Underdogs - "Judy Be Mine (a/k/a Friday At The Hideout)" - Hideout Records, 1965

The week I've got a Midwest Garage burner from The Underdogs! So let's talk mid-60's Michigan for a minute.
Harper Woods is a city on the outskits of the east side of Detroit. Incorprated in the Fall of 1951, Haper Woods ended up become a suburban oasis of music, mostly due to a small club called The Hideout.
Opened in May of 1964 by Dave Leone and Ed Andrews in a VFW hall, The Hideout quickly became a hit with the local teens. Says Dave Leone: "It was the first teen club in the state of Michigan that featured live music. Up until that time there had been teen dances with recording artists, mainly black, lip-syncing to records".
Adding a record label to the club enterprise, the first release was a limited run LP featuring local house band The Fugitives. One song on it, "Friday at The Hideout" was penned by Leone. When members of The Fugitives split for college, The Underdogs took over as the house band at The Hideout. The Underdog's performance of "Friday at The Hideout" ended up being the first proper release on the fledgling label.

The Underdogs - I think..

My info on the Underdogs is pretty sparse. I know the members included Tony Roumell and Chris Lena on guitars, Mike Morgan on drums, and ???? on vox???. I belive this single was recorded at Underground Sound Studios. This particular single was also issued on Reprise once a national distribution deal was worked out. If you see a copy of The Underdog's "Get Down On Your Knees", definitely do yourself a favor and pick up this classic cut, my favorite from the band.
Guys like Bob Seger, Mitch Ryder, Ted Nugent, Glenn Frey and MC5 were involved with the club and/or label over the years.  For an introduction to Hideout Records and plenty of info on the scene, check out the compilation "Friday at The Hideout" on Norton.
And now, the clip!

Big Sambo & The Housewreckers - "At The Party" - Eric, 1960(?)

This is a great Little Richard-style stomper of a party tune.  Details however, are sketchy - speak up if you know something!
Big Sambo & The House Wreckers were from Beaumont, Texas, led by sax honker James Young.

"The Rains Came", on the flip, is the more well-known song from this single. You'll note the record indicates Huey Meaux aka "The Crazy Cajun" was involved.  Huey is a DJ/Publisher/Label Owner who made his mark in Texas after moving at a young age from his hometowm near Kaplan, Louisiana. He was involved with artists like Barbara Lynn, Joe Barry and Rod Bernard and T. K. Hulin. Huey's probably best known for his Friday night radio program on KPFT-FM in Houston.

Back to Mr Young - it seems the single's rise to fame was interrupted by some angry folks at the NAACP who demanded Young lose the "Big Sambo" moniker. Also interesting, the Sir Douglas Quintet covered the flip and had a hit with it in'66.
From what I can gather, Eric Records was a subsidiary of Tear Drop Records, which Heuy Meaux started sometime around 1960.  If the dates are right, that makes this record an early release for the label.
And of course, the clip:

2009 Christmas Mix is back!

Hey folks, here's the Christmas mix I put together last year.  Hope ya enjoy and have a wonderful holiday!

Christmas with DJ Mike Crash by djmikecrash

The Clash - "White Riot" - CBS, 1977

I thought I'd mix it up this week with a Punk 45. And I was actually alive when this record came out, so that's different (yes, I was the ripe old age of 1).
"White Riot" was The Clash's first single after signing their first big record deal, with CBS.  The contract was signed on January 27th, and The Clash reported to the studio the next day to churn out the first single.  The sessions took place in CBS's studio on Whitfield Street, with Mickey Foote on as producer. (interesting tidbit: the Stooges recorded "Raw Power" at the same studio in '73).

More Punk Than You

"White Riot" was a tune inspired by the '76 Notting Hll Carnival Riots, which members of The Clash accidently found themselves caught in.  Simmering racial tensions, exacerbated by the National Fronts' increased public presence, got disaffected black youth rioting that day - so how did The Clash get "White Riot" out of that?
From Kris Needs' great book "Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash":

"Being inspired to write a song called "White Riot" in response to the Carnival incident can never be considered one of the band's blunders. They were simply calling for white people to show a similar passion for change and action as the black youths at Notting Hill. Not neccesarily by throwing bricks at coppers, but simply getting off their arses and not being content with their drab lot in life."

Pic from the Notting Hill riots

The song wasn't a big charter in the States and only reached #38 in the UK, but it did spend a total 33 weeks on the UK charts.
The Clash of course went on to become Punk legends.  If you don't enjoy The Clash, then I'm sorry, but we can't be friends.
CBS Records released the non-US versions of US-based Columbia Records, to avoid confusion with EMI's Columbia Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company. Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound, being the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. Columbia is now owned by Sony.
And of course, the clip!

William Bell - "Eloise (Hang On In There)" - Stax, 1967

The other day I was running through some 45s and I realized there were a few I never got around to ripping to digital so I could play them out.  I've been really missing out by not having this monster in my bag! Great, great tune.

Bell was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He took the last name "Bell" as a stage name in honor of his grandmother, whose first name was Belle. After a start with The Del-Rios in the 50s, he began releasing records on Stax in the early 60's with "You Don't Miss Your Water".

"Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need)" was his first big hit in '66. His later hits were covered by artists such as Cream, Billy Idol, and Albert King.

This particular tune seems to be a bit under-the-radar, I don't believe it had any real chart success. As you can see by the label, this was another collaboration with Booker T. Jones.  Kind of a shame this one didn't break out as it's a real corker!

Stax Records is an epic record label, defining the Memphis Soul sound. Otis Redding, Booker T & The MGs, Rufus Thomas, The Bar-Kays - just a handful of the tremendous artists that released on Stax. 

From Wikipedia: "Stax Records, originally named Satellite Records, was founded in Memphis in 1957 by Jim Stewart, initially operating in a garage. Satellite's early releases were country music records or straight pop numbers, reflecting the tastes of Stewart (a white country fiddle player) at the time."

Out of Satellite Records came Stax Records (a portmanteau of the names of the two owners of the company: Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton) and Volt. In the early/mid 60s they rose from regional to national labels alongside Motown. By the late 60's Stax started to falter after legal troubles with distributor Atlantic and the death of Otis Redding. Stax/Volt Records was forced into involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 19, 1975.

If you see a Stax 45, just give it a listen! And now, the clip:

The LAST Graveyard Rock!

Please come out for my last Graveyard Rock party at Trophy Bar. It's been fun, I need to give up this gig to focus on a new j-o-b. Wednesday the 8th!

Desmond Dekker - "Isrealites" - Uni, 1968

And now for something completely different - a little Ska from legend Desmond Dekker! Desmond is a Jamaican music giant, who's impact was felt around the world. Hell, an old friend from college even named his son Desmond Dekker!  My first introduction to Desmond Dekker was in high school when his song "007 (Shanty Town)" blew my mind.  I've been a fan of Ska/Rocksteady since.
  In 1941 he was born Desmond Adolphus Dacres in St. Andrew, Jamaica and grew up in Kingston.  After some encouragement from his friends Desmond auditioned for a few labels in 1961. and was able to land a contract at Beverley's record label with the help of Derrick Morgan.  His first song in '63, "Honour Your Mother and Father", was the first in a string of hits. From Wikipedia:
"In 1968 Dekker's "Israelites" was released, eventually topping the UK Singles Chart (the first reggae hit to do so) and peaking in the Top Ten of the US Billboard Hot 100. Dekker was the first Jamaican artist to have a hit record in the US with a form and style that was purely Jamaican, though he never repeated the feat."
One of the funny things about this tune is that despite being well known and loved, most don't have clue what the heck Desmond is saying. The lyrics are as impenetrable as "Louie, Louie".

Desmond's career slowed down a bit in the 70's before riding the 2Tone second-wave ska movement to increased popularity. Once that movement died out in the early 80's, so did the gigs, and Desmond declared bankruptcy in 1984. He did work on a few more projects after that point, mostly re-recording old hits and projects with other musicians. Dekker died of a heart attack on 25 May 2006, at his home in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon, England, aged 64.
This is actually the only record I own on the Uni label. Here's the Wiki blurb on them:
"Uni Records (short for the label's legal name Universal City Records and rendered as UNI) was a record label owned by MCA Inc. The brand, which long featured a distinct UNi logo, was established in 1966 by MCA executive Ned Tanen and developed by music industry veteran Russ Regan. Notable artists on Uni included Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Foundations, Hugh Masakela, Brian Hyland, Desmond Dekker, Bill Cosby, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Dave and Ansil Collins, Fever Tree and Olivia Newton-John. In 1967, Uni took over management of MCA's newly acquired Kapp Records. In 1971 Uni was merged with Kapp and the co-owned American Decca Records, to form MCA Records. The Decca, Kapp, and Uni labels continued to be used for new releases for a short time, but in late 1972, new releases by their former artists began appearing on the MCA Records label; before long their back catalogs had been transferred to MCA as well."
And of course, the clip!

Jessie Hill - "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" - Minit, 1960

This one's a real stomper!  After some call and response oohs and ahhs, Jessie yells "I'ma tell ya 'bout Ooh Poo Pah Doo!".  Apparently Ooh Poo Pah Doo has something to do with "creating a distrubance in you mind".  This song certainly creates a disturbance on the dancefloor! Born on December 9th, 1932 in New Orleans, Jessie Hill was a lifetime musician, performing in bands from his high school years.  After working as a drummer with Professor Longhair and then Huey "Piano" Smith, he put together the House Rockers in 1958.

The origins of this particular song are interesting. Apparently it was actuallly penned by a local "winehead" piano player known only as "Big Four".  Jessie caught him performing this tune a scribbled down the lyrics on a paper bag.  The intro was borrowed from Dave Bartholomew.  The House Rockers then added the song to their repertoire and it quickly became a crowd favorite.  After shopping this song unsuccesfully at Ric/Ron, Jessie finally found a taker at Minit Records.  Allen Toussaint was brought in to produce the session, but since he didn't really get the tune he wasn't able to add much. “I didn’t think ‘Ooh Poo Pah Doo’ made much sense,” admitted Toussaint. “I thought songs had to be more expressive. But when I saw the effect it had on people, I began to look at things differently.”
After starting out as a local Carnival favorite, "“Ooh Poo Pah Doo" slowly built up steam over the course of a year till it broke nationally, peaking at #3 in Billboard’s R&B chart and #28 on the pop chart.
Unfortunately, Jessie and the House Rockers were never able to replicate that early success.  But he did cut a few more tunes in the "nonsense words" vein, here are some from my collection.

Jessie did have a short and rather successful stint on the West Coast, but problems with alchohol and a nasty temper made it hard to be productive for long.  After returning to New Orleans his worsing personal and financial condition alienated him from most of his friends. He passed away in 1996 from heart and kidney failure on September 17, 1996 and was buried under a plywood grave marker in Holt Cemetery.

For those wanting more detail, I highly recommend this bio: http://www.offbeat.com/2002/02/01/jessie-hill/.
We've talked about Minit before here (http://djmikecrash.blogspot.com/2010/04/gene-dozier-hunk-of-funk-minit-records.html).  All you need to remember is that if you see a 45 on this label, just grab it. In my experience, there are far more hits than misses in the Minit catalog, especially in the earlier releases.

And, the clip!

"Where Y'at?" has been moved to a new date!

My monthly gig at The Charleston is now the 4th Saturday of every month! Hope to see ya!

November 2010 Mix: Bop-A-Munga!

During the 50s and 60s, tons of popular culture was inspired by far away jungles and the natives and beasts we imagined lived inside them. For my November 2010 mix, I've put together some of my favorite tunes in that vein. The natives are restless, and need to dance!

Bop-A-Munga by djmikecrash

The Applejacks - "Rocka-Conga" - Cameo, 1959

Sometimes a record grabs me for the sheer silliness of it.  This is one of those records. I guess I'd call it a "novelty dance" number. While researching it, I came to know the story of Dave Appell.

Are those groupies back there?

The Applejacks, not to be confused with the Beat group of the same name from across the pond, was basically a studio band under the direction of Dave Appell. Appell (pronounced "apple") has a long history in the music business and is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades.  After getting his start arranging for several United States Navy big bands during WWII, he arranged for a few other dance orchestras and recorded several tunes for Decca as the "Dave Appell Four".
Somewhere in the mid-late 50's, Appell moved back to his hometown of Philadelphia and got involved with Cameo Records doing background vocals, session work as a guitarist, engineering, arranging, and producing. From Wikipedia:
"In the summer of 1958, Appell got an idea for a song from the Philadelphia String Band of a marching-type song with a dance beat. He wrote an instrumental song called "The Mexican Hat Rock," a jumped-up version of the old "Mexican Hat Dance," that he had his studio band record. The song was released under their own name on Cameo that fall and became a big dance hit on American Bandstand, reaching # 16 on the charts. The Applejacks also charted with "Rocka-Conga" (# 38) later in the year.

Appell went on to become the leader of Cameo-Parkway's house band, backing such artists as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, The Dovells, Dee Dee Sharp, and The Orlons. Their records Appell also arranged and, in many cases, produced, and even co-wrote with Kal Mann, like "The Twist," "Let's Twist Again," "Bristol Stomp," "Mashed Potato Time," and "South Street." These were the years of the twist and other dance crazes, in the launching of which Appell played a vital role. Appell left Cameo in 1964."
Mr. Appell is 87 and still doing his thing - you can check out his website here: http://www.daveappell.com
Cameo Records was based out of Philadelphia and was a subsidiary of Cameo-Parkway Records.  Founded in December 1956 by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann, the label had many hits with previously mentioned artists. Judging by what I find while digging, The Orlons were particularly popular (at least round these parts). The British Invasion of the mid-sixties put a hurt on the label, and one of their last big hits was "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians.  By 1967, the label winding down and being sold off in pieces.
And, the clip:

The Cramps - "The Way I Walk" - Vengence, 1978

I thought I'd mix it up this week with something more current (only 30 years old!).  This is The Cramps' very first release, b/w "Surfin Bird".  In my eyes that makes it a pretty epic 45, I just wish mine was in better shape!
What can be said about the Cramps that hasn't already been said? Some record collector art geek from the Midwest picked up a fellow record-nerd hitchhiker in California sometime in 1972 - and those two went on to become Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, the core of The Cramps.

Their fusion of Garage, Rockabilly and Punk sounds took NYC by storm and inspired too many musicians to count.   The Cramps are REQUIRED listening, people.

My own personal Cramps experience is pretty limited. I remember seeing a "punk" in the goofy 80's movie "Back To The Beach" wearing a "Bad Music for Bad People" t-shirt and I thought "this sounds like music I should check out". Luckily, my uncle Marcos and my cousin Maria were huge Cramps fans and were happy to sort out a few tunes.  They actually took me to my only Cramps show: March 7, 1991 with the Reverend Horton Heat at Chicago's Riviera Theatre.  I had just turned 15 and I didn't really know what to expect, I just knew these guys had a really crazy and weird rocking vibe.  I think the "wildest" shirt I had was a very hippy tunic kinda thing I got in Jr. High for a costume so I wore that.  Obviously I was pretty clueless and probably looked like a huge asshole.  But the show was amazing, of course.  It was defintely a turning point in the creation of the music-geek degenerate you see before you today.
Back to the song.  If you're a hardcore Cramps fan or record nerd, then you're aware that many of The Cramps best songs were either covers of older tunes or borrowed liberally from them.  "The Way I Walk" is a great example.

The original is a belter of a tune from Detroit-rocker Jack Scott released in 1959. Check out the original in this YouTube clip:

Note the difference between the Scott and Cramps versions. The Cramps take the original version, strip it to its raw rock essence, then drag it through a dirty alley and soak it with booze until it's a lean, mean, attitute machine.  Crampsified!
I strongly feel that The Cramps' deep knowledge of great old music is what enabled them to make great new music.  That's one of my main motivators in DJing these days - trying to educate folks on gems from the past so they can make the gems of tomorrow! It makes me crazy when I hear new music sampling other music that was only produced only a few years prior. Really, is that as far back as most these days are willing to look for inspiration?
As far as the "Venegence" label, I believe this was an imprint started by The Cramps for releasing their own material.  This first issue was cheekily numbered "666".  There were a few more issues on this label before it disappeared, but I believe it was resurrected later for some reissues and one new album.
And finally, the clip!

Shake Frantic! at Huckleberry Bar

This month we're holding the event on a Wednesday since Huckleberry Bar is closed on Thanksgiving. The upshot - no work tomorrow so let's party all night! I'll buy a drink for anyone that can name all the artists in the flier.

Next up: Graveyard Rock at Trophy Bar!

Wednesday, November 10th at Trophy Bar! Don't let hump day drag you down, fight the work-week beasts!

Kathy Keegan - "Nobody's Gonna Hurt You" - Al-Brite Records, 1960(?)

Info is really scarce for today's 45! All I could really dig up on Kathy Keegan is that she is perhaps English-born but was living in New York (second hand info which is supposedly from the liner notes in her "When You're Young And In Love" album on DCP International (DCL 3800).

This is only pic I could find!

The vibe of this tune really reminded me of Wanda Jackson's "Funnel of Love", but I believe Keegan's song came out about a year before Wanda's. Lack of available info on this singer or this song make me wonder if it didn't rise above a local hit, which would be a real shame!
"...there is a touch of Judy Garland in Keegan's vocal delivery, but the vocalist is still distinctively Keegan. Petite (4 feet 11 inches, 100 lbs), Kathy projects in clarity of tone and quality of purpose all that she sings." - Billboard, April 25,1964
Other articles of this period indicate Mrs. Keegan had a busy nightclub and television apperance schedule, appearing at places like the Copacabana in New York, The Flamingo in Vegas, The Ed Sullivan Show, etc.
Al-Brite label info is also scarce.  I do know they were a small Brooklyn-based label.  I found this partial discography here, with most of the release dates missing: http://www.globaldogproductions.info/a/al-brite.html
I also dug up this ad from the November 30, 1959 issue of Billboard Magazine.

The label's addresss is in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn and looks to be a Chinese market of some sort currently.
And now, the clip!

Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure - "Dont Mess Up A Good Thing" - Checker, 1965

This is one of my favorite records! Of course, I play the hell out of it.
Fontella Bass (born July 3, 1940, St. Louis, Missouri) is best known for her hit "Rescue Me", which was released the same year.  She was already singing in front of crowds at church by the time she was 5 or 6. (Personal secret: I sang in church as a kid. Apparently, even shitty singers get a break sometimes!) A few years later, she was touring and singing with her mother throughout the South.

In the early Sixties she recorded a few tunes for the Bobbin label which were produced by Ike Turner, but they didn't get much play outside of St. Louis. A few years later she moved to Chicago and hooked with Chess Records, and the hits came fast and furious.
Bobby McClure was born in Chicago but raised in St. Louis. Similarly, he got his start singing in church and took it from there. He did some work in St. Louis with Fontella Bass as the "The Oliver Sain Soul Revue featuring Fontella and Bobby McClure".

After a split with Sain, McClure and Bass released a few duets on Checker - I believe this was the first and it did quite well, reaching top five at R&B radio and peaking at #33 at pop. Later that year she returned to the studio for "Rescue Me". From Wikipedia: "The song "Rescue Me" shot up the charts in the fall and winter of 1965. After a month-long run at the top of the R&B charts, the song reached #4 at the pop charts and gave Chess its first million-selling single since Chuck Berry a decade earlier. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc."
Checker Records was born in 1952 and was an offshoot of giant Chess Records out of Chicago, a label that comes here up often and will much more.
And now, the clip!

Halloween Weekend Part 3: Niagara on 10/31!

Halloween Weekend Part 3: Niagara on 10/31! Don't give me any of your lame ass "I gotta work tomorrow" excuses. THIS IS HALLOWEEN.

Halloween Weekend Part 2: Motor City on 10/29!

Halloween Weekend Part 2: Motor City on 10/29!

Shake Frantic! at Huckleberry Bar

Time again for my monthly at Huckleberry Bar! Thursday 10/28, be there or be square!

Halloween 2010 Mix Is Here!

Hey kids, enjoy this creepy Halloween mix!

Halloween 2010 Mix by djmikecrash

The Virtues - "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" - Hunt Records, 1959

Today we've got a great slab of early instro rock from Philadelphia's the Virtues!
Frank Virtue put this band together in 1947 after being discharged from the Navy in '46 to look after his family. Starting a band was the natural thing to do after his stint as bandleader of the Regular Navy Dance Band while enlisted.

Ralph Frederico on the piano and Steve Rossi on the guitar filled out the trio. After touring for the better part of a decade doing smaller gigs, the boys decided to try to get a piece of that Rock N' Roll craze in the late 50's. Here's the low-down from Wikipedia:
"By this time, the group's lineup had expanded, with Virtue on the bass, John Renner on the saxophone, Jimmy Bruno on the guitar, Joe Vespe on the drums, and Dave Kaplin as an occasional vocalist. Under the name The Virtues, they released a rock reworking of Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith's country hit "Guitar Boogie" in 1958 under the title "Guitar Boogie Shuffle". The instrumental became a major hit in the U.S., peaking at #27 on the Black Singles chart and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. The single also became a sheet music smash, selling well worldwide. Several singles followed – "Flippin", "Boogie Woogie", "Vaya con Dios" – but none of them succeeded; the group was signed by ABC/Paramount, but their only return to the charts was with the 1962 release "Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist" (U.S. #95).

Towards the end of 1962, Virtue disbanded the group and pursued a career as a record producer and recording engineer. His studio, Virtue Recording Studios, located at 1618 N. Broad St., was one of the top studios in Philadelphia for a number of years until closing in the early 1980s. His original studio, in the basement of his house on Fayette Street, was where "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" was originally recorded."

If you'd like to read more about the Virtues, I'd recommend this page: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-virtues-p24947/biography
Note, I believe Virtues studios is where some of my favorite music was recorded for the Phil-L.A. of Soul label - "The Horse" and "Boogaloo Down Broadway" (covered here!)
Hunt seems to have been owned by Globe Record Corp and dispributed via Am-Par Records. Perhaps they were Philly based? I can find no other info on this label - please share if ya have some.
And now, the clip:

Sunday the 17th at Niagara!

Come out and play with me!

The Electric Prunes - "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" - Reprise, 1966

Today I've got something a little different and..psychedelic - The Electric Prunes! Is this band's name aweful or awesome? Too close to call really, although rumor is that it was jokingly suggested as a last minute name idea for their first release "Ain't It Hard"/"Little Olive".  That single flopped.

But the next one, today's 45 "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" was a hit! It remains their highest charting success, reaching 11 in the USA and 49 in the UK.  This tune wasn't penned by the group, but rather the songwriting team of Annette Tucker and lyricist Nancie Mantz.  Apparently the band's producer,  Dave Hassinger, thought they needed some help in the songwriting department and made the connection. The signature reversed guitar lick which opens the songs appears to have been a happy accident of the recording process.  Here's a qoute from singer James Lowe:
"We were recording on a four-track, and just flipping the tape over and re-recording when we got to the end. Dave cued up a tape and didn't hit 'record,' and the playback in the studio was way up: ear-shattering vibrating jet guitar. Ken had been shaking his Bigsby wiggle stick with some fuzztone and tremolo at the end of the tape. Forward it was cool. Backward it was amazing. I ran into the control room and said, 'What was that?' They didn't have the monitors on so they hadn't heard it. I made Dave cut it off and save it for later."
This record was a slow starter when released, but it gradually picked up steam and became the hit that really started the bands career.  "Too Much To Dream" was later covered by Stiv Bators, The Damned, Doro Pesch, Paul Roland and others.
This song was included in the classic "Nuggets" compliation in 1972, allowing it to reach many new fans.  The Nuggets album is just a tremendous collection of mid to late 60's Rock, and you MUST pick it up.  Over the years it's been expanded into a several CD set I believe. Oddly, I was exploring 60's Rock and I found the Nuggets compliation late - after I had already purchased most of the songs individually. At any rate, when I realized this comp existed I just had to have a copy - here's a pic of my copy of the early 70s vinyl release.

The Electric Prunes actually got back together in around 2000, and in 2002 released a new recording titled "Artifact". They're still touring, and I hear they are working on some new material with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins.
And finally, the clip!