What Happened to the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band?

Art|Pop Art

The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band was an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1965. Led by Bob Markley and featuring members Michael Lloyd, Steve Cahill, Danny Harris, and John Ware, the group’s sound combined elements of folk rock, garage rock, and psychedelic pop.

The band released two full-length albums during their brief career: Volume One (1966) and Volume Two (1967). Their most successful single was “Smell of Incense,” which peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1967.

The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band began to unravel after the release of Volume Two in 1967. Internal and financial disagreements led to the departure of founding member Bob Markley; he was replaced on bass by Hal Blaine. Despite this change, the band’s fortunes didn’t improve and they disbanded soon after.

In 1996, Rhino Records released a compilation album titled Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965–1968 that featured two tracks from the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band’s first album – “A Child’s Guide To Good & Evil” and “High Coin”.

In addition to their two studio albums, several other recordings by the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band have been released over the years. In 1969, an album titled A Child’s Guide To Good & Evil / Where The Action Is!

was released on Epic Records; it featured all six songs from their first album plus two previously unreleased tracks – “Cherry Cherry” and “Today”. In 1994, Sundazed Records re-released both albums as a double LP set.

The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band has proven to be an influential force in pop music. They are credited as one of the earliest adopters of folk-rock in popular music, as well as being one of the earliest proponents of psychedelic pop. Their brief stint as a recording act left its mark on music history.

What happened to the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band? After releasing two albums that received critical acclaim but failed to make any commercial impact, internal issues led to the band’s demise in 1968. Although they may have been overlooked during their time, their influence can still be heard today in many forms of popular music.