'School kids with a dream ...who broke up too soon'

They had a Top 30 hit with I'm Eighteen in November 1970, which convinced Warners to sign them.

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Their breakthrough album, 1971's Love It To Death went platinum as did 1972's followup, Killers, before 72's School's Out propelled them into the Top 5.

The School's Out single shot to No 1 here, helped by Mary Whitehouse's campaign against them. Alice sent her flowers.

"Getting rock press coverage was easy, getting in the national press meant you've made it.

"Also, we knew that if your parents told you not to listen to something you had to listen to it. Everybody who tried to stop us only poured fuel on the fire."

More hits followed - Elected, Hello Hooray, No More Mr Nice Guy...

They met Dali at his invitation at New York's St Regis Hotel, in spring 1973. The flamboyant Spanish genius famously created a 360 degree "cylindric chromo-hologram" of Cooper's brain.

"It included a chocolate éclair and was crawling with ants," says Michael.