Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA
The Fendermen - The Best Of The Fendermendotdotdotdot
artworkThe Fendermen rocked my young world one rainy day in 1959, when the earphones of my crystal set delivered the most amazing cowboy rock my young ears had ever encountered. It was a stylized interpretation of the old Jimmy Rogers song I'd heard on before on San Jose's KEEN by Bill Monroe. It introduced me to the silver-on-black Soma Label. They were only together a couple of years before legal wrangling over royalties and a long delay of their album release ended in the group's demise, cause also in the dividing musical directions between Jim Sundquist and Phil Humphrey. Jim went on with a new band for a while called Jimmy Sun and the Radiants, later renaming themselves the Muleskinners. In the late eighties, Jim resurfaced in Sunrise. This CD features some fine instros, and a solid helping of their Madison, Wisconsin cowboy-crossover brand of pure Midwest rock, including an updated "Mule Skinner Blues" which also appears on the new Jim Sundquist and his Fendermen 2000 CD, plus both sides of the Muleskinners' single.
Picks: Torture, Beach Party, Honky Tonk, Koo-Koo, Caravan, Torture, Beach Party 2000

Track by Track Review


Torture dotdotdotdot
Pre Surf (Instrumental)

This is one fine instro, especially when you realize that there are just the two guitars, no bass, and no drums. The rhythmic qualities of the piece carry it, as does the fine progression. It is this first Fendermen instro that justified to a young Paul Johnson the lack of a bass in his own seminal surf band the Belairs. This is essential pre-surf listening.

Beach Party dotdotdotdotdot
Pre Surf (Instrumental)

Now, this is a killer track. It has all of the infectious rhythmic magic of "Torture," but it is augmented by bass and drums, which make it all the sweeter. This is a remarkably timeless piece, powerful in it's sparseness. It's playful-party atmospherics are perfect for the title.

Honky Tonk dotdotdotdot
Pre Surf (Instrumental)

This is a heavily reverbed chunky version of the Bill Dogget hit, and among the first to use guitar as the focus with reverb. Mean, vibrant, intense, and downright magnetic. The break is even double picked. Powerfully infectious.

Koo-Koo dotdotdot
Pre Surf (Instrumental)

Flat pick rockin' good old boy instro madness, complete with yelps of joy and maximum edge. Intense, though not very melodic.

Caravan dotdotdot
Pre Surf (Instrumental)

Chunky semi acoustic backtrack with electric guitar lead, full of life and finesse. The rapid fire picking is a combo of surf and country, with real live twang. This arrangement of Duke Ellington' "Caravan" is quite appealing.

Torture dotdotdotdot
Pre Surf (Instrumental)

This alternate take is almost as cool as the final master. The difference is minimal at best. Excellent performance.

Beach Party 2000 dotdotdotdot
Country Surf (Instrumental)

With a thirty second intro from Jim Sundquist himself, the original Fendermen takes off on flights of exquisite fancy while the Vibro Champs provide solid Minneapolis chunk. This is marvelous.