The Chocolate Watchband

Although seminal psyche stalwarts The Chocolate Watchband never had a hit like "Pushin' Too Hard" by the Seeds or "Dirty Water" by the Standells, their unique brand of Psychedelic blues, Garage Rock and freak beat put them head and shoulders above many obscure 1960s bands who resurfaced on Nuggets and Pebbles compilations. From 1967 to 1984, the bluesy combo recorded four records and contributed songs to (and made a cameo appearance in) the 1967 film Riot On Sunset Strip. Like many good bands, their songwriting began as a Rolling Stones-influenced jaunt that grew into an eclectic hodgepodge of all things tuneful, while retaining the fuzzed out raunch that made many a teenage boy purchase a pair of wooden maracas and beatle-boots.