The Lollipop Shoppe
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
| Products | Garage rock music |
The Lollipop Shoppe was a garage rock group originating from Las Vegas, Nevada in 1966, known for their American roots.
Biography
Fred Cole (lead vocals) began his musical journey in 1964 by recording his debut single with a band named the Lords. Two years later, in 1966, he established the Weeds, which included Eddie Bowen on guitar, Ron Buzzell handling rhythm guitar, Bob Atkins playing bass guitar, and Tim Rockson on drums. After issuing the single "It's Your Time" through the local Teenbeat Club label, the group aimed to perform at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium; however, this opportunity did not materialize. Initially planning to relocate to Canada to evade the draft, they ultimately settled in Portland, Oregon, where they cultivated a dedicated fanbase within the regional club scene.
The Weeds caught the attention of Uni Records, an MCA subsidiary, leading to a contract offer. Their manager, 'Lord' Tim Hudson, renamed them as the Lollipop Shoppe without their approval to align with the popular bubblegum pop style of that period.
Their 1968 release, Just Colour, is a fusion of garage rock and psychedelic influences. Although neither the album nor its single "You Must Be a Witch" achieved chart success at the time, both have since become highly regarded classics within garage rock circles and are sought after by collectors. Two songs from this album were featured in the 1968 film Angels from Hell. The band toured extensively and put out one additional single before disbanding in 1969. They briefly reunited under the Weeds name in 1971 for one single release but disbanded permanently soon after. In 2007, their works were reissued by Way Back Records under the title The Weeds – AKA The Lollipop Shoppe.
The track "You Must Be a Witch" has been covered by numerous artists, including Australian garage outfit the Philisteins, American punk musician Stiv Bators, Pittsburgh-based garage band the Cynics, Memphis synth punk group Lost Sounds, and Black Lips.
Singles
As the Weeds
- "It's Your Time" b/w "Little Girl" – Teenbeat Club TB-1006, 1966
- "Stop" b/w "No Good News" – NWI Records NWI-2784, 1971
As The Lollipop Shoppe
- "You Must Be a Witch" b/w "Don't Close the Door" – Uni Records UNI-55050, 1968
- "Someone I Knew" b/w "Through My Window" – Shamley Records S-44005, 1969
Albums
- Just Colour – Uni Records UNI-73019, 1968
- The Weeds – AKA The Lollipop Shoppe – Way Back Records MMCD-66026, 2007