The Groop Played "Midnight Cowboy" Music

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Elephant's Memory were a lameish hippy psych-jam metal band who played w/ Lennon/Ono on the live rec 'Sometime in New York City', amongst other things - they sound nothing like Stereolab, IIRC...

― Andrew L, Monday, 24 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

info on Elephant's Memory

when the [excellent] first Broadcast album came out i mentioned on a mailing list, and got an immediate 'they just sound like Elephant's Memory' dismissive response...

a few paragraphs from that link:
Originating from New York, Elephant Memory was formed in 1967 by Bronstein and Frank, who were both playing the strip joint circuit. They soon became known for their outrageous performances, with light shows, destruction of sculptures and weird outfits. After recruiting a young Israeli singer, Michal Shapiro they were signed to the Wes Farrell Organization, a powerful management and production company. Their first album was released in February 1969 and has a flashing sleeve, the group members being pictured nude, covered with paints, in front of an elephant. An interesting record, mixing psych, dreamy ballads, jazz and hard rock, two of the songs, Old Man Willow and Jungle Gym At The Zoo appeared on the soundtrack to 'Midnight Cowboy'.

With the success of this film, Buddah released Songs From Midnight Cowboy, which was basically a reissue of the first album with new versions of Everybody's Talkin' and Theme From Midnight Cowboy.

Michal Shapiro, Richard Sussman and Chester Ayers then left with Richard Sussman joining Grootna. A new line-up was put together and the next album, produced by Ted Cooper, Take It To The Streets was totally different to their debut. Elephant's Memory were now playing a very effective hard-rock, obviously inspired by the Detroit groups of the era.

― michael, Monday, 24 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

I love 'A Famous Myth',I've also got a single by them,funnily enough, that a friend & I were singing this evening called'The Jet Song[When the Weekend's Over]'a great uptempo bubblepop 68 single on Bell.Alas,I don't think the LP was ever released.It's one of the holy grails of 60s pop for me.

― Paul R, Monday, 24 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

There was a 60s Antipodean band called The Groop who I have an LP by, but I've never been able to figure if it's the same band that recorded A Famous Myth, The Jet Song et al. Certainly doesn't sound like it, & taking a look at above link, it appears not. Shame. However, as has been pointed out, the Stereolab/Broadcast-esque band who play Old Man Willow and Jungle Gym At The Zoo in Midnight Cowboy is The Elephant's Memory. The Buddah LP has its moments, but yes, the LP they recorded with John & Yoko at the helm is horrid blues-jam- rock.

― harvey w, Tuesday, 25 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

one year passes...

I'd like Stereolab more if all this back-history (of their antecedents, etc.) was just an ingenious fiction! It would be the greatest thing ever!

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 8 August 2003 14:45 (twenty years ago) link

one year passes...

'jet song' was arranged by dave grusin!

― charltonlido (gareth), Monday, 1 August 2005 11:22 (eighteen years ago) link

This reminds me of the epidode of The Upright Citizens Brigade, when they soundtracked an extended spoof of the "trippy party scene" with "Moby Octopad" by Yo La Tengo. It was exactly like the original film except, of course, with poo-sticks (not The Pooh Sticks) and ass-pennies..

― Bong Boy (sgertz), Monday, 1 August 2005 19:48 (eighteen years ago) link

can anyone please YSI or email me 'A Famous Myth' ???

― reo, Tuesday, 2 August 2005 00:39 (eighteen years ago) link

pretty please?

― reo, Tuesday, 2 August 2005 22:50 (eighteen years ago) link

i basically went through the same line of thought a few years back - midnight cowboy is one of my fav movies so i searched down the soundtrack and the elephant's memory material - 'old man willow' now being a favourite mix-filler. cool swirly organ sounds and plunky bass.

― chris andrews (fraew), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 01:21 (eighteen years ago) link

And what of Farrente & Teicher?

― donut ferry (donut), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 03:03 (eighteen years ago) link

two years pass...

In case you missed it (I did, until I ran across a copy in a shop in Paris on Thursday) The Groop's one and only album was issued on CD by Sundazed a couple of months ago - with 'Tears and Joys' plus a previously unreleased demo added as bonus tracks.

:D basically

― Jeff W, Sunday, 28 October 2007 15:57 (sixteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...

just saw this at Aquarius the other day and was reluctant about not buying it, but I seriously shouldn't be buying random records right now

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 12 November 2007 23:15 (sixteen years ago) link

ten months pass...

i just bought this and it is exactly what i needed right now. i want to live on whatever planet these people are from.

― La Lechera, Monday, 6 October 2008 14:28 (fifteen years ago) link

one year passes...

Me again. Today I sang "I Try To Think of You When I Can" at full volume while I was in the shower and it was extremely fun.

― ghee hee hee (La Lechera), Friday, 13 August 2010 15:28 (thirteen years ago) link

four years pass...

i just found a nice, cheap copy of this and le lechera is right - the doctor has ordered, and this is what it is, it is known to all. also:

also Jean Jacques Perrey 'Kaleidoscopic Vibrations' LP (which they lazily sample about 4 times on 'Transient Noise Bursts...') says 'Stereolab' in big letters on the label.

wha? i want to see this but i could not manage to find an image.

― Karl Malone, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:35 (nine years ago) link

there are tons of old records with STEREOLAB on the cover/label

― Οὖτις, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:36 (nine years ago) link

i don't have much else of value to add so i'll just post this awesome 1993 stereolab pic

http://heavently.narod.ru/2569183400_967dd277ac_b.jpg

― Karl Malone, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:37 (nine years ago) link

I have this one for ex.
http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m9q5mFRqOiTC2eZOMgSAF8w.jpg

― Οὖτις, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:37 (nine years ago) link

lol what is that tiny guitar laetitia is playing

― Οὖτις, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:38 (nine years ago) link

there are tons of old records with STEREOLAB on the cover/label

well yeah, that's what i mean. so it seemed weird to single out a single album as the inspiration (Jean Jacques Perrey 'Kaleidoscopic Vibrations' LP), even if they did sample from it. but anyway, my analytical skills are not so hot right now due to my current enjoyment of their "Space Age Batchelor Pad Music"

― Karl Malone, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:39 (nine years ago) link

or, i think the pic above is from 1993. i don't know. it could be from any year i guess

― Karl Malone, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:41 (nine years ago) link

i cannot be trusted!

― Karl Malone, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:41 (nine years ago) link

it's from 2008. all years basically look the same though

― Karl Malone, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:43 (nine years ago) link

one of my favorite parts is when one of the male singers full on belts it in "haunted places" -- he sounds so convinced that his places are haunted!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF6CJsjTe0k

― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Monday, 6 October 2014 21:44 (nine years ago) link

i mean can we all just take 6 minutes and just enjoy this together

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I30I3jTbtfI

― Karl Malone, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:45 (nine years ago) link

the part i was referring to is at 3:18 -- he really sounds like he means it --
it's a simple business!

― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Monday, 6 October 2014 21:47 (nine years ago) link

Yeah, I was gonna say! That pic of Stereolab at The Windmill - no way that's from 1993! Wrong line-up for a start, and I was at that show, it was within the past 5 years or more recent.

― Welcome to reality. No spitting, please. (Branwell with an N), Monday, 6 October 2014 22:03 (nine years ago) link

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