Was the 1967 Rock Band Rhinoceros the First-Ever Industry Plant?

Rhinoceros formed in 1967 and released three albums—a self-titled debut in 1968, Satin Chickens in 1969, and Better Times Are Coming in 1970. The band had a large lineup over the couple of years it was active, but consistent members included John Finley, Michael Fonfara, Danny Weis, Peter Hodgson, and Alan Gerber. Additionally, they achieved moderate cult success, even though they never completely found a high level of fame during that time.

However, there’s one aspect of Rhinoceros that stands out for its peculiarity—it’s possible that this mellow 60s rock band was one of the first instances of an industry plant.

What’s an industry plant, you ask? The term was coined around 2010 to describe a band or artist who seemed independent but in reality benefitted from the funding and support of a record label. True industry plants build a following through careful deceit, creating the illusion of an organic rise to fame. Really, they have used industry connections, nepotism, or wealth to achieve fame.

Rhinoceros doesn’t exactly fit into the deceitful category, as they never hid what they were. On that front, we’d have to say no, they’re not quite an industry plant. However, on the surface, the band was made solely on the authority of a record label.

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Elektra Records Auditioned Musicians for a New Supergroup Project

In a Making the Band-esque move, Elektra Records scouted for talent among a slew of musicians for a new band. Paul A. Rothchild and Frazier Mohawk were in charge of putting together a supergroup, as Mohawk had essentially coordinated the formation of Buffalo Springfield around 1966.

Formal auditions were held, where Rothchild and Mohawk interviewed more than 20 artists. Finley ended up on vocals, Weis on guitar, Gerber on vocals and piano, and Doug Hastings on guitar. These were artists from bands like Jon and Lee & the Checkmates, Iron Butterfly, The Daily Flash, The Electric Flag, and the Mothers of Invention. Other members included Michael Fonfara, Billy Mundi, Peter Hodgson, Larry Leishman, and Duke Edwards. Still more members came and went, but there was a core Rhinoceros in Finley, Weis, Gerber, Hastings, Fonfara, and Hodgson.

In 1968, the band put out their debut self-titled album. The record label hyped them up as much as possible, but the album didn’t perform like the label wanted it to. There were high hopes for Rhinoceros, but they didn’t live up to expectations. Still, when the band broke up in 1971, a handful of members went on to form the group Blackstone.

Finley, Fonfara, Hodgson, Weis, and Leishman formed Blackstone in “an attempt to re-capture some of the fun we had in Rhinoceros,” according to Weis. They made one album together, On the Line, in 1973, then dissolved again.

Rhinocerous Had a Mellow Groove That Didn’t Quite Capture Listeners but Delighted its Members All the Same

Rhinoceros ultimately failed to break through the tough shell of the music industry, even with a record label backing them up. Still, Weis’ comment remains a bright spot of nostalgia for all those who loved the band—the project was fun for everyone involved, and although they didn’t make it as a group, they’ve had varying degrees of success as solo artists and in life beyond professional music.

So, was this lesser-known late-60s band an industry plant? On the surface, it seems so—they were put together by a record label instead of an organic meeting of minds, and had the label’s financial and commercial support. However, there was nothing seemingly deceitful about the way Rhinoceros went about its tenure in music. It was essentially one big jam session, one that gained a notably deserved cult following.

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