Mark Tulin, a founding member of the hitmaking psychedelic band the Electric Prunes, has died. He was 62.
The bass player and songwriter suffered a heart attack Feb. 26 while diving off Catalina Island, friends said. He was participating in an annual clean-up event in Avalon.
While remaining active with the Electric Prunes, Tulin played in recent years with Smashing Pumpkins frontman Bill Corgan. He toured with Corgan’s side project Spirits in the Sly (a tribute to Sky Saxon) and played on some of the music for the Pumpkins’ evolving “Teargarden by Kaleidyscope” album.
With the “classic lineup” of the Electric Prunes, Tulin recorded the 1966 hit “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” and appeared on all of that band’s albums. He wrote much of the Prunes’ material with singer James Lowe. The band reunited at the turn of the century and continued to tour and record.
The Electric Prunes were recording for a label headed by Smashing Pumpkins producer Kerry Brown, along with the Strawberry Alarm Clock.
As a studio musician, Tulin worked with Cher, Diana Ross, Kenny Loggins, Neil Diamond, and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.
Tulin and the Electric Prunes recorded “Pushin’ Too Hard” for a Saxon tribute album.
My friend Mark, original bass guitar player in the electric prunes, was in the cotillion dance instructions with me. Mark was always helpful and very cool. We hung out sometimes and I saw the prunes at Reseda house of music. One time I was at their practice site with my then girlfriend.
Those times were some of my best times and I wish would have taken more time to see the prunes. The electric prunes also played at CSUN and I was with Mark that day and night. The general music of those days; or like now is said; “back in the day” was some of the most creative and legendary.
I was a friend of Mark back in the day. We were both SCUBA Instructors at West Coast divers in the San Fernando valley. Just one great memory I have of Mark was that I was very nervous about passing our exams that were fairly intensive.I remember cramming right up till the moment the exams were issued to us. I asked him “Mark, aren’t you nervous at all?” And Mark said to me “ No man, don’t sweat this stuff . You know this! It’s just all fun and games man. If you don’t pass , you’re still gonna eat tomorrow. The sun will still come up” that philosophy and attitude was a moment that impressed me deeply and was a life lesson given to me from him like a gift. It served me well. Up until that moment I hated taken test, I would get all stressed and stuff, after that I never worried again and did well on any test I ever had to take. Thanks Mark!
My favorite acid rock song of all time. RIP. MARK