Country Joe & The Fish

thumb|250px|right|Monterey: Not So Sweet Martha LorraineCountry Joe And The Fish were one of the many "psychedelic" bands to emerge from the San Francisco Bay Area during the hippie explosion of 1966-67. They differed from most of their contemporaries (among them Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Grateful Dead and the Quicksilver Messenger Service) in having a background in the student movememt centred on the University of California in Berkeley, which lent a political edge to their songs. Most of them were written by band leader and singer Joe McDonald, who, unlike the majority of apolitical, middle-class hippies, came from a left-wing family and inherited a concern for social justice from his Communist parents.
Country Joe and the Fish lasted until 1971, but their heyday was from 1967 to 1969, with the first two albums Electric Music for the Mind and Body and I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die establishing their reputation. They are featured in both Monterey Pop, D.A. Pennebaker's documentary film of the 1967 festival, and Michael Wadleigh's Woodstock, which also contains Country Joe's famous rendition of his "Fish Cheer" ("Gimme an F...") and his anti-Vietnam War song "Fixin' To Die Rag". They visited Britain several times in this period, although their performances (at underground venues like Middle Earth and the Roundhouse) were not heavily publicised.
== Links To Peel ==
Although San Francisco was renowned as the home of the hippie movement, it was the Los Angeles groups who had made "West Coast" music popular with the audience who listened to John Peel on Radio London - the Byrds, Love, the Doors, the Buffalo Springfield and more pop-oriented acts like the Beach Boys, the Mamas and Papas and the Association. One of the first "San Francisco" albums featured by Peel on his Perfumed Garden show was Electric Music for the Mind and Body, at the time only available as an import on Vanguard Records (although a British release of the LP on Fontana soon followed). He was particularly taken with the track "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine", which he played regularly (it appears twice as a show-opener on surviving recordings of the Perfumed Garden). Lead guitarist Barry Melton became one of Peel's favourite musicians, and his work on the second album I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die was singled out for high praise when Peel played it on Top Gear in 1968.
Later Peel recalled that Electric Music for the Mind and Body was the soundtrack to his one deliberate LSD trip, at UFO Club in 1967 ("It was jolly nice. I've always rather flippantly said it was rather like going to Stratford-on-Avon: once you'd done it I didn't see any need to do it again". Quoted by Jonathon Green in Days in the Life, London 1988). In his later years, Peel stated that Electric Music for the Mind and Body was the one album of 1967 he could still listen to for pleasure (for example, see Peeling Back The Years 2 (Transcript)).
As Peel recalled in 2000 (see below), he got to know the group, spending a weekend with them during their 1969 tour of the UK, But in the 1970s, Country Joe McDonald returned to his roots as an activist folk singer and worked mostly as a solo artist. He visited Britain several times, touring and performing on radio and TV, including an unlikely appearance on the TV show of model and singer Twiggy, when he duetted with her on his song "Here I Go Again" after her version had been a UK Top 20 hit in 1976. In addition, he recorded three Peel sessions (see below).
== Festive Fifty Entries ==
*None
== Sessions ==
*None by Country Joe And The Fish, but three solo sessions credited to Country Joe McDonald. Any commercial release of sessions?
1. Recorded: 1970-06-29. First broadcast: 04 July 1970. Repeated: 10 October 1970
*Hold On, It's Coming / Balancing On The Edge Of Time / It's So Nice To Have Love / Maria / Tell Me Where You're Bound
2. Recorded: 1972-05-08. First broadcast: 02 June 1972. Repeated: 28 July 1972 (including first play of "Memories")
*Hold On, It's Coming / Colleen Ann / Fantasy / Memories
3. Recorded: 1977-06-29. First broadcast: 11 July 1977. Repeated: 11 August 1977
*Get It Together / Tricky Dicky / Sweet Lorraine / Save The Whales / La-Di-Dar / The Man From Atharbaska
(Please correct mistakes and add any missing info)
== Other Shows Played ==
The listing below was researched from the database of this site and is incomplete. Please add any further information if known.
;1967
*16 July 1967: The Masked Marauder (LP - Electric Music for the Mind and Body) Vanguard - Peel is undone by this track's false ending
*18 July 1967: Flying High (album - Electric Music for the Mind and Body) Vanguard VSD 79244
*19 July 1967: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Vanguard
*20 July 1967: Porpoise Mouth (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Vanguard - JP: "Hope it's not necessary to explain why that's called Porpoise Mouth..."
*22 July 1967: Super Bird (LP: Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Vanguard (US import)
*06 August 1967: 'The Masked Marauder (LP-Electric Music For The Mind And Body)' (Fontana)
*07 August 1967: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (LP: Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Vanguard
*14 August 1967: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Vanguard
*01 October 1967: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (album - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Vanguard VSD79244
*29 October 1967: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Fontana
*19 November 1967: Porpoise Mouth (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Fontana
*31 December 1967: Porpoise Mouth (LP - Electric Music for the Mind and Body) Fontana
;1968
*20 March 1968: unknown track - see below
*27 March 1968: Eastern Jam (album - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard (JP says he tried to play this last week but put on the wrong side of the record)
*Country Joe & The Fish Top Gear 1968: Eastern Jam (album - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard separate play to the above
*17 April 1968: Pat's Song (album - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard
*22 May 1968: unknown
*05 June 1968: Who Am I (album - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard
*14 July 1968: Cetacean (album - Together) Vanguard VSD-79277
*Country Joe & The Fish Top Gear 1968: Bright Suburban Mr. & Mrs. Clean Machine (album - Together) Vanguard VSD-79277
*24 July 1968: Waltzing In The Moonlight (album - Together) Vanguard VSD-79277
*25 August 1968: An Untitled Protest (album - Together) Vanguard VSD-79277
*20 October 1968: An Untitled Protest (album - Together) Vanguard VSD-79277
*27 November 1968: ? (album - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Vanguard
*29 December 1968: Waltzing In The Moonlight (album - Together) Vanguard VSD-79277
;1969
*19 February 1969: Bass Strings (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Fontana
*06 April 1969: Porpoise Mouth (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Fontana
*20 April 1969: Pat's Song (album - Together) Vanguard VSD-79277
*11 June 1969: Here I Go Again (LP - Here We Are Again) Vanguard
*21 September 1969: Here I Go Again (single)
*22 November 1969: Pastures Of Plenty (LP – Thinking Of Woody Guthrie)
;1970
*02 May 1970: She’s A Bird (LP – CJ Fish) Vanguard
*16 May 1970: Silver And Gold (LP – CJ Fish) Vanguard
*23 May 1970: Silver And Gold (LP – CJ Fish) Vanguard
*30 May 1970: The Return Of Sweet Loraine (LP – CJ Fish) Vanguard
*13 June 1970: Silver And Gold (LP - C.J. Fish) Vanguard
*27 June 1970: Bass Strings (EP - Country Joe & The Fish) Rag Baby 1002
;1972
*10 March 1972: Death Sound Blues (LP - The Life And Times Of Country Joe And The Fish) Vanguard
*11 April 1972: Bass Strings (LP – The Life And Times Of Country Joe And The Fish) Vanguard
*18 July 1972: Fly So High (LP - Incredible! Live!) Vanguard
;1973
*19 April 1973: Pat’s Song (LP – I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard
*29 May 1973: Silver And Gold (LP – C.J. Fish) Vanguard
;1974
*18 July 1974: Pat's Song (LP - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard
;1976
*13 January 1976: Save The Whales (LP - Paradise With An Ocean View) Fantasy
;1977
*John Peel 70s Mixtape 1C: Primitive People (LP - Goodbye Blues) Fantasy
*John Peel 70s Mixtape 1C: Silver And Gold (LP - C.J. Fish) Vanguard
*John Peel 70s Mixtape 1C: Death Sound (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Vanguard
*29 July 1977: Come To The Reunion (album - Reunion) 
*29 July 1977: Time Flies By (album - Reunion)
*29 July 1977: Stateline Nevada (album - Reunion)
*29 July 1977: Love Is A Mystery (album - Reunion)
*05 August 1977: Thunderbird (& 3 other tracks) (album - Reunion)
;1980s
*19 March 1980: Porpoise Mouth (LP – Electric Music For The Mind And Body) Peel describes the album as “the definitive flower power LP, if you must”
*02 April 1980: Silver And Gold (LP - C.J. Fish)
*13 November 1980: Pat's Song
*13 June 1984: Death Sound
*16 August 1988: Bass Strings (LP - Greatest Hits) Vanguard
*31 August 1988: Here I Go Again (LP - Here I Go Again) Vanguard
;1990s
*07 September 1991: Death Sound (album - Electric Music For The Mind And Body ) Vanguard VRS-9244
*20 September 1991 (BFBS): Here I Go Again (album - Here We Are Again) Vanguard SVRL19048
*22 September 1991: Here I Go Again (LP - Here We Are Again) Vanguard
*13 May 1994: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (album - Electric Music For The Mind And Body ) Vanguard VRS-9244
*21 May 1994 (BFBS): Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (album - Electric Music For The Mind And Body ) Vanguard VRS-9244
*21 May 1994 (BFBS): Death Sound (album - Electric Music For The Mind And Body ) Vanguard VRS-9244
*31 May 1994 (BBC World Service): Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (album - Electric Music For The Mind And Body ) Vanguard VRS-9244
*11 June 1994 (BFBS): Porpoise Mouth (album - Electric Music For The Mind And Body ) Vanguard VRS-9244
*06 January 1996: Pat's Song (album - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard VMD 79266
*19 January 1996: Magoo (album - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard VMD 79266
*20 July 1996: Pat's Song (album - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die)
*15 December 1996 (BBC World Service): Silver And Gold (album - C.J. Fish) Vanguard VSD 6555
*03 June 1998: She's A Bird (CD - CJ Fish) Vanguard
*May 1999 (FSK): Pat's Song (LP - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard
*03 November 1999: Pat's Song (Peelenium 1967)
;2000s
*04 July 2000: Death Sound (LP - Electric Music For The Mind And Body)
*20 July 2000 (Radio Eins): Here I Go Again
*15 August 2000: Pat's Song (LP - I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die) Fontana - JP recalls a weekend with the band in London and Birmingham in 1969
*January 2002 (FSK): Pat's Song (LP - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die) Vanguard
*29 January 2003: Pat's Song (LP- I Feel Like I'm Fixin to Die) Fontana
*20 February 2003: Silver And Gold (LP - C.J. Fish) Vanguard
*28 February 2003 (BBC World Service): Silver And Gold (LP - C.J. Fish) Vanguard
*05 March 2003: Pat's Song (LP- I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die) Vanguard
*22 October 2003: Silver and Gold (LP- C.J. Fish) Vanguard
*13 November 2003 (Radio Eins): The Return Of Sweet Lorraine (album - C.J. Fish) Vanguard
*22 January 2004: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (LP - Electric Music The Mind & Body) Vanguard
;Other
*Peeling Back The Years (programme 2): Porpoise Mouth (LP – Electric Music For The Mind And Body)
*Rebel Yell: The Fish Cheer & I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag
== See Also ==
*Record Collection: V&A LPs
*March 2003 (Peel's Record Box)
*Gigography 1967 
*Gigography 1968
*Gigography 1969 
*Gigography 1970 
*International Times: Perfumed Garden Column
*Disc & Music Echo: Peel Columns
*Sounds
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
*Official Country Joe & The Fish website
*Country Joe's Place - official website of Country Joe McDonald
Category:Artists