P.F. (Phil) Sloan and Steve Barri were the Baggys themselves – a name they used while providing backing vocals on some Jan & Dean albums.
The Fantastic Baggys were epitomised in the song Summer Means Fun (1964) which although never released as a single, really embodied the spirit of the surf music era.
The most remembered version of the song though is by Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher (recorded as Bruce & Terry for Columbia, also in 1964).
The Baggys never had a chart single, but Tell ‘Em I’m Surfin’ (1964) is considered their finest track. With Hal Blaine leading the orchestra, this was the debut Fantastic Baggys single, and also the title of their only album, also released in 1964.
Although there were four Fantastic Baggys pictured on the album cover of Tell em’ I’m surfin’, only Steve and Phil were band members.
Messrs. Sloan and Barri went on to co-produce Barry McGuire (with Lou Adler) with P.F. Sloan writing McGuire’s smash hit Eve Of Destruction.
Together, Sloan and Barri also wrote A Must To Avoid for Herman’s Hermits in 1965,and Let’s Live For Today for The Grassroots in 1967.
P.F. (Phil) Sloan
Vocals, guitar Steve Barri
Vocals. guitar
