Count Five | |
|---|---|
 Count Five in 1966 From left to right: Ron Chaney (bass), Mouse Michalski (lead guitar), Sean Byrne (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Butch Atkinson (drums), Kenn Ellner (vocals, harmonica) | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | San Jose,California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1964 (1964)–1969 (1969) |
| Labels | Double Shot |
| Past members |
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Count Five was an Americangarage rock band formed inSan Jose, California in 1964,[2][3][4] best known for their hit single "Psychotic Reaction".[1]
The band was founded in 1964 by lead guitarist John "Mouse" Michalski (born 1948, Cleveland, Ohio) and bassist Roy Chaney (born 1948, Indianapolis, Indiana). The two were friends atPioneer High School, who had previously played in several short-lived bands, most notably asurf rock group named The Citations. As theBritish Invasion's influence took effect, the band changed in musical direction. After going by the name The Squires for a short time, along with several line-up changes, the Count Five was born. John "Sean" Byrne (1947–2008, born Dublin, Ireland) played rhythm guitar and performed lead vocals; Kenn Ellner played tambourine and harmonica, while sharing lead vocals; and Craig "Butch" Atkinson (1947–1998, born San Jose, California) played drums.[5] The Count Five were recognizable for their habit of wearingCount Dracula-style capes when playing live.[6]
"Psychotic Reaction", an acknowledged cornerstone of garage rock,[7] was initially devised by Byrne, with the group refining it and turning it into the highlight of their live sets. The song was influenced by the style of contemporary musicians such asThe Standells andThe Yardbirds.[8] The band was rejected by several record labels before they got signed to the Los Angeles-basedDouble Shot Records. "Psychotic Reaction" was released as a single, peaking at number five in the U.S. charts in late 1966,[9] and it became the title track totheir only studio album in 1966. The band enjoyed limited success afterwards before breaking up in 1969.
Count Five reunited in April 1987 when they performed a concert at One Step Beyond nightclub inSanta Clara, California. This was released asPsychotic Reunion LIVE!.[10]
"Psychotic Reaction" was included on the 1972 compilation albumNuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968.[11] This inclusion was noted as bringing the single and the band to a whole new generation of listeners.[12]
The band was immortalized in a 1971 essay by rock journalistLester Bangs, entitled "Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung." In the essay, Bangs credited the band for having released several albums afterPsychotic Reaction:Carburetor Dung,Cartesian Jetstream,Ancient Lace and Wrought-Iron Railings, andSnowflakes Falling On the International Dateline—each displaying an increasing sense of artistry and refinement. However, none of these subsequent albums existed except in Bangs' own imagination.[13]
"Psychotic Reaction" can be heard playing on the jukebox in an early scene inWim Wenders' filmAlice in the Cities (1974) and in the party scene inThe Sense of an Ending (2017). It can also be heard on the season one finale of theHBO drama seriesVinyl.[14]
The song was covered byMouse and the Traps in a 1966 single,The Radiators From Space in a 1977 single,The Cramps on their 1983 live albumSmell of Female, byThe Fuzztones on their 1987 album "Live In Europe!" andThe Vibrators in 2009 among others.
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