The Strawberry Alarm Clock were hopelessly managed and promoted back in 1968 – we can agree there too! Crucially the fateful turn was made at album #3 – I thought the album featured great vocal harmonies and ‘Blues For A Young Girl Gone’ was indeed an excellent song. However, the SAC largely disown the album to this day as it did not represent the direction in which they wished to travel – I think they would preferred to have developed the style of album #2. Personally, I think that ‘Sitting On A Star’ gave a tantalising taste of what might have been. I also think that the keyboard mastery of Mark Weitz was very much under utilised.
I am glad the SAC are back on the scene at last – a pity they missed out on the psychedelic revival (enjoyed by the Electric Prunes) in the late 1990’s and early 00’s. In the UK they do have a cult following, have gained belated recognition and have been cited as ‘influential’. ‘Incense And Peppermints’ though not a chart hit here is better known now than it was back in the day – along with Buffalo Springfield’s ‘For What It’s Worth’, there is not a documentary made about the anti-war protests, Vietnam or flower-powered hippiedom that does not include the SAC’s brilliant anthem.
Cheers,
Dave Nicholls
--Previous Message--
: Perhaps you should read how fair and balanced
: this post really is. A band that had one hit
: for one week does not equal importance.
: Nobody learned how to play guitar for the
: first time after hearing SAC. They ARE
: under-rated but its only because they were
: so under-promoted in 1968 and their label
: didn't see the chance to cash in on a couple
: of potential hits, especially Psych Out song
: and Blues For A Young Girl which probably
: could have made it into the top 30 right
: behind CCR Suzie Q debut single. On the
: other hand, Velvet Underground and Moby
: Grape are over-rated in the extreme, and
: Underground has a place in the Hall of Fame
: only because of the Lou Reed connection.
: (compare that to the Steve Miller Band and
: Grand Funk Railroad still NOT being in the
: Hall of Fame even though they sold millions
: of albums)
:
: SAC didn't get that key followup hit, or do
: the Ed Sullivan show and pretty much got
: left behind, especially since 68 brought out
: rock CCR, Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly,
: Cream's double album, Jimi's double album...
: meanwhile SAC are doing filler like Black
: Butter, which probably would have been
: groovier without vocals.
:
: A couple years ago, my old band was doing
: marathon jams based around The World Is On
: Fire, probably the only band in America to
: do that song in the past 20 years, and
: certainly the only band to use it as the
: jam-band song it should have always been.
: Some of the SAC reminds me of the obscure
: tunes on the Bee Gees first three albums,
: real neat songs lost to time.
:
: But no use debating what could have been,
: SAC didn't get the break they deserve, so
: they would hardly have a place in a Top 25
: of all time (there are more than 25 British
: bands that could fill up that list by
: themselves). If SAC has management these
: days, maybe they could plug a different song
: into a TV show or movie soundtrack somehow ?
:
: Maybe SAC could get some publicity by
: linking up with some other guys, like the
: CCR rhythm section or Roger McGuinn, and
: doing something ? Just an idea. But
: whatever you do, don't get involved with the
: Church of Scientology hahahahhahaaaaa!!!
:
: PS -the Sir Douglas Quintet and I were both
: knighted on the same day as McCartney.
:
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: I don't know who this bloke is, masquerading
: as a knight, but George, please don't let
: him pee on your *chips and bring you back to
: Earth! The Strawberry Alarm Clock are quite
: superb with their unique brand of soft
: psychedelic rock. That said, they have been
: hopelessly underrated over the years but
: maintain a loyal cult following of
: discerning musical aficionados.
:
: (*chips(UK) = fries)
:
: Sir David Nicholls
:
:
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: Thanks for bringing us back to Earth
:
: I believe that while on tour with the Beach
: Boys their sound man, Steve Desper recorded
: some of the shows. I think they played us a
: sound check once so we could hear our
: harmonies and what areas needed improving.
: But, those tapes are probably long gone….who
: knows?
:
: --Previous Message--
: They were unique with a good sound. I would
: hold back from calling them
: "important" in any sense, but if
: things had went different promotionally in
: 1968, who knows how things could have turned
: out.
: The music also sounded a lot like Turtles
: and Association, and late 60's Beach Boys. I
: wish they had gotten a second major hit,
: most likely "Blues For A Young Girl
: Gone", because there is some sweet
: tunes on all four major albums.
: Maybe a "Live From The Fillmore
: West" album could have given SAC the
: push they needed ?
: Were any shows recorded ?
:
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: Thanks Greg!
: High praise!
:
: --Previous Message--
: If I had to name the 25 Greatest Artists of
: All-Time this would be one of them.
: Strawberry Alarm Clock is timeless. I live
: in a college town, and there were some
: younger people over last week who couldn't
: get over how good these guys are.
:
: They are a unique bunch who have their own
: sound and defy a category. I just can't say
: enough about the importance of this band in
: music history.
:
: Thank you Strawberry Alarm Clock for the
: great music for all these years.
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
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