Biography
Emerging from the American garage rock movement of the mid-'60s, the Misunderstood ranked among the most inventive and progressive acts of their era. Their robust style drew from blues, soul, and the more aggressive selections of the initial British Invasion wave, setting them apart from nearly all contemporaries in boldness. A distinctive element came from lead guitarist Glenn Ross Campbell, who favored pedal steel guitar over a standard six-string model; his amplified blues phrases gained extra depth through glissandos and tonal sweeps that evoked another realm during his most intense passages. Often regarded as a cautionary case of unrealized promise, the Misunderstood saw their momentum halted by assorted legal complications just as success loomed. Although they issued only two singles while active, enthusiasts and garage/psych collectors later sustained their cult status, with the 1982 compilation Before the Dream Faded offering a strong survey of their abbreviated studio output. A fuller account arrived via 2021's Children of the Sun: The Complete Recordings 1965-1966.
The Misunderstood originated in Riverside, California, an Inland Empire locale situated about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Their foundation lay in the Blue Notes, an instrumental group that included George Phelps and Greg Treadway on guitars along with Rick Moe on drums. Despite their inland setting, Phelps and his associates cultivated an enthusiasm for surfing through repeated journeys to Encinitas, and this coastal interest connected Phelps with Rick Brown after Brown's family relocated to Riverside. Following the Blue Notes' dissolution, Phelps, Treadway, and Moe established a fresh ensemble and recruited Brown as lead vocalist. Operating initially as Treadway & Company, they enlisted Steve Whiting on bass and assembled a set list rooted in blues alongside covers of tougher British Invasion outfits, notably the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Them, and the Yardbirds. Original material soon followed, and by mid-1965 the group had amassed sufficient songs for a local demo session. They had already abandoned the Treadway & Company moniker in favor of the Misunderstoods, nodding to the Animals' hit "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." Months of rehearsals, teen club appearances, and school dance performances preceded another December 1965 recording date, at which point the name had shifted to the singular Misunderstood.
After further January 1966 sessions, George Phelps exited to pursue steady employment. Having observed Glenn Ross Campbell's steel guitar work with his band the Answers, the remaining members recognized that his singular approach aligned perfectly with their needs. Campbell, already experienced in country and rock ensembles, accepted the invitation; his fuzzbox-enhanced blues phrasing imparted a singular texture absent from other inland groups. Shortly after his arrival, a shopping center performance in Riverside caught the attention of British disc jockey John Ravenscroft, newly employed at a local FM station. Impressed by their sound, Ravenscroft mentored the band, supplying guidance and exposing them to varied musical influences. This assistance foreshadowed his later impact; he would eventually adopt the air name John Peel and emerge as one of the U.K.'s most pivotal radio figures.
Peel facilitated a March 1966 session at Hollywood's Gold Star Studio, renowned as Phil Spector's preferred facility. The resulting tapes revealed a group progressing from blues-rock toward a more expansive, exploratory palette that prefigured psychedelic rock. Convinced that Britain offered a more receptive audience than California, Peel and the musicians pressed a single of two Gold Star tracks ("You Don't Have to Go" b/w "Who's Been Talking") as an introduction, then planned their relocation to the U.K. with assistance from Peel's brother. After a farewell Riverside show, they departed for England in June 1966, only to discover that Peel had not alerted his mother about housing arrangements and that his brother had secured minimal preparation. Lacking work permits, they nonetheless obtained bookings and cultivated listeners, particularly after securing manager Nigel Thomas. Homesick Greg Treadway departed for California in August 1966, prompting the addition of guitarist Tony Hill, who complemented Campbell's steel playing and co-wrote material with Brown. A new demo recorded at London's I.B.C. studios reached Fontana Records via Thomas, resulting in a December 1966 single, "I Can Take You to the Sun" b/w "Who Do You Love."
Fontana's promotional event generated enthusiastic press coverage and favorable notices in British music weeklies, yet complications soon surfaced. Rick Brown faced U.S. military draft orders; after disregarding repeated Selective Service communications, he learned that continued absence would trigger formal indictment for draft evasion, forcing his return to California. Brown anticipated that his Fontana obligations and a physician's letter attesting to his unfitness would enable a swift return, but these appeals failed, leaving him to choose between two years of Army service or five years of imprisonment. He selected the Army, and although the Misunderstood replaced him with vocalist Steve Colyer, management withdrew support. Scheduled French dates in early 1967 revealed that Campbell's, Moe's, and Whiting's visas barred reentry to the U.K., compelling their return to California and marking the band's dissolution.
Upon resettling in America, Glenn Ross Campbell connected with blues artist Rod Piazza and joined Piazza's Dirty Blues Band, contributing to their self-titled 1967 Bluesway Records debut. John Peel persisted in advocating for the Misunderstood, prompting Fontana to release another single, "Children of the Sun" b/w "I Unseen." The release attracted notice sufficient for Campbell to reassemble a new lineup in England; the group later evolved into Juicy Lucy, who signed with Vertigo Records and issued their debut album in 1969.
By the late '70s, select Misunderstood Fontana sides began appearing on garage/psych anthologies. Mike Stax, editor of Ugly Things magazine, undertook extensive research that produced articles, the book Like, Misunderstood (detailing the band's trajectory and Rick Brown's post-Army fugitive period), and an unproduced screenplay. Cherry Red Records issued Before the Dream Faded in 1982, assembling 13 tracks that merged Fontana material with archival demos. Additional compilations followed until Cherry Red delivered the comprehensive 2021 anthology Children of the Sun: The Complete Recordings 1965-1966, compiled by Mike Stax, who also authored the liner notes.
The Misunderstood originated in Riverside, California, an Inland Empire locale situated about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Their foundation lay in the Blue Notes, an instrumental group that included George Phelps and Greg Treadway on guitars along with Rick Moe on drums. Despite their inland setting, Phelps and his associates cultivated an enthusiasm for surfing through repeated journeys to Encinitas, and this coastal interest connected Phelps with Rick Brown after Brown's family relocated to Riverside. Following the Blue Notes' dissolution, Phelps, Treadway, and Moe established a fresh ensemble and recruited Brown as lead vocalist. Operating initially as Treadway & Company, they enlisted Steve Whiting on bass and assembled a set list rooted in blues alongside covers of tougher British Invasion outfits, notably the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Them, and the Yardbirds. Original material soon followed, and by mid-1965 the group had amassed sufficient songs for a local demo session. They had already abandoned the Treadway & Company moniker in favor of the Misunderstoods, nodding to the Animals' hit "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." Months of rehearsals, teen club appearances, and school dance performances preceded another December 1965 recording date, at which point the name had shifted to the singular Misunderstood.
After further January 1966 sessions, George Phelps exited to pursue steady employment. Having observed Glenn Ross Campbell's steel guitar work with his band the Answers, the remaining members recognized that his singular approach aligned perfectly with their needs. Campbell, already experienced in country and rock ensembles, accepted the invitation; his fuzzbox-enhanced blues phrasing imparted a singular texture absent from other inland groups. Shortly after his arrival, a shopping center performance in Riverside caught the attention of British disc jockey John Ravenscroft, newly employed at a local FM station. Impressed by their sound, Ravenscroft mentored the band, supplying guidance and exposing them to varied musical influences. This assistance foreshadowed his later impact; he would eventually adopt the air name John Peel and emerge as one of the U.K.'s most pivotal radio figures.
Peel facilitated a March 1966 session at Hollywood's Gold Star Studio, renowned as Phil Spector's preferred facility. The resulting tapes revealed a group progressing from blues-rock toward a more expansive, exploratory palette that prefigured psychedelic rock. Convinced that Britain offered a more receptive audience than California, Peel and the musicians pressed a single of two Gold Star tracks ("You Don't Have to Go" b/w "Who's Been Talking") as an introduction, then planned their relocation to the U.K. with assistance from Peel's brother. After a farewell Riverside show, they departed for England in June 1966, only to discover that Peel had not alerted his mother about housing arrangements and that his brother had secured minimal preparation. Lacking work permits, they nonetheless obtained bookings and cultivated listeners, particularly after securing manager Nigel Thomas. Homesick Greg Treadway departed for California in August 1966, prompting the addition of guitarist Tony Hill, who complemented Campbell's steel playing and co-wrote material with Brown. A new demo recorded at London's I.B.C. studios reached Fontana Records via Thomas, resulting in a December 1966 single, "I Can Take You to the Sun" b/w "Who Do You Love."
Fontana's promotional event generated enthusiastic press coverage and favorable notices in British music weeklies, yet complications soon surfaced. Rick Brown faced U.S. military draft orders; after disregarding repeated Selective Service communications, he learned that continued absence would trigger formal indictment for draft evasion, forcing his return to California. Brown anticipated that his Fontana obligations and a physician's letter attesting to his unfitness would enable a swift return, but these appeals failed, leaving him to choose between two years of Army service or five years of imprisonment. He selected the Army, and although the Misunderstood replaced him with vocalist Steve Colyer, management withdrew support. Scheduled French dates in early 1967 revealed that Campbell's, Moe's, and Whiting's visas barred reentry to the U.K., compelling their return to California and marking the band's dissolution.
Upon resettling in America, Glenn Ross Campbell connected with blues artist Rod Piazza and joined Piazza's Dirty Blues Band, contributing to their self-titled 1967 Bluesway Records debut. John Peel persisted in advocating for the Misunderstood, prompting Fontana to release another single, "Children of the Sun" b/w "I Unseen." The release attracted notice sufficient for Campbell to reassemble a new lineup in England; the group later evolved into Juicy Lucy, who signed with Vertigo Records and issued their debut album in 1969.
By the late '70s, select Misunderstood Fontana sides began appearing on garage/psych anthologies. Mike Stax, editor of Ugly Things magazine, undertook extensive research that produced articles, the book Like, Misunderstood (detailing the band's trajectory and Rick Brown's post-Army fugitive period), and an unproduced screenplay. Cherry Red Records issued Before the Dream Faded in 1982, assembling 13 tracks that merged Fontana material with archival demos. Additional compilations followed until Cherry Red delivered the comprehensive 2021 anthology Children of the Sun: The Complete Recordings 1965-1966, compiled by Mike Stax, who also authored the liner notes.
Albums
