In the mid-1960s, Fowley became immersed in the Los Angeles counter-culture, befriending Frank Zappa and his band the Mothers of Invention and later appearing on their Freak Out! LP. A prolific songwriter, he also composed material for the Byrds, the Beach Boys, Soft Machine, Cat Stevens and Them, and produced the likes of Gene Vincent, Warren Zevon and Helen Reddy. Finally, in 1967 Fowley issued his own solo debut, Love Is Alive and Well, a record which found him closely aligned with the flower-power movement.
Far more important as a producer, scenemaker, and talent scout than as a performer. His 60s lps on Imperial are fine examples of the Sunset Strip exploito psych sound with trippy organ and guitar effects. By the 70s, his own music had lost much of his edge as he struggled vainly to latch on to the latest trend. As a producer, often with considerable help from Michael Lloyd, Fowley was an always interesting, if heavy-handed, exploiter of garage, psychedelic, and heavy rock music during the 60s and 70s. (Internet Source)
|