On this DVD the surf legend Merrell Fankhauser who became famous with his early '60s band The Impacts tells us, for example, about the times that surf music started on the Californian beaches. Tiki Launch is Fankhauser’s TV show, which still gets aired and this three-hour DVD includes some of the best episodes of the series. Some of the material was previously shown on California Music TV series that also was hosted by Fankhauser in the early '90s.

The first episode presents the instrumental surf with interviews and musical performances including The Ventures medley shot in 1989. Then Merrell Fankhauser and friends perform several songs, and next we’ve got an episode entitled Fast Cars and Rock and Roll including, for example, hot rods and music by Huey Lewis, Ed Cassidy and Band and The Doobie Brothers. Then we see a Willie Nelson concert from Maui Island, Hawaii (also featuring Fankhauser himself, of course).

On the next part we get to see a show featuring '50s and '60s stars and finally comes a Spirit tribute with historical music videos and interviews with Randy California (1991) and Ed Cassidy. Interesting! As a bonus, the package also includes a 40-minute audio CD that has music from the Tiki Lounge programme.

www.merrellfankhauser.com 18.01.12 by Dj Astro

Merrell Fankhauser was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and moved to California when he was 13 years old. This move was to have a life-changing effect on the teenager. Merrell went on to become one of the innovators of surf music, enjoying success with his band The Impacts and also a hit album entitled Wipe Out.

Merrell went on later in the sixties to branch out into psychedelic folk rock. His travels from Hollywood to his 15-year jungle experience on the island of Maui have been documented in numerous music books and magazines in the United States and Europe. Merrell has gained legendary international status throughout the field of rock music: his credits include over 250 songs published and released. Merrell has presented a number of television programmes over the years including California Music, Route 66 TV Live and in 2001 Merrell began hosting a music TV show called Tiki Lounge, that airs on the California Central Coast, Southern California, Hawaii, and parts of the East Coast.

The Best of the Tiki Lounge is a DVD and CD package of the highlights from Merrell’s Cable TV show The Tiki Lounge. On this DVD and CD package you will hear Merrell performing alongside such artists as Willie Nelson. The DVD also includes clips from Merrell's Birthday Boogie with Mary Ramsey of 10,000 Maniacs, Fito De La Parra of Canned Heat, Ed Cassidy of Spirit, and many others. Merrell is a legendary performer and this release will be welcomed by the large fan base Merrell commands.

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