Electric Prunes

Acid rockers with a penchant for psychedelia, the musical fruits of which are also called - in this case quite appropriately, because see below - garage rock. The Prunes are from the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California.

Among moviegoers the experimental musicians are known mainly from the two songs they contributed to the soundtrack of the hippie movie Easy Rider.

For a long time it was rumoured that the band name had been selected under extremely harsh conditions. The story goes that a technician of record company RCA, David Hassinger, had locked the members of the still unnamed band up in a closet only to be opened if they came up with a good band name.

Bassist Mark Tulin rectified that story a little in an interview: ‘The true fact is that we locked ourselves in a garage until we came up with a list of names,’ he says. According to Tulin a long list of names indeed was drawn up in that garage, but in the end the choice fell on the point of a rather corny joke: ‘What’s purple and goes buzz buzz? - An Electric Prune.’

According to Tulin competing band Moby Grape also came to its name using this breeding method.

Active: 1965-1970; 2001-present, USA
Site: http://www.electricprunes.com/

Do you know a different explanation or interesting details? Were you there when it happened? Other names you like explained? Any suggestions? Post a comment!

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