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"Return to Mu" – Merrell Fankhauser

$15.00
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Picked by Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck as the August 2003 Lance Monthly Album Pick of the Month


One thing that is for certain is that this album derives inspiration from Merrell’s own personal beliefs and feelings regarding the Lost Continent of MU. Merr ell seems to be the modern-day reincarnate from MU with a message for all of us in his music. He returns us to his Polynesian paradise to enchant and mesmerize, as only he can with so Santander Consumer USA me incredibly beautiful and lush sounds via a virtual waterfall of music gathered from the drops of the rain forest. The message comes translated through guitars, sitar, percussion, flute, dobro, mandolin, piano, saxophone, virtually every instrument that is able to create the necessary vibe and mood of this atmospheric rock cornucopia.

If for some reason you cannot transport to MU by way of this music, then your imagination must have been lost somewhere along the way during your travels. Let Dr. Fankhauser give you the magic elixir to spark your thoughts and dreams once again with his alluring tropical island blend of rock music.

Songs like "Polynesian Dream," with Dean Torrance providing harmony, "Time Travellers," and "Under a Maui Moon" engage you with a blend of guitars, sitar, and dobro that will pull you out into a musical ocean of beauty like a prevailing tide. I especially enjoyed the psychedelic rockin’ guitar licks in "Goin’ Down To Atlantis." Those are just a few of my favorites; to be honest, the entire album was an absolute delight to experience.

After listening several times to this fantastical trip down the roads of the islands of paradise in my mind's eye, I know why Merrell said that this is the most prolific recording he has released in 25 years. If you listen to these tracks in the spirit in which the artist created them, you will most certainly agree that this recording will be one of the most satisfying trips you will take this year. It is time to climb aboard the "Mothership Fankhauser" and come to understand the brilliance of this man as a musician and producer. His talent rivals that of Brian Wilson and similarly prolific artists. I feel that strongly about his abilities. Buy this CD and you will find out exactly what I mean.

Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck

Tracks

Mystical Land

Waterfall

On Our Way to Hana

Pictures of the Past

The Unknown Writer

Queen Mu

Mother Sea

Beckoning Maiden

Polynesian Dream

Time Travellers

Prospectors Moon

Goin’ Down to Atlantis

The Land of Mu

Under a Maui Moon

Matthew’s Dream

Lodru’s Mu Chant

The Mothership

Mu Rainforest

And a Huge Cast of Big-Time Players

Merrell Fankhauser – vocal, guitar, bass, keyboard, dobro, slide guitar

John McEuen – mandollin

Dom Carmardella – piano, keyboards, strings

Paul Delph – backup vocal, piano, strings, drums

Tim Fankhauser – backup vocal, acoustic guitar

Lorenzo Martinez – congas

Luis Munoz – percussion

Jerry Sagouspe – drums, backup vocal

Bruce Clark – flute, sax

William McEuen – percussion, tamborine

John Cipollina – slide guitar

Randy Tico – bass

Mary Lee – violin

Jay Ferguson – flute, keyboard, vibes, synthesizer/percussion

Marsha Sherman – harp

Bill Berg – drums

Steven Meese – piano

Jimmy Dillon – electric guitar

Ed Cassidy – drums

Nicky Hopkins – piano, Kurzweil strings

Art Dougall – drums

Fred Ralston – vibes

Dean Torrance – backup vocal

Jim McRae – bass

Darrell Thatcher – steel guitar

Jonathan McEuen – backup vocal, lead guitar

Bruce Sahroian – bass

Ned Christianson – Kurzell strings

Mike Benner – bass

Donnie "Divino" Smith – sitar

Steven Be – flute, Indian drum

Chris Olson – percussion

Anna Romero – backup vocal

Fred Ralston – vibes

Beb Benay – acoustic guitar

Bill Cuomo – piano

Mary Davitch – synthesizer

Gary Malabar – drums

The Mu People – tribal drums

Ernie Anderson – Mu God voice

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"Return to Mu" – Merrell Fankhauser

50s Rockabilly,

'60s Garage Band Music, Surf and Modern Guitar Instrumentals.

  • Have a question about RV Stewart Productions?

    Can you tell me more about RV Stewart Productions? 


    Welcome to RvStewartProductions, home of Record collectibles, the Lance Monthly, Cool Links Publishing, and Lance Music Publishing. Lance Record's focus is on early rock and roll from its official birth in 1954 throughout the ‘60s with a special emphasis on early ‘60s guitar-rock instrumental styles by King Richard and the Knights and modern guitar-rock offerings by Ritch Stewart, his brother, the late Jason Stewart who sadly passed on April 15, 2021, and their father, Dick Stewart. RvStewartProductions (Record collectibles) is not a new company. 


    The spark for Record collectibles came when Albuquerque-native, Dick Stewart was bitten by the rock-and-roll bug in 1954 and wanted to do more than just listen and dance to its infectious beaHe wanted to be a contributor. 

    Guitar-rock instrumentals became his passion after listening to the late ‘50s and early ‘60s hits by George Tomsco and the Fireballs from Raton, New Mexico, and the Ventures from the Pacific Northwest. As a result, in 1961, Stewart formed the Knights that later became known as King Richard and the Knights. A few years later, Stewart composed and released a guitar instrumental titled “Precision” with his band, and it earned a number-one spot on KQEO, the leading rock-and-roll, top-40 A.M. radio station in New Mexico at the time. 


    L.A.’s Dot Records was so impressed with the instrumental’s classical piano hook that the major record label made an offer to release it nationally but sadly changed its mind when the Beatles came to the United States. Not only the Knights, but many aspiring rock-and-roll bands suffered the same fate. It was the coming of the British Invasion and the 45-vinyl record-buying teens turned their undivided attention toward the Beatles, including a slew of newly formed British bands that immediately followed. But Stewart didn’t throw in the towel. In 1965, he published the Lance Newsletter (today the Lance Monthly) in Albuquerque to help put some of the local bands, including his own, on the map. It was during this time that Stewart formed Record collectibles which immediately signed many of these local bands which showed promise. In the late ‘60s, Stewart turned his attention toward another genre of music: Mexican/America Rancheras and formed Casanova Records. He released several vinyl record albums and singles by the popular New Mexico Mexican/American bands, and he and the Knights contributed four of their own instrumental offerings. 


    One of them was their version of “El Rancho Grande” which became an instant hit in the Mexican/American market of the Southwest and continues to this day to do well with downloads and listens on the Internet. RvStewartProductions (Record collectibles) is very active today. Record collectibles continues to release CD albums, most of them instrumental with King Richard and the Knights with Dick Stewart and Ritch Stewart at the helm. Dick Stewart has also been busy writing books on the history of early rock and roll, his latest being Fourteen Unsung Pioneers Who Didn’t Get Their Due.  In addition, the Lance Monthly will once again post new issues. There’s a lot to see and much to take in at Record collectibles. So, take your time while enjoying the rest of the recently released King Richard and the Knights’ instrumental, “Phantom Riders.” When you give Record collectibles a call, you will be directly connected, so don't wait, call now! 


    How can I get in contact with someone from RV Stewart Productions (Record collectibles)? 


    You can get in touch with Record collectibles through three methods: 


    Phone for Record collectibles: 505-286-0623 


    Email for Record collectibles: rvstewartproductions@yahoo.com 


    Contact form: Use the contact form on our website to get in touch with Record collectibles. 


    Who were The Knights?


    The Knights (a.k.a. King Richard and the Knights) had its beginnings in 1961 in Albuquerque, New Mexico (U.S.A.), during a time when instrumental rock ruled the world with The Ventures and The Fireballs leading the way. Thus, the band (or combo as it was called back then) became a Ventures/Fireballs-style band, playing 40 to 50 instrumental guitar songs per gig with no vocals other than a Chuck Berry tune here and there to break the monotony. By 1964, the band finally developed an identity and released "Precision" on a little label called Red Feather Records. This guitar instrumental with a classical piano accompaniment performed by the studio engineer, Dave Bonham, became a regional hit (chiefly due to the unique combination of these two music genres) and set the record for the most time at number one for a local release on the then ruling Albuquerque, New Mexico rock-and-roll AM radio station, KQEO. But when the Beatles invaded the U.S. in Feb. of 1964, it was a bad omen for The Knights. The Knights just couldn't give up their beloved rock instrumental efforts. After a few notable vocals on John Wagner Studios' Delta Records, the band disbanded in 1967.


     When you give Record collectibles a call, you will be directly connected from someone from Record collectibles, so don't wait- call now! 

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