Biography
The Fender IV formed in the mid-1960s around cult guitar figure Randy Holden, whose subsequent path carried him through psychedelic outfits including the Sons of Adam, the Other Half, and Blue Cheer. Primarily operating as a surf unit, the group cut a pair of singles for Imperial during 1964 and 1965. On those releases, “Mar Gaya” and “Malibu Run,” Holden already displayed a restlessly inventive approach that pushed beyond standard surf conventions even while working inside the style. The former track featured staccato picking and swampy reverb in the manner of Dick Dale, whereas the latter employed scrapes and echo treatments that captured the sea’s more unsettling qualities. As surf’s commercial moment waned, the band incorporated British Invasion touches on the B-side “You Better Tell Me Now,” yielding an unusual yet engaging blend of Merseybeat and surf elements.
“Mar Gaya” later appeared on Rhino’s Guitar Player Presents Legends of Guitar: Surf, Vol. 1. The complete Imperial sides, together with two previously unreleased Fender IV recordings, occupy the Captain Trip anthology Early Works ’64-’66, which additionally contains seven tracks by Holden’s follow-up group, the Sons of Adam.
“Mar Gaya” later appeared on Rhino’s Guitar Player Presents Legends of Guitar: Surf, Vol. 1. The complete Imperial sides, together with two previously unreleased Fender IV recordings, occupy the Captain Trip anthology Early Works ’64-’66, which additionally contains seven tracks by Holden’s follow-up group, the Sons of Adam.