Psychedelic Lunch

Welcome to our “Psychedelic Lunch” series where we find out how deep the rabbit hole really goes and explore psychedelic tunes from the 60’s to today. Weekdays At Noon EST. Enjoy the trip!

Country Joe And The Fish, Grace. Album: electric Music For The Mind And Body 1967.

Country Joe McDonald is named after Josef Stalin.

McDonald and Melton met as members of the Instant Action Jug Band. The original incarnation of the Fish was a jug band.

They were all arrested in Worcester, Massachusetts for inciting a crowd to lewd behavior by leading them in the infamous “FISH” cheer (Gimme an F – Gimme a U – etc.).

The band remained together long enough to appear in the 1971 film Zachariah.

McDonald has become involved in causes ranging from Vietnam veterans to saving the whales.

McDonald has a daughter named Seven. No joke, Seinfeld fans.

The Fish briefly reunited in 1977 for a tour and an album, Reunion.

In 1992, Melton ran for a city judgeship in Mendocino, California. He lost.

Country Joe McDonald performed solo and with The Fish at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. McDonald says he was “scared to death” and had to be pushed onstage for his solo performance.

Electric Music for the Mind and Bodyis Country Joe and the Fish’s debut album. Released in May 1967 on the Vanguard label, it was one of the first psychedelic albums to come out of San Francisco.

The song “Grace” by Country Joe And The Fish is listed as number 3 on the list if top 100 psychedelic rock songs.