Although seldom discussed now, Count Five (or Count V as they were sometimes billed) had a brief moment in the spotlight during the pop music smorgasbord that existed in the 1960s. Nearly reaching the top of the charts with the addictive “Psychotic Reaction” got the band off to a great start, but it never really caught fire after that, earning for the group the dreaded ‘one-hit wonder’ tag.
First coming together as a group in the area of California that would years later be known as Silicon Valley, Count Five coalesced when Roy Chaney and Mouse Michalski — still in their teens, but already experienced — joined with Kenn Ellner, Sean Byrne, and Butch Atkinson. The group began to gain some local fame when Byrne’s “Psychotic Reaction” caught the fancy of fans at live shows, although it didn’t immediately result in a recording contract. But after being turned down by several companies, further fine-tuning of the group’s sound eventually led to the signing of a deal with Double Shot Records, and the resulting record shot to the top of regional charts and nearly as high nationally.
Like most groups that hit big, the Count Five tried to follow up with a number of different records but could never seem to find the right formula. Songs like “Peace of Mind,” “Pretty Big Mouth,” and “The World” didn’t hit the target with fans, and the group eventually wound down and dissolved. In later years various original members would occasionally attempt a restart, but even though “Psychotic Reaction” has remained popular with many fans (and notorious with some), Count Five has become a part of rock history.
Count Five – “Psychotic Reaction”
Geezer Music Club 