Strawberry Alarm Clock reviews, music, news

For better or worse, the Strawberry Alarm Clock will forever be remembered as the band who, in 1967, unleashed the psychedelic-pop anthem "Incense and Peppermints" upon masses of unsuspecting flower children. Encompassing both the colorful imagination and obnoxious novelties of psychedelica, the group formed in 1966 from the remnants of The Sixpence -- a band dedicated to playing hits from The Who and other popular artists of the day. After dropping their cover-band status, the Strawberry Alarm Clock began to write for themselves, drawing much of their inspiration from their home in southern ...read more

For better or worse, the Strawberry Alarm Clock will forever be remembered as the band who, in 1967, unleashed the psychedelic-pop anthem "Incense and Peppermints" upon masses of unsuspecting flower children. Encompassing both the colorful imagination and obnoxious novelties of psychedelica, the group formed in 1966 from the remnants of The Sixpence -- a band dedicated to playing hits from The Who and other popular artists of the day. After dropping their cover-band status, the Strawberry Alarm Clock began to write for themselves, drawing much of their inspiration from their home in southern California -- at the time a major flower-power stronghold.From abstract names to trippy colors and whimsical costumes, Strawberry Alarm Clock was pivotal in establishing, and then indulging in, many of the cliches associated with the genre today. The band is also unique in that their break-out song, "Incense and Peppermints", was neither credited to its actual writers (Weitz and King), nor sung by an actual band member (instead, 16-year old Greg Munford did vocals, without credit).To this day, the Strawberry Alarm Clock does not receive the acclaim that a band of their importance might deserve. A victim to changing fashion, the name now slips ever deeper into oblivion, only to be resurrected as an example of psychedelic excess. However, their one contribution to music, "Incense and Peppermints" is still regarded as a classic from its time, and will forever be immortalized as one of the defining songs of the 1960s. « hide