An Introduction to Moby Grape

Hailing from San Francisco in 1966, Moby Grape was a band that should have become a household name. Their 1967 self-titled debut record plays like a greatest hits album, rivaling the Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow as the era's definitive "San Francisco record." Unfortunately, due to circumstances both in and out of the band's control, the record was largely overlooked by mainstream audiences. Furthermore, the events following the release of the debut seem as if they were scripted for a This Is Spinal Tap sequel.

Perhaps the first sign that things were about to go awry came when the band took a photo for their album cover:

You will note that the individual sitting behind the washboard is brazenly displaying his middle finger - certainly acceptable by today's standards, but a bit risqué for 1967. In response to this, the label airbrushed out the offending finger and released the album. The label also thought it would be a fine idea to release five singles from the album - all at once. Needless to say, the hype job didn't work too well.

On top of the endless bungling from the label/management end, the band began to have its own internal problems. Being from San Francisco in the mid-late 60s, it goes without saying that Moby Grape indulged in their fair share of substances. Unfortunately, they indulged in more than that - they were charged with "contributing to the delinquency of minors" by the San Francisco police - apparently, the band liked 'em young.

On top of this, Skip Spence, perhaps the band's most talented member, became one of the first American acid casualties and lost his mind. Evidence of his insanity can be found on his 1969 solo record, Oar.

Despite all of the ridiculousness surrounding Moby Grape, we still have their debut record, which remains a powerful reminder of the band's unrealized promise. We also have a scattering of concert recordings here and there. Below is some footage of the band performing "Hey Grandma" and "Sitting by the Window" live on television. Note the final verse in "Hey Grandma": "Robitussin makes me feel so fine..." Apparently, while their hippie peers were smoking schwag, these guys were robo-tripping. That explains a lot.