The Strawberry Alarm Clock

The Strawberry Alarm Clock are a psychedelic rock group from Glendale, California. The band formed in 1965 and called themselves Thee Sixpence. They initially did for the most part covers of popular songs. The original band members are: Ed King (vocals), Mark Weitz (keyboards), Lee Freeman (rhythm guitar; died February 14, 2010), Gary Lovetro (bass), and Randy Seol (drums). The group signed with the Uni record label in 1967 and scored a massive smash success with the insanely catchy and groovy "Incense and Peppermints," which peaked at #1 on the Billboard pop charts in 1967. Their debut album "Incense and Peppermints" likewise did well and reached #11 on the album charts. The group went on tour in the second half of 1967 and most of 1968; they shared billing with such artists as the Beach Boys, the Who, Buffalo Springfield, Jimi Hendrix, and Country Joe and the Fish. The follow-up song "Tomorrow" was the band's only other recording that cracked the Top 40; it went to #23 on the Billboard pop charts in early 1968. The group appeared as themselves in the nifty hippie exploitation winner "Psych-Out" and Russ Meyer's delightfully outrageous cult camp classic "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls." They perform their signature tune "Incense and Peppermints" in both pictures. ("Incense and Peppermints" was also featured on the soundtracks to "Riding the Bullet," "Recess: School's Out," and "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.") Alas, the group went through several line-up changes and failed to produce any subsequent hit songs. They eventually disbanded in 1971. However, the band got back together in 1987 and performed at various oldies concerts. More recently the Strawberry Alarm Clock reunited for a one-hour set at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign, Illinois on April 29, 2007 for Roger Ebert's ninth annual Overlooked Film Festival, where Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) was screened prior to the Strawberry Alarm Clock's performance. The band performed at various other gigs throughout the United States. Lee Freeman died of cancer on February 14, 2010.