London, Paris, Stockholm .... November 1967 - January 1968
Electric Prunes, London, December 1967. Photo: Gered Mankowitz.
As a fan of rock music, it is always a pleasure to discover a new group, artist or piece of music. I recently (December 2016) purchased a copy of the Mojo 60s magazine and in it I came across an article on the Electric Prunes - a band I had never really heard of before, let alone taken any interest in. The article contained a brief history of this Sixties Californian "garage" band and mentioned their December 1967 Swedish radio live concert recording which was released in 1997. When I chased it up and heard it I was blown away! This is an awesome recording of an accomplished, psychedelic blues rock band at its peak. It left me wondering why the Electric Prunes were not more well known; why they had not featured in concerts such as Monterey Pop and even at Woodstock; why are they only seen as a "garage band" with a pop hit or two, instead of one of the leading hard rock, psychedelic bands of the time; and why their guitarist Ken Matthews was not prominent on the list of great rock guitarists of the era. As a result, I thought to do a bit of research and, arising from that, prepare a blog which outlined aspects of their European tour of late 1967 and early 1968, from which the Stockholm recording came.
In hindsight it could be said that this tour was the band's high point in regards to live performances, for they fell apart shortly after their return to the United States due to mismanagement, lack of appreciation and tiredness / disenchantment on the part of the original members. It should be noted that this current blog is a mash up of previous research such as that found on the very comprehensive official Electric Prunes Website 1995-2015, along with additional interviews located on the web and through sources such as YouTube. The Electric Prunes live on, both in the archival material from their glory years 1968-8, in subsequent recordings and live gigs following their reformation at the end of the 1990s, and through to their present day performances fronted by singer James Lowe. When I first raised my interest in the Electric Prunes, music afficionado friends of mine pointed to the band's LPs Underground and Mass in F Minor as 60s classics. However my tastes rated the live Stockholm '67 above their studio output ... though I have to admit that their big hit I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night is incredibly infectious, and buried among those studio mixes are some terrific musical performances from this young American band. Read on!
The Electric Prunes in London during
their European Tour - December 1967 • From left to right: Mark Tulin,
Michael Weakley aka 'Quint', Mike Gannon, James Lowe. Seated in front: Ken
Williams.
The European Tour
The core members of the Electric Prunes got together in 1965, made their first studio recording during the second half of 1966, and in 1967 released two studio LPs whilst touring the United States extensively. In the American winter of 1967-68 they headed off to Europe. The Electric Prunes at the time of this tour of November 1967 through to January 1968 included: James Lowe (vocals, harmonica and autoharp - age 22), Ken Williams (lead guitar - age 19), Mike Gannon (rhythm guitar - age 20), Mark Tulin (bass - age 19) and Michael "Quint" Weakley (drums - age 21). In one Paris film clip James Lowe introduces Mike Gannon as "Weasel" though this name was usually attached to the former band member James Spagnola. Quint had been one of the founding members of the band and original drummer, but quit when they signed a contract with Reprise at the end of 1966. However, at the request of James Lowe, he rejoined the band late in 1967 and played on the European tour and some of the tracks on their LPs Underground and Mass in F Major. A chronological listing of European tour events is included below, following by some related reminiscences by Tulin, Howe and Quint.
1967
1967
* late October - advertisements appear in the London music press of upcoming appearances by the Electric Prunes in December.
* [Advertisement] Electric Prunes at Middle Earth, International Times, no.20, 27 October 1967.
* [Advertisement] Electric Prunes at Middle Earth, International Times, 21, 17 November 1967.
* 22 November - the Electric Prunes fly out of Los Angeles International Airport bound for London via New York. This followed on a hectic period during which they recorded the majority (but not all) of the album Mass in F Minor with David Axelrod. Just prior to heading off on tour they were handed copies of the record, it having been finished by Axelrod with session players. The visit to Europe was a promotional tour, mixed in with some live performances.
Electric Prunes at Los Angeles Airport prior to departure for London, 22 November 1967.
The Electric Prunes arrive at London Airport, 23 November 1967.
* 24 November, Friday [Live] The Corn Exchange, Cambridge. This was the Electric Prunes' first performance in the UK. The Corn Exchange was located near Cambridge University and accommodated a crowd of approximately 1800. Equipment was provided by NEMS and VOX (amplifiers).
* [Advertisement] Mono Cambridge presents, from San Francisco, The Electric Prunes, Melody Maker, 25 November 1967.
* 25 November, Saturday [Live] Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham.
* [Report] 'Electric Prunes here to tour', Disc & Music Echo, 25 November 1967. Lists dates for the UK tour.
* [Report] Electric Prunes arrive. Quote: The Electric Prunes group, who got in the New Musical Express charts in May with Get me to the world on time, arrived from America this week for appearances here.
* 28 November, Tuesday [Live #1] Roundhouse, Beacontree Heath. Early gig.
* [Live #2] Speakeasy Club, London. Late gig. In subsequent reminiscences Howe and Tulin refer to a jam session at the Speakeasy in which they saw Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Keith Moon and others perform. It is unclear whether this was on the occasion of the band's own performance there, though it is possible. They also noted meeting Brian Jones at the Speakeasy. They also saw Jeff Beck perform.
* 29 or 30 November: The Electric Prunes are invited by Jimi Hendrix over to his London apartment to talk about the scene in America, watch television, and listen to his new LP Axis: Bold As Love.
* [? unknown date] The Electric Prunes are photographed by Gered Mankowitz in Hyde Park and at his Masons Yard studio. This followed on a request from the band's singer James Lowe, who was a fan of his work with the Rolling Stones.
* [? unknown date] At some stage band members had a meeting in the Abbey Road studio with three of the Beatles (not John Lennon) as they were mixing Magical Mystery Tour. This followed on an invitation to visit them in the studio.
* 1 December, Friday [Live #1] White Lion, Edgeware. Early gig.
* [Live #2] Middle Earth, Cove nt Garden. Late gig. Perform at a 10pm to Dawn multimedia show at this renown underground venue. The Middle Earth club took over from the recently defunct UFO Club. The UFO and Middle Earth were known as venues which supported the use of hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, hashish and marijuana. It is obvious that during the European tour band members partook of these drugs, along with alcohol. This usage was reflected in both their music and appearance. The band took on a decided psychedelic air, as was common for the time in London.
* [Advertisement] Electric Prunes at Middle Earth, Friday, 1 December 1967. Original flyer.
* 2 December, Saturday [Live #1] Royal Lincs, Cromer. Early gig.
* [Live #2] Gala, Norwich. Late gig.
* [Report] 'Electric Prunes - Pop the Question', Disc & Music Echo, 2 December 1967. Includes a picture of the band arriving at London airport, with Mark Tulin holding a game of Monopoly. Quote: Pop the Question. Q: Please tell me something about the Electric Prunes, who I believe are coming here soon. - Anne Raymond, 75 London Road, Bath. Ans. Quit correct, Anne. The Prunes are already here, and will be in Bath on 4 December. The group is based in sunny Los Angeles on the American West Coast and comprises: James Lowe (22) - lead singer and harmonica; Michael Gannon (20) - rhythm guitar and harmony vocalist; Michael Weakly (21) - drums; Ken Williams (19) - lead guitar; and Mark Tulin (19) - bass guitar. And when you hear them, stand by for blasting - they use eight separate amplifiers, which is pretty powerful stuff!
* [Interview] Nick Jones, Putting electricity into the Electric Prunes, Melody Maker, 2 December 1967.
* [Interview] 'Putting electricity into the Electric Prunes', Record Mirror, 2 December 1967. The article comprises an interview with James Lowe and discussion of the forthcoming LP Mass in F Minor.
* 4 December, Monday [Live] The Pavilion, Bath.
* [Advertisement] Handbill for the Pavilion concert.
* 5 December, Tuesday [Live] Marquee, London. 7.30 - 11pm.
* [Advertisement] Upcoming concerts at the Marquee, Melody Maker, 2 December 1967.
* 8 December, Friday [Live] Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow University, Scotland. Attended by Stuart Cruickshanks of BBC Scotland.
* 9 December, Saturday [Live #1] Leyton Baths. Early gig.
* [Live #2] Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, London. Late gig.
Amsterdam
* [TV] Hoepla, Bellevue TV Studio, Amsterdam. The Electric Prunes perform I Had Too Much to Dream and Long Days Flight. Footage of this performance has not survived.
The Electric Prunes on Swedish TV.
Copenhagen
* 13 December, Wednesday [Live] Tivolis Koncertsal, Copenhagen, Denmark. Support act: The Move.
Stockholm
* 14 December, Thursday [Live] Konserthuset, Stockholm, Denmark. Support act was the British underground band The Move. This concert is recorded by the Swedish Broadcast Corporation, despite objections at the time by James Lowe. It is subsequently released on vinyl/CD in 1997 with pictures by Gered Mankowitz and reminiscences by James Lowe (vocals) and Mark Tulin (bass). Song list:
1. You Never Had It Better 0 - 4.55
2. I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) 4.55 - 8.45
3. Try Me On For Size 8.45 - 18.19
4. I Happen to Love You 18.19 - 22.22
5. Got My Mojo Workin' 22.22 - 29.06
6. Long Day's Flight (Til Tomorrow) 29.06 - 32.40
7. Smokestack Lightnin' 32.40 - 38.11
8. Get Me to the World On Time 38.11 - 45.37
Following the Stockholm concert the band had a two week break over Christmas, before flying on to Paris for a week of television appearances and production of a film clip. It is unclear whether they returned to London after Stockholm, though it is highly likely.
1968
Paris
* 7 January, Sunday [TV] French show Le Petit Dimanche Illustre where they perform a wild version of You Never Had It Better and Captain Glory. The soundtrack was recorded live and is very energetic, though the performance was mimed in the studio. A video copy is available on YouTube.
You Never Had It Better, Paris, 7 January 1967.
* ? January [TV] French show Baton Rouge - the Electric Prunes perform a live version of You Never Had It Better and I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night). Duration: 5.34 minutes. Footage also exists of the Nice performing in the studio, with members of the Electric Prunes looking on.
* 14 January, Sunday [TV] French show Dim Dam Dom where the Electric Prunes perform Great Banana Hoax and Long Day's Flight. The band mimes the studio recordings and dances around at the end of the second song. Colour video available on YouTube.
Electric Prunes, Long Day's Flight on Dim Dam Dom. Source: YouTube.
* Whilst in Paris the band also made a film clip for their upcoming LP Mass in F Minor. The filming took place in an abandoned railway station and building site in Paris, along with street shots. In this low lit film the band members are seen walking aimlessly around and at some points they gather around and sing the chorus, in a manner similar to Queen in Bohemian Rhapsody. The 26 minute clip was broadcast on French TV on 12 April 1968 after the band had returned to the United States. All the band members played on the LP, though guitarist Ken Williams was only used for the first side.
* [Advertisement] Electric Prunes at Middle Earth, International Times, 21, 17 November 1967.
* 22 November - the Electric Prunes fly out of Los Angeles International Airport bound for London via New York. This followed on a hectic period during which they recorded the majority (but not all) of the album Mass in F Minor with David Axelrod. Just prior to heading off on tour they were handed copies of the record, it having been finished by Axelrod with session players. The visit to Europe was a promotional tour, mixed in with some live performances.
* 23
November, Thursday - the Electric Prunes arrive at London airport. According to one report, they were "shattered after a long trip from Los Angeles, most of which was spent circling above New York waiting to land to change planes." At Heathrow they are subject to a thorough customs inspection, with officers searching for drugs. All that is found is some incense. According to Quint, the British tour was sponsored by the Beatles management NEMS, and most specifically by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They lined up a 16 date tour of the UK to be followed by gigs in Europe. Upon arrival, the band took an apartment in Harley
Street, London, for 3-4 weeks whilst their manager Lenny Poncher stayed at the Playboy Club. From this base they were able to tour England and Scotland, and also engage with the vibrant London club scene of the time, seeing bands, jamming and meeting famous musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and members of the Beatles.
* 24 November, Friday [Live] The Corn Exchange, Cambridge. This was the Electric Prunes' first performance in the UK. The Corn Exchange was located near Cambridge University and accommodated a crowd of approximately 1800. Equipment was provided by NEMS and VOX (amplifiers).
* [Advertisement] Mono Cambridge presents, from San Francisco, The Electric Prunes, Melody Maker, 25 November 1967.
* 25 November, Saturday [Live] Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham.
* [Report] 'Electric Prunes here to tour', Disc & Music Echo, 25 November 1967. Lists dates for the UK tour.
* [Report] Electric Prunes arrive. Quote: The Electric Prunes group, who got in the New Musical Express charts in May with Get me to the world on time, arrived from America this week for appearances here.
* 28 November, Tuesday [Live #1] Roundhouse, Beacontree Heath. Early gig.
* [Live #2] Speakeasy Club, London. Late gig. In subsequent reminiscences Howe and Tulin refer to a jam session at the Speakeasy in which they saw Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Keith Moon and others perform. It is unclear whether this was on the occasion of the band's own performance there, though it is possible. They also noted meeting Brian Jones at the Speakeasy. They also saw Jeff Beck perform.
* 29 or 30 November: The Electric Prunes are invited by Jimi Hendrix over to his London apartment to talk about the scene in America, watch television, and listen to his new LP Axis: Bold As Love.
* [? unknown date] The Electric Prunes are photographed by Gered Mankowitz in Hyde Park and at his Masons Yard studio. This followed on a request from the band's singer James Lowe, who was a fan of his work with the Rolling Stones.
The Electric Prunes photographed in Hyde Park, London, December 1967. Photo: Gered Mankowitz.
The Electric Prunes, London, 1967. Photographs: Gered Mankowitz.
* [? unknown date] At some stage band members had a meeting in the Abbey Road studio with three of the Beatles (not John Lennon) as they were mixing Magical Mystery Tour. This followed on an invitation to visit them in the studio.
* 1 December, Friday [Live #1] White Lion, Edgeware. Early gig.
* [Live #2] Middle Earth, Cove nt Garden. Late gig. Perform at a 10pm to Dawn multimedia show at this renown underground venue. The Middle Earth club took over from the recently defunct UFO Club. The UFO and Middle Earth were known as venues which supported the use of hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, hashish and marijuana. It is obvious that during the European tour band members partook of these drugs, along with alcohol. This usage was reflected in both their music and appearance. The band took on a decided psychedelic air, as was common for the time in London.
* [Advertisement] Electric Prunes at Middle Earth, Friday, 1 December 1967. Original flyer.
* 2 December, Saturday [Live #1] Royal Lincs, Cromer. Early gig.
* [Live #2] Gala, Norwich. Late gig.
* [Report] 'Electric Prunes - Pop the Question', Disc & Music Echo, 2 December 1967. Includes a picture of the band arriving at London airport, with Mark Tulin holding a game of Monopoly. Quote: Pop the Question. Q: Please tell me something about the Electric Prunes, who I believe are coming here soon. - Anne Raymond, 75 London Road, Bath. Ans. Quit correct, Anne. The Prunes are already here, and will be in Bath on 4 December. The group is based in sunny Los Angeles on the American West Coast and comprises: James Lowe (22) - lead singer and harmonica; Michael Gannon (20) - rhythm guitar and harmony vocalist; Michael Weakly (21) - drums; Ken Williams (19) - lead guitar; and Mark Tulin (19) - bass guitar. And when you hear them, stand by for blasting - they use eight separate amplifiers, which is pretty powerful stuff!
* [Interview] Nick Jones, Putting electricity into the Electric Prunes, Melody Maker, 2 December 1967.
* [Interview] 'Putting electricity into the Electric Prunes', Record Mirror, 2 December 1967. The article comprises an interview with James Lowe and discussion of the forthcoming LP Mass in F Minor.
* 4 December, Monday [Live] The Pavilion, Bath.
* [Advertisement] Handbill for the Pavilion concert.
* 5 December, Tuesday [Live] Marquee, London. 7.30 - 11pm.
* [Advertisement] Upcoming concerts at the Marquee, Melody Maker, 2 December 1967.
* 8 December, Friday [Live] Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow University, Scotland. Attended by Stuart Cruickshanks of BBC Scotland.
* 9 December, Saturday [Live #1] Leyton Baths. Early gig.
* [Live #2] Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, London. Late gig.
The Electric Prunes at the Playboy Club, London, Record Mirror, 9 December 1967.
Amsterdam
* 10 December, Sunday [Live] Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Holland. Support acts: Soft Machine and Zipps. James Lowe: We played Amsterdam with the Soft Machine
and were booed off the stage because of the Vietnam War. We were not
political so this took us by surprise. I should have known we were in
for trouble when the Soft Machine drummer came off the concert hall
stage in a jock strap!
* [Report / advertisement] 'Electric Prunes en Soft Machine op 10 December in Amsterdam', Witheek [Hitweek], #12 & #13, 8 December 1967. Dutch pop newspaper reports on the front page of the forthcoming Electric Prunes 10 December concert.
* [Report / advertisement] 'Electric Prunes en Soft Machine op 10 December in Amsterdam', Witheek [Hitweek], #12 & #13, 8 December 1967. Dutch pop newspaper reports on the front page of the forthcoming Electric Prunes 10 December concert.
* [TV] Hoepla, Bellevue TV Studio, Amsterdam. The Electric Prunes perform I Had Too Much to Dream and Long Days Flight. Footage of this performance has not survived.
Copenhagen
* 13 December, Wednesday [Live] Tivolis Koncertsal, Copenhagen, Denmark. Support act: The Move.
Stockholm
* 14 December, Thursday [Live] Konserthuset, Stockholm, Denmark. Support act was the British underground band The Move. This concert is recorded by the Swedish Broadcast Corporation, despite objections at the time by James Lowe. It is subsequently released on vinyl/CD in 1997 with pictures by Gered Mankowitz and reminiscences by James Lowe (vocals) and Mark Tulin (bass). Song list:
1. You Never Had It Better 0 - 4.55
2. I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) 4.55 - 8.45
3. Try Me On For Size 8.45 - 18.19
4. I Happen to Love You 18.19 - 22.22
5. Got My Mojo Workin' 22.22 - 29.06
6. Long Day's Flight (Til Tomorrow) 29.06 - 32.40
7. Smokestack Lightnin' 32.40 - 38.11
8. Get Me to the World On Time 38.11 - 45.37
Electric Prunes, Stockholm, 14 December 1967. Duration: 45.37 minutes.
Following the Stockholm concert the band had a two week break over Christmas, before flying on to Paris for a week of television appearances and production of a film clip. It is unclear whether they returned to London after Stockholm, though it is highly likely.
1968
Paris
* 7 January, Sunday [TV] French show Le Petit Dimanche Illustre where they perform a wild version of You Never Had It Better and Captain Glory. The soundtrack was recorded live and is very energetic, though the performance was mimed in the studio. A video copy is available on YouTube.
* ? January [TV] French show Baton Rouge - the Electric Prunes perform a live version of You Never Had It Better and I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night). Duration: 5.34 minutes. Footage also exists of the Nice performing in the studio, with members of the Electric Prunes looking on.
The Electric Prunes live on Baton Rouge, Paris, January 1968.
* 14 January, Sunday [TV] French show Dim Dam Dom where the Electric Prunes perform Great Banana Hoax and Long Day's Flight. The band mimes the studio recordings and dances around at the end of the second song. Colour video available on YouTube.
Electric Prunes, Great Banana Hoax on Dim Dam Dom. Source: YouTube.
* Whilst in Paris the band also made a film clip for their upcoming LP Mass in F Minor. The filming took place in an abandoned railway station and building site in Paris, along with street shots. In this low lit film the band members are seen walking aimlessly around and at some points they gather around and sing the chorus, in a manner similar to Queen in Bohemian Rhapsody. The 26 minute clip was broadcast on French TV on 12 April 1968 after the band had returned to the United States. All the band members played on the LP, though guitarist Ken Williams was only used for the first side.
Electric Prunes, Kyrie Eleison + Gloria, Paris, January 1968. Dur: 8.17 min.
Electric Prunes, Credo Sanctus, Paris, January 1968. Dur: 7.50 min.
-----------------------
Return to the US
The band returned to the United States shortly after their appearance on French television on 14 January. They performed at the Civic Auditorium, Chehalis, Washington on Thursday, 18 January. Following the European tour the Electric Prunes fell apart, and by the middle of 1968 the original band were no more... but that is another story. Whilst America was the salvation of many British bands during the Sixties, the same in reverse could not be said. The European tour was a very positive experience for the Electric Prunes as their musicanship was appreciated and they were treated with a level of respect not given them in their own country. Strange and unfortunate....
The band returned to the United States shortly after their appearance on French television on 14 January. They performed at the Civic Auditorium, Chehalis, Washington on Thursday, 18 January. Following the European tour the Electric Prunes fell apart, and by the middle of 1968 the original band were no more... but that is another story. Whilst America was the salvation of many British bands during the Sixties, the same in reverse could not be said. The European tour was a very positive experience for the Electric Prunes as their musicanship was appreciated and they were treated with a level of respect not given them in their own country. Strange and unfortunate....
Electric Prunes, London, December 1967. Photo: Gered Mankowitz.
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Reminiscences of the European Tour
When the Stockholm concert was released in 1997 it contained brief reminiscences of the tour by both Mark Tulin and James Lowe. They are in the form of notes, which suggest both that they were taken down at the time, but also at a later stage as well. Lowe and Tulin express surprise at the existence of the recording, with the former having objected to its taking place on the night. Tulin indicates that he though it was one of their good nights, though not their best, whilst Lowe is more dismissive of the performance. The notes from the Stockholm Live 67 CD and LP are reproduced below, along with excerpts from other interviews with Lowe and Tulin that make reference to the European tour. No such interviews exist for Ken Williams or drummer Quint. Guitarist Mike Gannon had passed away previous to the release and following on service in Vietnam. The reminiscences note the various performances, the extra-curricular activities of the band whilst on tour, and also the political turmoil they became involved with on the continent due to the strong anti-American sentiment then at play over the Vietnam war.
James Howe – European Tour Notes (Stockholm Live 67)
England. Flew to London from Los Angeles. Must have ended up at Heathrow going through a baggage inspection from hell. Something to do with thinking anyone with long hair is carrying drugs. Not us. Would have put us over the weight limit. Driven in a Princess Limo – our car for this portion – to a flat on Harley Street. Our driver, Raymond – a true professional. No fear while Raymond was there. Tour was part play, part promo. Hashing burning on radiator. Bread pudding. Steak and #$*#@@ kidney pie. Coffee, black or white? I’ll take that pheasant, the one with the feathers. Problems with money and exchange rate. What is a “d”? Problems looking the wrong way when crossing street. Almost had intimate encounter with a truck. We play. We party. View Vietnam war from an outside perspective. Doesn’t look any better from over here. Great women with great accents. Hang out at The Speakeasy wine drinking contests, listening to Jeff Beck, running into Brian Jones. Jimi Hendrix’s house for home movies and preview of Axis: Bold as Love fresh from the studio. Meet the Beatles mixing Magical Mystery Tour. Jam at club with Hendrix, Richards, Moon et al. Can’t believe how old everything is here. Did life really exist before 1607? Carnaby Street – several stores, one outfit. End up with fur coats and top hats. Cricket bat. Photos with Gered Mankowitz. Played concerts throughout Britain. Had to, they gave us instruments. Vox supplied equipment. Didn’t have the balls of our own gear at home. Keep kicking them off stage, but they keep working. Different attitude here towards bands/music. More serious. More professional. Love it here, think I’ll stay. But not to be. It’s on to Amsterdam / Copenhagen.
In a 1997 interview with Jud Cost of Terrascope, James Lowe remembered the following in regards to the tour:
Cost: You toured Europe in 1967. That must have been a kick.
Lowe: We ended up staying in England for three or four weeks, and we got an apartment in London, in Harley Street, so we didn't feel so much like guests.
Cost: I love that Stockholm 67 album that's come out recently, from that same European tour. Sounds like you're at the top of your game.
Lowe: Well, actually that was the slide. It was recorded on a bad night at the very end of that tour. We'd played some really crazy stuff and we got no response, so we just went back to playing blues. We were disappointed that people weren't more interested in our more abstract stuff. We'd had so many concerts where people just stood there with their mouths open, so we said, "We'd better just play some blues." It's pretty crude and simplistic, but I guess it's OK.
Cost: The pictures are certainly great.
Lowe: They were done by Gered Mankowitz. I'd always liked his photography on Aftermath and Between The Buttons. So I looked him up, he came to a couple of our gigs, and he agreed to shoot some pictures of us. We went out to Hyde Park on a cold morning and recreated some of his sessions with the Stones. I thought that would be cool, doing put-ons of that stuff, so I asked him if we could go out to where he shot the pictures for Between The Buttons.
When the Stockholm concert was released in 1997 it contained brief reminiscences of the tour by both Mark Tulin and James Lowe. They are in the form of notes, which suggest both that they were taken down at the time, but also at a later stage as well. Lowe and Tulin express surprise at the existence of the recording, with the former having objected to its taking place on the night. Tulin indicates that he though it was one of their good nights, though not their best, whilst Lowe is more dismissive of the performance. The notes from the Stockholm Live 67 CD and LP are reproduced below, along with excerpts from other interviews with Lowe and Tulin that make reference to the European tour. No such interviews exist for Ken Williams or drummer Quint. Guitarist Mike Gannon had passed away previous to the release and following on service in Vietnam. The reminiscences note the various performances, the extra-curricular activities of the band whilst on tour, and also the political turmoil they became involved with on the continent due to the strong anti-American sentiment then at play over the Vietnam war.
James Howe – European Tour Notes (Stockholm Live 67)
England: November 1967. Land at Heathrow. Full search by Customs. Small Faces had “incident”
at this port of entry a few days earlier. Search reveals we are carrying
incense … they want to know why? Black Princess Limo and ex-convict bodyguards take the crew
to a flat on Harley Street rented for 5 American “businessmen” … they didn’t
ask what business. NEMS provides us with a van and drivers and a respectable
collection of gear to play England and Scotland. Rock is considered a legit
business here, unlike the States. In 3 weeks we play everywhere: London, Marquee Club,
Speakeasy, Cambridge, Blackpool, Birmingham. Meet Brian Jones at the Speakeasy. He is ‘out there’ and
jokes about Dave Hassinger. Take photos in park with Gered Mankowitz. Pirate radio stations offshore play us! Hendrix calls – we go over to flat. He is very nice, splivs
as big as ice cream cones! England is so cool!
Scotland: November. Play Glasgow University. Great night. Indian food.
Amsterdam: December. Naked people on TV! Did video shoot at huge TV studio, but
didn’t see any. Concert with Soft Machine. Anti-war sentiment is high. Crowd
taunts James. James taunts crowd. Shit fliiiies. Finger up. Unplug. Walk when it
gets too crazy. Stolen fuzztone unit. Fuck these “free” spirits.
France: December. Pretty girls, great food. Don’t talk politics … We arrive on
a plane, and 40 minutes later we are doing a live TV show with ‘equipment
provided’ – strangest collection of stuff we have ever seen. Coldest studio on
the planet … no nudes … lights up … show starts … guitars all detuned with heat
*@#!!! We goof through “Too Much to Dream…” and blow up the amps with feedback…
drum kit falls apart. The French – who love Jerry Lewis – dig it. They think we
are the WHO.
Denmark: December. Copenhagen is far out … 4 story night club… meet MOVE, good
boys … Concert at Tivoli Gardens … good crowd .. no war talk … much help from a
band from Norway … gear and lightshow.
Sweden: December. Stockholm landing in a blizzard … beautiful girls …
beautiful opera house. Red seats …. How can we make up for the war? Hope the
crowd doesn’t want a yelling match. “Nice” open show and kick ass. They are a
great band. Some guys want to record the concert for a radio broadcast. James
takes a look at equipment set up and says “no thank you…” This album must be
the result of someone accidentally pushing the record button in Stockholm that
night.
-------------------------------------------
Mark Tulin Notes (Stockholm Live 67)
England. Flew to London from Los Angeles. Must have ended up at Heathrow going through a baggage inspection from hell. Something to do with thinking anyone with long hair is carrying drugs. Not us. Would have put us over the weight limit. Driven in a Princess Limo – our car for this portion – to a flat on Harley Street. Our driver, Raymond – a true professional. No fear while Raymond was there. Tour was part play, part promo. Hashing burning on radiator. Bread pudding. Steak and #$*#@@ kidney pie. Coffee, black or white? I’ll take that pheasant, the one with the feathers. Problems with money and exchange rate. What is a “d”? Problems looking the wrong way when crossing street. Almost had intimate encounter with a truck. We play. We party. View Vietnam war from an outside perspective. Doesn’t look any better from over here. Great women with great accents. Hang out at The Speakeasy wine drinking contests, listening to Jeff Beck, running into Brian Jones. Jimi Hendrix’s house for home movies and preview of Axis: Bold as Love fresh from the studio. Meet the Beatles mixing Magical Mystery Tour. Jam at club with Hendrix, Richards, Moon et al. Can’t believe how old everything is here. Did life really exist before 1607? Carnaby Street – several stores, one outfit. End up with fur coats and top hats. Cricket bat. Photos with Gered Mankowitz. Played concerts throughout Britain. Had to, they gave us instruments. Vox supplied equipment. Didn’t have the balls of our own gear at home. Keep kicking them off stage, but they keep working. Different attitude here towards bands/music. More serious. More professional. Love it here, think I’ll stay. But not to be. It’s on to Amsterdam / Copenhagen.
Amsterdam / Copenhagen. With apologies to Denmark and Holland. I cannot separate
these two in my mind. Of course, neither can NATO. Winter with lots of white
lights. Beautiful city. Beautiful women. More beautiful women. Not necessarily
stoned, but not necessarily not, either, but just beautiful. Porno shops –
stunned at first, but quickly adjust. What’s a red light … Oh, my God!!
(Amsterdam). Couldn’t find little mermaid statue (Copenhagen). Couldn’t find
our hotel, anywhere we went. Think I’ll live here. But first to the Opera House
for our concert. They won’t let us come through the floor. Save it for Wagner.
No Wagner, but Soft Machine opens the show. Now us. Before one note is played
it starts – called every name, and then some – Fascists, Communists, War
Mongers. Dutch phrases we didn’t know but didn’t sound complimentary. You name
it, we are it. Fuck me? Fuck you!! James gets pissed off and we split. That was
fun. Could have at least hated our music. Didn’t stand a chance. People go to
concerts to disrupt them Hope they paid for their tickets. Hey guys, we are
against the damn war. We’re political but this is asinine. Let me out of this
city, now!
France. Through customs with hash in the cricket bat handle. Stupid,
but don’t know how to play cricket anyway. Right to Orly to television studio.
Nice to have been told. But why start now. Too much wine, not enough time. Take
out instruments and plug into God knows what. Almost enough time to tune –
light on!! Guitars out of tune in heat immediately. Tune while playing. Almost
finish tuning before song ends. Avant Gard? I think not. Keith Jarrett puts out
a contract on us. Days spent filming “Nouveau Dimanche” special at hugh train
station. No time during day for much else. Miss Louvre. See Eiffel Tower in
passing. Spectacular women, incredible nights and new uses for French bread. I
think I’ll stay here. Ken and Mike almost arrested at Moulin Rouge and don’t have
passports. Run around for a day seeing everything. Discover even those who do
speak English won’t. To get even, we won’t either. Four years of high school
French down the drain. Get in argument over Vietnam war with French guys in hotel
– hey, you got us into this! What about Algeria? I need to get to a neutral
place.
Stockholm. More white lights. Snow. Beautiful, beautiful women. I’m glad
they’re not all California girls. Blond everywhere, everywhere. No neutrality
on our part. Think I’ll dye my hair and stay here forever. But, as usual, there’s
work to do. Concert takes place in this great opera house. Spectacular view
from the stage. Lots of red. Great pipe organ far off in the back recesses of
the room. Don’t touch! Frank Zappa ruined it for all of us that followed by
playing “Louie Louie” on it. The Nice open the show. Great damn band. Different
type of music – Bolero, modern jazz driven by Emerson’s B-3. We put on a good
show, but not one of our best. Quint disappears during the show. Can’t find him
until spot hits him at railing of top row in back with his tom-tom. I have no
idea how he got there. Of course no idea how he gets to lots of places. I have
absolutely no memory of the show being recorded. But then, since there is this
recording it must have been. That’s right, right?
-----------------------------
In a 1997 interview with Jud Cost of Terrascope, James Lowe remembered the following in regards to the tour:
Cost: You toured Europe in 1967. That must have been a kick.
Lowe: We ended up staying in England for three or four weeks, and we got an apartment in London, in Harley Street, so we didn't feel so much like guests.
Cost: I love that Stockholm 67 album that's come out recently, from that same European tour. Sounds like you're at the top of your game.
Lowe: Well, actually that was the slide. It was recorded on a bad night at the very end of that tour. We'd played some really crazy stuff and we got no response, so we just went back to playing blues. We were disappointed that people weren't more interested in our more abstract stuff. We'd had so many concerts where people just stood there with their mouths open, so we said, "We'd better just play some blues." It's pretty crude and simplistic, but I guess it's OK.
Cost: The pictures are certainly great.
Lowe: They were done by Gered Mankowitz. I'd always liked his photography on Aftermath and Between The Buttons. So I looked him up, he came to a couple of our gigs, and he agreed to shoot some pictures of us. We went out to Hyde Park on a cold morning and recreated some of his sessions with the Stones. I thought that would be cool, doing put-ons of that stuff, so I asked him if we could go out to where he shot the pictures for Between The Buttons.
-----------------------------
In an interview with Mark Tulin, Gary James of Classicbands.com recorded the following in regards to the European tour:
Tulin: .....We have better Hendrix stories than
we do Jim Morrison stories.
James: I'm all ears.
Tulin: Well, what happened there is, we went and toured England in '67. We had a flat in London. We were centered out of London and one night we got a call. It was Jimi Hendrix asking if we wanted to come over to his apartment. He's an American, so he wanted to catch up on what's going on in America. So, we went over to his flat. All we knew about Hendrix was the "Are You Experienced? " cover and his music, but we didn't know anything about him. Nicest man. Anyway, we got there and he had his first test pressing of "Axis Bold As Love". So, what we did is sit in his living room and he walked us through the album, pointing out all the guitar stuff he'd done. Back then, because there was so much money going from the United States to England, all the big bands were English. You had to sort of like switch. So, if two bands came from England to the United States, they had to take two American bands. (laughs) So, whenever the Americans would come, they'd throw a party for 'em. So, we had a party at this club and it was the high point because Hendrix played and Keith Richards played. Anybody from the English thing was there. It was more of just a blues, rock 'n roll jam session.
James: How about The Beatles...were they there?
Tulin: Met 'em. We got another one of those calls, "Would you like to come and meet the Beatles?" They were, if I remember correctly, doing their "Magical Mystery Tour" stuff. We went in and met them at a studio somewhere. Just three of 'em. I don't think John was there. We met him later at a club.
James: That's incredible.
Tulin: You know something? It was kind of miraculous really. And we'd be at another club and Brian Jones said to say hello to Dave (Hassinger) when we went back to the Station. That sort of stuff. London had a club scene where any band member could be there any given night. So, you'd run into a lot of people just that way. You got to meet everybody and hang with 'em that way.
James: What was that like for you? I know you had a hit record, but...
Tulin: I was all of 18 years old. Somebody says you're gonna go meet The Beatles The album they just had out was "Sgt. Pepper", right?. Most of the time when you'd meet another band, you say "I really liked your album." Well, you don't like "Sgt. Pepper". (laughs) My analogy is, it's like saying to God; "The Bible, good book! Nice job." So there's certain band who had been, when I was even younger, heroes, and meeting them was very strange. They were treating us as fellow musicians. These were guys who I had liked, learned all their songs and sort of idolized 'em a little bit. So, it was really exciting. We loved it over there. We had a great time. The audiences were great. They were really honest. If they didn't like you, they didn't like you. If they like you, they like you.
---------------------------
Richie Unterberger conducted and interview with James Howe in 2000 which included the following comments in connection with the European tour and the Stockholm 67 recording:
RU: You have noted that the album Stockholm 67 [released in the 1990s] does not actually represent the most daring and adventurous material you were playing live on the European 1967 tour. Were their other songs, particularly from the second album, that you were playing live that did not make it into the set that was recorded for Stockholm 67? If so, do you remember what these were, and how in general the more experimental facets of the group's live set sounded?
JH: We took steel slide guitars and some noisemakers and did the "Great Banana Hoax" pie for 20 minutes with kalimbas and stuff. We were vibrating brats from the States....a production band......they probably thought we was posers, but we wanted to play.
RU: Mike Gannon was part of the band for a while, for recordings and for live performances including the European tour. What did he add to the band during his time in the lineup?
JH: Mike loved to play. He would follow Ken in harmonies, or drive through and play a lead if we let him. He suggested the harmony to my riff for "You Never Had It Better" and played that chunka-chunka rhythm in the verse. He was positive and like fresh air to me.
RU: You've recalled meeting Jimi Hendrix when you were in England in late 1967. Though I realize the interaction was brief, do you recall Hendrix saying anything about what he thought of the Electric Prunes and their music? And, would you think you might have influenced Hendrix? I can hear a similarity between, say, the kind of effect that opens "I Had Too Much to Dream" and the wavering, building guitar sound Hendrix used to open "Foxy Lady."
JH: Never thought of it; he never said anything about it...all he said was "want somma this"? He was a nice person.
-----------------------------
James Howe in a 2009 interview noted the following with regards to the band's meeting with Jimi with Hendrix:
We got to England and Hendrix actually called us on the phone, which is kind of weird having Jimi Hendrix call you. I had just been in Reno and someone had played me a demo of his first album with Purple Haze and those things on it, and I was just blown away by it. I asked "How many guys in the band" and he said "Three." I said "Three!!!" And we got to England and Hendrix called us on the phone and said "Come on over." So our drivers took us over and we sat watching movies - most of it was upside down or spinning around or something. And he was making these great big splivs and it was good. It was a lot of fun. And it was fun because he actually appreciated our lead guitar player. He liked the stuff he had done, and knew things we had done. So you never know who's listening....
James Howe being interviewed in 2009. Source: YouTube.
In 2015 Howe again expressed his opposition to the recording of the Stockholm concert, as follows:
Howe: Before the concert I was asked if the Swedish Broadcasting Company could record the show in Stockholm. I told them NO, I didn't want to record something when we had not prepared for it. They apparently took it upon themselves to just go ahead and record it. We NEVER knew this until the 80s and someone bootlegged the album. It was the last live date of the tour so we just let go and had some fun. The support band THE NICE (they became Emerson, Lake & Palmer) played very well that night.
----------------------------------
In 2014 Daniel Coston conducted an interview with James Howe and discussed the European tour, opposition to the Vietnam war and the Stockholm 67 recording:
Coston: The Stockholm 1967 recording is a remarkable document of the
Prunes at that time. What do you remember from that show, and that tour?
Lowe: We didn't know about the recording for years. They (Swedish
Broadcast Network) had asked before the show if they could record it and
I said NO. Somehow they pushed the button and red light went on? I
found out about it from my son, years later. Simon Edwards championed
the record on his Heartbeat label around 2000. The Nice were with us on
the bill. Nice guys! It was a beautiful formal venue with red seats and
good sound. This was the last night we played in Europe. I remember we
didn't have an encore because we NEVER had an encore. We didn't do them.
You can hear the audience clapping but we went home. On the WaS album
the live cut of "Bullet Thru The Backseat" from 2001 is the first encore
we ever did. When we came back from the dead we decided to play them
because everyone else was. This would be no excuse for my mom. If they
jumped off a bridge, would you?
Coston: During the Stockholm show, you apologized for what the US
government was doing in Vietnam. Was it strange to be an American
overseas during that time, while being against what was going on in the
US?
Lowe: We ran into a very hostile audience in Amsterdam before this so we
were a bit prepared. They stole our fuzztone unit (a cool guy got ahold
of me in 2001 and admitted his friend had done it). I flipped them off
because they were actin' so crazy and we walked off. We were never a
political band and didn't even pay attention to those things to be
honest. We were not sure of what was even going on but there was no
doubt we were not for war. I felt after Amsterdam I should at least
address it. I remember wondering if I would get a visit from the MAN
after saying that. I never did.
-----------------------------
In an April 2015 interview with Olivia Tosic (Rocknrolivia), Michael "Quint" Fortune - original founder and drummer of the Electric Prunes - reminisced on aspects on the European tour:
I was in and out of the Electric Prunes 3 times. I quit the band because of money, politics and all that. It was a great adventure in the sense of I met so many people because of the Electric Prunes, such as when we met Paul McCartney and John Lennon who sponsored out English tour. We did 7 gigs. They loved our band and John and Paul paid for everything. And John gave us his personal car - an Austin Princess limo, black and burgundy. But he had a bodyguard called Raymond who was an ex-convict that drove. So we go to London, England and the Beatles set it all up. We had press - we were in the London Times the next morning, with pictures, after we got off the airplane. They sent out all the London Times reporters - men with black hats, bow ties and cameras, and we landed on the front page of the London Times the next morning.
Michael "Quint" Fortune being interviewed by Olivia Tosic, April 2015.
-----------------------------
References
Bebergal, Peter, Punk love for the Electric Prunes, The Awl [blog], 21 October 2011.
Coston, Donald, James Lowe Electric Prunes interview, The Coston Chronicles [blog], 22 November 2014. Available URL: http://danielcoston.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/james-loweelectric-prunes-interview.html.
Duygu, Interview with James Lowe of the Electric Prunes, 50thirdand3rd [blog], 31 May 2015. Available URL: http://www.50thirdand3rd.com/interview-with-james-lowe-of-the-electric-prunes/.
Cost, Jud, The Electric Prunes - The James Lowe Interview, Terrascope [blog], November 1997. Available URL: http://www.terrascope.co.uk/MyBackPages/Electric%20Prunes.htm.
James, Gary, Interview with Mark Tulin of the Electric Prunes, Classicbands.com [blog]. Available URL: http://www.classicbands.com/MarkTulinInterview.html.
The Electric Prunes "Stockholm '67" live bootleg US psych [blog], 6 August 2016. Available URL: https://johnkatsmc5.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/the-electric-prunes-stockholm-67-live.html.
Unterberger, Richie, Interview with James Howe, 2000. Available URL: http://www.richieunterberger.com/lowe.html.
Lost Dreams CD, with cover image by Gered Mankowitz from the London session, Masons Yard studio, December 1967.
Michael Organ, Australia
Last updated: 22 June 2021
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