Pacific Gas and Electric Biography
Formed in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1968, Pacific Gas And Electric was a quintet that merged blues, gospel, soul, jazz and rock. The members were Charlie Allen (1942, d. 7 May 1990; vocals), Glenn Schwartz (lead guitar), Thomas Marshall (rhythm guitar), Brent Black (bass) and Frank Cook (drums), the latter an alumnus of Canned Heat. The group's first album, Get It On, was initially issued on the small Bright Orange label and then reissued on the band's own Power Records, scraping into the charts at number 159. An appearance at the Miami Pop Festival in December 1968 was considered a highlight of that event and the group came to the attention of Columbia Records, who subsequently signed them. A self-titled album was released on Columbia in August 1969 and fared somewhat better, reaching number 91. The group's third album, Are You Ready, did not fare as well, reaching only number 101, but it did yield their only hit single in the title track, a gospel-influenced rocker that climbed to number 14 in mid-1970. One other album and a couple of further singles were issued but by 1971 the group was in disarray. Various personnel changes, including the addition of a horn section, left Allen the only original member by 1973, when the group's final album was issued on Dunhill Records.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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