Genres Afro-rock Active until 1972 Record label Dawn Records | Years active 1968–1972 Past members Former members Genre Afro-rock | |
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Associated acts Blue Rivers and the Maroons Origin England, United Kingdom (1968) Albums Afreaka!, Roots And Offshoots Similar Cymande, Comus, Titus Groan, Kay Gees, Black Merda | ||
Demon Fuzz was an afro-rock group which 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." They originally played soul, but the music they heard during a trip to Morocco caused a change in their style to one that has been described as a blend of funk, rock, jazz and African music. Their album Afreaka! has become a popular source for sampling. Since 2008, they have received sporadic airplay by BBC radio presenters Huey Morgan and Gideon Coe.
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Performances
The band was promoted by an agency in London called The Red Bus Company, which also handled "Mungo Jerry, Mike Cooper, Titus Groan and Wildmouth" 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.
They played at the Phun City Festival, "a major concert event in Worthing."
In November 1970, the band played a series of concerts called "A Penny Concert" along with Titus Groan, Heron and Comus. Among the ten places where the performances were held was the Marquee Club.
They appeared on the BBC television show Disco 2 produced by Stephen Clive 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.
Discography
They signed with the Dawn Records division of Pye Records, under which they released two recordings: the studio album Afreaka! (catalog 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.
Demon Fuzz's cover of I Put A Spell On You was included in the 1971 sampler album The Dawn Take-Away Concert (catalog 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 The maxi-single was later made available as a CD
Afreaka! was distributed in the United States by Janus Records (catalog number JLS 3028) It was a Billboard "4-STAR" selection in June 1971.
Around 1971, their song "Hymn to Mother Earth" was included in the WDAS-FM Black Rock compilation album.
In 1976, after the band dissolved, their second album, Roots and Offshoots, was self-published under the Paco Media Inc. label.
The 1999 compilation CD From Calypso to Disco: The Roots of Black Britain includes Demon Fuzz' recording of Message to Mankind.
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.
In 2003, the Get Away label did a vinyl reissue in Italy of The Dawn Take-Away Concert (catalog number GET 626).
In the 21st Century, another pressing on vinyl was made by Janus under the same catalog number as the 1971 edition.
Members
Songs
Hymn to Mother EarthAfreaka! · 1970
Disillusioned ManAfreaka! · 1970
Fuzz Oriental BluesAfreaka! · 1970