The Association and Other Peeps

American Response: Part 6
In 1961, The Cyrkle was a pop band formed by lead singers Don Dannemann and Tom Dawes while studying at college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Originally a garage rock group called The Rondells, they were later discovered and managed by Brian Epstein (The Beatles' manager) in 1965, renaming them The Cyrkle (John Lennon suggested the unique spelling). In the summer of 1966, the group joined The Beatles on their U.S. tour and performed as one of the opening acts, including The Beatles final concert at Candlestick Park. Earlier that year in April 1966, they had released their biggest hit, "Red Rubber Ball," co-written by Paul Simon (who offered this song to the group while they were on tour with Simon and Garfunkel) and Bruce Woodley (of The Seekers). Reaching #2 on the charts, this classic still receives lots of airplay on the 'oldies' station today, leading listeners to mistake them for another one-hit wonder, although they did have another Top-40 hit. After The Cyrkle disbanded, both Dannemann and Dawes went on to be professional jingle writers, with Dawes writing the famous "plop plop fizz fizz" Alka-Seltzer jingle and Dannemann penning the original 7Up Uncola song.

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Speaking of Simon & Garfunkel, this great American pop/folk duo is no stranger to The '60 Beat. Known for their vocal harmonies, singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel released some of the most popular music in the 1960s and are ranked #40 of the 100 greatest artists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. Rising to fame with the folk rock movement that grew out of the British Invasion, the group gained further popularity in 1967 when their music was featured in the landmark film The Graduate. An early version of "Mrs. Robinson" appeared several times throughout the movie, while the complete song was recorded and released in 1968 on the album Bookends. The film's producer asked Simon to write three songs for the movie, but by the time it was nearly edited, the group had been too busy touring and Simon had only written one new song. The producer begged for more, so Simon just played him a different song he had been writing that had nothing to do with the movie, "about past times, Mrs. Roosevelt, Joe DiMaggio, and stuff." The director advised Simon, "It's now about Mrs. Robinson, not Mrs. Roosevelt." Here's a live performance of the song that earned the duo a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

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In 1965, The Association formed in Los Angeles and went on to have several big hits, eventually becoming the lead-off band at the Monterey Pop Festival of 1967. With their music in the sunshine pop genre , they started out playing many gigs all over L.A., but had difficulty getting a record label contract due to their unique sound. After signing with Valiant Records, the group got their national break with the release of "Along Comes Mary" in 1966, followed by a string of hits, however, my absolute favorite song by these guys is "Never My Love," a great tune that hit #1 on the Cashbox chart in 1967. With dual vocals by Terry Kirkman and Larry Ramos, this baroque pop/sunshine pop classic is "laid-back and dreamy, [yet] sleek and sophisticated," and according to BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) in 1999, it was the second most-played song on American radio and television of the 20th century. After this song's release, the group become a top concert act in high demand by TV variety shows, specials, and talk shows, eventually performing this hit on about thirteen shows, including The Ed Sullivan Show (shown below). I have yet to tire of this beauty.

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From Union City, Indiana, The McCoys were a rock band that first formed in 1962 by guitarist Richard Zehringer (known as Rick Derringer) and his brother 'Randy Z' on drums. After adding a bassist, saxophonist, and keyboardist to their line-up, The McCoys scored a #1 hit with "Hang On, Sloopy" in October of 1965. It has since become the official rock song of the state of Ohio, the MLB team the Cleveland Indians, and Ohio State University, which carries on the Saturday tradition of playing this song at football games ever since the university marching band blasted this tune in 1965. Penned by songwriters Wes Farrell and Bert Russell, it was named for singer Dorothy Sloop, who used the name "Sloopy" on stage. Originally titled "My Girl Sloopy," this song was first recorded by The Vibrations in 1964, followed by several other groups including The Ventures, The Supremes, The Kingsmen, The Yardbirds, and Jan & Dean, however, The McCoys, with their 16-year-old leader, will always be remembered for making this tune a fun success.

Midnight Confessions

American Response: Part 5

The Grass Roots were a band project created by songwriter/producer duo P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, who wanted to cash in on the up-and-coming folk rock movement of the time. After going through a couple of groups with the incorporated Grass Roots name, the third and most successful lineup was found in a band that already existed in L.A., who then took on their new role as The Grass Roots in 1967. With Rob Grill as the lead singer/bassist, this lineup went on to have 21 singles to hit the charts (a feat beat by only 9 other bands in the entire history of rock n' roll), and they actually hold the all-time attendance record for a one act U.S. concert of 600,000 people on July 4th, 1982 in Washington, DC. Blending the British beat sound with soul music, rhythm and blues, and folk rock, the group released several hits like "Midnight Confessions" in 1968. As this tune was the first of theirs to use a horn section, the group was concerned that their fans would not like the "departure" from their previous sound, however, it became their biggest hit, reaching #5 that summer. I think I may have a crush on these guys...

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Led by guitarist Tom King, The Outsiders (originally named The Starfires) had a built-in advantage over the many American bands that formed in the wake of the British Invasion. Since 1958, they had already been an active rhythm and blues band in the Cleveland, Ohio music scene, sometimes playing six shows a week. With lead singer Sonny Geraci's solid voice and the band's soulful sound accompanied by a screaming brass section, The Outsiders' released "Time Won't Let Me" in early 1966, which peaked at #5 and remained on the charts for 15 weeks. Although the group had three other hits singles that same year and released four albums in the mid-1960s, they are falsely remembered as a one-hit wonder since this song remains prominent on 'oldies' radio playlists. Is it just me or does this lead singer look an awful lot like Chachi from the TV show Happy Days?
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With singer and keyboardist Domingo "Sam" Samudio, known for wearing a robe and turban (and for hauling his equipment in a 1952 Packard hearse with velvet curtains), the novelty rock group Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs were formed in 1963 in Memphis, Tennessee. Written by Sam and released in 1965, "Wooly Bully" was the band's first and biggest hit, becoming a worldwide sensation and reaching #2 on the U.S. charts. Influenced by the British rock sound mixed with traditional Mexican-American conjunto rhythms, this was actually the first American record to sell a million copies during the British Invasion. It was also nominated for a Grammy and was named Billboard's "Number One Song of the Year" even though it didn't reach #1. Because the lyrics were hard to understand, some radio stations actually banned this song. By the way, the lyrics, "Let's not be L-7s," means "Let's not be squares," referring to the shape formed by the fingers making an L on one hand and a 7 on the other. Too funny!

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In 1965, The Doors formed in Los Angeles, California, after a chance-meeting between fellow UCLA film school alumni, vocalist Jim Morrison and keyboardist Ray Manzarek, who decided to form a band. Completely the lineup with drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Krieger, this group became one of the most controversial acts of the 1960s, mainly due to Morrison's crazy, poetic lyrics and his unpredictable yet charismatic stage presence. Even after Morrison's death in 1971 with the group eventually disbanding in '73, their popularity continues with over 90 million albums sold worldwide. After mainly recording blues rock, psychedelic rock, and hard rock, their sound shifted with the release of the symphonic rock song "Touch Me" in December of 1968, reaching #3 on the U.S. charts. Written by guitarist Krieger (who you'll notice has a black eye in this video, thanks for Morrison), this song was originally (and ironically) titled "Hit Me," but Morrison changed the lyrics in concern for the rowdy crowds at their concerts. This performance comes from one of their most famous TV appearances on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour where Morrison actually missed his cue for the lines "C'mon, c'mon" (at 1:09). Back by the Nelson Riddle Orchestra (bandleader for Frank Sinatra and many famous vocalists), this song is a blast. And I think I'd like to have a shiny belt like Jim Morrison.

Happy Together

The American Response: Part 4

Well, you can't get much more American than Paul Revere & the Raiders, a rock band that formed in 1960 from Boise, Idaho. With Paul Revere as the rockin' keyboardist and Mark Lindsey singing lead vocals, these guys first started out playing garage rock at teen dances. Under the guidance of producer Terry Melcher, the guys relocated to L.A. in 1965 and began recording music that mixed the sounds of the British Invasion bands with an American, R&B feel. Gaining considerable mainstream success through national TV appearances as regulars on Dick Clark's Where the Action Is, they were presented as America's response to the British Invasion wearing American Revolutionary War uniforms, however, fellow West Coast bands and the counterculture youth were not fans. Released in March 1966, one of their biggest hits was "Kicks," an anti-drug song by songwriting team Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, originally written for The Animals (who turned it down). Reaching the #4 position on the charts, this garage rock tune is now among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Apologies for the watermark but I loved the color footage.

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The Turtles first began as a surf-rock group in Westchester, California (west L.A.), formed by Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman in 1965, however, following a popular musical trend at time, they re-branded themselves as a folk rock group. Like The Byrds, The Turtles achieved breakthrough success with a Bob Dylan cover ("It Ain't Me Babe") in late '65, but it wasn't until 1967 that the group gained the most chart success. Released in February '67, "Happy Together" knocked The Beatles' "Penny Lane" out of the #1 position on the charts, and has since become the group's signature song. This tune had actually been rejected a dozen times before it was offered to The Turtles, and with their bassist Chip Douglas providing the arrangement (who soon after became the producer for The Monkees), this folk rock/psychedelic rock/pop rock song has been used in many films, TV shows, and commercials. With over five million plays on American radio, it ranks as one of the most performed songs in the US of the 20th century, placing it in the same league as The Beatles' "Yesterday" and Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." This will always be one of my favorites (though some of the non-Turtle clips in this video were definitely added in 1980s, probably re-edited for playtime during MTV's early years).

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From Niles, Michigan, the rock band Tommy James & the Shondells formed in 1959 when lead singer/guitarist Tommy James was just 12 years old (first known as Tom & the Tornadoes). Officially changing to the Shondells in 1964, the group had a big local hit with "Hanky Panky," but after they did not break into the national market, they disbanded after high school graduation. When a Pittsburgh radio station unearthed the forgotten single, Tommy James reformed with a new group of Shondells and went on to have many successful hits, ranging from garage rock, psychedelic rock, and bubblegum (which he hated). Released in February of 1968, "Mony Mony" reached #3 on the US charts and went to #1 in the UK, their only song to even reach the Top-20 across the Atlantic. The song's title was inspired by a sign for Mutual of New York just outside James' apartment window in NYC. Later embracing the sounds of psychedelia (like "Crimsom and Clover"), the group was even invited to perform at the Woodstock concert, but they declined. Here's another rockin' song by Tommy James & the Shondells.

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From Garfield, New Jersey, The Young Rascals were a blue-eyed soul/pop rock band that released numerous Top-10 singles in their career from 1965 through 1972. They first gained modest success after they performed their debut single ("I Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore") on the TV program Hullabaloo in 1965, but it wasn't until they released "Good Lovin'" in February of '66 that they really made a name for themselves. Becoming the first of three #1 hits for The Young Rascals, this mixture of garage rock and white soul, as well as their variety of hits to come, had a big impact on aspiring R&B-flavored, white acts. With its high-energy instrumentation, call-and-response vocals from lead singer/organist Felix Cavaliere and the band, and a complete false ending (popular at the time), "Good Lovin'" has since become labeled as one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and is among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Oh and if you ever notice another group from the 1960s simply called The Rascals, they're the same guys; the band dropped the "Young" part of their name in early 1968. Another great live performance from the Ed Sullivan Show!

"If I Can Dream"

The American Response: Part 3

The ONLY American musical group whose popularity did not diminish during the British Invasion was The Four Seasons, and in fact, they are the only act to have a #1 hit before, during, and after the years that The Beatles had #1 hits on the charts. They are one of the best-selling groups of all time, having sold 175 million records worldwide. Forming in 1960 with Frankie Valli as the lead singer, along with Bob Gaudio (keyboards and tenor vocals), Tommy DeVito (lead guitar and baritone vocals), and Nick Massi (bass guitar and bass vocals), these guys were the most popular rock band before The Beatles. "Working My Way Back to You" was just another one of those Top-10 hits from later in the '60s, released in January of 1966. Although Frankie Valli is the only original member still performing today, this group's legacy lives on with lots of airplay on 'oldies' radio stations.

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So wow, where do I even begin about one of the most popular singers of all time, a cultural icon, The King of Rock and Roll? With his versatile voice and broad success in several genres including country, pop ballads, gospel, and blues, Elvis Presley is THE best-selling solo artist in the history of pop music. Beginning his career in 1954 with Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, Elvis became one of the originators of rockabilly (a upbeat blend of country and rhythm and blues), and became a leading figure in the development of rock and roll. However, during the 1960s, his music career faltered while stuck in a Hollywood contract, making formulaic (and silly) musical comedies, but that all ended when his '68 Comeback Special aired on TV in December (yeah, that one where he is looking pretty good in tight, black leather). It was Elvis' first live performance since 1961, and the special's finale was "If I Can Dream," a gospel-influenced song that featured quotations by Martin Luther King Jr. After hearing this song, Elvis proclaimed "I'm never going to sing another song I don't believe in."

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Well, it isn't exactly easy following the previous two artists, so we'll just plot along with other classic, 1960s sounds of America. Formed in a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1959, The Vogues were an American vocal group that started their career when their high school principle helped them record their first demo. Released in 1965, their second single "Five O'Clock World" hit #4 on the US charts and remains one of their most well-known songs today, along with "You're the One" from the previous year. Sung from the viewpoint of an urban worker looking forward to after-work freedom each day, it was not surprising that this became a major hit among steel workers in the Pittsburgh area. This arrangement was quite innovative with the repeating modal figure on 12-string guitar at the beginning and Bill Burkette's bright, baritone lead vocal (including unique yodeling lines) over a crescendoing string accompaniment. Definitely a noteworthy classic which I grew up hearing on the 1987 Good Morning, Vietnam film soundtrack.
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We'll finish off today with another distinctly American-sounding pop rock group from the late '60s, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, who also gained huge popularity in the UK. Originating in San Diego, California (yeah!), this group secured six consecutive gold records and Top-10 hits, of course fueled by the unmistakable, signature voice of baritone Gary Puckett. Released in March 1968, "Young Girl" was one of their biggest hits, reaching #2 on the US charts and #1 in the UK. With the lyrics about a man who realizes that the one he loves is under an acceptable age, this song was quite controversial at the time (and kind of still is), yet it was the second million-selling disc for the band (after "Woman Woman" in 1967), which it reached in less than two months. These guys headlined at White House reception for Prince Charles later in 1968, and received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist the following year (losing to Jose' Feliciano). Clad in Union Army-style Civil War uniforms, here's the promo video for this classic tune.

Songs for the Broken-hearted

The American Response: Part 2
This next batch of bands were directly influenced by the British Invasion (although some may say "Beatles knock-offs"), and it also just so happens that the lyrics of the songs I've selected have a common theme of rejection, lies, and heartache, however the tunes are quite upbeat.

Here at The 60's Beat, we first met The Beau Brummels during Folk Rock Week, as they were one of the first groups to blend beat music with folk rock (even influencing The Byrds). Releasing their first single in December of 1964, "Laugh Laugh" was the first hit single to come out of the emerging San Francisco scene in response to the British Invasion. With a very British-sounding name (meaning an extremely well-dressed person), The Beau Brummels capitalized on Beatlemania with similar harmonies to British pop groups (like The Beatles and The Zombies), and the fact their records would be alphabetically placed right next to The Beatles didn't hurt either. However, these guys became big teen idols in the US and their music did stand out on its own, as "Laugh Laugh" is considered one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. With its complex chord structure using flat major and minor keys, this song was significant in the development of garage rock and folk rock, and even helped in the boost of harmonica sales during the mid-1960s. Performing this song on several shows including an animated performance as The Beau Brummelstones on The Flintstones (see clip here), here's another on Shindig!. (And I tell you, the lead singer, Sal Valentino, could totally be related to my husband; he looks very similar minus the moptop hair style!).
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From New Jersey, The Knickerbockers were formed by two brothers, Beau Charles (guitar and vocals) and John Charles (bass and vocals), with Buddy Randell (vocals and saxophone), and took their name from Knickerbocker Road, a street near their hometown. In 1966, they had their biggest hit with "Lies," however, most listeners mistake this tune for being a "lost" Beatles track. From the distinct John Lennon lead vocal sound to the Paul McCartney-like vocal whoops before the guitar solo, it's regarded as "the most accurate early-Beatles imitation." A Charles/Randell original, this song reached #20 on the charts and helped the band become regular performers on Dick Clark's TV program Where The Action Is.
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From Chicago, Illinois, The Buckinghams formed in 1966 and became one of the top-selling bands of 1967. After securing a job as the house band for a WGN variety show (a local Chicago station), the group decided to adopt a name that reflected the British Invasion. With the release of their #1 hit single "Kind of a Drag," The Buckinghams gained national exposure, and were named by Billboard magazine as "The Most Listened to Band in America" as they released four more Top-10 hits that same year. With their songs exploring "brass-rock" orchestration, "Don't You Care" was one of those big hits from 1967, reaching #6 on the charts. Although the group dissolved in 1970, they reformed in 1980 and still tour as part of "oldies" shows in America.

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In 1964, drummer Gary Lewis (son of comedian Jerry Lewis) formed a band that first called themselves Gary & the Playboys, and got their first job as regular performers at Disneyland (without mentioning Lewis' celebrity father). After being picked up by record producer Snuff Garrett, Garrett had the group change their name to Gary Lewis & the Playboys (hoping the famous name would help sell records), and wanting to maximize their chances for success, the band was not allowed to play their own instruments on their first recording, "This Diamond Ring." Released in 1965, this tune became a #1 hit on the US charts, selling over a million records after their mimed performance on the Ed Sullivan Show (because of the studio "tricks" they had been done to the recording, it was impossible for the band to recreate the sound, so Ed Sullivan compromised, although he generally had a policy that musicians play live on the show). That same year, Gary Lewis was voted as Cash Box magazine's "Male Vocalist of the Year," and again, as mentioned in the last post about the Lovin' Spoonful, this band was the only other act during the 1960s to have their first seven singles reach the Top-10. After Lewis was drafted into the U.S. Army and went to Vietnam in 1967, the group generally turned into a nostalgia act when Lewis returned later in the '60s.

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EDITED on 8/29/11: So it was brought to my attention by an anonymous reader that there are two other "British-sounding" bands that should totally be included in this post.
Formed in Los Angeles in 1962, the Standells were a garage rock band that are now considered to be the "Godfathers of Punk Rock." These guys were one of the first American bands to wear longer hair, however, they were forced to trim their shaggy style in order to play at conservative nightclubs. Going through a variety of personnel, the main lineup in the mid-60s with vocalist/keyboardist Larry Tamblyn, vocalist/drummer Dick Dodd, guitarist Tony Valentino, and bassist Gary Lane were featured in several movies and TV shows (click here for the clip of the Standells performing a cover of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on The Munsters in 1964). They are most remembered for their only Top-40 hit "Dirty Water," which reached #8 on the Cashbox chart and #11 on the Billboard chart during the summer of 1966. Written by their producer Ed Cobb (and uncredited contributions by the band), this classic garage rock tune references the then-polluted Boston Harbor and Charles River, and since has become the anthem for Boston sports teams including the Boston Red Sox. 

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Formed in San Antonio, Texas in 1964 by multi-instrumental Doug Sahm (whose professional career began at age 5) with longtime friend Augie Meyers, the Sir Douglas Quintet is one of the founding influences in rock and roll history for incorporating Tex-Mex and Cajun styles into rock music. However like most rock bands at the time, their initial sound was influenced by the British Invasion. After relocating to San Francisco in the mid-'60s, the group absorbed elements of the San Francisco Sound, adding jazz and psychedelic aspects to their Tex-Mex, blues, and soul sound. Written by Sahm, the group's best-known hit single was "She's About a Mover," named the number one 'Texas' song by Texas Monthly. The Sir Douglas Quartet would remain active until 1973, even sharing European tours with The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones, and later, founding members Sahm and Meyers would go on to form Texas Tornadoes. Featuring their signature Tex-Mex sound, here's a performance of "She's About A Mover" on NBC.

Thanks to another '60s Beat reader for the suggestions and feedback!

The American Sound-Off

The American Response: Part 1

So after a fun run with great bands of the British Invasion, we're finally jumping across the Atlantic to check out the American sounds that put up a fantastic front; many influenced by the Brits, and others who created purely American music.
Probably the biggest band that could actually compete with The Beatles were The Beach Boys. I know I've already raved a bit about "America's Band" here, but these guys are considered one of the greatest artists of all time for a reason, having thirty-six Top-40 hits (more than any other American rock band). Expanding their music from the surf rock genre, The Beach Boys went on to create some of the best music from the 1960s with their complex, multi-layered sounds. Considered by many to be the most beautiful pop song of all time (even a big favorite of Paul McCartney), "God Only Knows" is a fantastic baroque pop song from the influential album Pet Sounds, released in May 1966. Composed and produced by Brian Wilson, and with lyrics by Tony Asher, this song broke ground in many ways: not only was it one of the first pop songs to use 'God' in its title, but it was more technically sophisticated than any of their music before with its complicated melodic structure and vocal harmonies. Twenty-three musicians were used in this recording, which was unheard of for pop music at that time, and a variety of instruments were used including harpsichord, French horn, woodwinds, and strings, creating a "rich, heavenly blanket of music." With a wonderful melody sung by brother Carl Wilson, here's one of the finest songs of the 1960s.

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The next three groups are some of the folkies we heard about during Folk Rock Week, each a significant aspect of the American sound. Initially influenced by The Beatles, The Byrds were publicized on their 1965 English tour as "America's answer to The Beatles" (however a label impossible to live up to), yet The Beatles actually stated that The Byrds were their favorite American group at that time, even drawing inspiration from them as well (see "Nowhere Man"). The Byrds, who helped establish the sound of folk rock, released their second #1 hit single, "Turn! Turn! Turn!," in October 1965. With the lyrics taken almost word-for-word from the Book of Ecclesiastes from the Bible (with the addition of just six words), this tune was actually written by folk singer Pete Seeger in 1959, but with The Byrds' successful mix of vocal harmony and jangly twelve-string guitar playing, their folk rock version is a classic and the most well-known. Technically holding the record as the #1 pop song with the oldest lyrics, the words about peace also struck a chord with the American record-buying public as the Vietnam War gained momentum. Although known for their sometimes lackluster stage presence, here's a Shindig! performance by a classic American band.

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Like the above bands, The Mamas & The Papas were another L.A.-based group with wonderful vocal harmonies as well, blending their distinct sound with folk rock and sunshine pop styles. An inventive pop musical group, The Mamas & The Papas (along with The Beach Boys and The Byrds) helped bring attention back to America in the wage of the British Invasion. Written by the group's leader, John Philips, with the help of his wife Michelle, "California Dreamin'" was released November 1965 and became the group's first hit single, peaking at #4 on the US charts and launching them into stardom. The California natives came up with the lyrics while living in New York, longing for warmer weather during a cold winter (Michelle's first time seeing snow!). With their sunny, tight-knit harmonies and free-wheeling persona, it's clear how this initially rag-tag group appealed to a diverse record-buying public.

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To complete today's post, we have another group with a pure American sound, The Lovin' Spoonful, whose folk-flavored pop songs captured the essence of classic American music. At the height of their success, their first seven consecutive hits reached the chart's Top-10 (a feat only achieved by one other group in 1960s, Gary Lewis & the Playboys) and they were even the original band selected to perform and act in the show that would become The Monkees. Naming their approach as "good-time music," The Lovin' Spoonful are probably the most successful pop/rock group to have their roots in the jug band style, which was an inspiration for several of their songs including "Daydream." Written and sung by the group's leader, John Sebastian, this #2 hit single was released in March 1966 with their second album of the same title. With a TV performance from 1967, it doesn't get much more American than a folk rock song with a honky-tonk piano, whistling, and mutton-chop sideburns!

The Heavy Second Wave

British Invasion: Part 9 (Second Wave, 1967-1970)

By 1967, the term 'roll' was generally dropped and the rock style of the 1960s emerged, also marking the end of the Invasion. However, from 1967-1970, the Brits did send off a much smaller 'second wave' of this newer rock sound (however, the official Second Invasion wouldn't take place until the 1980s). As the decade progressed, you can not only hear how much 'heavier' the music gets, but can also see a distinctive change in appearance, and boy, did hair get long! So hang on, we've got a whopping seven groups in this post!

First up, Cream was a British rock supergroup with bassist Jack Bruce on lead vocals, the bluesy guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton (of The Yardbirds), and jazz-influenced drummer Ginger Baker, who created a hybrid of blues rock, hard rock, and psychedelic rock. They were the world's first notable and successful supergroup, selling over 35 million records in just the short two years that they were together. From their third album Wheels on Fire (the world's first platinum-selling double album), "White Room" was released as a single in September 1968, reaching #6 on the US charts and later becoming another among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Recorded using an eight-track tape recorder (rare at the time), Clapton makes great use of the wah -wah pedal guitar effect on this classic psychedelic tune, a style he learned from fellow guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Here's live footage from their Farewell Performance in 1968.

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Joe Cocker was an English rock/blues musician known for his gritty voice and is ranked among the 100 greatest singers of all time. In 1968, he gained his biggest success with a radical re-arranged version of The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends," which features a longer introduction, is in a slower, 6/8 meter, and uses different chords in the middle section. Reaching #1 on the British singles charts, this songs is considered one of the greatest music covers of all time, and is sometimes referred to as "The Wonder Years" song as it was the theme for that American TV series from the late 1980s. The Beatles were so impressed with this version that they gave Cocker permission to sing some of their other songs including "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and "Something." In the recording, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin played the guitar lines.

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Speaking of Led Zeppelin, they were another English rock group that formed in 1968 and are considered as influential to rock music of the 1970s as The Beatles were to the '60s. With a heavy, bluesy guitar-driven sound, they are founding fathers of heavy metal and hard rock, however, about a third of their music is acoustic and they drew from several other styles including Celtic, Eastern Indian, and folk music. Some sources say they have sold over 300 million records, making them one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. Consisting of guitarist Jimmy Page (of The Yardbirds), singer Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham, and bassist John Paul Jones, they were probably the biggest band of the 1970s. However, here they are early in their career in the late 1960s performing "How Many More Times." Definitely no "Stairway to Heaven" (1971), but interesting to see their beginnings.

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In 1967, the English rock group Traffic was formed by Steve Winwood (from The Spencer Davis Group), Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, and Dave Mason, whose first singles were influenced by The Beatles. Initially starting out as a psychedelic rock group, they expanded their sound with the use of keyboards like the Mellotron, reed instruments, and included jazz and improv techniques in their music. Released in August 1967, the psychedelic pop classic "Hole in My Shoe" was written by guitarist Dave Mason (one of the chief songwriters with Winwood) and with its "Beatles-esque" sound, reached #2 on the UK charts. The little monologue in the middle was spoken by the stepdaughter of the boss of their record label, a simple effect, along with the sitar, that were typically traits of psychedelic music.

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Like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple was another English rock group from 1968 that are also considered pioneers of modern hard rock and heavy metal. Once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for being "the loudest pop group," these guys are ranked among the greatest artists of hard rock and have sold over 100 million records worldwide. They have had many different personnel line-ups over the years and are still touring to this day. Their breakout success started with their first hit single "Hush," released in June 1968, reaching #4 on the US charts (though was overlooked in the UK). This song was originally performed by Billy Joe Royal (known for "Down in the Boondocks"), however, Deep Purple's hard rock version became better known and is still remembered today. Definitely a classic, however, I'm not a fan of the band's attire here.

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One of the most commercially successful and influential rock bands of all time was Pink Floyd, selling over 200 million albums worldwide. With their progressive and psychedelic rock music, they were known for their philosophical lyrics, audio experimentation, innovative album art, and their ornate live shows. Founded in 1965 by college students Roger Waters, Nick Mason, Richard Wright, and Syd Barrett, they got their start playing in London's underground club scene, and released their first single, "Arnold Layne," in spring of 1967. This psychedelic pop song was written by original frontman Syd Barrett, however, due to his unstable mental health, he was soon replaced by guitarist David Gilmour who was a part of the lineup when the band achieved worldwide critical success with albums in the 1970s such The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. Once again, it's interesting to hear the early sound of these mega groups-to-be in the 1960s.

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At last, we've reached the final group of the day: The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Okay, I know we're talked a little about guitar-wizard Jimi Hendrix before and we all clearly know that he was American, however, this "power trio" included Brits, bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, and originally formed in London. Not only influential to the development of hard rock and heavy metal, The Experience will always be known for the skill, style, and charisma of one of the greatest guitarists of all time as their frontman. The group came to prominence in the US after the infamous performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 where Hendrix set his guitar on fire. After seeing the Festival, The Monkees actually asked The Experience to go on tour with them as their opening act (definitely a mismatch!), but Hendrix and the guys only lasted a few concerts before they couldn't stand the 'boos' from the unappreciative teenage audience. Released as their first single in December 1966 (in the UK), the band's blues-rock version of "Hey Joe" failed to chart in the US, however has since become one of those 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and remains the most well-known version of this song.