The Marshmallow Overcoat

The Marshmallow Overcoat is an American garage rock band, formed in Tucson, AZ, in 1986 by lead singer Timothy Gassen under his "Randy Love" persona.[1] They are considered an essential part of the paisley/neo-psychedelia bands that formed the 1980s.[2][3][4]

The Marshmallow Overcoat
Cover image to The Marshmallow Overcoat's 2-LP "The Very Best Of" (2014)
Background information
Also known asMarshmallow Overcoat, Overcoat
OriginTucson, Arizona, United States
GenresGarage rock
Years active1986–1996, 2000–2011
LabelsDionysus Records, Skyclad/Get Hip Records, 360 Twist! Records, Kinetic Vibes Records, Face Records, Music Maniac Records, Collectables Records, Purple Cactus Media Productions, Garage Nation Records
WebsiteOfficial website
MembersTimothy Gassen (aka "Randy Love"): vocals, band leader
Scot Gassen: drum kit
Dan Magee: bass
Chad White: guitars
Matt Rendon: guitars, bass, drum kit
Bill Kurzenberger: keyboards
Debra Dickey: keyboards
Past membersLinda Andes
Jeff Dobberpuhl
Sean Randel
Mike Panico
Al Perry

History

The Marshmallow Overcoat's first recording deal was with Dionysus Records in Los Angeles who released their first LP, The Inner Groove, in 1987.[5] They received international attention for their brand of "modern psychedelia",[6] and for generating the "Arizona sound."[7] Influenced by The Chocolate Watchband, The Doors, The Beatles, The Byrds, Fuzztones, early Miracle Workers, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Electric Prunes, 1960's garage/psychedelic music,[8][9][10] their sound incorporates traditional fuzz with elements associated with these other genres, such as the use of the Farfisa organ and 12-string Rickenbacker guitars,[11] re-created without clichéd regurgitation.[12] Subsequent releases on Skyclad/Get Hip Records and two European labels, Music Maniac (Germany) and Psych-Out (France),[13] and an international tour,[14] earned them a fan base in Europe as well as the US.

Their music videos received airplay on more than 50 video shows[15] on the top cable channels in the 1980s. MTV's "120 Minutes" aired the music videos for the songs "Suddenly Sunday" and "Thirteen Ghosts." SuperStation WTBS also aired the music video "Suddenly Sunday" on their show "Night Tracks".

For a brief time, between 1991–1993, the band shortened their name to "Overcoat."[16][17] The band stopped touring in 1996, but re-formed in 2000[18] to record through 2011.[19] Although the band played its last concert in 2008,[20] many contemporary garage bands have cited The Marshmallow Overcoat as a chief influence.[21][22]

In addition to nine full-length album releases, singles and vinyl EPs, The Marshmallow Overcoat appear on compilation albums released in the US, UK, Italy, France, Spain, Greece and Germany.[23] Their recordings have received airplay on radio stations in the US and abroad.[2] In 2013, Timothy Gassen ran a successful Kickstarter campaign[24] to release a 30-song "best of" audio collection as a 2-LP colored vinyl set.[25][26][27] The band's name, The Marshmallow Overcoat, was inspired by dialog in Martin Scorsese's 1978 film The Last Waltz.[1]

Members

Timothy Gassen is lead vocalist and band leader. Other members include Scot Gassen (drum kit), Dan Magee (bass), Chad White (guitars), Matt Rendon (guitars, bass, drum kit), Bill Kurzenberger (keyboards), and Debra Dickey (keyboards).

Selected discography

Albums
  • The Inner Groove (1987) Dionysus Records (USA)
  • Try On... (1988) Skyclad/Get Hip Records (USA)
  • Three Chords... And A Cloud Of Dust! (1991) Dionysus Records (USA)
  • Fuzz, Screams & Tambourines! (1991) Kinetic Vibes Records (France)
  • A Touch Of Evil (1993) Music Maniac Records (Germany)
  • All You Need Is Fuzz (1993) Collectables Records (USA)
  • The Baroque Sounds Of (1995) Misty Lane (Italy)
  • Marshmallow Overcoat (1996) 360 Twist! Records (USA)
  • The Light Show (2008) Purple Cactus Media Productions (USA)
  • Goodnight.Goodbye. (2009) Purple Cactus Media Productions (USA)
  • The Complete Sound (2011) Garage Nation Records (USA)
  • The Very Best Of (2014) Garage Nation Records (USA)

Singles
  • Groovy Little Trip b/w Stop It Baby 7" (Dionysus Records) 1986 (USA)
  • Suddenly Sunday b/w Tomorrow Never Knows 7" (Skyclad/Get Hip Records) 1988 (USA)
  • Season Of The Witch b/w 1000 Years Ago 7" (Face Records) 1991 (Italy)
  • Fly Away b/w Can't Stop Thee Hands Of Tyme 7" (Sound Effect) 2005 (Greece)

EPs
  • Alive (Dionysus Records) 1989 (USA)
  • Beverly Pepper (Skyclad/Get Hip Records) 1990 (USA)
  • Psilocybic Mind (Psych-Out Records) 2003 (Italy)

Contributions
  • (1987) Raw Cuts Volume Six: American Psych Wars (Satellite Records, UK) - I Can Only Give Your Everything & Psilocybin Explosion
  • (1987) Kaleidoscope Presents: The Exploding Underground Compilation (Direct Hit Records, USA) - Suddenly Sunday
  • (1989) Here Ain’t The Sonics (Popllama Records, USA) - Maintaining My Cool
  • (1990) Ptolemaic Terrascope (Ptolemaic Terrascope Magazine, UK) - Cinderella
  • (1991) Psychedelic Psauna (Delerium Records, UK) - 13 Ghosts
  • (1991) Ruta 66 (Capote Records, Spain) - Tried To Hide
  • (1991) Who Are Them (Face Records, Italy) - The Good's Gone
  • (1992) Fun With Mushrooms (Delerium Records, UK) - 13 Ghosts
  • (1992) Kinetic Vibes 7” (Kinetic Vibes Magazine, France) - Soapy
  • (1992) Abus Dangereaux (Abus Dangereaux Magazine, France) - Inside Tonight
  • (1992) Larsen (Larsen Magazine, France) - I Need You
  • (1992) Try One Of These (Moxie Records, USA) - Baby You’re Wrong
  • (1993) 55 Miles From Mexico (EFA, Germany) - Beverly Pepper
  • (1993) A Web Of Mystery (Misty Lane Records, Italy) - 7 & 7 Is
  • (1995) For Your Long Hair Party (Aishna Records, Spain) - Bitter Heart
  • (1996) Transworld Punk (Misty Lane Records, Italy) - My Flash On You
  • (1996) Ochre Sampler (Ochre Records, UK) - A Song For Steven
  • (2001) The Knights of Fuzz (Purple Cactus Media Productions, USA) - (We’re The) The Knights of Fuzz
  • (2002) Illbilly Records compilation #2 (Illbilly Records, USA) - (We’re The) The Knights of Fuzz
  • (2004) Lost in Tyme (Lost In Tyme Fanzine, Greece) - Come Today
  • (2004) Garage Bands Revisited (GBR Fanzine, France) - Psilocybic Mind
  • (2005) Tribute to the Fuzztones (Sin Records, USA) - Skeleton Farm
  • (2005) Ansia De Color compilation (Ansia De Color magazine, Spain) - A House Is Not A Motel
  • (2005) Peace Frog compilation (Peace Frog fanzine, Greece) - I Looked At You
  • (2006) The Knights of Fuzz: Garage and Psychedelic Music (Purple Cactus Media Productions, USA) - (We’re The) The Knights of Fuzz
  • (2014) The Knights of Fuzz (Purple Cactus Media Productions, USA) - (We’re The) The Knights of Fuzz

Video
  • Stop It Baby 1986
  • Suddenly Sunday 1988
  • 13 Ghosts 1990
  • The Mummy 1991
  • Bones Crack 1993
  • 26 Ghosts 2005
  • Psilocybic Mind 2006

References
  1. "The Marshmallow Overcoat". Kaleidoscope Magazine. October 1, 1988. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. Gassen, Timothy (1995). The Knights of Fuzz. London: Borderline Productions. pp. 125–126. ISBN 1-899855-02-5.
  3. Patterson, Carla (August 23, 1991). "60s beat: 'New Sounds of the 6T's' looks to future". San Diego Union Tribune.
  4. Graham, Chuck (September 18, 1993). "The Overcoat Comes Into Style". Tucson Citizen.
  5. Andy Van De Voorde (May 3, 1988). "SunTracks - Backyard Barbecue Local bands roast over an open spit!". Phoenix New Times. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  6. Gene Armstrong (March 31, 1989). "Marshmallow Overcoat's new effort is caressing". The Arizona Daily Star.
  7. Fred Mills (June–July 1988). "The Inner Groove". The Bob: 39. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. Verdesi, Christopher (March 3, 1989). "The Marshmallow Overcoat brings '60s to '80s". Arizona Daily Wildcat.
  9. Mills, Fred. "The Knights of Fuzz: An Interview with Timothy Gassen".
  10. "Interview with Timothy Gassen".
  11. Dave & Rena O'Halloran (January 1, 1988). "WhatWave #16 - Interview with The Marshmallow Overcoat". WhatWave Records. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2014. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. Fred Mills (1991). "1986-1990". The Bob.
  13. Georgandis, Adam (May 1, 1990). "Marshmallow Overcoat hits Mudbugg's Group". Arizona Daily Wildcat.
  14. Malleis, Ron (October 1, 1992). "The Overcoat kicks off tour". Arizona Daily Wildcat.
  15. Neal Skok (1991). "An Arizona Band Takes Over". Wire volume 10 number 1. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. Periklis Mihos (June 1, 2004). "The Marshmallow Overcoat". Lost In Tyme Fanzine.
  17. "The Overcoat". Noise For Heroes. Fall 1992.
  18. Higgins, Polly (November 1, 2001). "Psyched about psychedelics". Tucson Citizen.
  19. Paterson, Beverly (December 9, 2011). "Marshmallow Overcoat – The Complete Sound (2011)". Something Else!.
  20. "Tucson Weekly: Garage Retrospectives". Tucson Weekly.
  21. Beverly Paterson (December 9, 2011). "Marshmallow Overcoat – The Complete Sound (2011)". Something Else!.
  22. "Rewind to the garage rock era". Archived from the original on April 10, 2014.
  23. D'Andrea, Niki. "Garage A Go-Go".
  24. Franchine, Philip. "Rock 'n' roll never dies: Garage band seeks support for greatest-hits album".
  25. Schoemer, Karen. "A Kickstarter Pitch We Can Get Behind: Garage/Psych Legends the Marshmallow Overcoat".
  26. Ford, Nathan. "The Active Listener: The Very Best of The Marshmallow Overcoat".


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