The Weeds - Aka The Lollipop Shoppe (Reissue) (1966-71/2007)

Led by singer Fred Cole, who had formerly been in the Northwest punk band the Weeds, the Lollipop Shoppe's sole album (from 1968) ranks as one of the better psych-punk LPs, and also as one of the better one-shot rock records of the late '60s. Featuring Cole's choked, bitter phrasing, the group staked out the middle ground between the Seeds (who shared the same manager) and Love, with a bit of fellow L.A. psych-punkers the Music Machine thrown in. If comparisons must be made, they were definitely closer in tone to Love than the Seeds, with a mixture of raunch and reflection in the spirit of Arthur Lee. Cole was one of the few psychedelic performers to make a contribution during the punk era, surfacing in the Portland punk band the Rats in the late '70s. (Richie Unterberger)

The Lollipop Shoppe: They were originally known as The Weeds and featured Fred Cole as singer. After The Weeds signed to Uni Records (a now-defunct subsidiary of MCA), their new manager, 'Lord' Tim Hudson, insisted they change their name to The Lollipop Shoppe to fit in with the current trend of bubblegum music. Hardly bubblegum, they played a mix of garage rock and psychedelia. The album and its single, "You Must Be a Witch," are regarded as period classics and still prized by collectors, though neither made the charts. The band opened for stars such as Janis Joplin and The Doors, and appeared in the biker movie "Angels from Hell". (Sky Skyler)