PsychepediA

From: San Jose, CA, USA

This underrated foursome formed in 1964 as the Trolls and was a product of the same San Jose, CA music scene that also produced the Count Five, the Syndicate Of Sound and the "E" Types. They changed their name to Stained Glass in 1966 and ended up releasing several singles and two LPs on the high-profile record labels RCA and Capitol, but although a very solid act, had a difficult time breaking nationally. Original band members included songwriter Jim McPherson (bass, vocals), Bob Rominger (guitar, vocals), Dennis Carrasco (drums, vocals) and Roger Hedge (guitar, vocals).

The group quickly evolved from Beatles covers to writing original material, even though upon signing to RCA, their debut single was headlined by the excellent Fab Four cover of 'If I Needed Someone'. Their self-penned follow up single 'My Buddy Sin' closed out 1966 and in the spring of 1967, they scored a major local hit with 'We Got A Long Way To Go'. The Eastern influenced, psychedelic droner 'A Scene In Between' soon followed, but the band again proved unable to dent the national charts resulting in RCA terminating their contract. Later in '67, Hedge left the fold reducing the act to a trio.

Stained Glass then signed to Capitol and issued the 45 'Lady In Lace' b/w 'Soap And Turkey' in mid 1968. In early 1969, they issued their first full length effort (Crazy Horse Roads), which features a far less than conventional album cover of the band being hanged. When the record didn't hit big, Rominger soon exited, and with the addition of Tom Bryant (guitar), they released a second LP titled Aurora, but when it too didn't sell well, the group dissolved in November, 1969.

If you have any further information on this group, please e-mail to paulmaze@techwebsound.com.

Artist information sources include: The book, 'Fuzz, Acid, and Flowers Revisited' by Vernon Joynson.