Psychedelic Jukebox: [1967] Fapardokly - Gone To Pot No Retreat

 

In the tapestry of 1960s American psychedelic rock, the band Fapardokly occupies a fascinating yet often overlooked niche, largely due to its brief existence and limited commercial impact. Emerging in 1967 under the visionary leadership of Merrell Fankhauser, a musician already renowned for his earlier surf rock projects, Fapardokly represented a significant evolution in his journey, embodying the transition from the sun-soaked, reverb-heavy sounds of surf music to the more experimental, mind-expanding realms of psychedelia. The very name of the band, Fapardokly, is a creative portmanteau derived from the surnames of its members—Fankhauser, Dan Parrish on bass, Bill Dodd wielding guitar, and Dick Lee on drums.

The Making of the Fapardokly Album

The self-titled Fapardokly album, released in early 1968, serves as a historical artifact that encapsulates the ferment of mid-to-late 1960s musical experimentation. The recordings were assembled from sessions spanning roughly three years, from 1964 to 1967, and included both freshly conceived compositions and previously unreleased material originally intended for Fankhauser’s earlier band, Merrell & The Exiles. This amalgamation of tracks creates an intriguing listening experience, one that straddles the fading echoes of surf rock while venturing boldly into psychedelic soundscapes marked by swirling guitar effects, complex arrangements, and an often introspective lyrical tone. The album’s production, though raw and somewhat under-polished compared to contemporaneous major label releases, imbues it with an authentic underground feel that resonates strongly with aficionados of the era’s more obscure psychedelia.

Musical Highlights: “Gone To Pot” and “No Retreat”

Among the album’s standout tracks, "Gone To Pot" vividly illustrates Fapardokly’s psychedelic ambitions. The song’s use of wah-wah guitar effects and layered instrumentation conjures an auditory atmosphere reminiscent of The Byrds' pioneering psychedelic work, particularly the seminal "Eight Miles High." This parallel highlights Fankhauser’s adeptness at integrating folk-rock roots with the psychedelic ethos, creating a sound that is at once accessible and sonically adventurous. The track’s title and themes suggest a tongue-in-cheek embrace of the countercultural movements of the time, encapsulating a sense of both humor and rebellion. In contrast, "No Retreat" offers a more meditative and intimate experience, beginning with gentle acoustic strumming and tender vocals that gradually give way to an evocative psychedelic guitar solo. This progression from simplicity to complexity within a single composition demonstrates the band’s nuanced approach to songwriting, merging heartfelt emotion with sonic experimentation in a way that was forward-thinking for its day.

Initial Reception and Cult Status

Despite the creative depth and originality embedded in the Fapardokly album, it failed to achieve commercial success upon release. The record was issued as a limited edition LP, which, combined with sparse promotion and distribution challenges, meant that it slipped under the radar of the wider public and mainstream critics. Over the decades, however, the album has garnered significant cult status among collectors and psychedelic rock historians, now regarded as one of the rarest and most intriguing relics of the American psychedelic scene. Its scarcity has only heightened its mystique, and reissues in later years have helped introduce Fapardokly’s music to new generations of listeners eager to explore the deeper strata of 1960s psychedelic rock.

Merrell Fankhauser’s Continued Musical Evolution

The influence of Fapardokly extends beyond this singular album. Merrell Fankhauser’s post-Fapardokly career saw him continuing to push musical boundaries, most notably through projects such as HMS Bounty and Mu. These later bands further embraced the progressive and psychedelic rock idioms, with Mu incorporating more elaborate arrangements and even proto-progressive elements that foreshadowed the complexity of 1970s rock experimentation. Fankhauser’s trajectory underscores a consistent commitment to musical innovation.

Fapardokly’s Place in the Psychedelic Rock Landscape

In the wider context of 1960s American psychedelic music, Fapardokly occupies a unique position as a bridge between the regional surf rock scenes and the more widespread psychedelic rock explosion that was contemporaneously evolving on both coasts. The band’s recordings offer invaluable insights into how artists outside the major hubs like San Francisco or Los Angeles were interpreting and contributing to the psychedelic movement. The melding of folk-rock sensibilities with psychedelic experimentation found in their work exemplifies the diverse approaches to the genre during its formative years.

Sources:

1. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/fapardokly/fapardokly/
2. https://www.discogs.com/release/591031-Fapardokly-Fapardokly
3. https://www.allmusic.com/album/fapardokly-mw0000870586
4. https://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2010/05/fapardokly-fapardokly-1967.html
5. https://www.merllefankhauser.com/fapardokly
6. https://www.forcedexposure.com/Catalog/fapardokly-fapardokly-cd/JRR.913CD.html
7. https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/fapardokly