Country Joe & the Fish came about as part political device, part necessity and part entertainment. Formed as a duo in 1965 by “Country” Joe McDonald and guitarist Barry “The Fish” Melton, the two became regulars on the Bay Area coffeehouse circuit, often performing with local jug band musicians.

By 1966, Country Joe & the Fish had grown into a rock band, with the additions of Paul Armstrong, Bruce Barthol on bass, David Cohen on guitar and keyboards and John Francis Gunning on drums. Following a second EP, the six musicians went into the studio to record their full-length debut, Electric Music for the Mind and Body. 

Considered to be a psychedelic masterpiece, Electric Music for the Mind and Body was a commercial success, skyrocketing the popularity of the band, who garnered a coveted spot at the Monterey Pop Festival just two months later.