DC Share Revival: Psychedelic Jukebox: [1967] The Peanut Butter Conspiracy

The 1967 track “Light Bulb Blues” by The Peanut Butter Conspiracy remains a underappreciated artifact within the scenery of mid‑60s American psych music, emblematic of a formative period in the band’s evolution and the broader musical shifts occurring on the West Coast. Unearthed for public listening in 2005 as part of the anthology Spreading from the Ashes (Big Beat Records), this recording offers a revealing glimpse into the band’s process during their transition from The Ashes to their more widely recognized incarnation as The Peanut Butter Conspiracy. The compilation itself, curated by respected music historian Alec Palao, who worked closely with founding member Alan Brackett, gathered twenty-six recordings from 1966 and 1967, many of which had previously existed only in private archives or personal collections. “Light Bulb Blues” is credited to John Merrill, the band’s guitarist and co-songwriter, whose contributions alongside Brackett and vocalist Barbara “Sandi” Robison formed the core songwriting team.

Barbara Robison’s role in the band is especially notable. Born Barbara Jeane Moyer in 1945, she joined the group after their original incarnation as The Ashes had begun shaping their folk‑rock identity. Robison’s voice, frequently praised for its warm, earnest qualities, can be heard on PBC’s better-known tracks such as “It’s a Happening Thing,” which was produced by the legendary Gary Usher—himself known for producing The Byrds and working closely with Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. This single reached number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1967, marking the band’s highest charting effort, yet many fans and members alike felt the Columbia-produced recordings obscured the group’s intrinsic sound. As Alan Brackett has noted in interviews, Usher’s production often introduced session musicians such as Glen Campbell and James Burton, whose impeccable technical skills imparted a polished finish but diluted the raw essence of the band’s own chemistry.

“Light Bulb Blues,” in contrast, is a candid snapshot, stripped of studio gloss, showcasing the group’s original harmonic interplay. The recording’s harmonic progression is straightforward yet compelling: a loop of F major, C7, C major, and A‑flat major chords, performed at an accelerated tempo of approximately 150 beats per minute. This concise structure reflects a working sketch—likely laid down in a rehearsal space in Silverlake, Los Angeles, where the band frequently convened in 1966. Drummer Jim Voigt, who had recently replaced Spencer Dryden after his departure to Jefferson Airplane, anchors the rhythm with steady, uncomplicated beats. This period, bridging folk‑based songwriting and emerging psychedelic expression, was critical to the band’s identity formation before the constraints of major-label production set in.

Spreading from the Ashes’ liner notes, penned by Palao and supplemented by interviews with Brackett, emphasize how these Vault-era recordings exhibit a compelling intimacy and urgency absent from the later Columbia releases. This assertion is supported by contemporaneous anecdotes from surviving members who recall long evenings filled with experimentation and collaborative songwriting, often in informal settings. The title “Light Bulb Blues” itself evokes an image of a solitary, flickering bulb illuminating a small, private room—a metaphor perhaps for the nascent energy that had yet to be refined by external forces.

Comparing this song to the band’s subsequent output elucidates the transformation The Peanut Butter Conspiracy underwent during their brief but influential existence. Their first Columbia album, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading (1967), produced and mixed over December 1966 and January 1967, featured contributions from session heavyweights such as Glen Campbell and James Burton, whose reputations as members of The Wrecking Crew added professionalism but arguably diluted the band’s folk roots. The album, although peaking at number 196 on the Billboard 200, did not achieve significant commercial success, a disappointment that frustrated the band. Critics and scholars often point out that tracks like “It’s a Happening Thing” and “Turn On a Friend” bear the hallmarks of mid-60s psychedelic pop with a sheen typical of Usher’s productions, yet they lack the rawness preserved in “Light Bulb Blues.”

The band’s follow-up, The Great Conspiracy, recorded in studios from Hollywood to New York City throughout 1967, expanded on their psychedelic ambitions with longer instrumental explorations, including the 7-minute “Too Many Do”. Yet, despite this expansion, members like Brackett have reflected in interviews that the album strayed from their original vision, succumbing to pressures for commercial viability and psychedelic trends, losing the concise melodic interplay characteristic of earlier compositions. Robison’s vocals, which had matured into a compelling force, remained a highlight, yet the group’s core identity was increasingly overshadowed by production choices. This album received modest chart placement but failed to catapult the band to widespread recognition.

The later For Children of All Ages (1969), released on Challenge Records, marked a distinct departure. The album was more self-produced, with Brackett assuming principal songwriting and production duties alongside new members such as organist Ralph Schuckett and drummer Michael Ney. However, it failed to chart and did not revive the band’s fortunes. This decline culminated with their dissolution around 1970, following extensive touring and personnel changes.

Tragically, Barbara Robison died in 1988 at age 42, after contracting toxic shock syndrome following a performance in Butte, Montana—a fact documented in Jeremy Simmonds’s Rock Obituaries: Knocking on Heaven’s Door (2011).

The archival significance of “Light Bulb Blues” was reinforced by the release of Spreading from the Ashes, which was praised by publications such as Shindig! magazine for its “captivating glimpse into the fertile creative ground from which The Peanut Butter Conspiracy emerged.”

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Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Psychedelic Jukebox: [1967] The Peanut Butter Conspiracy - Light Bulb Blues

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