American blues, rock and soul band, The Electic Flag was formed in 1967 by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, just out of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. He hired organist Barry Goldberg, drummer Buddy Miles, singer Nick Gravenites and bassist Harvey Brooks, as well as a horn section. Formed in Chicago, the band moved to San Francisco and in 1967 recorded a debut album for the psychedelic film The Trip, before appearing live at the Monterey Pop Festival and recording A Long Time Comin' (1968) for Columbia, which reached number 31 on the Billboard charts. Despite this success, tensions arose and, after Goldberg's departure, it was Bloomfield's turn to leave his own group, which nevertheless continued with the album The Electric Flag: An American Music Band (1968), before breaking up in 1969. Reconciled, the musicians reunited in 1974 and recorded The Band Kept Playing, produced by Jerry Wexler, which failed to attract either critical or public acclaim. After Mike Bloomfield's death on February 15, 1981, The Electric Flag was reborn for two celebratory concerts at the Monterey Festival in July 2007. Nick Gravenites died on September 18, 2024, aged 85, followed by Barry Goldberg on January 22, 2025, aged 82.
