▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁Category : F iction ▁set ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁Category : Com ics ▁set ▁in ▁London <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁Ser pent ▁Power ▁were ▁an ▁American ▁psych ed el ic ▁rock ▁and ▁folk ▁rock ▁group ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁Career ▁ Ι n ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁San ▁Francisco - based ▁poet ▁David ▁M elt zer ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁T ina , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁singer , ▁rec ru ited ▁local ▁mus icians ▁Clark ▁C ool idge ▁( d rum mer , ▁also ▁composer ), ▁Den ny ▁Ell is ▁( le ad ▁guitar ist ), ▁John ▁Pay ne ▁( key board ist ), ▁Jean - Paul ▁Pick ens ▁( ban jo ▁player ) ▁and ▁David ▁St enson ▁( b ass ist ), ▁and ▁started ▁playing ▁gig s ▁at ▁clubs ▁and ▁events ▁in ▁the ▁Bay ▁area , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁North ▁Beach ' s ▁C off ee ▁Gallery , ▁G ino ▁& ▁Carlo ' s , ▁and ▁others . ▁Ell is ▁and ▁St enson ▁were ▁already ▁experienced ▁mus icians , ▁having ▁previously ▁played ▁on ▁tracks ▁of ▁the ▁Lov in ' ▁Spo on ful . ▁Ed ▁D ent on , ▁the ▁manager ▁of ▁Country ▁Joe ▁and ▁the ▁Fish , ▁caught ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁shows ▁and ▁brought ▁them ▁to ▁Joe ' s ▁label , ▁V angu ard ▁Records , ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁signed ▁as ▁The ▁Ser pent ▁Power , ▁re le asing ▁their ▁debut , ▁e pon ym ous ▁album ▁in ▁ 1