In 1974, Merryweather put a new band together called the Space Rangers. Through friend Morey Lathower (VP of A&R at Capitol) he was able to secure time at Capitol Records studios and in two nights he recorded the Space Rangers' first album. Merryweather used whatever funds he had left after the Mama Lion years and supported the new band until the money ran out. Unfortunately so did the band's keyboardist and guitarist. Neil's Mama Lion road manager Robbie Randal stuck with Merryweather and took the tape of the Space Rangers album into the office of Skip Taylor (Canned Heat). When the album was played Slip's brother Jim Taylor heard the new sound and offered to manage Neil. Taylor got a deal with Mercury Records and Merryweather was signed. Original Space Rangers drummer Tim McGovern remained loyal to the band and Merryweather hired keyboardist/guitarist Jamie Herndon and lead guitarist Michael Willis and the new band was ready to go. Merryweather bought a Chamberlin keyboard from Sonny & Cher. The Chamberlin was a key to the Space Rangers sound. The band was booked into the Whiskey when the "Space Rangers" album was released (1974). The album went to the No. 5 most added on radio airplay chart in two weeks. The label did nothing to support the album or the band. Six months later the small advance Merryweather got for "Space Rangers" was all but gone and in desperation to keep the band together Merryweather took the band into Village Recorders and in five days wrote all the songs, recorded and produced his second album for Mercury called "Kryptonite". The label released it in 1975. Merryweather disbanded the Space Rangers due to lack of support and weak management. The "Space Rangers" and "Kryptonite" albums received the highest praise from critics worldwide and "Kryptonite" was voted into the top five Psych Rock albums of the 1970s in an internet poll. Notable cuts included a cosmic psych rock version of The Byrds' "Eight Miles High" and the David Bowie-inspired single "Hollywood Blvd.", as well as the autobiographical rocker "The Groove".