Feb 17, 2009

PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY - FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES (CHALLENGE 1969)




PBC formed in Los Angeles in 1966 out of a folk-rock group, The Ashes, who included John Merrill (guitar/ vocals), Alan Brackett (bass/ vocals), Barbara "Sandi" Robison (vocals), Spencer Dryden (drums) and Jim Cherniss (guitar/ vocals). The group had earlier been known as The Young Swingers, who released two obscure singles. The Ashes released one single in 1966 on the Vault label, "Is There Anything I Can Do?" written by Jackie DeShannon. Dryden then left The Ashes to replace Skip Spence in Jefferson Airplane, Robison left to give birth, and the group temporarily disbanded.
Alan Brackett hooked up with a new guitarist, Lance Fent, and a new drummer, Jim Voigt, naming the new trio The Crossing Guards. Merrill and Robison rejoined, and the five-piece band became The Peanut Butter Conspiracy.
The group signed with Columbia Records in late 1966, releasing a single "It's A Happening Thing", produced by Gary Usher, which reached #93 on the national pop chart. The band's first album, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading, followed, also produced by Usher who brought in studio musicians including Glen Campbell and James Burton to bolster the group's sound. Their late 1967 single "Turn On a Friend (to the Good Life)" failed to chart. However, they toured nationally, added a new guitarist, Bill Wolff, and recorded a second album for Columbia, The Great Conspiracy, generally regarded as their best.
In 1968 they moved to the Warner Bros. Records subsidiary label Challenge, with a revamped line-up featuring ex-Clear Light organist Ralph Schuckett and drummer Michael Ney (Stevens), recording their final album For Children of All Ages. The record was written and conceived by Brackett. Meanwhile, Merrill had reformed a version of Ashes, whose only LP was eventually released in 1970 on the Vault label.
........................................
This edition of PBC's last album, is a completely new album!
Reissue team:"We've uncovered no less than six previously unreleased tracks which we think are so good we've decided to reconfigure the album in their honour...
Here

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hiya Georgie, looking foward to hearing this. I have the Columbia albums but I have never heard this one.


Best!
George

Georgie Hirezola said...

it's a good album!!!
actually it's not exactly as the original "Challenge" LP but the new added material is excellent.... & this new version is much better!!!!!
............
I have "The Great Conspiracy" on vinyl too...hehehe!!OK! What can I say? it's their best!!!

Anonymous said...

This is groovy, outtasite. Their first album is currently unavailable on the blogosphere - any chance of upping that one, Georgie?

frumious bandersnatch said...

Thanks for this re-discovery ! you truly post amazing music !

Anonymous said...

Uh ... I just found the first album, so don't bother paying 100 bucks for the Japanese cardboard sleeve remaster on my account!

Anonymous said...

Really fantastic. Many thankx.

Georgie Hirezola said...

hey guys...
the "show you the way" sounds like it came out of a ...68-70 "Grassroots" LP...hehehehehe!!
OK..quite different from the "Columbia" stuff...but still very interesting...I really love this group!
OK Slarty..thnx for saving my money..hehe...
thanks guys++++++

Woof Burgers said...

Thank You