AKA: BEFOUR THREE O'CLOCK
Formed: Los Angeles, California, USA
Mind Gardens, the debut single from this band, is a fine piece of psychedelic pop with enough punk zip to render it more than mere nostalgia. It was their only release with the original lineup of Michael Quercio (vocals, bass, then calling himself Ricky Start), John Blazing (guitar) and Troy Howell (drums), although the lineup did record a demo in 1981. It was this demo in fact that led to the band signing to Frontier, after label boss Lisa Fancher heard it played on Rodney Bingenheimer's Rodney on the ROQ radio show.
After the single's release, Quercio reverted to his given name and Blazing was replaced by Gregg Gutierrez (aka Louis Gutierrez) and recorded their cult classic The Salvation Army in 1982.
Following legal action by the real Salvation Army, the group changed its name to the Three O'Clock and continued to record with a new lineup. This "new" band existed between 1982 and 1989, and reformed in 2013.
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DISCOGRAPHY
Singles & Albums
Mind Gardens (7", 1981)
The Salvation Army (LP, 1982)
Extraneous Releases
Befour Three O'Clock (LP, as Befour Three O'Clock, reissue of 1982 LP, 1984)
Happen Happened (CD, as Befour Three O'Clock, 1992)
Live From Torrance & Beyond (LP, 2019)
Various Artists
The Radio Tokyo Tapes US LP 1983 (Ear Movie): All In Good Time
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Links
Wikipedia - Salvation Army / The Three O'ClockArt Into Dust - The Story of Three O'Clock - Excellent band bio
