Nuggets: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock

Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on punk rock. Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the set in 1998, with 118 tracks in total. I’m profiling and rating each of these 118 tracks, working backwards.

Track 37/118: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock
Release Year: 1967
From: Los Angeles, California
Aphoristic Rating: 9/10

INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS – Strawberry Alarm Clock [2:37]
(John Carter/Timothy Gilbert)
Personnel/[CHRIS MUMFORD: vocals] * ED KING: lead guitar * LEE FREEMAN: guitar, vocals * MARK WEITZ: organ, vocals * GEORGE BUNNELL & GARY LOVETRO: bass * RANDY SEOL: drums, vocals
Produced by FRANK SLAY & BILL HOLMES
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA
All-American single #AA-373 (4/67); Uni single #55018 (5/67); Pop #1

The Sixpence formed in 1965, with members who’d already played in other bands. Their early singles included ‘Hay Joe’ and a cover of The Who’s ‘I Can’t Explain’. They were still called the Sixpence when they recorded their 1967 single ‘The Birdman of Alkatrash’.

The b-side to ‘Birdman’ was originally an instrumental written by Mark Weitz and Ed King. The band’s producer Frank Slay sent a tape to lyricist John Carter, who penned words. The band were too embarrassed to sing the words, disliking Carter’s use of a rhyming dictionary. Sixteen-year-old Greg Munford, who was hanging out in the studio, sang the lead vocal.

Around the time of the single’s release, the band changed their name to Strawberry Alarm Clock, inspired by The Beatles’ ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. DJ’s discovered the B-side and started playing it on the radio. The single was reworked with ‘Incense and Peppermints’ as the lead track, and it eventually worked its way to number one in late November 1967, more than half a year after its initial release.

The band went on to make five albums, but most of their success seems to have come off the back of ‘Incense and Peppermints’, with only their followup single and debut album enjoying much chart success. Several members enjoyed careers in other bands – flautist Steve Bartek joined Danny Elfman in Oingo Boingo, while Mark Weitz played with Billy Corgan. Most successful of all was lead guitarist Ed King, who went on to form Lynyrd Skynyrd and co-wrote ‘Sweet Home Alabama’.

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14 Comments

msjadeli

September 17, 2023 / 7:16 am Reply

Definitely remember this one and fondly. The singer sounds older than 16.
- Aphoristical
  
  September 18, 2023 / 4:31 pm Reply
  
  Yeah, I had no idea. It’s a pretty random story of a throwaway turning into a hit.
EclecticMusicLover

September 17, 2023 / 7:17 am Reply

Love this song! One of my favorites of 1967.
- Aphoristical
  
  September 18, 2023 / 4:40 pm Reply
  
  Yeah, it’s a good one. Kind of a weird halfway point between psychedelia and bubblegum.
christiansmusicmusings

September 17, 2023 / 7:51 am Reply

Great psychedelic song! The Strawberry Alarm Clock are still around.

In January 2023, they posted a note on their website about a Go Fund Me campaign to help finance a new studio album.

Remarkably, five of the original members still appear to be around: Mark Weitz (keyboards, vocals), George Bunnell (bass, guitar, vocals), Randy Seol (drums, vibes, percussion, vocals), Gene Gunnels (drums, percussion, vocals) and Steve Bartek (guitar, flute).
- Aphoristical
  
  September 18, 2023 / 4:32 pm Reply
  
  Yeah, they’re much more intact than most Nuggets bands at this point.
Badfinger (Max)

September 17, 2023 / 8:51 am Reply

I knew about Ed King of course but didn’t about the other guys going to other bands. King talked about how this band was talented.
King said although he helped write it that him or the other writers didn’t get a dime out of royalities because of those contracts back then. It’s a cool 1967 song…a product of it’s time.
- Aphoristical
  
  September 18, 2023 / 4:34 pm Reply
  
  Yeah, the song is credited to the two lyricists, who were in a songwriting partnership. One of them didn’t even write anything on this song, so it’s ludicrous that they’re credited and King and the keyboard player arent.
kingclover

September 17, 2023 / 11:48 am Reply

Another 10/10, of course.
- Aphoristical
  
  September 18, 2023 / 4:34 pm Reply
  
  Yeah, I did toy with the ten, maybe I should.
  - kingclover
    
    September 18, 2023 / 6:14 pm Reply
    
    Have you given anything a 10 yet?
    - Aphoristical
      
      September 21, 2023 / 7:49 am Reply
      
      Just a few, I think. Louie Louie and Just Like Me, probably should bump some others.
      - kingclover
        
        September 21, 2023 / 8:13 pm
        
        Only two?? I must have about 20. I’m an easy grader though. You’re a tough grader!!!
      - Aphoristical
        
        September 24, 2023 / 9:27 am
        
        Yeah, I think I should probably adjust a couple more up.