The Gurus

The Gurus were an American psychedelic rock band based in New York City who were active in the 1960's. Formed in 1966, they were among the first bands to incorporate Middle Eastern influences, mainly Arabian and Israeli, into their music, and used exotic instruments, such as the oud, as well as exotic time signatures to give them a distinct sound. They released two singles on United Artists Records in 1966 and 1967, and an album, "The Gurus Are Hear!", was recorded and planned for release in early 1967. Despite being heavily advertised in Billboard, Cashbox, Go!, and other magazines and music publications, the album ultimately failed to be released, which was noted as the reason for the band splitting up not too long after. The reason United Artists canceled the album's release mere weeks from its release date still remains a mystery. Thankfully, the album was saved from the vaults and finally released on CD in 2003. To this day, a vinyl issue of the album has never been released.

The band was:

John Lieto - Vocals
Pete "Blackwood" Smith - Lead Guitar/Oud
"Medulla Oblongata" - Rhythm Guitar
Michael "Jason" Weinstein - Bass Guitar (Replaced Jonathan Talbot)
Victor "Vittorio" King - Drums/Percussion
Jonathan Talbot - Bass Guitar (Original Bass Guitarist)