The United States of America (band)

The United States of America
(Back, l-r, Byrd, Moskowitz, Marron. Front, l-r, Bogas, Woodson, Forbes)
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Psychedelic Rock Experimental rock proto-prog
Years active	1967–1968
Labels	Columbia
Associated acts	Joe Byrd and the Field Hippies
Past members	Joseph Byrd Dorothy Moskowitz Michael Agnello Stuart Brotman Craig Woodson Gordon Marron Rand Forbes Ed Bogas Jeff Marinell Richard Grayson Carmie Simon Dennis Wood (Note: Bold indicates members for album and tour.)

The United States of America was an American experimental rock band whose works, recorded in late 1967, are an early example of the use of electronic devices in rock music. The short-lived band was founded in Los Angeles by experimental composer Joseph Byrd and singer and lyricist Dorothy Moskowitz, with musicians Gordon Marron, Rand Forbes and Craig Woodson, but split up shortly after the release of their only album in 1968. Their sound blended a range of musical genres, including avant-garde, psychedelic, and art rock, with many of the songs' lyrics reflecting Byrd's leftist political views. Unusually, the band had no guitar player; instead, they used strings, keyboards and electronics, including primitive synthesizers, and various audio processors, including the ring modulator. According to critic Kevin Holm-Hudson, "what distinguishes the United States of America from some of its contemporaries... is the seriousness and skill with which they incorporated avant-garde and other influences into their music."

Composer Joseph Byrd, and lyricist and singer Dorothy Moskowitz, first met in New York City in early 1963 when Byrd was working on a recording of Civil War period music for Time-Life. A devotee of composer Charles Ives, Byrd had already become a respected and innovative composer, involved in experimental music as part of the Fluxus movement with John Cage, Morton Feldman, LaMonte Young, David Tudor, Yoko Ono and others. Moskowitz was studying music at Barnard College where she was taught by Otto Luening; she also sang in a vocal group with Art Garfunkel, and worked with David Rubinson on a musical theatre production, as well as on the Time-Life project. Byrd and Moskowitz began a relationship – he has referred to their "profound musical and personal relationship", and she has described him as being her "aesthetic guru" – and he helped her obtain a post with Capitol Records; when she left, she was replaced in turn by Rubinson.