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P.F. Sloan

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Songwriter

The Resume

    (September 18, 1945-November 15, 2015)
    Born in New York City, New York
    Birth name was Philip Gary Schlein
    Staff songwriter for Screen Gems Music and Dunhill Records
    Recorded the single 'Sins of the Family' (1965)
    Recorded the albums 'Songs of Our Times' (1965), 'Twelve More Times' (1966), 'Measure of Pleasure' (1968), 'Raised on Records' (1972), 'Serenade of the Seven Sisters' (1994), 'Sailover' (2006) and 'My Beethoven' (2014)
    Wrote or co-wrote (often with Steve Barri) the songs:
    'Eve of Destruction' by Barry McGuire
    'Let Me Be' and 'You Baby' by the Turtles
    'A Must to Avoid' by Herman's Hermits
    'Secret Agent Man' by Johnny Rivers
    'Where Were You When I Needed You,' 'Only When You're Lonely' and 'Things I Should Have Said' by the Grass Roots

Why he might be annoying:

    The 'P' stood for his first name, Philip, the 'F' for his nickname, Flip.
    He and Steve Barri recorded together as Philip & Stephan, the Rally Packs, the Wildcats, the Street Cleaners, Themes, Inc., the Lifeguards, the Fantastic Baggys, the Rincon Surfside Band, and Willie & the Wheels without getting any hits.
    The book 'The 50 Worst Rock 'n' Roll Records of All Time' named 'Eve of Destruction' the 'worst Dylanesque songwriting ripoff.'
    Struggles with heroin addiction and depression sidelined him from the music biz for extended periods.
    During one of those stretches, he worked as a telemarketer.

Why he might not be annoying:

    When he was twelve, he bumped into Elvis Presley at Wallich's Music City at the corner of Hollywood and Vine and received an impromptu guitar lesson from the King.
    He and Barri finally got a regional hit in California as the Grass Roots with 'Where Were You When I Needed You,' only to be replaced by a band originally called the Bedouins, who re-recorded the song and had a Top 40 hit with it.
    In order to get out of his contract with Dunhill Records, he had to sign over all his songwriting royalties.
    He joked about one of his absences from the music industry, 'The only good part is that I missed the whole disco era.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 19 Votes: 42.11% Annoying