THE DOCTOR IS IN--AND OUT

Group: Doctor & the Medics.

Personnel: Clive Jackson, vocals; the Anadin Brothers (Wendi and Collette), vocals; Richard Searle, bass; Steve Maguire, guitar; Vom, drums.

History: The Doctor in this pop madhouse, Clive Jackson, is a former Scoutmaster who got his start in music spinning records at London’s top psychedelic dance club, Alice in Wonderland. Three years ago Jackson started the Medics with other equally twisted individuals from his hometown of Greenwich, and the group went through the incessant grind of touring around England and Europe. The band put out its own single, “The Druids Are Coming / The Goats Are Trying to Kill Me” before signing to I.R.S. last year and releasing an EP, “Happy But Twisted,” that partially chronicled the life of Lenny Bruce. While working on their first album, “Laughing at the Pieces,” with producer Craig Leon (of Blondie and Ramones fame), Jackson had a vision of Marc Bolan playing a version of Norman Greenbaum’s eccentric ‘60s hit, “Spirit in the Sky.” The group recorded the song as filler for the album. Unexpectedly, the track met with such acclaim that it was released as a single and immediately shot to the top of the British charts at the beginning of the summer. The band recently went into the studio with Roy Wood (of ELO and Wizzard fame) to record its next single--a version of ABBA’s “Waterloo.”

Sound: Regarding Doctor & the Medics’ success, Jackson said in a recent interview, “I think the fact that we’re in the charts proves that anything’s possible.” At a time when too many bands are bogged down by their own sense of self-importance, Doctor & the Medics’ prescription of schlock ‘n’ roll comes as a refreshing tonic. Unremittingly silly, the group’s take off on garage-land psychedelia features a big vocal sound that seems to have more in common with the Cowsills than the Jefferson Airplane. With original songs like “No One Loves You When You’ve Got No Shoes” and “Smallness of the Mustard Pot,” the band conveys a sassy pop lunacy that’s pure show-biz fun.

Shows: Spirit (San Diego), Friday; Fender’s, Saturday; the Roxy, next Sunday.