You can hear our music and lots of other great hit music from the past at www.MemoriesRadio.netOur story starts back in 1967 in Los Angeles. Self-taught guitarist Tom Marshall met bassist Brent Block at a party thrown by Block's former art teacher. The band they started was called "Pacific Gas and Electric Blues Band", one of the first, if not the first interracial band to hit the LA music scene. One of our early members was a drummer from the east coast named Charlie Allen. Charlie's vocal abilities were so great that we relieved of his drum sticks, and became lead singer and front man, to be replaced on drums by Canned Heat's former drummer, Frank Cook, who had earlier signed on to manage the band.
By 1968, we shortened our name to Pacific Gas and Electric, and the band included Allen, Cook, Marshall, Block, and guitarist Glenn Schwartz (also of James Gang and All Saved Freak Band). We were signed to Modern Records, and released our first album, "Get It On", that year on a label made for us, Power Records. It was also released on Bright Orange, Kent and United-Superior as well. Someone at Columbia Records was listening, as they signed us to a recording contract after our appearance at the Miami Pop Festival in December of 1968.
The next album, and the first released by Columbia, was simply called "Pacific Gas and Electric", in 1969. However, it was the next release, the "Are You Ready" LP that included our first mainstream hit. The title track reached 14 in the summer of 1970, and featured the backing vocals of the Blackberries.
Wholesale changes were in store for us after recording the "Are You Ready" album. After a serious car accident, Cook was replaced on drums by Ron Woods, and stayed on as our manager. Marshall and Schwartz left, to be replaced by Frank Petricca on bass and Ken Utterback on guitar, with Brent Block moving to rhythm guitar from bass. This is the lineup that toured in support of "Are You Ready". This version of the band recorded one self-titled album in 1971 (minus Brent Block, who had left the band in late 1970).
We did countless concerts, often appearing with other big musical acts of the era. It was at one P G & E show that writer and film producer Lawrence Schiller filmed his documentary "The Lexington Experience". The film was shelved after only a few showings, and the only copies known to exist are in Schiller's vault. We also appeared in and provided music to the Otto Preminger film "Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon" starring Liza Minnelli.Now, after many years in the background, we have some exciting news! Our Live Album from 1970 has been released! Order YOUR copy by visiting Wounded Bird Records and clicking on the Pacific Gas and Electric Link. Our 1971 album "PG&E" is now available on CD. We can't tell you how excited we are that you can now be able to get these. Please Click Here for all the details. Please! It'd mean a lot to us. And thank you for the support all these years.
If you were or are a fan of our music, please give us a shout out. Love to hear from you. And, fellow music makers, please stay in touch too.Big thanks to director Quentin Tarentino for choosing our tune "Staggolee" for the Grindhouse movie and including it in the soundtrack, "Death Proof". You can buy it (and a lot of our other music) on Amazon.And, if you care to help out, if you don't see our CD's in your local favorite music store, please ask the manager to stock them.
MORE breaking news. Word has just reached us from Ace Records that "Get It On" (our first release) is now out on CD! It includes never-released recordings from that session and a large informational booklet. Very classy release. Please look for it at your facorite music store, or at Amazon.com.
