You probably haven’t heard of Frumious Bandersnatch but you will know Journey and founding members of the band, Ross Valory and George Tickner went on to form Journey in 1973 with former Santana members Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie. And you’ll know the Steve Miller Band: Four of the band's members—Bobby Winkelman, Jack King, Ross Valory, and David Denny—later became regular members of the band.
They were a psychedelic rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area that was active from 1967 to 1969. The band's name comes from a creature in the Lewis Carroll poem "Jabberwocky." Of course it does.
They had a psychedelic rock sound, which featured intricate, acid-soaked guitar work. Their music is often compared to other San Francisco bands like Quicksilver Messenger Service and Jefferson Airplane. They really should have had just as much success.
Despite their reputation, forged in the wild crucible of the San Francisco scene, the band's official output during their brief existence was limited to a single, self-produced three-song EP in 1968. This EP, which included the minor underground hit "Hearts to Cry," has become a highly sought-after collector's item with people paying up to £1000 for a copy if you can find one. Later, archival recordings, including live performances and studio outtakes, were released, on the albums A Young Man's Song and Golden Songs of Libra which show how good they were.
Although their career was short-lived and they never achieved widespread commercial success, Fruminous Bandersnatch is regarded by many as an underrated and influential part of the late 1960s San Francisco music scene.
