There was a lot of gimmickry used in the early days of pop-rock music. The record company suits were never quite sure how to appeal to the kids so they threw a lot of shit against the wall and hoped that some of it stuck. Two pop bands in the Sixties went all in on gimmickry and wore stage costumes/uniforms that evoked history in the foggiest manner imaginable.

Paul Revere and the Raiders were full of faux revolutionary zeal and wore ludicrous outfits:

Then there was the band who quickly became Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. They wore faux Civil War era Union army uniforms. I’m not sure how that went down in the Deep South but who gives a flying fuck?

The Raiders and the Union Gap were known for their duds and singles, not for their albums. That’s why I’m breaking with the format by posting pictures of them in regalia followed by a hit tune. It’s my format and I’ll break it if I want to.

I always got a kick out the fact that the leader/keyboard player of the Raiders was actually named Paul Revere Dick. I am not making this up. Here they are on the Ed Sullivan Show playing a medley of hits:

It’s crooner time:

Btw, I was known to call this group, Gary Fuckett and the Union Crap back in the day. I have more regard for a well crafted pop song now, but it’s still funny in a 12-year-old boy kinda way.