Demon Fuzz

These folks were all England based but originated from quite a few former Commonwealth countries with many having African roots. Back in 1968 before they became Dmon Fuzz (The Devil’s child) the musicians started as a typical soul music group but following a trip to Morocco they had opened their minds and broadened their musical vision towards a conglomerate of jazz, African roots music, psychedelic sounds, blues, powerful rock and tinges of funk and soul music. The multi ethnical band felt like playing multi ethnically influenced rock for the club and festival audiences all over the UK who were craving for the next hot sensation. And despite their sensational musical vision and captivating compositions Demon Fuzz never made it further than a cult band.

Anyway, what they deliver here is progressive even for its time and still groovy and hypnotizing enough to fill the dancefloors of the most hip underground clubs. Great saxophone lines (or are these melodies created by a sax?) over polyrhythmic groove patterns will drive each fan of bands like Soft Machine and Closseum nutz. You can bet. There is the mandatory cover version included here, “Another country”, originally played by The Electric Flag, which received another cover treatment from Leicester based heroes Pesky Gee! , later to be known as Black Widow. Both English bands do an awesome job on it and Demon Fuzz get the most psychedelia out of their open jazz saxophone improvisations over a smooth, repetitive rhythm pattern in the long middle section. This tune must have been written by the Devil himself to deprive you of your soul. The soul is indeed what this composition has been all about ever since, the essence of soul music but the way it got spiced up with so many extraordinary and exotic elements makes it one of these ever flourishing youthful anthems of progressive rock and pop from the late 60s, the pioneer days of progressive music. The further you get on this album the more greatness you will experience. Fans of the jazz and rock amalgam of the Canterbury scene will definitely get excited when they stumble over “Afreaka”.

Each not gets played with so much love and passion, with a nearly demonic lust and an irresistible joy of life despite some melancholic undertones. The progressive breakouts that flow directly into the one or another boiling psyche soul cauldron come as naturally as they can come. They belong here and are one color of so many. Go and experience this beautiful record yourself if you can take a strong alloy of PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC, SLY & THE FAMILY STONE, COLOSSEUM, WAR, GINGER BAKER’S AIRFORCE, MILES DAVIS, OSIBISA, BLACK WIDOW, IF and NUCLEUS.