Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Strawberry Alarm Clock: Psycho-Hokum or Classic?


Originally posted on September 23, 2008

We look back again today to the nether regions of the murky past. I’m not sure why from some legitimate view, but last year I grabbed a reissued copy of the Strawberry Alarm Clock album Incense and Peppermints (Collectibles), which I guess came out around 1967. They had the big hit with the title cut and represented one of those bands who embodied the keen teen psychedelic ethos.

The album is rather funny. There’s a tune from Hair, some hokey love-in music and some further attempts to cash in on their first hit with follow up numbers. Dated it is, and charming in its off-kilter bid at popularizing the emerging youth culture. They had especially designed for them a line of really bizarre looking guitars and basses. You can see photos around if you search. They looked like paisley toboggans. Well that’s enough of that kind of music for now.

2 comments:

  1. Just FYI, the album pictured here is not the same as the 1967 Incense And Peppermints, it is just a compilation with the same title. More info about it here:

    http://www.unwindwithsac.com/i/Incense-%26-Peppermints-1990-album

    The 1967 original is great; I recommend it to anyone inclined towards psych and/or 60s music.

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  2. Hey thanks for that input Jeremy. As a matter of fact the CD I was listening to didn't have this cover either--but I couldn't readily find the image so substituted this one at the last minute. Thanks again for pointing out the distinction!
    Grego

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