Purple Underground

Forming initially under the designation the Spades, the ensemble began as a six-piece unit in Winter Haven, Florida, situated in Polk County, at that time recognized chiefly for the aquatic theme park Cypress Gardens and its underwater mermaid performances. Within roughly two years the lineup had contracted to a stable quartet featuring Tom Nay on guitar, Jim Carlton handling bass, and siblings Jon and Halsey LaFrandre covering keyboards and drums in turn. That configuration endured just long enough to record the psychedelic single “Count Back” during the final weeks of 1967; Carlton’s exit the following spring trimmed the group to a trio, prompting Jon LaFrandre to supply keyboard bass in the manner of Ray Manzarek. John Keramidas assumed the guitar chair in place of Nay by 1969, and the band dissolved in 1971 after achieving no more than local opening-act visibility around Tampa. “Count Back” later received lasting recognition via its appearance on Gear Fab’s Psychedelic States: Florida in the ’60s, Vol. 2 compilation.