The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading

Last updated
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 1967
RecordedDecember 1966 January 1967
StudioColumbia, Hollywood
Genre
Length34:00
Label Columbia
Producer Gary Usher
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy chronology
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading
(1967)
The Great Conspiracy
(1967)
Singles from The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading
  1. "It's a Happening Thing"
    Released: January 16, 1967
  2. "Dark on You Now"
    Released: March 20, 1967
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
prerelease advertisement for the album PBC ad 1967 8.jpg
prerelease advertisement for the album

The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading is the debut studio album by the Los Angeles psychedelic rock band, the Peanut Butter Conspiracy. It was released in March 1967 under the Columbia label. [2]

Contents

Backed by producer Gary Usher, the band recorded one of the first instances of symphonic rock. The album utilizes vocal harmonies, and it takes influence from the psychedelic rock bands of the era. The band's style drew comparisons to The Mamas and the Papas, but the band also developed their own sound through intricate melodies and progressions that were both dark and optimistic. For recording, James Burton and Glen Campbell guested, providing backing guitar to bolster the group's sound. Later, band members reflected on the experience and disavowed their first album for the lack of studio session control they had. [3] [4]

Included on the album is the band's only charting single, "It's a Happening Thing", which became a favorite regionally when it charted in the KHJ Boss 30 in March 1967 and topped at number 93 on the national Billboard Hot 100. [5] The track "Dark On You Now" was originally recorded when the band was still called The Ashes in 1966 on Vault Records. This earlier version had a slower tempo compared to the latter version. Overall, the album gained local interest in Los Angeles and charted at number 196 on the Billboard 200 . [6]

Track listing

Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."It's a Happening Thing"Alan Brackett2:26
2."Then Came Love"John Merrill3:44
3."Twice Is Life"Merrill2:50
4."Second Hand Man"Daniel Walter Dalton3:26
5."You Can't Be Found"Brackett2:47
6."Why Did I Get So High"Brackett2:10
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Dark on You Now"Merrill2:21
2."The Market Place"Lance Fent4:04
3."You Should Know"Merrill2:12
4."The Most Up Till Now"Brackett2:36
5."You Took Too Much"Merrill2:09

Personnel

Peanut Butter Conspiracy

Additional musicians

Technical

Charts

Album

Chart (1967)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 196 [7]

Single

YearSingleUS Billboard Hot 100
1967"It's a Happening Thing"93 [5]
1967"Dark on You Now"

Related Research Articles

Gary Lee Usher was an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer, who worked with numerous California acts in the 1960s, including the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and Dick Dale. Usher also produced fictitious surf groups or hot rod groups, mixing studio session musicians with his own troops. These bands included the Super Stocks ; the Kickstands; plus the Hondells with their No. 9 US pop single "Little Honda"; and others.

<i>The Amboy Dukes</i> (album) 1967 studio album by The Amboy Dukes

The Amboy Dukes is the debut studio album by American rock band The Amboy Dukes. It was released in November 1967 on Mainstream Records.

Clear Light was an American psychedelic rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1966. The group released one studio album, Clear Light. It had moderate national success before the group disbanded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">409 (song)</span> 1962 single by The Beach Boys

"409" is a song written by Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and Gary Usher for the American rock and roll band the Beach Boys. The song features Love singing lead vocals. It was originally released as the B-side of the single "Surfin' Safari" (1962). It was later released on their 1962 album Surfin' Safari, and appeared again on their 1963 album Little Deuce Coupe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Peanut Butter Conspiracy</span> American rock band

The Peanut Butter Conspiracy was an American, Los Angeles-based, psychedelic pop/rock group from the 1960s. The band is known for lead singer Barbara Robison and for briefly having Spencer Dryden of Jefferson Airplane as a band member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Matter What (Badfinger song)</span> Single by Badfinger

"No Matter What" is a song originally recorded by Badfinger for their album No Dice in 1970, written and sung by Pete Ham and produced by Mal Evans.

<i>Rockin</i> (The Guess Who album) 1972 studio album by The Guess Who

Rockin' is the ninth studio album by the Canadian rock band The Guess Who. It was originally released by RCA Records in 1972. It is the last album by the group to feature rhythm guitarist Greg Leskiw.

<i>The Tractors</i> (album) 1994 studio album by The Tractors

The Tractors is the debut studio album by American country music band The Tractors. Released in August 1994 on Arista Records, it set a record for becoming the fastest-selling debut album by a group to achieve Recording Industry Association of America platinum certification in the United States; by the end of the year, it was certified double platinum, and became the highest-selling country album of 1994. The tracks "Baby Likes to Rock It", "Tryin' to Get to New Orleans", and "Badly Bent" were all released as singles. "Baby Likes to Rock It" was the only one to reach the top 40, peaking at number 11 on Hot Country Songs.

<i>Galveston</i> (album) 1969 studio album by Glen Campbell

Galveston is the twelfth studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Glen Campbell, released in March 1969 by Capitol Records. The album was a major hit for Campbell, reaching number one on the Billboard Country Albums chart, and generated the number one hit single on the Hot Country Singles and Easy Listening charts, "Galveston", written by Jimmy Webb, who also wrote the follow-up single, "Where's the Playground Susie", which peaked at number 28 on the Hot Country Singles chart and number 10 on the Easy Listening chart. The front cover is a photograph of Galveston Beach, Galveston, Texas.

<i>Southern Nights</i> (Glen Campbell album) 1977 studio album by Glen Campbell

Southern Nights is the thirty-second album by American singer and guitarist Glen Campbell, released in 1977 by Capitol Records. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and one of the singles from the album, "Southern Nights", also reached the number one spot on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts.

<i>By the Time I Get to Phoenix</i> (Glen Campbell album) 1967 studio album by Glen Campbell

By the Time I Get to Phoenix is the seventh album by American singer-guitarist Glen Campbell, released in November 1967 by Capitol Records.

"Mary, Mary" is a song written by Michael Nesmith and first recorded by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band for their 1966 album East-West. Nesmith's band, the Monkees, later recorded it for More of the Monkees (1967). Hip hop group Run–D.M.C. revived the song in the late 1980s, with an adaptation that appeared in the U.S. record charts.

The Love Exchange was an American psychedelic rock band, best known for their single "Swallow the Sun", released in 1967. Sixteen-year-old Bonnie Blunt was the band's lead singer. They were signed by Uptown Records, a subsidiary of MCA Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open Your Eyes (Yes song)</span> 1997 single by Yes

"Open Your Eyes" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes, from their 1997 album of the same name. It was a rock radio hit for the band, reaching number 33 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It would also be the only song from the Open Your Eyes album that would be performed live regularly during the subsequent tour.

<i>Spreading from the Ashes</i> 2005 compilation album by The Peanut Butter Conspiracy

Spreading from the Ashes is a compilation album by the Los Angeles psychedelic rock band The Peanut Butter Conspiracy (PBC). In total, there are 26 tracks composed of early work, from when the band was known as The Ashes as well as their beginnings as The Peanut Butter Conspiracy.

<i>The Great Conspiracy</i> (album) 1967 studio album by The Peanut Butter Conspiracy

The Great Conspiracy is the second studio album by the Los Angeles psychedelic rock band, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy (PBC) on Columbia Records in December 1967. Gary Usher, who produced their debut album, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading, was again the producer for this album. It was the last time the group released new material with Columbia as their contractual obligations were met. Their second album is regarded as the best of the group's outputs for its solidified sound in psychedelic music.

Barbara "Sandi" Robison, also known as Sandi Peanut Butter, was an American singer who achieved the most success as the lead vocalist for the psychedelic rock band the Peanut Butter Conspiracy. Robison was one of the earliest female vocalists of a rock band, and she was involved in other acts after the group's disbandment, including the musical Hair.

<i>For Children of All Ages</i> 1969 studio album by The Peanut Butter Conspiracy

For Children of All Ages is the third and final album by the American psychedelic rock band the Peanut Butter Conspiracy (PBC), and was released on Challenge Records, in 1969. The album came after the band's contract with Columbia Records expired and bassist Alan Brackett took it upon himself to be the record producer during recording sessions.

"My World Fell Down" is a song written by John Carter and Geoff Stephens, and first recorded by the English pop rock band the Ivy League, on Pye Records, in 1966. The song was covered a year later by the American sunshine pop group Sagittarius, whose version charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sagittarius's version of the composition has remained highly sought after among record collectors for its close resemblance to the Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys.

<i>A Session with Gary Lewis and the Playboys</i> 1965 studio album by Gary Lewis & the Playboys

A Session with Gary Lewis and the Playboys is the second studio album by American band Gary Lewis & the Playboys, and was released in 1965 on Liberty Records, LRP-3419. It is the second of three charting albums released by the band in 1965, and it was the band's highest charting album reaching number 18 on the Billboard 200. Two singles from this album, "Count Me In" and the Brian Hyland cover "Save Your Heart for Me" both reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

References

  1. Joe Viglione. "The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading – Review". allmusic.com. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  2. The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading/The Great Conspiracy (Media notes). 1999.
  3. Joynson, Vernon. Fuzz, Acid, and Flowers: A Comprehensive Guide to American Garage, Psychedelic, and Hippie Rock.
  4. Ankeny, Jason. "The Peanut Butter Conspiracy – Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Billboard Hot 100 - The Peanut Butter Conspiracy" . Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  6. Vigilone, Joe. "The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading – Review". allmusic.com. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
  7. "Billboard 200 – The Peanut Butter Conspiracy". Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018.