The songs on their fourth album were more blues and rock-based, with a heavier, less psychedelic sound. The core group entered the studio once again in 1969, with the addition of guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Pitman, to work on their next record, Good Morning Starshine. Things eventually got resolved, but having two versions of the group playing live caused confusion for their fans, and diluted their success. The two men, along with the band’s former manager, created a competing version of the Strawberry Alarm Clock and began performing under that name. The label’s insistence on other writers caused a rift between the band and their management, and Seol and Bunnells quit the group. Despite the quality of the band’s own compositions, Uni Records decided to bring in outside talent for their next album, The World in a Sea Shell and brought back writers Carter and Gilbert, as well as contributions from veteran tunesmiths Carole King and Toni Stern. “Pretty Song From Psych-Out” which they performed in the movie, brought them further visibility and success. The group also recorded a song for the 1968 film Psych-Out, a counter-culture themed drama starring Susan Strasberg and Jack Nicholson. While the disc was a solid collection of tunes and a heady slice of psychedelic rock, it didn’t scale the heights of their first album in sales or on the charts. “Tomorrow” was included on the group’s sophomore release, Wake Up…It’s Tomorrow. The song is a cross between the psychedelic feel of the band’s signature hit, and the pop/folk-oriented sound of groups like The Mamas and The Papas. Mark Weitz and Ed King penned their next single, “Tomorrow,” which reached Number 23 on the charts in 1968. The band then started work on music for a follow-up record. Their debut album, titled after their popular single, made a strong showing on the charts, and the group ended up going on tour with acts like Jimi Hendrix, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys and The Who. George Bunnell joined the group on bass, while Randy Seol came on board to play drums and provide vocals, replacing the departed Gene Gunnels, who later returned to the band. There were some further lineup changes in the band during this period. The success of the song initiated the band’s reputation as purveyors of psychedelic rock laced with a dose of sunshine pop. “Incense and Peppermints” spent 16 weeks on the charts, eventually landing in the top spot in November 1967. The song grew in popularity and gained a national release on Uni Records, christened with the band’s new name, the Strawberry Alarm Clock. The tune was originally issued as the B-side of a Thee Sixpence single called “Birdman of Alkatrash.” Radio stations in the Los Angeles area actually flipped the record over and began playing “Incense and Peppermints” instead of the A-side. Despite singing on their biggest hit, Mumford never actually became a member of the band. The band was initially unimpressed with the lyrics, and sixteen-year-old (!) Greg Munford, who was a guest in the studio on the day the song was cut, ended up performing the lead vocals. Carter and his writing partner Tim Gilbert ended up being credited for the song, while Weitz and King were noted only as arrangers. The band’s producer, Frank Slay, had songwriter John S. The song began as an instrumental by Mark Weitz and Ed King. “Incense and Peppermints” had an intriguing genesis. The group recorded a few singles in 1966-67 under the name Thee Sixpence, including a cover of the acid rock perennial “Hey Joe.” There were some lineup changes to the band during this period, but ongoing members included Lee Freeman on vocals and rhythm guitar, Gary Lovetro on bass, Gene Gunnels on drums, Mark Weitz on keyboards, and Ed King (later a charter member of Lynyrd Skynyrd) on lead guitar. The Strawberry Alarm Clock initially came together from former members of several Southern California bands. Related: “The One-Hit-Wonder File: ‘Spirit In The Sky'” You told us in one of our informal Facebook polls that this was one of your favorite “one-hit-wonders.” So how did it come to be? The song floated up the charts in 1967, eventually hitting Number One. The tune’s groovy vibe instantly transports you back to the Summer of Love. “Incense and Peppermints” by the Strawberry Alarm Clock is definitely one of them. There are some songs that richly evoke the era in which they were originally released.
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