The Balloon Farm
Encyclopedia
The Balloon Farm, a musical act from New Jersey, took its name from a New York City nightclub. It is best known for its sole hit song, "A Question of Temperature," which made the Billboard charts
in February 1968, peaking in the top 40.
The members of the band, Mike Appel
, Don Henny, Ed Schnug and Jay Saks, first played together in a band called Adam, which made one single for the Mala label entitled "Eve" in 1966. Adam's gimmick was that all four members of the group adopted the first name "Adam". They were probably not the first to use this idea, but they were far from the last; a similar ruse would be used by other bands, including The Donnas
.
After adopting the name The Balloon Farm, the band's first single was "A Question of Temperature," which was released in October 1967. First pressings of the 45 rpm single contained a typographical error that rendered the title as "A Question of Tempature". Another typo, which was never fixed, was the name of the song's producer, Peter Schekeryk, which was spelled "Shekeryk", even after the title of the song was fixed. The single reached a peak of #37 on the Billboard
Hot 100, and in the years since has become something of a garage
-psych
classic. It has appeared on numerous thematic compilations, including the Rhino box set, Nuggets
, Acid Dreams; it was recorded by Brownsville Station
on its 1973 album Yeah!
, the same LP on which "Smokin' in the Boy's Room" appears; and it was recorded by several garage bands in the 1980s, including The Lords of the New Church
, Mindflux and Human Sexual Response
, as well as the early Vancouver
-based punk band The Young Canadians
.
The follow-up single "Hurry Up Sundown" flopped, and the Balloon Farm was dropped by Laurie before it was able to record an entire album. However, one of the band's unreleased songs, "Sunshine Rides on a Trolley" (also known as "Sunshine Rides on a Trolley Car"), was recorded in Australia by Robbie Snowden, who had a moderate hit with it in 1967.
Later in 1968, the Balloon Farm resurfaced with yet another new name, Huck Finn, and one single on the Kapp
label, "Two of a Kind". After that, the band broke up.
Three people involved with the hit "A Question of Temperature" gained greater fame in the 1970s. Schekeryk would become Melanie
's manager and husband. Arranger, Charlie Morrow would become internationally known for jingles including Hefty Wimpy, large scale art events like TootN Blink and New Wilderness International Solstice celebrations and, in the new millennium, the invention of MorrowSound True3D 3D audio effect
. Appel, after cowriting "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" and several LP cuts for The Partridge Family
, would become the first manager of Bruce Springsteen
.
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
in February 1968, peaking in the top 40.
The members of the band, Mike Appel
Mike Appel
Mike Appel is an American music industry manager and record producer, most known for his role in both capacities early in the career of Bruce Springsteen....
, Don Henny, Ed Schnug and Jay Saks, first played together in a band called Adam, which made one single for the Mala label entitled "Eve" in 1966. Adam's gimmick was that all four members of the group adopted the first name "Adam". They were probably not the first to use this idea, but they were far from the last; a similar ruse would be used by other bands, including The Donnas
The Donnas
The Donnas are an American all-female rock band from Palo Alto, California. They draw inspiration from The Ramones, The Runaways, AC/DC, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Kiss. Rolling Stone has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not...
.
After adopting the name The Balloon Farm, the band's first single was "A Question of Temperature," which was released in October 1967. First pressings of the 45 rpm single contained a typographical error that rendered the title as "A Question of Tempature". Another typo, which was never fixed, was the name of the song's producer, Peter Schekeryk, which was spelled "Shekeryk", even after the title of the song was fixed. The single reached a peak of #37 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100, and in the years since has become something of a garage
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
-psych
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
classic. It has appeared on numerous thematic compilations, including the Rhino box set, Nuggets
Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968
Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era is a compilation album of American garage rock singles released in the mid- to late 1960s. It was assembled by Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra Records, and Lenny Kaye, later lead guitarist for the Patti Smith Group...
, Acid Dreams; it was recorded by Brownsville Station
Brownsville Station (band)
Brownsville Station was a rock band from Michigan that was popular in the 1970s. Original members included Cub Koda , Mike Lutz , T.J. Cronley , and Tony Driggins...
on its 1973 album Yeah!
Yeah! (Brownsville Station album)
Yeah! is a studio album by the hard rock band Brownsville Station. It hit No. 98 on the The Billboard 200, while the single "Smokin' In the Boys Room" reached No. 3 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and No...
, the same LP on which "Smokin' in the Boy's Room" appears; and it was recorded by several garage bands in the 1980s, including The Lords of the New Church
The Lords of the New Church
The Lords of the New Church were an English/American post-punk supergroup with a line-up consisting of four musicians from prominent 1970s punk bands...
, Mindflux and Human Sexual Response
Human Sexual Response (band)
Human Sexual Response was an American New Wave band formed in Boston, MA in 1978. The band broke up in 1982.-Formation and early years:Casey Cameron formed an all-kazoo band with her neighbors, among whom were Larry Bangor , Dini Lamot , and Windle Davis...
, as well as the early Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
-based punk band The Young Canadians
Young Canadians
Young Canadians were a Vancouver punk rock band active for just under two years. The YC's were influenced not only by the other punk bands in town at that time such as D.O.A. and the Pointed Sticks, but also by the Dolls, the Stooges, and 1960s garage rock...
.
The follow-up single "Hurry Up Sundown" flopped, and the Balloon Farm was dropped by Laurie before it was able to record an entire album. However, one of the band's unreleased songs, "Sunshine Rides on a Trolley" (also known as "Sunshine Rides on a Trolley Car"), was recorded in Australia by Robbie Snowden, who had a moderate hit with it in 1967.
Later in 1968, the Balloon Farm resurfaced with yet another new name, Huck Finn, and one single on the Kapp
Kapp Records
Kapp Records was an independent record label started in 1954 by David Kapp, brother of Jack Kapp . David Kapp founded his own label after stints with Decca Records and RCA Victor Records. Kapp licensed its records to London Records for release in the UK.In 1967, David Kapp sold his label to MCA Inc...
label, "Two of a Kind". After that, the band broke up.
Three people involved with the hit "A Question of Temperature" gained greater fame in the 1970s. Schekeryk would become Melanie
Melanie Safka
Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk is an American singer-songwriter. Known professionally as simply Melanie, she is best known for her hits "Brand New Key", "Ruby Tuesday" and "Lay Down ".-Early career:...
's manager and husband. Arranger, Charlie Morrow would become internationally known for jingles including Hefty Wimpy, large scale art events like TootN Blink and New Wilderness International Solstice celebrations and, in the new millennium, the invention of MorrowSound True3D 3D audio effect
3D audio effect
3D audio effects are a group of sound effects that attempt to widen the stereo image produced by two loudspeakers or stereo headphones, or to create the illusion of sound sources placed anywhere in 3 dimensional space, including behind, above or below the listener.There are several types of 3D...
. Appel, after cowriting "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" and several LP cuts for The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
, would become the first manager of Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
.