One of several second-to-third-division West Coast (or nearly West Coast) '60s bands on the Mainstream label,
the Superfine Dandelion made one middling album in 1967 that mixed San Francisco psychedelic, folk-rock, pop, and jug band influences. They were formed in Phoenix in early 1967 by singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter Mike McFadden. McFadden had been in local garage band
the Mile Ends, who had released a good punky Rolling Stones-y single, "Bottle Up and Go," in 1966; bassist
Ed Black, who had been in
the Mile Ends in their final days, was also in
the Superfine Dandelion. Their self-titled LP had a good deal of sub-
Jefferson Airplane folk-psych-rock, with plenty of minor chords, harmonies, and wistful lyrics. There was also an occasional countryish influence in the spirit of
the Lovin' Spoonful and
Buffalo Springfield, and some good-timey jug band flavor. There weren't any excellent songs, though. The album made little impact, and the group disbanded in 1968, with bassist
Rick Anderson (who only joined shortly before the album was finished) going on to
the Tubes, and
Black touring and recording with
Linda Ronstadt in the first half of the 1970s, later playing with
Karla Bonoff's band.
The Superfine Dandelion album was reissued on CD by Sundazed in 2000, augmented by non-LP cuts from 45s and outtakes, including four songs from the pre-
Superfine Dandelion days by
the Mile Ends.
–
Richie Unterberger, Rovi
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