Formed in New York City, New York in 1964, the Strangeloves was founded by songwriting team Bob Feldman and Jerry Goldstein and songwriter / producer Richard Gottehrer. The trio had been writing songs for girl groups and pop singers but then the British Invasion came along, they decided to change their style and form their own group. Calling themselves the Strangeloves, they intended to let their audience think that they were from England but changed their minds and pretended that they were from Australia. Initially billing themselves as brothers Giles, Miles, and Niles Strange, they released their debut single, “Love, Love (That’s All I Want from You)” – their only single credited to the Strange Loves – in 1964. The single missed the Hot 100 but did land on the charts at number 122. Signing to Bang Records an, their next single, “I Want Candy,” was released in 1965 – under the Strangeloves - and was a hit, climbing to number 11 on the Hot 100. That same year, the trio recorded a single – “Out in the Sun” – in 1965 with the Angels and released it under the band name the Beach-Nuts. When “I Want Candy” became a hit, there was a demand for the band to tour. Since the trio was a studio-oriented group, they hired musicians to make up the band. While touring the album I Want Candy, they discovered a new band in Ohio, had them come to New York and record a song called “Hang on Sloopy.” The group became the McCoys and featured guitarist Rick Zehringer, who would become Rick Derringer. While the Strangeloves continued to release several more singles, but the three members’ interest in the ‘group’ dwindled and they called it a day in 1968. Each of the members went on to write and produce for other artists over the next few decades. They came together in 2018 to perform live in New York City with alternative rock band Yo La Tengo. Their music has been covered many times over the years with Bow Wow Wow taking “I Want Candy” back into the charts in 1982. Bob Feldman died on August 23, 2023, at the age of 83.
