Peanut Butter Conspiracy

The Peanut Butter Conspiracy
The group in 1966. From left-Barbara Robison, John Merrill, Jim Voigt, Lance Fent, and Alan Brackett.
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Psychedelic rock psychedelic pop
Years active	1966–1970
Labels	Columbia Challenge
Associated acts	The Ashes, Spencer Dryden, Clear Light, Jefferson Airplane
Past members	John Merrill Alan Brackett Barbara "Sandi" Robison Spencer Dryden Lance Baker Fent Jim Voigt Bill Wolff Ralph Schuckett Michael Ney (Stevens)

The Peanut Butter Conspiracy was a Los Angeles-based psychedelic pop/rock group from the 1960s. The band is known for lead singer Barbara Robison, and for briefly having Spencer Dryden of Jefferson Airplane as a band member.

The band formed in Los Angeles in August 1966 from the folk rock group, "The Ashes", which included John Merrill (guitar/vocals), Barbara "Sandi" Robison (vocals), Alan Brackett (bass/vocals), Spencer Dryden (drums), and Jim Cherniss (guitar/vocals). The group had earlier been known as The Young Swingers, who released two obscure singles. The Ashes released a first single in February 1966 on the Vault label, "Is There Anything I Can Do?" written by Jackie DeShannon. Dryden left The Ashes (May '66) to replace Skip Spence in Jefferson Airplane, Robison left (June '66) to give birth and the group temporarily disbanded. Alan Brackett hooked up with a new guitarist, Lance Baker Fent, and a new drummer, Jim Voigt, naming the new trio "The Crossing Guards". Merrill and Robison rejoined and the five-piece band became The Peanut Butter Conspiracy.

The group signed with Columbia Records in late 1966, releasing a single "It's A Happening Thing" produced by Gary Usher. It reached number 93 on the national pop chart. The band's first album, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading followed. It was also produced by Usher who brought in studio musicians including Glen Campbell and James Burton to bolster the group's sound. The album charted at number 196 on the Billboard 200. Their second single produced by Samuel Tarney "She's My Girl" failed to chart. Their late 1967 single "Turn On a Friend (to the Good Life)" failed to chart. However, they toured nationally and added a new guitarist, Bill Wolff. They recorded a second album for Columbia The Great Conspiracy, generally regarded as their best. The group recorded songs for movies including: Angels from Hell, Run Angel Run, Jud, Cherry Harry and Raquel, Hell Ride, 2000 Years Later, and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.