Biography
Embodying the turbulent evolution of 1960s rock, the Electric Prunes traversed garage rock, psychedelia, and hard rock across their original span from 1965 to 1970. Early sides delivered potent garage energy laced with psychedelic overtones, achieved through inventive deployment of fuzz, reverb, and studio manipulation. Following chart success with the 1967 singles “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” and “Get Me to the World on Time,” the band issued a pair of LPs in comparable style before label machinations transformed them into a platform for producer David Axelrod’s explorations in orchestrated psychedelia, most prominently on the 1968 album Mass in F Minor. By the 1970 disbandment no founding members remained, yet several originators participated when a version of the Prunes reconvened in 1999. The revived lineup produced several fresh LPs that revisited their psych-inflected garage rock domain, while reissues and anthology appearances sustained interest in the classic catalogue. Issued in 2021, Then Came the Dawn: The Complete Recordings 1966-1969 stands as an exhaustive anthology capturing the band’s volatile opening chapter.
James Lowe, a Southern California native then playing guitar in a bluegrass group, resolved in 1964 to assemble a rock & roll ensemble. Through a mutual contact he encountered three high-school musicians—guitarist Ken Williams, bassist Mark Tulin, and drummer Steve Acuff—who shared his ambitions. The quartet commenced rehearsals; when Acuff prioritized surfing over practice, Mike Weakley assumed the drum chair. Initially billed as the Sanctions, Lowe steered the unit away from conventional bar, dance, and teen-club bookings, instead establishing a rehearsal space to refine instrumental prowess with recording ambitions in view. After laying down two demo acetates consisting chiefly of covers, Lowe began composing originals and the ensemble adopted the name Jim and the Lords. In late 1965 a visitor named Barbara Harris heard them practicing and was struck by their sound; Harris knew engineer Dave Hassinger, who had worked at RCA Studios on several Rolling Stones sessions. Weeks later she invited Jim and the Lords to perform at a friend’s birthday gathering where Hassinger was expected. The performance convinced Hassinger of their promise, leading to sessions at a home studio belonging to session musician Leon Russell. Pursuing a distinctive sonic profile, the musicians integrated guitar effects—particularly fuzztone and reverb—into their arrangements. Hassinger refined the Russell-studio tapes at a professional facility and secured a Reprise deal for the debut single “Ain’t It Hard” b/w “Little Olive.” Seeking a fresher image, he proposed renaming the band the Electric Prunes after the punchline “What’s purple and goes buzz buzz?”
Although “Ain’t It Hard” failed to register commercially, Reprise requested another single. Prior to recording, Mike Weakley departed upon the group’s signing with Hassinger’s production company; Preston Ritter replaced him on drums. Guitarist James “Weasel” Spagnola also joined, expanding the lineup to a quintet. Hassinger supplied a composition by Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz ideally matched to their buzzing aesthetic. His judgment proved accurate: “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night),” distinguished by ethereal guitar oscillations and Lowe’s fervent vocals, appeared in November 1966 and climbed to number 11 on the singles charts by February 1967. A follow-up by Tucker and Jill Jones, “Get Me to the World on Time,” reached number 27. Capitalizing on the singles’ momentum, Reprise released the 1967 album I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), which relied predominantly on Tucker-associated material, with only two tracks credited to band members.
Amid heavy touring the Electric Prunes struggled to replicate their studio textures onstage. They secured a Vox endorsement and recorded a promotional spot for the Vox Wah-Wah Pedal that later circulated among garage-rock collectors. Subsequent singles “Dr. Do-Good” and “The Great Banana Hoax” made negligible chart impact. Six months after the debut LP, the 1967 album Underground appeared; though more unified and featuring greater original songwriting, it peaked at number 172. By its release Preston Ritter had exited and Mike Weakley—now nicknamed Quint—returned; guitarist Mike Gannon replaced the ailing James “Weasel” Spagnola after Gannon’s tenure with the Nomads. Before year’s end the band recorded “Shadows” for the 1968 film The Name of the Game Is Kill, starring Jack Lord and Susan Strasberg.
Manager Lenny Poncher then suggested an ambitious project: client David Axelrod wished to adapt the Latin Mass into pop/rock form. The Electric Prunes consented and entered the studio, yet Axelrod’s compressed timetable necessitated additional session players and members of the Collectors, relegating the Prunes to a minor role on Mass in F Minor. Released in January 1968, the LP outperformed Underground, reaching number 135 thanks to FM exposure; “Kyrie Eleison” appeared in Dennis Hopper’s 1969 film Easy Rider and its soundtrack. A Santa Monica concert presentation with strings and horns was later recalled by Mark Tulin as “a disaster,” yet the band toured successfully in the U.K. and Europe. They also issued the non-charting single “Everybody Knows You’re Not in Love.” Internal strains intensified as Mike Weakley departed again; Joe Dooley, another Nomads alumnus, took his place. James Lowe soon resigned, citing loss of control and inequitable compensation, and subsequently built a career as an engineer and producer.
Lowe’s exit precipitated further departures by Mike Gannon and Joe Dooley, who formed Babyfood. Mark Tulin and Ken Williams hastily assembled a touring version featuring rhythm guitarist Kenny Loggins, keyboardist Jeromy Stuart, and drummer John Raine. The tour faltered; Raine quit mid-way, and the remaining members performed without a drummer, asserting that song rhythms rendered percussion unnecessary. Upon returning home the lineup dissolved. With Lowe’s permission to reuse the name, Poncher and Axelrod assembled a successor edition. Axelrod recruited vocalist-drummer Richard Whetstone, guitarist Mark Kincaid, and keyboardist John Herron from Denver’s Climax; Canadian Brett Wade joined on bass. This configuration toured from August 1968 onward. Axelrod simultaneously prepared Release of an Oath, drawing on the Hebrew prayer Kol Nidre; only Richard Whetstone participated from the current Prunes, with the balance handled by session musicians including Carol Kaye and Earl Palmer. Issued in November 1968, the album earned critical favor over Mass in F Minor yet sold poorly, closing the art-rock phase while later supplying samples for the Beatnuts and Rakim.
Following Release of an Oath the Electric Prunes recorded the non-charting single “Hey Mr. President,” written by Mark Barkan and Ritchie Adams with Richard Nixon’s inauguration in mind. During the same sessions John Herron departed; Ron Morgan, formerly of the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, replaced him on keyboards. Credited to “the New, Improved Electric Prunes,” the 1969 album Just Good Old Rock and Roll reflected hard-rock and boogie influences far removed from prior work. After further touring Richard Whetstone and Brett Wade left to form Stallion Thumrock. Michaels Kearns, Clay Groomer, Hughie Plumleigh, and Galen Pugh were enlisted, but by late 1970 activity ceased.
Subsequent decades elevated the band’s standing: Lenny Kaye placed “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” as the opening track on the 1972 compilation Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968. Catalogue reissues proliferated through the 1980s and 1990s; a December 1967 Swedish radio concert surfaced in 1997 as Stockholm ’67. Mark Tulin, James Lowe, Ken Williams, and Michael Weakley subsequently reformed; the 2001 album Artifact was presented as the third LP the original group had been denied, featuring guest Peter Lewis of Moby Grape. A 2002 tour yielded the 2003 concert video Rewired. After Weakley’s departure the 2004 album California explored the psychedelic era in its namesake state. Feedback (2006) returned to the high-energy garage style of the first two LPs. Mark Tulin died of a heart attack on February 26, 2011, at age 62. The band again paused until James Lowe issued the 2014 album Was, drawn from songs composed with Tulin and incorporating the bassist’s final recordings. Drummer Preston Ritter passed away on March 30, 2015, at age 65. In 2021 Grapefruit Records released Then Came the Dawn: The Complete Recordings 1966-1969, encompassing the full Reprise output, Stockholm ’67, and an unreleased Jim and the Lords demo.
James Lowe, a Southern California native then playing guitar in a bluegrass group, resolved in 1964 to assemble a rock & roll ensemble. Through a mutual contact he encountered three high-school musicians—guitarist Ken Williams, bassist Mark Tulin, and drummer Steve Acuff—who shared his ambitions. The quartet commenced rehearsals; when Acuff prioritized surfing over practice, Mike Weakley assumed the drum chair. Initially billed as the Sanctions, Lowe steered the unit away from conventional bar, dance, and teen-club bookings, instead establishing a rehearsal space to refine instrumental prowess with recording ambitions in view. After laying down two demo acetates consisting chiefly of covers, Lowe began composing originals and the ensemble adopted the name Jim and the Lords. In late 1965 a visitor named Barbara Harris heard them practicing and was struck by their sound; Harris knew engineer Dave Hassinger, who had worked at RCA Studios on several Rolling Stones sessions. Weeks later she invited Jim and the Lords to perform at a friend’s birthday gathering where Hassinger was expected. The performance convinced Hassinger of their promise, leading to sessions at a home studio belonging to session musician Leon Russell. Pursuing a distinctive sonic profile, the musicians integrated guitar effects—particularly fuzztone and reverb—into their arrangements. Hassinger refined the Russell-studio tapes at a professional facility and secured a Reprise deal for the debut single “Ain’t It Hard” b/w “Little Olive.” Seeking a fresher image, he proposed renaming the band the Electric Prunes after the punchline “What’s purple and goes buzz buzz?”
Although “Ain’t It Hard” failed to register commercially, Reprise requested another single. Prior to recording, Mike Weakley departed upon the group’s signing with Hassinger’s production company; Preston Ritter replaced him on drums. Guitarist James “Weasel” Spagnola also joined, expanding the lineup to a quintet. Hassinger supplied a composition by Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz ideally matched to their buzzing aesthetic. His judgment proved accurate: “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night),” distinguished by ethereal guitar oscillations and Lowe’s fervent vocals, appeared in November 1966 and climbed to number 11 on the singles charts by February 1967. A follow-up by Tucker and Jill Jones, “Get Me to the World on Time,” reached number 27. Capitalizing on the singles’ momentum, Reprise released the 1967 album I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), which relied predominantly on Tucker-associated material, with only two tracks credited to band members.
Amid heavy touring the Electric Prunes struggled to replicate their studio textures onstage. They secured a Vox endorsement and recorded a promotional spot for the Vox Wah-Wah Pedal that later circulated among garage-rock collectors. Subsequent singles “Dr. Do-Good” and “The Great Banana Hoax” made negligible chart impact. Six months after the debut LP, the 1967 album Underground appeared; though more unified and featuring greater original songwriting, it peaked at number 172. By its release Preston Ritter had exited and Mike Weakley—now nicknamed Quint—returned; guitarist Mike Gannon replaced the ailing James “Weasel” Spagnola after Gannon’s tenure with the Nomads. Before year’s end the band recorded “Shadows” for the 1968 film The Name of the Game Is Kill, starring Jack Lord and Susan Strasberg.
Manager Lenny Poncher then suggested an ambitious project: client David Axelrod wished to adapt the Latin Mass into pop/rock form. The Electric Prunes consented and entered the studio, yet Axelrod’s compressed timetable necessitated additional session players and members of the Collectors, relegating the Prunes to a minor role on Mass in F Minor. Released in January 1968, the LP outperformed Underground, reaching number 135 thanks to FM exposure; “Kyrie Eleison” appeared in Dennis Hopper’s 1969 film Easy Rider and its soundtrack. A Santa Monica concert presentation with strings and horns was later recalled by Mark Tulin as “a disaster,” yet the band toured successfully in the U.K. and Europe. They also issued the non-charting single “Everybody Knows You’re Not in Love.” Internal strains intensified as Mike Weakley departed again; Joe Dooley, another Nomads alumnus, took his place. James Lowe soon resigned, citing loss of control and inequitable compensation, and subsequently built a career as an engineer and producer.
Lowe’s exit precipitated further departures by Mike Gannon and Joe Dooley, who formed Babyfood. Mark Tulin and Ken Williams hastily assembled a touring version featuring rhythm guitarist Kenny Loggins, keyboardist Jeromy Stuart, and drummer John Raine. The tour faltered; Raine quit mid-way, and the remaining members performed without a drummer, asserting that song rhythms rendered percussion unnecessary. Upon returning home the lineup dissolved. With Lowe’s permission to reuse the name, Poncher and Axelrod assembled a successor edition. Axelrod recruited vocalist-drummer Richard Whetstone, guitarist Mark Kincaid, and keyboardist John Herron from Denver’s Climax; Canadian Brett Wade joined on bass. This configuration toured from August 1968 onward. Axelrod simultaneously prepared Release of an Oath, drawing on the Hebrew prayer Kol Nidre; only Richard Whetstone participated from the current Prunes, with the balance handled by session musicians including Carol Kaye and Earl Palmer. Issued in November 1968, the album earned critical favor over Mass in F Minor yet sold poorly, closing the art-rock phase while later supplying samples for the Beatnuts and Rakim.
Following Release of an Oath the Electric Prunes recorded the non-charting single “Hey Mr. President,” written by Mark Barkan and Ritchie Adams with Richard Nixon’s inauguration in mind. During the same sessions John Herron departed; Ron Morgan, formerly of the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, replaced him on keyboards. Credited to “the New, Improved Electric Prunes,” the 1969 album Just Good Old Rock and Roll reflected hard-rock and boogie influences far removed from prior work. After further touring Richard Whetstone and Brett Wade left to form Stallion Thumrock. Michaels Kearns, Clay Groomer, Hughie Plumleigh, and Galen Pugh were enlisted, but by late 1970 activity ceased.
Subsequent decades elevated the band’s standing: Lenny Kaye placed “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” as the opening track on the 1972 compilation Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968. Catalogue reissues proliferated through the 1980s and 1990s; a December 1967 Swedish radio concert surfaced in 1997 as Stockholm ’67. Mark Tulin, James Lowe, Ken Williams, and Michael Weakley subsequently reformed; the 2001 album Artifact was presented as the third LP the original group had been denied, featuring guest Peter Lewis of Moby Grape. A 2002 tour yielded the 2003 concert video Rewired. After Weakley’s departure the 2004 album California explored the psychedelic era in its namesake state. Feedback (2006) returned to the high-energy garage style of the first two LPs. Mark Tulin died of a heart attack on February 26, 2011, at age 62. The band again paused until James Lowe issued the 2014 album Was, drawn from songs composed with Tulin and incorporating the bassist’s final recordings. Drummer Preston Ritter passed away on March 30, 2015, at age 65. In 2021 Grapefruit Records released Then Came the Dawn: The Complete Recordings 1966-1969, encompassing the full Reprise output, Stockholm ’67, and an unreleased Jim and the Lords demo.
Albums
Electric Prunes
2015
The Complete Reprise Singles
2012
Too Much To Dream - Original Group Recordings: Reprise 1966-1967
2007
Rewired
2003
Release Of An Oath
1968
Mass in F Minor
1968
Underground
1967
I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
1967
Live
