Flash Cadillac

In the late '60s, Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids hit the club scene and shook up the psychedelic status quo with a dose of old-style rock & roll. Clad in black leather jackets with their hair greased back in ducktails, they performed punchy '50s rock classics at a time when ten-minute guitar solos were de rigueur. Flash Cadillac (which dropped the "Continental Kids" addendum in 1980) was formed at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1968. After honing their chops on the fraternity party circuit, the group left Boulder and relocated to Los Angeles in 1971. Two years later, they got their big break when they were cast as the prom band in American Graffiti, a gig that also entailed their inclusion in the movie's hit soundtrack. A major-label record contract followed, and the band issued a series of pleasant '50s and '60s revival music albums that encompassed both cover versions and original compositions. The best of these is the surf-themed Sons of the Beach, issued in 1976. The band toured extensively as an opening act for many of the top bands of the '70s, including Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath. They also appeared on the TV show Happy Days (in an episode written especially for them, no less) and were featured in the film Apocalypse Now. After their career cooled, Flash Cadillac continued to appear on the summer fair circuit and managed to secure gigs doing classic rock songs with symphony pops orchestras. The band also maintained the ongoing job of producing and performing music for the syndicated oldies radio show Supergold. ~ Mary Grady, All Music Guide