The Misunderstood
Encyclopedia
The Misunderstood were a psychedelic rock
band originating from Riverside, California
in the mid-1960s. The band moved to London early in their career, and although they recorded only a handful of songs before being forced to disband, they are considered highly influential in the then-emerging genre.
Creem magazine, in their September 2004 review, wrote, "The saga of the Misunderstood is one of the most unbelievable, heartbreaking, and unlikely stories in the entire history of rock."
Classic Rock
magazine's June 2010 issue stated, "The truth is that this band (The Misunderstood) were so far out on their own, so individual and innovative that you can only wonder at the set of circumstances that conspired to prevent them from becoming the iconic name that was surely their destiny."
. They moved to London
in 1966, with the assistance of their manager
, John Peel
, who would later gain fame as an influential BBC Radio
DJ. In UK they recruited Englishman Tony Hill on rhythm guitar. Hill and singer Rick Brown
formed a songwriting team. Bass player Steve Whiting was also involved in developing material for the band.
The band was influenced by and often compared to The Yardbirds
. Distinctive features of the band's sound included the steel guitar
of Glenn Ross Campbell
and the innovative style of Whiting, known for his use of slide, fuzz tone and distortion.
Fontana Records
introduced the band with a 4-song live performance in London's Philips Studios. British media response was positive, but at this juncture it was decided that Campbell, Whiting, and Moe should go to Europe to sort out their British visas and work permits, while Brown returned to California for his draft
.
In London they released their second single
, "I Can Take You To The Sun
", before being forced to disband. They had only recorded seven tracks in London.
In spite of their relatively small output, many musician
s consider them to be influential pioneers of the acid
style of rock music
. Head Heritage Magazine, in a 2006 review wrote, "The Misunderstood’s material extended far beyond the reach of the period in which it was conceived. The extraordinarily advanced tracks on side one from 1966 reveal them as one of the earliest and most original probes into psychedelic rock
."
championed the Misunderstood music throughout his entire career. Shortly before his death, in an interview with Index Magazine
, Peel stated, "If I had to list the ten greatest performances I've seen in my life, one would be The Misunderstood at Pandora's Box
, Hollywood, 1966. My god, they were a great band!"
in London in mid 1966. An advanced, multicolored, large scale version of this "light show
" or "visual sound" system was being planned in London when the band were forced to retire. Another feature of their visuals was getting all three guitars feeding back
using different tremolo settings, thereby leaving the stage flashing with musical lights.
, while Tony Hill formed High Tide and recorded a solo album titled Inexactness.
In 1982, Glenn Ross Campbell and Rick Brown, reunited as "Influence" and recorded two self-penned tracks, "No Survivors" and "Queen of Madness", for UK's Rough Trade Records
in 1983. They disbanded in 1985 when Campbell moved to New Zealand and Brown moved to Thailand.
Cherry Red Records (UK) released three albums of Misunderstood music, viz., Before the Dream Faded (BRED 32) in 1982, The Legendary Goldstar Album (CDM RED 142) in 1997, and a full album of The Misunderstood's later material under the name of The Misunderstood: Broken Road (CDM RED 147) in 1998.
In 2004, Ugly Things
Records (USA) issued another full album of previously unreleased tracks named The Lost Acetates 1965-1966, that received International media coverage.
A motion picture screen play (The Misunderstood: WGA 977444) about the band and Brown's adventures was written by the rock historian, Mike Stax (Editor of Ugly Things
magazine) in 2002, and is under revision.
A novel: Like, Misunderstood - based on the script was published in October 2007.
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band originating from Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
in the mid-1960s. The band moved to London early in their career, and although they recorded only a handful of songs before being forced to disband, they are considered highly influential in the then-emerging genre.
Creem magazine, in their September 2004 review, wrote, "The saga of the Misunderstood is one of the most unbelievable, heartbreaking, and unlikely stories in the entire history of rock."
Classic Rock
Classic Rock (magazine)
Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
magazine's June 2010 issue stated, "The truth is that this band (The Misunderstood) were so far out on their own, so individual and innovative that you can only wonder at the set of circumstances that conspired to prevent them from becoming the iconic name that was surely their destiny."
History
The band began in 1963 as one of many garage bands formed in the US in the wake of the British InvasionBritish Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
. They moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1966, with the assistance of their manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
, who would later gain fame as an influential BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
DJ. In UK they recruited Englishman Tony Hill on rhythm guitar. Hill and singer Rick Brown
Richard Shaw Brown
Richard Shaw "Rick" Brown was the lead singer, harmonica player, and co-song writer of Psychedelic group The Misunderstood. The Misunderstood were a rock band originating from Riverside, California in the mid-1960s...
formed a songwriting team. Bass player Steve Whiting was also involved in developing material for the band.
The band was influenced by and often compared to The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
. Distinctive features of the band's sound included the steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
of Glenn Ross Campbell
Glenn Ross Campbell
Glenn Ross Campbell born in 1946, is a child prodigy steel guitarist, most noted for being lead guitarist of cult band, The Misunderstood. The Misunderstood were a psychedelic rock band originating from Riverside, California in the mid-1960s...
and the innovative style of Whiting, known for his use of slide, fuzz tone and distortion.
Fontana Records
Fontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. In the seventies PolyGram acquired the dormant label....
introduced the band with a 4-song live performance in London's Philips Studios. British media response was positive, but at this juncture it was decided that Campbell, Whiting, and Moe should go to Europe to sort out their British visas and work permits, while Brown returned to California for his draft
Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
.
In London they released their second 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...
, "I Can Take You To The Sun
I Can Take You To The Sun
"I Can Take You To The Sun" is a psychedelic rock song that was composed and recorded by The Misunderstood at Philips Studio in London in 1966...
", before being forced to disband. They had only recorded seven tracks in London.
In spite of their relatively small output, many musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s consider them to be influential pioneers of the acid
Acid rock
Acid rock is a form of psychedelic rock, which is characterized with long instrumental solos, few lyrics and musical improvisation. Tom Wolfe describes the LSD-influenced music of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Iron Butterfly, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Cream,...
style of rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. Head Heritage Magazine, in a 2006 review wrote, "The Misunderstood’s material extended far beyond the reach of the period in which it was conceived. The extraordinarily advanced tracks on side one from 1966 reveal them as one of the earliest and most original probes into psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
."
John Peel
British DJ John PeelJohn Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
championed the Misunderstood music throughout his entire career. Shortly before his death, in an interview with Index Magazine
Index Magazine
Index Magazine was a prominent New York City based publication for art and culture. It was created by Peter Halley and Bob Nickas in 1996. The publication featured a mix of interviews with famous arty folks like Björk with not so-famous New York personalities like Queen Itchie or Ducky Doolittle.It...
, Peel stated, "If I had to list the ten greatest performances I've seen in my life, one would be The Misunderstood at Pandora's Box
Pandora's box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology, taken from the myth of Pandora's creation around line 60 of Hesiod's Works and Days. The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora , which contained all the evils of the world. When Pandora opened the jar, all its contents except for one item...
, Hollywood, 1966. My god, they were a great band!"
Visual feedback
The band are known for having pioneered the live light show. Campbell initially soldered a guitar jack to a car light bulb and plugged this into the extension output behind each amp. This simple idea produced visual music, as the response between the guitars and the lights plugged into the amps was identical. They first showed this feature at the Hi Ho Club in Riverside in early 1966. They also played with lights at the Marquee ClubMarquee Club
The Marquee was a music club first located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts.It was also the location of the first ever live performance by The Rolling Stones on 12 July 1962....
in London in mid 1966. An advanced, multicolored, large scale version of this "light show
Light show
Light show may refer to:*Aaron Landes* Laser lighting display * Liquid light shows* Christmas lights* Meteor shower* Wizards in Winter Christmas light show...
" or "visual sound" system was being planned in London when the band were forced to retire. Another feature of their visuals was getting all three guitars feeding back
Audio feedback
Audio feedback is a special kind of positive feedback which occurs when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output...
using different tremolo settings, thereby leaving the stage flashing with musical lights.
Later period
Glenn Ross Campbell went on to Juicy LucyJuicy Lucy (band)
Juicy Lucy is a blues-rock band formed on April 1, 1969. After the demise of The Misunderstood, vocalist Ray Owen, steel guitarist Glenn Ross Campbell, and saxophone player Chris Mercer formed Juicy Lucy...
, while Tony Hill formed High Tide and recorded a solo album titled Inexactness.
In 1982, Glenn Ross Campbell and Rick Brown, reunited as "Influence" and recorded two self-penned tracks, "No Survivors" and "Queen of Madness", for UK's Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
in 1983. They disbanded in 1985 when Campbell moved to New Zealand and Brown moved to Thailand.
Cherry Red Records (UK) released three albums of Misunderstood music, viz., Before the Dream Faded (BRED 32) in 1982, The Legendary Goldstar Album (CDM RED 142) in 1997, and a full album of The Misunderstood's later material under the name of The Misunderstood: Broken Road (CDM RED 147) in 1998.
In 2004, Ugly Things
Ugly Things
Ugly Things is a music magazine established in 1983, based in La Mesa, CA. Editor is Mike Stax, born 1962, England. It covers mainly 1960s Beat, Garage rock, and Psychedelic music...
Records (USA) issued another full album of previously unreleased tracks named The Lost Acetates 1965-1966, that received International media coverage.
A motion picture screen play (The Misunderstood: WGA 977444) about the band and Brown's adventures was written by the rock historian, Mike Stax (Editor of Ugly Things
Ugly Things
Ugly Things is a music magazine established in 1983, based in La Mesa, CA. Editor is Mike Stax, born 1962, England. It covers mainly 1960s Beat, Garage rock, and Psychedelic music...
magazine) in 2002, and is under revision.
A novel: Like, Misunderstood - based on the script was published in October 2007.
Musical recognition
- In his "Peelenium" (Greatest Songs of the 20th Century) John PeelJohn PeelJohn Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
lists the band's song, "I Can Take You To The Sun" for 1966. - "I Can Take You To The Sun" appears as number 6 in Record CollectorRecord CollectorRecord Collector is the United Kingdom's longest-running monthly music magazine. It distributes both within the UK and worldwide. It started in 1979.-The early years:...
magazine's book, "100 Greatest Psychedelic Records", a list in chronological order. - MojoMojo (magazine)MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
April 2009 - "I Can See For Miles: A-Z" lists The Misunderstood for "M". - June 11, 2010, Classic Rock named The Misunderstood as #18 in their list of "Cult Heroes".