Demon Fuzz Explained

Demon Fuzz
Origin:England
Genre:Afro rock
Years Active:1968–1972
Label:Dawn
Associated Acts:Blue Rivers and the Maroons

Demon Fuzz was an English rock band which was formed in 1968 and broke up in 1972. Its members had all immigrated to Britain from Commonwealth countries. The band's name means "devil's children or bad policemen".[1] Their album, Afreaka!, has become a popular source for sampling.[2] Since 2008, they have received sporadic airplay by the BBC radio presenters Huey Morgan and Gideon Coe.[3]

History

The band was promoted by The Red Bus Company agency in London, which also handled Mungo Jerry, Mike Cooper, Titus Groan and Wildmouth[4] which arranged for them to appear at a concert incongruously named the "Hollywood Music Festival", in May 1970 at a Leycett farm near Newcastle-under-Lyme.[5]

They played at the Phun City Festival, "a major concert event in Worthing".[6]

In November 1970, the band played a series of ten concerts called "A Penny Concert" along with Titus Groan, Heron and Comus.[7] Among performances was one at the Marquee Club.

They appeared on the BBC television show Disco 2 produced by Stephen Clive[8] Turner who had been offered (but did not take) 25 pounds for having them on the program. After he told BBC management about the incident, he was fired. Subsequently, the News of the World ran a story about the event.[9]

They signed with the Dawn Records division of Pye Records, for whom they released two recordings: the studio album Afreaka! (catalogue number DNLS 3013) and a maxi-single with the songs "I Put a Spell on You" (written by Screamin' Jay Hawkins), "Message To Mankind" and "Fuzz Oriental Blues", both released in 1970.[10]

Demon Fuzz's cover version of "I Put a Spell on You" was included in the 1971 sampler album, The Dawn Take-Away Concert (catalogue number DNLB 3024). Priced at 99 pence, the LP also had songs by Mungo Jerry, Comus, The Trio, Heron, Paul Brett's Sage, Mike Cooper, Atlantic Bridge, Jackie McAuley, Bronx Cheer, John Surman, John McLaughlin, Dave Holland, Stu Martin, Karl Berger and the Be-Bop Preservation Society.

A Demon Fuzz maxi-single was published by Nippon Columbia around 1971.[11] The maxi-single was later made available as a CD.[12]

Afreaka! was distributed in the United States by Janus Records (catalogue number JLS 3028).[10] [13] It was a Billboard "4-STAR" selection in June 1971.[14]

Around 1971, their song "Hymn to Mother Earth" was included in the WDAS-FM Black Rock compilation album.[15]

In 1976, after the band dissolved, their second album, Roots and Offshoots, was self-published under the Paco Media Inc. label.[16]

A 1999 compilation CD, From Calypso to Disco: The Roots of Black Britain, includes the Demon Fuzz' recording of "Message to Mankind".[17]

Their performance of "Mercy" is included in Harmless Records' 2002 compilation CD (also published as a double-LP set) Paint It Black: Kaleidoscopic Funk Collision.[18]

In 2003, the Get Away label made a vinyl reissue in Italy of The Dawn Take-Away Concert (catalogue number GET 626).

Another vinyl pressing was made by Janus under the same catalogue number as the 1971 edition.[10]

Musical style

Demon Fuzz is often classified as an Afro rock band.[19] The band's music was influenced by West African music, calypso, soul, jazz, and ska, and saxophonist/founder Paddy Corea had a background in playing ska music.[20] The music they heard during a trip to Morocco led to a change in their style.[21] [22]

Discography

Members

Additional sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Demon Fuzz . Wax Poetics . 12 July 2010 . 30 January 2013 . 18 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120918121545/http://www.waxpoetics.com/features/articles/demon-fuzz . dead .
  2. Web site: Afreaka! [Bonus Tracks] - Demon Fuzz ]. Allmusic . 2023-03-07 .
  3. Web site: Music – Demon Fuzz. BBC. 3 February 2013.
  4. Amusement Business. Amusement Business. 82. 1 . 15 . 63057670. 0003-2344. 1970. Billboard Publications.
  5. Web site: Hollywood Music Festival 1970. Ukrockfestivals.com. 3 February 2013.
  6. Book: Grit, Noise, & Revolution: The Birth of Detroit Rock 'n' Roll. 0472031902. David A. Carson. 2006 . 251. University of Michigan Press .
  7. Web site: Heron – Artist Biography. AllMusic . 3 February 2013.
  8. Three in England Fined $250 Each in Payola Case . Billboard . 42 . 86 . 22 . 1 June 1974 . 0006-2510 . 2 February 2013.
  9. Book: The pop industry inside out . Michael Cable. 9780491023818. 78304025. 1977. 108. Allen . [...]to accept money—albeit only a miserable £25—for featuring a group called Demon Fuzz on his BBC 2 show Disco 2. Turner—who had already confessed this to the BBC and been fired before the News of the World exposé was published—never actually took the money although the group did indeed appear on[...] But it nevertheless remained a fact that Demon Fuzz had been carefully selected by the News of the World specifically because[...] Even more important in minimising the impact of the News of the World's payola revelations was the inevitable[...].
  10. Web site: Demon Fuzz – Afreaka! . discogs. 3 February 2013.
  11. International News Reports from the Music Capitals of the World. Billboard. 51. 26 June 1971. 16 May 2017.
  12. Web site: Archived copy . 1 February 2013 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054844/http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wvk0TEv5xSQ/T7-RBQBB7SI/AAAAAAAADb4/3OH_Nz-8E1I/s1600/Demon+Fuzz+-+Bonus+Single+Front.jpg . dead .
  13. New LP/Tape Releases. Billboard. 52. 26 June 1971. 31 January 2013.
  14. 4-STAR. Billboard. 51. 26 June 1971. 31 January 2013.
  15. Web site: Simpson . Kim . The WDAS-FM Black Rock LP . Early 70s radio . 4 August 2011 . 31 January 2013.
  16. Web site: Demon Fuzz. Sputnikmusic . 30 January 2013.
  17. Web site: Thompson . Dave. From Calypso to Disco: The Roots of Black Britain – Various Artists : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards. AllMusic. 11 May 1999. 3 February 2013.
  18. Web site: Paint It Black – Kaleidoscopic Funk Collision Dble LP . https://archive.today/20130216021908/http://www.freakemporium.com/archive/release/PAOT003/releasepage.html . dead . 16 February 2013 . The Freak Emporium . 3 February 2013 .
  19. Web site: Demon Fuzz: Afreaka! . Pinfold . Will . November 15, 2022 . Spectrum Culture . 2023-03-05 .
  20. Web site: 1970: Demon Fuzz - Afreaka . Tiny Mix Tapes .
  21. Demon Fuzz. Beat Instrumental & International Recording. Beat Publications. 93. 18. 5 January 1971. 1 February 2013.
  22. Web site: Demon Fuzz "Afreaka!" (1970, Music On Vinyl) . 8 September 2017 . Music Is My Sanctuary . 2023-03-07.
  23. What's all the fuzz about?. Melody Maker. 21 November 1972. 1 February 2013.

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