The world has Capitol marketing executive Fred Rice to thank for the creation of Mr. Gasser and the Weirdos. A tie-in to the wild creations of custom-car buff Ed Roth, the record was meant to cash-in on the youth market. The always-available Gary Usher was put in charge of the project, while Jimmie Haskell (willingly un-credited), created the arrangements, and members of the Wrecking Crew supplied the backing tracks. As Usher recalled, “we all thought the songs were abortional, but as I think back, we did have some fun[...]it was virtually everyone do what you want to do!” As a result of the zany concept and no cohesive direction, this first album, the Weirdos (led by the mysterious Mr. Gasser), land somewhere between hot rod music, rockabilly, and the totally bizarre.

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‘Hot Rod Hootenanny’ is a decent introduction and pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album. ‘Fastest Shift Alive’ follows much of the same outlandish production while the corny ‘You Ain’t Nothing But A Honda’ borrows a lot from the Playmates’ 1958 recording ‘Beep Beep’ with its minor setting, ascending modulations, and accelerating tempos. ‘Mr. Gasser is a spoken-word ballad about a man getting shut down by his mother in a drag race. ‘Mad ’Vette’ can be an excruciating listen while the off-beat ‘Termites in My Woody’ chugs along with little avail. The totally bizarre ‘Eefin’ it Don’t Go, Chrome It’ possesses a strong country feel and is sung in an exaggerated hillbilly style. Between all of the over-the-top tracks sits the spoken word ‘1320,’ which is easily the record’s most sober moment and could have very well appeared on any Super Stocks album. The ‘Weirdo Wiggle’ is an introduction to a new kind of dance led by Ed Roth himself, while ‘Dragnutz’ is yet another detailed outline of a road race. ‘Chopped Nash’ manages to rise above many of its poorly executed neighbors with inventive lyrics and a laughable premise. However, just when the album looks like it’s about to take itself seriously, we are greeted again by a Ratfink grin and treated to another strange number in ‘My Coupe Eefin’ Talks’, which is plagued by maddening ‘ee-ee-haw-haw’s' from the background singers.

 
Hot Rod Hootenanny is a decent introduction and pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album. ‘Fastest Shift Alive’ follows much of the same outlandish production while the corny ‘You Ain’t Nothing But A Honda’ borrows a lot from the Playmates’ 1958 recording ‘Beep Beep’ with its minor setting, ascending modulations, and accelerating tempo. Between all of the over-the-top tracks sits the spoken word ‘1320,’ which is easily the record’s most sober moment and could have very well appeared on any Super Stocks album. ‘Dragnutz’ is yet another detailed outline of a road race. ‘Chopped Nash’ manages to rise above many of the neighboring tracks with inventive lyrics and a laughable premise.
 
In spite of itself, Hot Rod Hootenanny managed to sell over 100,000 copies, thus meriting a continuation in the series. Consequently, the next two releases would improve on this first Weirdos offering, boasting better production and eventually scrapping the Disney-esque chorus of guys and gals. Surprisingly still, a nice copy of this record will easily sell for around $100 on online auction sites - I’m sure Ratfink is smiling down on us all….