written for shy groupie), songs that should have
nullified the Beach Boy harmonies in mid track. The Indian sitar of Merrell
and tabla's of Meyers tantalisingly weave through the oriental "A Visit with
Ashiya" as if transported on a Persian carpet. This is where Merrell picks
up the sitar and creates stairsteps to Krishna. The country energy carries
its reeling tang through "Your Painted Lives" in a similar momentum as the
Gram Parsons styled Byrds. That sliding ring is more acutely dispersed
through the energised "Drivin' Sideways (On A One Way Street)" a bloody
marvel for axe brethren. Merrell could also whisper with tenderness as in
the fragrant "Ice Cube Island". The Mersey flowing "Rich Man's Fable" is
another great hippy angle that should have moistened the charts. Ex Blues In
a Bottle Jeff Cotton replaced Ry Cooder in Beefheart while Don kidnapped
Cotton for Trout Mask Replica and negotiated with him in a room full of
exotic poisonous spiders, but gracefully rescued by Merrell.
MU the band from the lost Continent
From this point HMS Bounty evolved into MU one of the most superb post hippy
bands to rasp slide guitar. MU comprised ex Exiles Larry Willey, drummer
Randy Wimer and ex Exiles / Blues In A Bottle bassist Jeff Cotton freshly
defected from Beefheart. After their LA recorded debut album MU headed for
the island of Maui where they took on bassist Jeff Parker and established a
notoriety that last happened when Hendrix recorded Rainbow Bridge. MU had
freshness and exhilaration, a far cry from the drugged out psyche bands that
fell flat during the birth of the seventies. MU also pushed out "One More
Day" and the close encounters of "On Our Way To Hana" which slid Allman
style. Both received airplay on the Hawaiian radio stations. Catchy riffs
spat out of "Nobody Wants to Shine" with Jeff Cotton braising his bass
clarinet in the same rhythmic vibe as Little River Band. Theirs a jazzy
thing happening and you can feel the pulse and joy of the Maui people in
their funky riffs. The hidden riffs that slide through "Too Naked For
Demetrius" or their woven harmonies over "Mumbella Baye Tu La" in the spirit
of CSN are like syrup on toast. The 1974 Hawaiian sessions were really more
together than their latent Californian recordings if you listen to the
Eastern hydraulics of "The Land Of Mu" with Mary Lee on violin. It's clear
things were spiritually focussed if you reel through the slide riffs that
lethargically caress "Make A Joyful Noise". Man this is the land of the
Pharaohs as Jim Morrison would say and these cats were tripping into the
jungles with the likes of Joe South. Merrell swims majestically through
"Blue Jay Blue" and "Showering Rain", and you know these hippies had reached
Nirvana. Mary Lee awakens "It's Love That Sings The Song" and you can
understand why Cotton & Wimer joined the Christian ministry. Mary keeps her
angelic refrain on "You And I". The evangelical "Calling from a Star" with
it's Messianic aspirations spills like CSN. Merrell strips his axe bear on
"Waiting For The Sun" as he rips into the neck, Bruce Cockburn style. The
break away message floats through the apocalyptic "Children Of The Rainbow"
while superb bass resounds though "Drink From The Fountain" and you know
YWAM have entered their world of seeking
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