Peter Wheat and the Breadmen
| Peter Wheat and the Breadmen | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Fremont, California, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1964-1967 |
| Labels | Amber |
| Associated acts | The Night Caps |
| Past members |
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Peter Wheat and the Breadmen were an American garage rock band formed in Fremont, California, in 1964. The group became a popular live attraction regionally, and released one single that has since been reissued on compilation albums.
Peter Wheat and the Breadmen's origins trace back to a rock and roll group called the Night Caps which formed in Oakland in 1957. The band became regionally popular on the teen club circuit in Northern California, and released two singles on Amber Records that were composed of self-penned material by saxophonist Barry Carlos. After seven years of being billed as the Night Caps, the group decided during a rehearsal to change the name to better cater to the changing musical tastes of the pop culture. Carlos recalled how the band came up with the new moniker, saying, "'How about something that has to do with money, like dough or bread.' Bob Fox instantaneously blurted out with, 'How about Peter Wheat and The Breadmen?' (For those who don't know, Peter Wheat was a bread company that delivered bread to your home in brightly painted trucks)".
The band debuted the new name in 1964 at Fremont's UAW Hall, without mentioning Peter Wheat and the Breadmen were the Night Caps, to see if the name alone would attract a large audience. For six months, the group performed regionally while outfitted with bakers aprons. After achieving a considerable following, the group disbanded, and Carlos formed BLP Productions to promote the next band that would carry on the Peter Wheat and the Breadmen name. Carlos discovered Fremont quintet the Tarantels, whose lineup consisted of Roger Kennedy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Barry Houk (lead guitar), Bob Birdwell (bass guitar), Terry Reisman (drummer), and Chuck Tedford (keyboards), gigging at the San Leandro Rollerina in support of the Turtles. Carlos explains his decision to choose the Tarantels, saying, "they were not afraid to test their creativity by exploring innovative chord changes on new original material or embark on complicated arrangements of cover tunes that I arranged for them". Although initially the Tarantels assumed the Peter and the Breadmen identity almost exactly, upon the band's insistence, they dropped the apron gimmick in favor of their own style.
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