The Electric Prunes: Then Came The Dawn: Complete Recordings 6CD Box Set 1966 - 1969 Review

My exposure to The Electric Prunes was from hearing the single 'I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) on a compilation called Nuggets many years ago. I saw them as a psychedelic pop-rock band from the 1960s but did not know any of the album material.
Having reviewed the Iron Butterfly and Rhinoceros Box sets I was very keen to hear this set when it was scheduled by Grapeftuit Records (which is part of Cherry Red Records).
Then Came The Dawn is a 6CD Box Set featuring the complete recordings by The Electric Prunes from 1966 - 1969.
The Box Set includes Stereo / Mono mixes of The Electric Prunes (1967) Underground (1967) Mass in F Minor (1967) - yes that's three albums in one year!
Release of An Oath and Just Good Old Rock and Roll are on one CD in a gatefold sleeve and also included is the 1967 live album from Stockholm and a CD of single mixes, rare tracks and extended versions.
The 36-page booklet tells the story of the band with interviews with the surviving members with plenty of photos and memorabilia.
The remastering is superb and was carried out by Alec Palao and the process is also described in the booklet.
Being new to the band and in many ways seeing myself as a student to this period of rock history I had expected everything to be like the single. This is so not the case. The albums Mass in F Minor and Releases of an Oath are like embryonic PROG and so adventurous. Everyone should hear these!
The last album Just Good Old Rock and Roll reminds me of Book of Taliesin by Deep Purple in places. Other reference points are Syd Barrett period Pink Floyd and early Who.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
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[@MatthewHillMusician]

This is such a great collection! I’m a big fan of the Electric Prunes and Iron Butterfly. I can’t wait to get both box sets!

[@epunderground508]

Thank you for listening! Major review! electric prunes 🤩

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Thank you 🙏

[@bobdarlington4634]

Hello there. I was looking for an online review of the Electric Prunes box set and I am so happy to have found your youtube site. Great review, very thorough and you obviously love the music from this era, as do I. It feels like I've found a new friend, all the best to you and thanks once again !

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Bob, thank you for finding me and watching this video. I love music from most eras now as I have got older. Have a look around the channel and thank you again for joining this special music collectors community! Phil :)

[@bobdarlington4634]

@@NowSpinningMagazineThanks Phil, I'm already diving in and looking through some of your previous videos, brilliant stuff ! And thankfully there's a lot on cd, as not all of us can afford those lavish record box sets, lovely as they are. Like you I've found amazing music in every decade since the sixties, and I still love my music as much as I always have. There are some great new bands out there as well, so hopefully a return to safe live concerts will happen soon.

[@tinostabile3256]

Man oh man I really need to win the lottery will be difficult to be selective anothrr great incredible band too much to dream is a favorite incredible how a band would combine rock with religion sad make it work thank you Phil

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Tino, thank you for watching. It is another excellent box set and well worth it. Hope you can get it for Christmas! - Phil :)

[@bobby666666]

I love the tracks by them on the Nuggets extended box set issued in the late 90s on Rhino. I see the first CD and the LP of the same tracks are still available.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Robert, I wish I had gone for that Nuggets box set, it is quite hard to find now. Thank you for watching. Phil

[@rjwhetstone8639]

Very good overview of an incredible box-set...great observations and insight! I've got two copies of this box-set, to indulge my memories and appreciate these rarities...

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi RJ, Thank you for watching. Wow you have two copies? It is a wonderful way to travel back in time! Phil :)

[@tinostabile3256]

Hi there sir Phil. Luckily for me I kept coming back to amazon to see if there would be a deal that could be had regarding this electric prunes beautiful set and today I ordered it. I have to have it and now will be counting the days until it is at my door. Thank you for your incredible review. Those two mass albums are intriguing and the selling point for me. Of course to have ell of that other goodness and The best psychedelic rock single ever.. Thank goodness for the prunes, cherry red and your channel

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Tino, thank you again for dropping by to tell me you have ordered a copy of this wonderful box set. I really appreciate your support and kind words. Take care - Phil ;)

[@tannerbartko1203]

The Iron Butterfly set was fantastic. Will definitely pick this up!

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Thank you for watching - it really is good - hope you enjoy it - Phil

[@dpenland2112]

I just streamed the first album last night and enjoyed it. This set is going on my wishlist!

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi David, great stuff! The next albums are even better - Phil :)

[@novacrowsnest597]

I've never heard of the electric prunes. At least I don't think I have. But now I think I'll put it on my 2022 must have list. Thanks for the recommendation

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Franklin, thank you for watching! If you get it let me know what you think. The experimentation on music back then was off the scale. Phil :)

[@backrowbrighton]

Cherry Red really seem to be upping their game with these sets. Music by bands like the Electric Prunes is now up for rediscovery. The CD is the perfect medium for these sets, the cost of materials for producing a vinyl version (though wonderful) would be prohibitive. Many bands in the US during this period often enjoyed regional but not national success and the music was largely forgotten until now. What next? Sets for The Chocolate Watchband and Strawberry Alarm Clock?

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Peter, thank you for watching . I agree these CD Box sets are a great way to discover bands you may have missed or only really know from a few tracks. Cherry Red are really good at these! - Phil :)

[@jegarajramoo3873]

Although they only had moderate success during the 1960s,their influence on many proto punk bands cannot be denied. Tracks like I Had too much to dream and Get me to the world on time are timeless classics. Another great recommendation. Thanks Phil.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Jegaraj, Thank you for watching. In someways this is best time to be alive for music discovery because so much is available. As you can see the box set has been put together with a lot of care and thought to old fans and new. Phil

[@nwlondonmetaller3427]

Playing Electric Prunes now. I was not born at that time when they were around. They have such a natural organic sound with great musical feeling. I hear elements which influenced future artists. I am interested in underground 60's music.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi, thank you for visiting Now Spinning. I am also really enjoying this period of music which I missed the first time around - Phil :)

[@normanmacfarlane6724]

I have only heard of them from the Easy Rider soundtrack. I really enjoyed that track. I'll look into this Phil. Thank you 😂

[@georgecheung4271]

Dear Phil, Happy New Year. I actually watched this video last week but forgot to make any comments. As usual, you are brilliant. Though I only have one album which is The Pusher, by the group, should I come across the other albums, I would give them a go. Thanks.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

It is an excellent box set and apart from the obvious singles and the live album the rest was new to me, but I feel this fills a hole in my musical education! Phil :)

[@jerrygeorgopolis8015]

Phil, Hat tip on bringing up another pop-rock "Nugget !" I'm old enough to remember the Catholic church raising an Liturgical Eyebrow when Mass in F Minor came out ! At the time the church was trying to attract more people to attend Mass, using Folk Guitar volunteers to play a part in the Liturgy. Myself, I loved this Electric Prunes rendition back then ! Just pre-ordered from Amazon this box set. Thanks Phil for the review, take care.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

That is great to know, let me know what you think when it arrives. Wishing you and your loved ones a great Christmas and 2022. Phil :)

[@jerrygeorgopolis8015]

@@NowSpinningMagazine Also wishing you and your love ones a great Christmas ! Continue success with your various on line venues ! From N.H. U.S.A.

[@iansimpson2333]

I'm glad you said you were doing this last week because i had completely forgotten about, i changed that that night along with the spirit box i'd forgotten, i'm getting the olds haha, so far loving this one especially the mono mixes, a bit more powerful for me, good to have the stockholm on a proper release, had the bootleg for many a year, i was lucky enough to have caught them many years back when they reformed & toured here, didn't have heavy expentations but blew me away. looking forward to many more unboxing from you, have a great festival season

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Ian, Thank you for watching. As you could tell from the video, I was very new to this band and their music. I have really enjoyed it. Wishing you and your loved ones a great Christmas and 2022. Phil :)

[@johnthompson7611]

Phil, Another great unboxing video. Obviously you are enjoying these recordings whilst also letting music fans know about your own learning journey. Yes it was a very interesting time for these bands in this psychedelic era. Exploring their musical freedom as artists whilst at the same time being able to do this whilst taking advantage of new and emerging technologies in studio recording. Just recently acquired the "Rubble collection volumes 1 -20" which is now available as a box set. These were originally released in the 80s on vinyl separately and then more recently as two smaller volumes on CD. Check these out if you are already not aware. (You probably are). The rubble collection is a massive anthology of tracks from this era from a whole gamut of artists actively creative in this genre. These compilation collections from bands that may have been fairly transient at the time can be another great starting point for exploring this genre. Keep up the good work and may your subscriber numbers increase.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi John, Thank you very much. I am aware of The Rumble Collection but have not bought it at this point. With my musical education expanding more this year than any other it sounds like something I should check out. Phil :)

[@georgecheung4271]

Hi Phil, I must have mixed up the Electric Prunes video with the Steppenwolf one. In fact it is called Early Steppenwolf instead of the Pusher. Anyway, the Electric Prunes were a fantastic band and their live in Sweden album is very different from their studio albums. Too bad that the group had so much problem with their producer and there has been lots of controversy about their records. Still Mass in F Minor is a classic and so are the first two studio albums.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

This period was just so experimental for music. Live is Sweden is like being transported to another time and place. Phil

[@ericlewis217]

cant wait to get my hands on this, i have the 2 cd set of the first two albums and the original album series sets. both will be replaced with this set. a very underated psych band no matter who was in the band at the time, thank you for the great overview. underground is a fav psych album of mine, its fantastic. cheers!

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Eric, thank you for watching, I am sure you will enjoy this box set a great deal! Phil :)

[@Nick-qf7vt]

Damnit Phil you're gonna make me go bankrupt! I swear, you're gonna single handedly double Cherry Red's sales!

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Nck, sorry! It would be good to think that my little corner of the KZbin universe is helping to keep physical music sales alive. I am just happy to have an audience at all there are so many great channels out there. Thank you for you support - Phil

[@impalaman9707]

Of all the bands that came out of the LA Sunset Strip scene of the 1960s--Love, The Seeds, The Doors, The Byrds--I was surprised to learn that The Prunes were the ones most beloved in Europe, when I started to research their history. The Seeds never even got to tour Europe in the 60s, but the Prunes did! Just goes to show that when you put your music out there, you never know who is gonna dig it the most. I never understood why they broke up at the end of the 60s. I could see them continuing to create and have a flourishing career in the 70s like Pink Floyd did. But I was heartened to find out that they did reform and tour in the 00s

[@rolandpritchard1731]

It's funny that, the more you learn the less you hnow, but that's some of the fun and happiness you get out of it as you are spinning.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Roland, thank you for watching. Very true, every day is a school day when you love music! Phil :)

[@LuchaLibertaria]

Great review Phil ! It looks like a perfect boxset imho, the cd cover designs, a booklet about the band & posters and news clips from the time period ,very well put together. I guess 'Mass in F Minor' can be called as the first Christian Rock album ??

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Lucha, thank you for watching. It is a great box set. It is amazing how much reverb was used back then it gives the period a unique sound. Phil :)

[@bareknuckles2u]

Wow, what an illuminating video! Great stuff. It really is something to look back and consider how those young men were as musically competent and visionary as they were. Artists in the true sense of the word. Kyrie Eleison was the track played in the movie Easy Rider (the scene in which Billy and Wyatt were in the brothel in New Orleans).

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Easy Rider is such a great soundtrack, I have the 2CD deluxe edition. Thank you for extra info - Phil :)

[@arti2909]

I was familiar with their "Mass in F minor" album only, and you're right: it's proto-prog with all those arrangements and a concept behind it. But I've checked their next "jewish" album out of your recommendation (thank you!), and wow! They topped themselves, indeed, with this one! A lost gem in (proto-) prog history.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi, thank you for watching. So pleased this video inspired you to discover that album! Phil :)

[@SuperNevile]

In my opinion Mass In F Minor was the very first Rock Opera. Released in November '67 it preceded "S.F. Sorrow" in December '68 and "Tommy" in May '69. Bought the 'Release" vinyl album on the strength of the "Mass" vinyl album, and the thing that surprised me the most was how each album "flowed" with quality tracks running into each other seamlessly (unlike Piper or Pepper).

[@iang1]

Always loved 'I had too much to dream' from back when radio Caroline played it in the 70's but that was it. I'm off to stream some electric prunes now!. Btw Phil I noticed you've got the Judie Tzuke box set on your shelf, would love to hear a review of it.

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Ian, check the two albums I mention in the video, they are quite different. The last album reminded me of early Purple in places. Phil

[@iang1]

I've streamed the Mass album this morning, very impressed and will listen to the others tomorrow. I feel a purchase coming on!

[@epunderground508]

Too bad they didn't include our albums from 2001 .... Artifact, Feedback, California, etc!

[@jean-lucpernel2202]

beautifull booklet , gatefold too ! but i don't remember the music !!!!!!!

[@naradaian]

The Release of an Oath has no members of the Electric Prunes on it as the band signed such a bad contract with Dave Hassinger that they didn’t own their own name and received no royalties as he utterly ripped them off. They all gave up before Release of an Oath was recorded

[@jasonotoole1982]

As well as David Axelrod’s solo albums, I recommend this compilation which also has the instrumental versions of Mass in F minor and Release of an oath: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmm0d3SGZZKbqdE

[@NowSpinningMagazine]

Hi Jason, thank you for watching and your informative comment. That is very useful - Phil

[@naradaian]

Axelrod was a drummer but was interested in classical and jazz and film score type business - he forced Mass in F minor on them via the truly dreadful Dave Hassinger who also controlled the songwriter …Maureen tucker ? of I had too much to dream fame.

[@wyliesmith4244]

Yikes! Talk about misinformation. Producer Dave Hassinger swindled the band out of their name. and they play on neither Release of an Oath nor Good Old Rock & Roll. You are certainly entitled to like the music that you like, but to say that the Prunes had matured into the band that made Good Old R & R shows that you ain't paying attention. I saw the reformed band in '05 and talked to Mark Tulin, the bass player, after the show. He disowned Mass in F Minor even though the Prunes played on part of it, and laughed at the next two. The Prunes hated half of their first album (Toonerville Trolley. The King Is in the Counting House, ...), but had no control of choice of songs. I love the (real) Prunes, and the '05 live show was simply brilliant, but they, like Moby Grape, It's A Beautiful Day, and others, were swindled out of their own name, and that torpedoed their career.