The Plastic Cloud

Last updated
The Plastic Cloud
OriginBay Ridges, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Years active1967 (1967)-1968 (1968)
LabelsAllied
Past members
  • Brian Madill
  • Don Brewer
  • Mike Cadieux
  • Randy Umphrey

The Plastic Cloud was a Canadian psychedelic rock band formed in Bay Ridges, Ontario, Canada in 1967 and which existed for approximately a year thereafter.

History

The Plastic Cloud, taking inspiration from The Byrds, developed one experimental album in the group's lifetime before disbanding. The Plastic Cloud's music, though not marketed successfully during the band's incarnation, has garnered interest for its innovation in the psychedelic genre. [1]

Formed in 1967, the band was originally a folk rock quartet composed of bassist Brian Madill, lead vocalist Don Brewer, lead guitarist Mike Cadieux, and drummer Randy Umphrey. In their beginnings, the band typically played commercially appealing folk rock songs in their live performances. Upon further development, the band began to experiment with psychedelic influences from the San Francisco Sound and Los Angeles which dominated their harder, fuzztoned musical repertoire. The band played only their own original material for the specified reason of improving the compositions by the time they could earn a recording contract. [2]

By 1968, the band received their opportunity to record their material when they signed to the Allied label. Brewer wrote all of the band's compositions and the production of the album was upheld by Jack Boswell and Bill Bessey. Recordings were enriched with psychedelic harmonizing and instrumentals. The album was highlighted by the unusual sound effects that was reminiscent of bands like The United States of America. [3] In an attempt to include all of their influences, the first side was mainly reserved for folk rock and soft rock compositions, while the latter side derived in psychedelic and electric rock. The album, The Plastic Cloud, was released in late 1968. Despite the band's complex, new sound, the album did not become a hit as the psychedelic scene never reached the popularity it had in other areas like San Francisco. The Plastic Cloud disbanded in late 1968, but the album became a prize among record collectors. [1] For that reason, the album managed to avoid falling into total obscurity, and the original pressings have become so sought after that prices reach $1000 to purchase one. [4] In 2005, the album was re-released on the Pacemaker label and, even though it featured the band's full album, it failed to produce an effective history of the band so some of the band's musical inspiration remains unknown. [5]

Related Research Articles

Psychedelic rock is a rock music genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound effects and recording effects, extended solos, and improvisation. Many psychedelic groups differ in style, and the label is often applied spuriously.

The Electric Prunes American psychedelic rock band

The Electric Prunes are an American psychedelic rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. Much of the band's music was, as music historian Richie Unterberger described it, possessed of "an eerie and sometimes anguished ambiance." It mainly consisted of material by songwriters Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz, though the group also penned their own songs. Incorporating psychedelia and elements of embryonic electronic rock, the band's sound was marked by innovative recording techniques with fuzz-toned guitars and oscillating sound effects. In addition, guitarist Ken Williams' and singer James Lowe's concept of "free-form garage music" provided the band with a richer sonic palette and exploratory lyrical structure than many of their contemporaries.

Country Joe and the Fish American psychedelic rock band

Country Joe and the Fish was an American psychedelic rock band formed in Berkeley, California, in 1965. The band was among the influential groups in the San Francisco music scene during the mid- to late 1960s. Much of the band's music was written by founding members Country Joe McDonald and Barry "The Fish" Melton, with lyrics pointedly addressing issues of importance to the counterculture, such as anti-war protests, free love, and recreational drug use. Through a combination of psychedelia and electronic music, the band's sound was marked by innovative guitar melodies and distorted organ-driven instrumentals which were significant to the development of acid rock.

The Charlatans (American band) American band that plays psychedelic rock

The Charlatans were an American folk rock and psychedelic rock band that played a role in the development of the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury music scene during the 1960s. They are often cited by critics as being the first group to play in the style that became known as the San Francisco Sound.

The Flower Pot Men English pop group

The Flower Pot Men were an English pop group created in 1967 as a result of the single, "Let's Go to San Francisco", recorded by session musicians, becoming a major UK Top 20 and Continental Europe hit in the autumn of 1967. The group's sound was characterised by rich, three-part vocal harmonies.

The Music Machine American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1966

The Music Machine was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1966. Fronted by chief songwriter and lead vocalist Sean Bonniwell, the band cultivated a characteristically dark and rebellious image reflected in an untamed musical approach. Sometimes it made use of distorted guitar lines and hallucinogenic organ parts, punctuated by Bonniwell's distinctively throaty vocals. Although they managed to attain national chart success only briefly with two singles, the Music Machine is today considered by many critics to be one of the groundbreaking acts of the 1960s. Their style is now recognized as a pioneering force in proto-punk; yet within a relatively short period of time, they began to employ more complex lyrical and instrumental arrangements that went beyond the typical garage band format.

Psychedelic folk is a loosely defined form of psychedelia that originated in the 1960s. It retains the largely acoustic instrumentation of folk, but adds musical elements common to psychedelic music.

The Brogues American garage rock band

The Brogues were an American garage rock band formed in Merced, California, in 1964. Much of the group's brief recording career was marked by distorted-guitar melodies and R&B-influenced vocals. They released two regionally successful singles in their brief existence, most notably the Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz-penned "I Ain't No Miracle Worker", which is now considered a classic of the garage rock genre. The song has also appeared on several compilation albums, and has been covered by other music artists.

Raga rock Microgenre of rock music

Raga rock is rock or pop music with a pronounced Indian influence, either in its construction, its timbre, or its use of Indian musical instruments, such as the sitar and tabla. In addition, rock music from the 1960s and 1970s that incorporates South Asian musical influences and instruments, along with Western ideas of the Indian subcontinent, is often regarded as raga rock.

<i>The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion</i> 1967 studio album by The Incredible String Band

The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion is the second album by the Scottish psychedelic folk group, The Incredible String Band (ISB), and was released in July 1967 on Elektra Records. The album was recorded following the reformation of the band as a duo consisting of Robin Williamson and Mike Heron. Notably, the album was a change in musical direction for the two as they transitioned from their more conventional folk music structures into complex psychedelic compositions influenced by British folk and Indian music.

The Deep was a short-lived American psychedelic rock band made up of musicians from New York City, who in 1966 traveled to Philadelphia to record a one-time LP, Psychedelic Moods. The band was experimentally progressive, as they were one of the earliest groups to record psychedelic music, before it was adapted by a wider array of musical acts. Although their only album failed to achieve success, it later gained acclaim for being considered the earliest work to reference "psychedelic" in its title.

H. P. Lovecraft (band) American psychedelic rock band

H. P. Lovecraft was an American psychedelic rock band, formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1967 and named after the horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. Much of the band's music was possessed of a haunting, eerie ambience, and consisted of material that was inspired by the macabre writings of the author whose name they had adopted. Combining elements of psychedelia and folk rock, the band's sound was marked by the striking vocal harmonies of ex-folk singer George Edwards and the classically trained Dave Michaels. In addition, Michaels' multi-instrumentalist abilities on organ, piano, harpsichord, clarinet and recorder provided the band with a richer sonic palette than many of their contemporaries.

Psychedelic music is a wide range of popular music styles and genres influenced by 1960s psychedelia, a subculture of people who used psychedelic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, mescaline, and cannabis to experience synesthesia and altered states of consciousness. Psychedelic music may also aim to enhance the experience of using these drugs and has been found to have a significant influence on psychedelic therapy.

<i>H. P. Lovecraft II</i> 1968 studio album by H. P. Lovecraft

H. P. Lovecraft II is the second album by the American psychedelic rock band H. P. Lovecraft and was released in September 1968 on Philips Records. As with their debut LP, the album saw the band blending psychedelic and folk rock influences, albeit with a greater emphasis on psychedelia than on their first album. H. P. Lovecraft II failed to sell in sufficient quantities to reach the Billboard Top LPs chart or the UK Albums Chart, despite the band being a popular act on the U.S. psychedelic concert circuit. Legend has it that the album was the first major label release to have been recorded by musicians who were all under the influence of LSD.

Twentieth Century Zoo was an American psychedelic rock band formed from the remnants of The Bittersweets in Phoenix, Arizona in 1967. The band released several singles, and an album to reach regional acclaim before disbanding in 1970. Their later works spanned across multiple genres, including early examples of proto-punk. The band was known for playing among other highly successful acts, and incorporating their influences into the group's own individual sound.

The Morning Dew

The Morning Dew was an American garage rock band formed in Topeka, Kansas, and active between 1966 and 1971. In the group's existence, they became a popular attraction, spearheading the growth of psychedelic music in the region. They produced one now sought after studio album that exemplifies their experimental transition into psychedelic rock.

The JuJus

The JuJus were an American garage rock band formed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and active between 1964 and 1967. Though the group was never able to record an album they are considered one of the more polished acts to originate from the Michigan rock scene. Amid several line-up changes, The JuJus managed to blend influences of folk rock and The British Invasion into their raw musical style, before experimenting in the psychedelic rock genre. Their most acclaimed piece was the regional hit, "You Treat Me Bad", which is now deemed a garage rock classic.

Apple Pie Motherhood Band

Apple Pie Motherhood Band was an American psychedelic rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1967. One of the several groups involved in the "Bosstown Sound", a commercial ploy designed to compete with the San Francisco Sound, the band developed a blend of psychedelia, blues rock, and hard rock, which was exemplified and expanded upon on their two albums. The group went through several line-up changes before disbanding in 1970.

The Fallen Angels (band)

The Fallen Angels were an American psychedelic rock band formed in Washington D.C., in 1966. Spearheaded by the group's lead vocalist and bassist, Jack Bryant, the band originally released two albums and several singles, which were marked by lyrical and instrumental experimentation. Despite never breaking through on a national scale, the Fallen Angels were popular in the American music underground, and their music has been revived over the years.

The United Travel Service was an American garage rock band formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1966. The group gained recognition as outsiders, taking a musical route that separated them from the trends set in the region by the Sonics and the Fabulous Wailers. Though largely overlooked on a national level, the United Travel Service has become revered for two psychedelia-tinged singles.

References

  1. 1 2 Bruce Eder. "The Plastic Cloud - Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  2. "The Plastic Cloud - "The Plastic Cloud"". the risingstorm.net. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  3. "The Plastic Cloud band". last.fm. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  4. "The Plastic Cloud LP". lionproductions.org. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  5. "The Plastic Cloud". canuckistanmusic.com. Retrieved March 14, 2015.