Elephant’s Memory - remembered as John Lennon & Yoko Ono's band. And we'll get to ‘exactly’ how THAT came about!
Formed in '67, their crazy performances, light shows, inflatable stage sets and weird outfits on their hometown (NYC) strip joint circuit brought notice. Vocalist Michal Shapiro, took them to the next level; their first album (shown here) was released in February 1969. For more, read the next post DOWN.

Elephants Memory - Takin A Walk

lp mt 1969

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  John Fredrick Williams Where might I go to see images of the inflated stage sets? This reminds me of a Pink Floyd concert at Anaheim Stadium. Surpassing any Macey's Thanksgiving Day Parade, their Animals album posed hugh balloons above the audience. Mirroring the imagery of these lyrics against the backdrop of the night sky. I've always wondered the origin of these props?
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  The Los Angeles Free Press 60's Music Site This, John, is the closest I've gotten to an answer. From Richie Unterberger..."The LP boasted a for-the-time controversial sleeve in which the band posed in front of an elephant nude, albeit obscured to some degree in body paint. That, combined with a stage show that in early 1969 incorporated inflatable stage sets (including a large inflatable plastic jungle), gave Elephants Memory's image a visual flamboyance, though Shapiro points out, "We were NEVER a theatrical band. We were a hard rocking New York band that was very good live, just playing our music. Wes decided that wasn't enough and hired someone to give us all these props, which we tried to use for a few performances, but it worked out like Spinal Tap's Stonehenge...even more surreal, actually. While we were in L.A. we did a film of all of us and Ultra Violet [the Andy Warhol-affiliated actress and artist who had a bit part in Midnight Cowboy] sending the damned plastic creatures out to sea.""

At the time of its release, they were in LA – with a billboard on the Sunset Strip and (even more impressive) this ad in our pages (both touting their upcoming appearance at the Whisky). Of course, they probably weren’t too fired up about our reporter’s first impression of them… see our following ‘Note’ for the complete quote. (READ the next post DOWN.)

Here—per our 2/28/69 publish date - is what our reporter made of Buddah Record’s Hollywood ‘dog and pony show’ intro to Elephant’s Memory first album's release… (by John Carpenter):

“Monday night, a press showing was held at the Aquarius Theatre by the group's label, and the group was trotted out before us. Dressed in tights, sequins and flowing capes, the group reminded me of every B Movie hippie I’ve ever seen.

Their opening statement, voiced by some strange looking man in black tights and silver stuff was “We're on Budha Records and that's known as the bubble gum label. What's hard when you put it in and soft and sticky when you pull it out" yuk, yuk, yuk. Then the group played. It is too kind to say they are Bubble Gum Blood Sweat and Tears. I think another hearing could conceivably prove me wrong, but watch out — another Fever Tree is coming.”