James Lowe, the lead singer and founding member of the psychedelic rock band the Electric Prunes, died May 22 at age 82 from natural causes. Lowe died suddenly, but peacefully, “surrounded by family and music,” according to his family.

The Electric Prunes achieved their greatest commercial success with the 1966 single “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night),” which reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song later became the opening track on the influential 1972 psychedelic garage compilation “Nuggets,” which helped cement the band’s legacy in rock history. Their follow-up single “Get Me to the World on Time” peaked at No. 27, while their self-titled debut album reached No. 113 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Born March 5, 1943, in San Luis Obispo, California, Lowe grew up in Los Angeles and spent time in Hawaii as a teenager. He was influenced by surf guitarist Dick Dale, whom he frequently saw perform at Newport Beach’s Rendezvous Ballroom. In 1965, Lowe formed the Electric Prunes with several Taft High School students, initially performing as a garage band called the Sanctions.

The band was discovered by record producer and engineer Dave Hassinger, who had worked on the Rolling Stones’ mid-1960s records. Hassinger became their manager and helped secure a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records’ Reprise imprint. The group’s original name, “Jim and the Lords,” was changed to the Electric Prunes, which originated from a joke.

The Electric Prunes became pioneers in psychedelic rock, utilizing backwards guitars, fuzz guitar effects, and wah-wah pedals in their recordings. The manufacturers of the Fox wah-wah pedal used the band in their advertising campaigns during the late 1960s. Their innovative sound helped define the psychedelic movement, particularly in American underground music circles.

After their initial success, the band recorded two albums in 1967: their self-titled debut and “Underground.” They also created the ambitious “Mass in F Minor” in 1968, a collaboration with songwriter and producer David Axelrod that merged psychedelic pop with Gregorian music. One track from this album, “Kyrie Eleison,” was featured in the 1969 cult film “Easy Rider” and later became popular among hip-hop producers including MF Doom and Madlib.

Lowe left the Electric Prunes in 1968, discouraged by the band’s financial difficulties and musical direction. He transitioned to work behind the recording console as an engineer and producer, contributing to significant works including all three albums by Todd Rundgren’s band Nazz and the first two albums by Sparks. When these projects proved commercially unsuccessful, Lowe left the music industry in the early 1970s to pursue a career in television production and commercial filmmaking.

Following a quarter-century absence from music, Lowe reunited with original Electric Prunes members Mark Tulin, Ken Williams, and Michael Weakley in the late 1990s. The reformed band released their comeback album “Artifact” in 2001, which returned to their original psychedelic garage rock sound. They continued recording, releasing three additional studio albums: “California” in 2004, “Feedback” in 2006, and “WaS” in 2014.

The reunited Electric Prunes remained active through Lowe’s death, with the singer embracing the renewed interest in the band’s music. He performed at a “Nuggets” tribute show in Los Angeles in 2023 and gave interviews for various rock podcasts, reflecting on the band’s influence and encouraging fans to support their favorite musicians. At the time of his death, Lowe was the last surviving original member of the Electric Prunes.

Lowe’s family described him as a creative force who lived without pretense, emphasizing his 62-year marriage to his wife Pamela. His children Lisa, Cameron, and Skylar noted his role as a visionary who never stopped creating and exploring. They characterized him as an elder statesman of rock and roll who was not just a witness to music history but one of its architects.

The Electric Prunes’ influence extended beyond their commercial success, with their experimental approach to recording and psychedelic sound helping shape the genre’s development. Their use of innovative effects and Lowe’s distinctive vocal style contributed to songs that remained influential decades after their initial release, continuing to inspire new generations of musicians and producers.