Superfine Dandelion

One of several second-to-third-division West Coast (or nearly West Coast) '60s bands on the Mainstream label, the Superfine Dandelion made one middling album in 1967 that mixed San Francisco psychedelic, folk-rock, pop, and jug band influences. They were formed in Phoenix in early 1967 by singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter Mike McFadden. McFadden had been in local garage band the Mile Ends, who had released a good punky Rolling Stones-y single, "Bottle Up and Go," in 1966; bassist Ed Black, who had been in the Mile Ends in their final days, was also in the Superfine Dandelion. Their self-titled LP had a good deal of sub-Jefferson Airplane folk-psych-rock, with plenty of minor chords, harmonies, and wistful lyrics. There was also an occasional countryish influence in the spirit of the Lovin' Spoonful and Buffalo Springfield, and some good-timey jug band flavor. There weren't any excellent songs, though. The album made little impact, and the group disbanded in 1968, with bassist Rick Anderson (who only joined shortly before the album was finished) going on to the Tubes, and Black touring and recording with Linda Ronstadt in the first half of the 1970s, later playing with Karla Bonoff's band. The Superfine Dandelion album was reissued on CD by Sundazed in 2000, augmented by non-LP cuts from 45s and outtakes, including four songs from the pre-Superfine Dandelion days by the Mile Ends. ~ Richie Unterberger