IGNORED OBSCURED RESTORED

The SotW features lots of cool bands that have been undeservedly destined for obscurity. The reasons are varied, but none is more peculiar than that of the mid 60s, Lynn, MA psych band, the Flat Earth Society.

The Flat Earth Society was discovered by a Boston advertising agency that was running a campaign for the F.B. Washburn Candy Company. The idea was to find a hip, young band to record an album and a jingle for their Waleeco candy bar. If you sent in 6 Waleeco bar wrappers and a buck and a half, you got a copy of the album. It wasn’t sold in stores. Needless to say, that wasn’t a strategy to get the record heard by the masses. (Most of the copies ended up in a landfill.)

But the album survived and is recognized by serious collectors as a psychedelic rock classic.

My choice for the SotW is “Four and Twenty Miles.” A rewrite of this song was the basis for the Waleeco bar jingle.

Inspired by acts like the Jefferson Airplane, it has all the hallmarks of 60s psych/garage rock – fuzz guitar, a solid beat, etc. While it’s not particularly unique sounding, you have to admit that these high school kids could play and sing.

By the way, a Waleeco bar was F.B. Washburn’s take on a coconut macaroon – sort of like a Mounds. If you grew up in New England you (or your parents) may remember it.

Enjoy… until next week.