The Lemon Drops: In The Springtime - Crystal Pure (1967 - 1969)

 

The Lemon Drops were an American psychedelic pop band from Chicago, Illinois that formed in 1966. The band, originally established by high school students, produced one single in their heyday that achieved regional success. The Lemon Drops also recorded other unreleased material that led to a renewal of interest in the group in the 1980s. The band was essential in the development of psychedelic pop in Illinois.
                              

The Lemon Drops were pioneers of a psychedelic pop and folk rock sound in the Chicago suburbs in 1967. All were students at McHenry High School. Danny Smola (16 years old-lead vocals), Eddie Weiss (14 years old-guitar), Gary Weiss, brother of Eddie (16 years old-drums), Jeff Brandt (17 years old-bass), George Sorrenson (16 years old-lead guitar) and Bobby Lunak (15 years old-guitar). They had been playing for about a year, but it wasn’t until Reggie Weiss (brother to Eddie and Gary) heard them perform that they matured into a band with a distinct sophisticated sound.
                               

In 1966 Reggie (nee Roger) Weiss and Anton (Tony) Urban opened Rembrandt Recording Studio near Southern Illinois University, 400 miles south of Chicago.  The business was successful and a record label was formed called Rembrandt Records.  The first groups signed were popular college bands like The Nite-Owls, The Circus, The Nuchez, and Mondays Children. In early 1967, Weiss, Urban, and artist John “J.D.” Dettenemeir returned home to Chicago from Southern Illinois University.  They heard The Lemon Drops rehearse and were impressed enough to suggest a record deal with Rembrandt Records.
                               

Reggie became the catalyst for the group, writing, producing and recording their music.  The first song he wrote for them, “I Live In The Springtime” was inspired by the winter weather in Chicago. The b-side was a folk-rock ballad titled “Listen Girl” (written by Eddie Weiss and Danny Smola). Both songs featured the excellent lead vocals of Danny Smola and the brilliant twelve-string guitar work of Bobby Lunak. On May 1, 1967, The Lemon Drops went to RCA Studios in Chicago to record the single. George Sorenson quit the band a few days before the session. A new lead guitar player, Ricky Erickson, replaced him.  Erickson was formerly of The Nuchez.  Their single, (Rembrandt #5001)“Open Up Your Mind”, earned a B+ rating in the October 29, 1966 issue of Cashbox.
                                

In November as The Lemon Drops were getting ready to move to Los Angeles a letter arrived that said the owner of Buena Vista had died suddenly.  The band was left hanging without their main supporter.   A month and half later The Lemon Drops go to Sound Studios in Chicago to record more songs. “Paperplane Flyer”, “Fairytales”, “Flowers On The Hillside” and  “Dream” were recorded on November 5. In December, four more songs are recorded, “Popsicle Girl”, and “Flower Pure”, “Crystal Pure”(original titled “Queen Bee”) and “Jennifer-Ann”. “Crystal Pure” was the proposed a-side for the next single and was laden with Eddie Weiss’ explosive psychedelic guitar sounds and influenced by Hendrix and The Cream. It was the hardest rock song they had done yet (“Death Calls” had previously held the title) The b-side, “Jennifer-Ann” was a love ballad and Weiss played the Spanish Goya Guitar.
                              

Had Reggie had the proper funding The Lemon Drops would have released “It Happens Everyday/Alone”, “Sometime Ago/The Theater Of Your Eyes”,  “Popsicle Girl/Flower Pure” and “Crystal Pure/Jennifer Ann” as their first four singles. Accompanying the singles would have been an album with a theme threaded thru it, a popular musical trend in the wake of “Sgt. Peppers”.  
                               

Reggie tried to find another record label for the band but to no avail. Kenny Weiss, their road manager, recalled that “Uni Records” really got off on “Paperplane Flyer”.  They wanted the band to add another verse or two.  The group was skeptical, starting to splinter, and nothing was ever done.” One last stab at fame occurred when Reggie succeeded in obtaining Alden Productions of Redwood City, California to front the band.  Dan Herron, the company president, agreed to host the band in Redwood City and pay all expenses. In the summer of 1969, The Lemon Drops drove to the west coast in their own bus, which had the roof painted lemon yellow.  Once they arrived in Redwood City they stayed and rehearsed at Herron’s mansion complete with an Olympic sized swimming pool and King Farouk’s Rolls Royce. Also present was another band called “Faith”.  Fantastic parties were held at Herron’s mansion and on several occasions the neighbors complained about the nude teenage girls swimming in the pool.  At the height of one massive party, The Lemon Drops broke up.
                                     

Eddie and Gary Weiss would go on to form “Watermelon” and then a year later “Buzzsaw”. Like with The Lemon Drops, Reggie produced and wrote songs for the two new groups.  In fact, “Springtime” is revived as a Rembrandt single released in 1972 by Buzzsaw backed with “I Can Make You Happy”.  The version of “Springtime” on this single is in stereo, the mix Reggie made back in 1967, but that was issued in mono on the single.  In the summer of 1972,while in Acapulco, Reggie provided the local radio station copies of the new Buzzsaw single and once again it received substantial airplay.  Since that time the mystique of The Lemon Drops has crystallized and grown thru the ensuing decades. For a group that only had one single released and was of high school age when it was issued, the subsequent prolific amount of recordings done during their brief two year tenure reflects their sheer genius and talent.

THE LEMON DROPS: IN THE SPRINGTIME

    

The Lemon Drops – In The Springtime!
Label: Guerssen – GUESS051
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: Spain
Released: 2008
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic

TRACKS

                    

A1. I Live In The Springtime
A2. Alone
A3. Listen Girl
A4. Nobody For Me
A5. Some Time Ago
A6. Theatre Of Your Eyes
A7. It Happens Everyday
A8. Crystal Pure

B1. Paperlane Flyer
B2. To The Tower
B3. Death Calls
B4. Guinevere
B5. Popsicle Girl
B6. Talk To The Animals
B7. I Live In The Springtime (Fuzz Version)

MP3 @ 320 Size: 103 MB
Flac  Size: 302 MB

 

THE LEMON DROPS: CRYSTAL PURE

 

The Lemon Drops – Crystal Pure
Label: Thunderbolt – CDTB 161
Format:    CD, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                               

01. I Live In The Springtime    3:05
02. It Happens Everyday    2:19
03. Sometime Ago    3:43
04. The Theatre Of Your Eyes    3:22
05. Popsicle Girl    5:20
06. Flower Pure    4:03
07. Paperplane Flyer    2:35
08. Talk To The Animals    4:22
09. Fairy Tales    2:28
10. Hi, How Are You Today    3:11
11. Alone    1:34
12. Sleeping On Colours    4:55
13. Sometime Ago (Acoustic Version)    0:26
14. Guinevere    4:04
15. Learn To Fly    2:06
16. Flowers On The Hillside    4:07
17. Flower Dream    2:41
18. Flower Child Eyes And Arms    2:27
19. My Friend    0:34
20. To The Tower    2:00
21. Death Calls    1:55
22. Hi, How Are You Today    2:41
23. Love Is A Word    2:36
24. I Like You    2:06

MP3 @ 320 Size: 156 MB
Flac  Size: 353 MB