An American psychedelic band that recorded albums from 1967 to 1970 and were one of the few American links between psychedelia and what later became heavy metal. While the band did record some original material, they were best known for their loud, heavy, slowed-down arrangements of contemporary pop songs, including a trippy cover of the Supremes' You Keep Me Hangin' On and a number of Beatles songs, including Ticket to Ride and Eleanor Rigby.

Vanilla Fudge started as a blue-eyed soul cover band called the Electric Pigeons, formed on Long Island in 1965. Organist Mark Stein, bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Joey Brennan soon shortened their name to the Pigeons and added guitarist Vince Martell. They built a following by gigging extensively up and down the East Coast. In early 1966, the group recorded a set of eight demos that were released several years later as While the Whole World Was Eating Vanilla Fudge, credited to Mark Stein & the Pigeons.

As their cover arrangements became more elaborate, Brennan was replaced in late 1966 by the more technically skilled Carmine Appice.


In 1967, the band landed a contract with the Atlantic subsidiary Atco, which requested a name change. The band settled on Vanilla Fudge, after a favourite ice cream. You Keep Me Hangin' On was released as a single but didn't perform as well as hoped. However, the band toured extensively behind its covers-heavy, jam-oriented debut album Vanilla Fudge, which gradually expanded their fan base.

Things started to pick up for the band in 1968. Early in the year, they headlined the Fillmore West with the Steve Miller Band, appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and released their second album, The Beat Goes On. Despite its somewhat arty, indulgent qualities, the album got into the Top 20. That summer, Atco reissued You Keep Me Hangin' On which this time climbed into the Top Ten. It was followed by Renaissance, one of the band's best albums, which also hit the Top 20. The band supported it by touring with Jimi Hendrix, opening several dates on Cream's farewell tour, and late in the year touring again with the fledgling Led Zeppelin as their opening act.

They continued touring in 1969 and released their next album, Near the Beginning. But, exhausted by the constant touring, the band decided that their late-1969 European tour would be their last. Following the release of their final album, Rock & Roll, they played a few US farewell dates and disbanded in early 1970. 

Bogert and Appice went on to form the hard rock group Cactus, then later joined up with Jeff Beck as Beck, Bogert & Appice. Appice went on to become an active session and touring musician, working with a variety of rock artists.

Vanilla Fudge reunited in 1984 for the poorly received Mystery album and have since reunited several more times, although only for tours.