Max Frost and the Troopers
Encyclopedia
Max Frost and The Troopers was a fictional rock music group created for the exploitation film
Wild in the Streets
, released in 1968. The film featured Christopher Jones
as the highly influential singer Max Frost. The songs performed by Frost and his band, a group that was never formally named in the film, was credited to Max Frost and the Troopers in subsequent singles and album. The band name "Troopers" is based on the term "troops," the designation Frost used in the film to refer to his friends and followers.
A studio group appeared on the soundtrack
album for the film, along with incidental music penned by Cynthia Weil
and Barry Mann
, and composed by Les Baxter
, however the songs were not originally credited to Max Frost and the Troopers, but rather to The 13th Power.
Due to the success of the song "Shape of Things To Come
" as a single, an accompanying album by Max Frost and The Troopers, Shape of Things to Come, was issued on the Tower record label
in 1968. Musicians playing on the album are believed to include members of Davie Allan and The Arrows (who also released the "Shapes of Things to Come" without lyrics), with lead vocals by Paul Wibier (who also wrote a majority of the songs on the album). The music is high-energy rock with some psychedelic
touches.
The group was produced by Harley Hatcher and Eddie Beram for Mike Curb
Productions. Their first single
was recorded with Curb's Tower subsidiary, Sidewalk Records
. Subsequent singles were taken from their album.
Their final single, "Sittin' In Circles," was performed in the film Three in the Attic
, by Davie Allan and the Arrows. The B-side of that single, "Paxton Quigley's Had The Course," was a Chad & Jeremy composition.
The soundtrack album for the 1968 film The Glory Stompers, starring Dennis Hopper
, contains two additional songs credited to Max Frost and the Troopers: "There's A Party Going On" (which was released as their first single) and "You Might Want Me Baby."
For later, "Max Frost and the Troopers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" was released with the singles of the original "Shape of Things to Come" LP
included more four songs as the single for the film title called also that of the song "Wild in the Streets" joined with the "Listen to Music", "Love to Be Yor Man", and "Fourteen or Fight" singles of the soundtrack where none of these songs has ever been released on CD.
The cultural historian Greil Marcus
borrowed the Troopers' song title for his 2006 book, "The Shape of Things to Come: Prophecy & The American Voice."
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
Wild in the Streets
Wild in the Streets
Wild in the Streets is a 1968 film featuring Christopher Jones, Hal Holbrook, and Shelley Winters. It was produced by American International Pictures and based on a short story by writer Robert Thom...
, released in 1968. The film featured Christopher Jones
Christopher Jones (actor)
William "Billy" Frank Jones, better known as Christopher Jones, is an American character actor, born August 18, 1941 in Jackson, Tennessee....
as the highly influential singer Max Frost. The songs performed by Frost and his band, a group that was never formally named in the film, was credited to Max Frost and the Troopers in subsequent singles and album. The band name "Troopers" is based on the term "troops," the designation Frost used in the film to refer to his friends and followers.
A studio group appeared on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
album for the film, along with incidental music penned by Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
and Barry Mann
Barry Mann
Barry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
, and composed by Les Baxter
Les Baxter
Les Baxter was an American musician and composer.Baxter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles for further studies at Pepperdine College. Abandoning a concert career as a pianist, he turned to popular music as a singer...
, however the songs were not originally credited to Max Frost and the Troopers, but rather to The 13th Power.
Due to the success of the song "Shape of Things To Come
Shape of Things to Come (song)
"Shape of Things to Come" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil from the film Wild in the Streets, performed by the fictional band Max Frost and the Troopers on their 1968 album Shape of Things to Come. The song was also released without vocals by Davie Allan and the Arrows...
" as a single, an accompanying album by Max Frost and The Troopers, Shape of Things to Come, was issued on the Tower record label
Tower Records (record label)
Tower Records was a record label from 1964 to 1970. A subsidiary of Capitol Records, Tower often released music by artists who were relatively low profile in comparison to those released on the parent label, including a number of artists—such as The Standells and The Chocolate Watch Band—later...
in 1968. Musicians playing on the album are believed to include members of Davie Allan and The Arrows (who also released the "Shapes of Things to Come" without lyrics), with lead vocals by Paul Wibier (who also wrote a majority of the songs on the album). The music is high-energy rock with some psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
touches.
The group was produced by Harley Hatcher and Eddie Beram for Mike Curb
Mike Curb
Michael Curb is an American musician, record company executive, NASCAR and IRL race car owner. A Republican, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1979-1983 under Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr...
Productions. Their first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was recorded with Curb's Tower subsidiary, Sidewalk Records
Sidewalk Records
Sidewalk Records was a record label based in Hollywood, California that was started in 1963 by Mike Curb at the age of eighteen. The company was first formed as Sidewalk Productions and later became a subsidiary label of Capitol Records. Many recordings by Sidewalk Productions appeared on the...
. Subsequent singles were taken from their album.
Their final single, "Sittin' In Circles," was performed in the film Three in the Attic
Three in the Attic
Three in the Attic is a 1968 movie, starring Christopher Jones and Yvette Mimieux, with Judy Pace and Maggie Thrett. Nan Martin, John Beck, and Eve McVeagh appear in supporting roles.-Premise:...
, by Davie Allan and the Arrows. The B-side of that single, "Paxton Quigley's Had The Course," was a Chad & Jeremy composition.
The soundtrack album for the 1968 film The Glory Stompers, starring Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
, contains two additional songs credited to Max Frost and the Troopers: "There's A Party Going On" (which was released as their first single) and "You Might Want Me Baby."
For later, "Max Frost and the Troopers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" was released with the singles of the original "Shape of Things to Come" LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
included more four songs as the single for the film title called also that of the song "Wild in the Streets" joined with the "Listen to Music", "Love to Be Yor Man", and "Fourteen or Fight" singles of the soundtrack where none of these songs has ever been released on CD.
The cultural historian Greil Marcus
Greil Marcus
Greil Marcus is an American author, music journalist and cultural critic. He is notable for producing scholarly and literary essays that place rock music in a much broader framework of culture and politics than is customary in pop music journalism.-Life and career:Marcus was born in San Francisco...
borrowed the Troopers' song title for his 2006 book, "The Shape of Things to Come: Prophecy & The American Voice."
Singles
- "There Is a Party Going On" / "Stomper's Ride": Sidewalk 938 (1968)
- "Shape of Things to ComeShape of Things to Come (song)"Shape of Things to Come" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil from the film Wild in the Streets, performed by the fictional band Max Frost and the Troopers on their 1968 album Shape of Things to Come. The song was also released without vocals by Davie Allan and the Arrows...
" / "Free Lovin'": Tower 419 (1968) - "Fifty Two Per Cent" / "Max Frost Theme": Tower 452 (1968)
- "Sittin' in Circles" / "Paxton Quigley's Had the Course": Tower 478 (1969)
Albums
- Shape of Things to Come: Tower ST-5147 (1968)
Compilations
- "Shape of Things to Come" was featured on the 1998 4-CD box set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era is a compilation album of American garage rock singles released in the mid- to late 1960s. It was assembled by Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra Records, and Lenny Kaye, later lead guitarist for the Patti Smith Group...
. - "Lonely Man" also appears on the compilation Turds on a Bum Ride.
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- Beginning in 2005, "Shape of Things to ComeShape of Things to Come (song)"Shape of Things to Come" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil from the film Wild in the Streets, performed by the fictional band Max Frost and the Troopers on their 1968 album Shape of Things to Come. The song was also released without vocals by Davie Allan and the Arrows...
" was used as the theme song to TV commercial advertisements for the Target CorporationTarget CorporationTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
chain of department stores.