Count Five

File:Count Five band.jpg]]

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 at Pioneer High School, who had previously played in several short-lived bands, most notably a surf rock group named the Citations. As the British 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.{{Cite web |date=2008-12-17 |title=San Jose rock pioneer John Byrne of the Count Five dies at 61 |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2008/12/17/san-jose-rock-pioneer-john-byrne-of-the-count-five-dies-at-61/ |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}} The Count Five were recognizable for their habit of wearing Count Dracula-style capes when playing live.{{cite web|url=http://countfive.com/2012/04/count-five-classic-band-photos/|title=Count Five Band Photo Gallery|website=Countfive.com|access-date=May 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714133833/http://countfive.com/2012/04/count-five-classic-band-photos/|archive-date=July 14, 2015}}

"Psychotic Reaction", an acknowledged cornerstone of garage rock,{{Cite book

| last = Joynson | first = Vernon | title = Fuzz Acid and Flowers Revisited | publisher = Borderline Productions | year = 2007 | location = Glasgow, United Kingdom | pages = 205 | isbn = 978-1-899855-14-8}} 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 as the Standells and the Yardbirds.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-count-five-mn0000126998|title=The Count Five – Biography|website=AllMusic|author=Bruce Eder|access-date=May 11, 2015}} The band was rejected by several record labels before they got signed to the Los Angeles-based Double Shot Records. "Psychotic Reaction" was released as a single, peaking at number five in the U.S. charts in late 1966,{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1997|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0149-X|page=129}} and it became the title track to their 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 in Santa Clara, California. This was released as Psychotic Reunion LIVE!.{{cite web |title=Count Five – Psychotic Reunion Live! |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6215934-Count-Five-Psychotic-Reunion-Live |website=Discogs |access-date=August 22, 2023}}

"Psychotic Reaction" was included on the 1972 compilation album Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968.{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/master/85910-Various-Nuggets-Original-Artyfacts-From-The-First-Psychedelic-Era-1965-1968 | title=Various – Nuggets (Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965–1968) | website=Discogs }} This inclusion was noted as bringing the single and the band to a whole new generation of listeners.{{cite web |title=The Count Five Biography by Bruce Eder |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-count-five-mn0000126998/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=August 22, 2023}}

The band was immortalized in a 1971 essay by rock journalist Lester Bangs, entitled "Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung." In the essay, Bangs credited the band for having released several albums after Psychotic Reaction: Carburetor Dung, Cartesian Jetstream, Ancient Lace and Wrought-Iron Railings, and Snowflakes 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.{{cite book|last1=Bangs|first1=Lester|title=Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung|date=2003|publisher=Anchor|location=New York|isbn=0-679-72045-6|pages=5–19|edition=First}}

"Psychotic Reaction" can be heard playing on the jukebox in an early scene in Wim Wenders' film Alice in the Cities (1974) and in the party scene in The Sense of an Ending (2017). It can also be heard on the season one finale of the HBO drama series Vinyl.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/arts/television/vinyl-season-1-finale-recap.html|title='Vinyl' Season 1 Finale: As Confused as Ever|last=Edwards|first=Gavin|date=April 17, 2016|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=April 18, 2016}}

The song was covered by Mouse and the Traps in a 1966 single, the Radiators From Space in a 1977 single, the Cramps on their 1983 live album Smell of Female, by the Fuzztones on their 1987 album "Live In Europe!" and the Vibrators in 2009, among others.

• John "Sean" Byrne – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Kenn Ellner – backing and lead vocals, tambourine, harmonica
• John "Mouse" Michalski – lead guitar
• Roy Chaney – bass guitar
• Craig "Butch" Atkinson – drums
• David "Dave" Eugene McDowell – lead guitar

• Psychotic Reaction (1966) US No. 122{{cite book| last = Whitburn| first = Joel| title = Top Pop Albums 1955–2016| publisher = Prometheus Global Media| year = 2018| isbn = 978-0-89820-226-7}}

• Dynamite Incidents (1983)
• Psychotic Reaction (1987)
• Rarities: The Double Shot Years (2014)

• Psychotic Reunion LIVE! (1987)Internet Archive – [https://archive.org/details/wcd_psychotic-reunion-li_count-five_flac_lossless_29451098 Audio Archive: Psychotic Reunion LIVE! (1987)].

• "Psychotic Reaction" / "They're Gonna Get You" (1966) US No. 5{{cite book| last = Whitburn| first = Joel| title = The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954–1982| publisher = Sheridan Books| year = 2015| isbn = 978-0-89820-213-7|page=119}}
• "Peace of Mind" / "The Morning After" (1966) US No. 125
• "You Must Believe Me" / "Teeny Bopper, Teeny Bopper" (1967)
• "Merry-Go-Round" / "Contrast" (1967)
• "Revelation in Slow Motion" / "Declaration of Independence" (1968)
• "Mailman" / "Pretty Big Mouth" (1969)

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20131101174940/http://countfive.com/ Official website] (archived)
• {{allmusic}}
• [http://www.nemsworld.com/count5/count5.htm Information about Count Five]
• [http://www.sanjoserocks.org/i_countv.htm Profile of Count V]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150924094026/http://www.sanjoserocks.org/t_byrne.htm John "Sean" Byrne Obituary]
• {{discogs artist}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Garage rock groups from California

Category:Psychedelic rock music groups from California

Category:Apex Records artists

Category:Musical groups established in 1964

Category:Musical groups from San Jose, California

Category:Double Shot (record label) artists