Lester Chambers Updates 'Love, Peace & Happiness' with Help of Moonalice

Moonalice and Lester and Dylan Chambers have collaborated on a number of Chamber Brothers remakes.

The Chambers Brothers was the first band I ever saw headlining a rock show. It was 1970 at New York's Felt Forum with Rhinoceros and Ten Wheel Drive opening.

They'd had a No. 11 hit with "Time Has Come Today" in 1967. By 1970, the band was riding a wave of success thanks to their Love, Peace & Happiness double album (half was recorded in the studio, half the tracks were live). That's when I caught onto the Chambers Brothers, who are described as a psychedelic rock band at Wiki, though I'd say the were more soul and gospel than rock. 

It was a great show - highlighted by a lengthy version of "Time" and my friend catching a drum stick tossed at the end. 

All these years later the Chambers Brothers are having a resurgence. They open the Summer of Soul documentary, which has won numerous awards, including an Oscar.

Eighty-year-old vocalist/harmonica player Lester Chambers and his singing son Dylan are now members of the Bay Area jam-band Moonalice. The group's recent EP, Full Moonalice, Vol. 1, features versions of "Time," "People Get Ready, "Lets' Get Funky" and Grateful Dead staple, "Turn on Your Lovelight." The band has also recorded a live version of "Love, Peace & Happiness." It's posted below. Note the refrain, "We're gonna get higher."

In addition to the Chambers', Moonalice consists of Pete Sears (bass), Barry Sless (guitar), John Molo (drums), Jason Crosby (keyboard), Roger McNamee (guitar) and backup singers, Chloe, Erika and Rachel Tietjen.

Check out these Moonalice Minute clips conducted by Ben Fong-Torres.

Below is the original version of "Love, Peace & Happiness," plus Moonalice's 2022 tour schedule.

 

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Steve Bloom

Steve Bloom

Publisher of CelebStoner.com, former editor of High Times and Freedom Leaf and co-author of Pot Culture and Reefer Movie Madness.