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(The Peanut Butter Conspiracy - naming your band after a food product had certain disadvantages)

Despite the name and despite the hype, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy were actually a good band with a lot of talent. I saw them several times during the period 1967-1969 and they held their own with some pretty stiff competition. But they were straddled with that name, and as history has proven, bands with food-group names (Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Ultimate Spinach, Vanilla Fudge, etc.) generally fell out of favor rather quickly or were pegged as "novelty bands" and not taken seriously - which was too bad.

They did however, have tons of promise when they first came out, and the gimmick worked (bumper stickers and posters plastered all over Hollywood proclaiming "the Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading" created an impression) and their first album sold quite well, with their initial single "It's A Happening Thing" in the top 40. It was their second single, the one I'm featuring today, Why Did I Get So High that got them in trouble. I remember hearing it once over KBLA (a sort of renegade top 40 station in Burbank) with the disclaimer "let's put the boss on a bummer with a record only the Burner dare play!" (the Burner being DJ Dave Diamond). And yep, it was banned right after that.

(You know you're in trouble when your Publicist has to send around notes assuring people you're not dangerous)

They couldn't seem to shake the dope-soaked characterization and the Food Group Name and their subsequent singles got very little airplay. After switching to another label and failing to score there, by 1970 the band had broken up.

Despite all that, they have gone on to achieve cult status and a reevaluation of their merits as a legitimate band. Luckily, fans are forgiving.

Moral of the story: Be careful what you name your band - it may be stuck with you for the rest of your life.

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(Sadistic Mika Band - rumored to have been named in honor of Mika's cooking)

Sort of in keeping with the Prog/International feel of the week, I thought I would toss something a little different in the live concert department. The Sadistic Mika Band wasn't really characterized as a Prog-Rock band. They came about at a time Glam was starting to take off in 1972 and had the distinction of having their second and third albums produced by Chris Thomas (whom Mika wound up having an affair with and later marrying) and released in the UK, to good reviews and a decent following.

They toured as opening act for Roxy Music in October 1975 (where this concert comes from) to coincide with the release of their 3rd album "Hot Menu" and did several appearances on British television.

As usual, they were never issued by a label in the U.S. and had only the hardcore import collectors here for a following. Naturally, they never performed live in the U.S. even though there was a lot of press about them and a goodly amount of hype, which in turn made it possible for a number of other Japanese bands to explore popularity outside their own country during the middle and late 70's.

It's highly likely that the popularity in Europe for bands like Sadistic Mika made it possible for bands like Yellow Magic Orchestra (which morphed from ex-Mika Band members) and Ryuichi Sakamoto to establish themselves to English speaking audiences. Just as it was possible performers like Stomu Yamash'ta made it possible for bands like Sadistic Mika to be considered for release in the UK. Just speculating.

Vocals are a bit weak and not their strong suit. But the bulk of the tracks during this concert are instrumental, which are top notch and confirms the idea a lot of great musicians were not confined to a couple of countries.

After the affair surfaced, Mika and Kazuhiko Kato, the bands lead guitarist and estranged husband, divorced and left the band. Mika becoming Mrs. Thomas, Kazuhiko pursuing a solo career before becoming a TV personality, while the rest of the group continued for a time as simply The Sadistics.

Just a reminder that music is the universal language and its spoken everywhere and you don't necessarily have to understand it to get into it.

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(Paul Butterfield with John Mayall - a sort of summit conference you could groove to)

I haven't seen this reissued anywhere, although I am probably wrong. But at the time (1967), it was only available in the UK, since there was a contractual problem with Butterfield's label (Elektra) and Mayall's (Decca UK). A four-track ep featuring a collaboration between John Mayall and his Bluesbreakers from England (with disputed reports of who played what during the sessions) and Paul Butterfield from Chicago (the town, not the band) - a sort of East Meets West.

The results were met with mixed results, due probably to inflated expectations these two were the be-all/end-all of white blues musicians which no amount of hype could justify, and the fact that the disc wasn't for export to the states. Instead, it was a good solid session with two giants of 60's blues and no pretense. Simple.

This cut "Riding on The L&N" is the second track off side one. Sounding fresh as ever.