At the emerging period of psychedelia, Vanilla Fudge started with an exemplary debut set that produced the classic track, “You Keep Me Hanging On”. This song was a claim to fame and legitimized the band going forward. Unfortunately, Vanilla Fudge never surpassed their debut in sales or hit singles, although a great cover of Donovan’s “Season of the Witch” was on the band’s second album. By 1970, Vanilla Fudge was finished after five albums.
The Vanilla Fudge story begins in 1967 when the producer and songwriter George “Shadow” Morton heard the band–then composed of vocalist-keyboardist Mark Stein, drummer Carmine Appice, guitarist Vinny Martell and bassist Tim Bogert performed the song that would become their signature tune, a slow and heavy cover of the 1966 Supremes hit “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” at The Action House in Long Island, New York. Morton quickly arranged for the group to record the song, which led to the band signing with Atlantic Records’ Atco imprint.
This time Vanilla Fudge scored a No#6 pop hit, Their self-titled debut album followed shortly thereafter and, virtually overnight, the band found itself headlining major bills on both coasts as the album reached No#6 on the sales chart. “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” was released as a single in July ’67 one year after the Supremes had took it to top spot, One year later, though a follow-up album was selling, the song was re-released as a single, and rose quickly up the chart.
Morton went on to produce the second and third Fudge albums, 1968’s The Beat Goes On and Renaissance, both of which continue their rise into the rock stratosphere. Soon, the band was touring with every major rock act, from Jimi Hendrix to Cream to Led Zeppelin, who remarkably had opened for Vanilla Fudge on their very first U.S. tour back in 1968 and early ’69.
After an exhaustive non-stop schedule between 1967 and 1970, the band went on hiatus as Bogert and Appice formed another classic rock band, Cactus. By 1972, the pair joined superstar guitarist Jeff Beck to form the power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice. Their 1973 self-titled album included their cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” with Bogert singing lead.
Vanilla Fudge had numerous reunion albums and tours. A 2015 album, Spirit of ’67, featured original members Appice, Martell and Mark Stein, as well as bassist Pete Bremy replacing Bogert, who retired from touring in 2008.
Tim Bogert, who died of cancer. (January 13, 2021) Bogert was 76, he was the bass guitarist for the hard rock bands the Vanilla Fudge and Cactus, and later as part of a trio with Jeff Beck and Carmine Appice, The news was shared by Appice, his frequent bandmate and friend for over 50 years, on his Facebook page, calling Bogert “a one of a kind bass player.”
Appice’s tribute continued. “He was as masterful at shredding as he was holding down a groove, and Tim introduced a new level of virtuosity into rock bass playing. No one played like Tim. He created bass solos that drove audiences to a frenzy every time he played one. And he played a different solo every night. He was the last of the legendary 60’s bass players.
“I loved Tim like a brother. He will be missed very much in my life. I will miss calling him, cracking jokes together, talking music and remembering the great times we had together, and how we created kick-ass music together.” reports that at the time of his death Bogert had been working with Beck and Appice on a live album project.
Audio specialists at Mobile Fidelity will do the classic Vanilla Fudge debut proud by reissuing the title on a limited edition 180g-weight 2LP package, newly remastered and pressed at 45RPM. Even better, MoFi will release a limited edition SACD of the album (with a CD layer allowing play in most CD players). The 2LP set is limited to 3000 copies, while the SACD edition is limited to 2000 copies. The sound is in Mono.
The Fat Angel Sings 