Alec Palao

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Born1962 (age 63–64)
Archway, North London, England
AlmamaterKing's College, University of London
OccupationsMusician, music historian, writer, reissue producer
Alec Palao
Born1962 (age 63–64)
Archway, North London, England
Alma materKing's College, University of London
OccupationsMusician, music historian, writer, reissue producer

Alejandro "Alec" Palao (born 1962) is a British musician, music historian, writer, and reissue producer. In addition to his musical output with groups like the Sting-rays, the Sneetches, and Mushroom, his works include hundreds of production credits and liner notes on important compilations of vintage rock and soul from Ace Records, Rhino Records, and others, plus a wide array of music-related print and film credits. Palao is unusual in that he normally supervises each aspect of the projects he compiles, including audio transfers and restoration as well as research and liner notes. Honors include six Grammy Award nominations for historical albums and liner notes.

Born "just as 'Love Me Do' was entering the UK charts in late 1962",[1] Palao grew up in the Crouch End area of North London. His first recollection of pop music was hearing Amen Corner's "If Paradise Is Half as Nice" on the radio. His first of many record purchases was "Hey Rock and Roll" by Showaddywaddy though he "did also really like Bowie, Sparks, Roxy, T. Rex and hipper stuff".[2] As a musician (piano, drums, bass, guitar) in the Sting-rays, he developed an early interest in punk, rockabilly, 1960s garage rock, and soul.[3][4]

Career

After graduating from the University of London in 1985, Palao relocated to California in 1988.[1] He joined a local alternative pop band, the Sneetches, and in 1990 co-founded Cream Puff War magazine to chronicle the musical history of the San Francisco Bay Area. Working as a consultant with Ace Records, he researched and compiled the Nuggets from the Golden State series for their Big Beat Records subsidiary, followed by many other releases. As a U.S. resident, Palao further assisted the label's general release schedule by traversing the country to copy or acquire numerous vintage music catalogs on their behalf.

In 1998, he was a major participant in efforts by Rhino Records to expand the original Nuggets album as a series of box sets, followed by work with Light in the Attic, Omnivore, Numero, Craft, and others.[5] In 2007, he was one of four recipients of the Greg Shaw Award for Outstanding Contributions to Popular Culture Preservation.[6] He was the "producer, writer, and principal researcher" on the 2014 film The Seeds: Pushin' Too Hard.[1]

As "one of the Bay Area's most notable collectors of 1960s rock and roll and soul music",[7] he said in a 2019 interview, "My priority is turning people on to music, especially if they have never heard it before."[8] Another interviewer called him "internationally recognized as one of the true champions of the American garage band movement".[9]

He has said of his compilation efforts, "... my predilection is always to ferret out stuff that either hasn't been out before ... or can stand a major upgrade. I prefer to rehabilitate rather than regurgitate."[2] He also added, "I haven't done much writing outside of liner notes .... Rather than be a commentator, I like to be the person whose work gets commented on."[1]

He has at various times been a member of the Charity Case, Rain Parade, Mushroom, the Maydays, Slaughter Joe & the Modern Folk Quintet, the Hellenes, Magic Christian, Tall Poppy Syndrome, and other groups.[10] His current project is Strangers in a Strange Land with vocalist Paul Kopf. Palao has also performed and recorded with Country Joe McDonald, the Seeds, the Chocolate Watchband, the Beau Brummels, and the Flamin' Groovies. As of 2026, he is a consultant to Ace Records.[11]

Grammy Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2008 Best Historical Album Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965–1970 Nominated
2011 Best Historical Album Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965–1968 Nominated
2012 Best Album Notes The Music City Story: Street Corner Doo Wop, Raw R&B and Soulful Sounds from Berkeley, California 1950-75 Nominated
2014 Best Album Notes Country Joe and the Fish: Electric Music for the Mind and Body (reissue) Nominated
2015 Best Album Notes I'm Just Like You: Sly's Stone Flower 1969-70 Nominated
2026 Best Album Notes The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 Nominated

Published works

Selected production credits

Producer credits on major releases:[10]

Selected liner notes

See Grammy Awards section for nominated entries.

Articles and essays

Selected works from books, magazines, and music publications:

  • Palao, Alec (1993). "Chocolate Watchband: The Magical Band". Cream Puff War. No. 2. Santa Clara, CA: Palao-Cost. p. 41.
  • ————— (1993). "The Continuing Adventures of Bard Dupont: Introducing The Outfit". Cream Puff War. No. 2. Santa Clara, CA: Palao-Cost. p. 87.
  • ————— (1998). "Tell It to Me Slowly, I Really Want to Know: The Making of Odessey & Oracle" (CD liner notes). Odessey & Oracle 30th Anniversary Edition. London: Big Beat Records CDWIKD 181.
  • ————— (1998). "Get Me to the World On Time" (CD liner notes). Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968. Los Angeles: Rhino R2 75466.
  • ————— (2001). "White Whale: The Moby Dick of Bubble-Pop". In Kim Cooper; David Smay (eds.). Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth. Port Townsend, WA: Feral House. p. 239. ISBN 978-0922915699.
  • ————— (2006). "Introduction". In Bruce Tahsler (ed.). The San Francisco East Bay 60's Scene. San Francisco: Teens N' Twenties. ISBN 978-0578131955.
  • ————— (2009). "A Certain Magic: Track Notes" (CD liner notes). Big Star - Keep An Eye on the Sky. Los Angeles: Rhino Records R2 519760.
  • ————— (2011). "The Sound of Fame" (CD liner notes). The Fame Studios Story. London: Kent Records KENTBOX 12.
  • ————— (2018). "Twenty Four Hours Every Day" (CD liner notes). The Action – Shadows and Reflections. London: Grapefruit CRSEGBK045.

Film

Discography

Personal life

References

External links

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