Bugaloos Soundtrack CD

Syd & Marty Kroffts enormously successful follow up to Hr Pufnstuf another Wizard of Oz style children's program full of psychedelic metaphors and great music (Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel). Incredibly this is the first time that this soundtrack has been made available in the west. The appeal is everything cartoon and kitsch from Batman to Josie & The Pussycats to the Banana Splits and Brady Bunch. 11 tracks. El. 2006.

Personnel: Caroline Ellis (vocals, tambourine); John Philpott (guitar, drums); Wayne Laryea (keyboards).
Director: Tony Charmoli.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Van Snowden; John McIndoe; Billy Barty; Sharon Baird; Martha Raye.
Arrangers: Al Capp; Al Capps.
A cross between a horrific LSD trip (complete with denture-wearer Martha Raye living in a jukebox playing dissonant, atonal noise) and the sugar sweetness of sunshine pop on AM radio, The Bugaloos was another in the long line of children's shows from the mad minds of Sid and Marty Krofft. A rebuttal to much live action children's television at the time (à la The Banana Splits), the group also featured amazingly catchy and infectious songs with each new episode -- an amazing feat considering the show lasted for two seasons and was driven largely by variations on the same plot every time. Surprisingly, these songs sound different than many of their contemporaries, with much more attention being paid to the finer details of song arrangement and production values without losing focus on the simplicity of their core audience: children. Decades later, these songs still sound surprisingly fresh and colorful. ~ Rob Theakston