The short-lived band Freak Out, named after the Mothers of Invention’s first LP, was founded in the late 1960s as a trio consisting of Robert Musenbichler (g, voc), Mike Gartner (b, sax) and Charlie Dienes (dr) in Styria, Austria. Thanks to their local popularity and the addition of three further band members (second guitar, saxophone and percussion), they were offered a record deal by Gerd Kernmayer for his small label Cosmos. They released a single as well as the album Life, which was recorded live at the Klagenfurt Konzerthaus on Saturday, 24 April 1971.

The highlight of their live performance was the numerous cover versions of true classics by Santana, Frank Zappa, Blodwyn Pig, East of Eden and the Rolling Stones, which were given a unique touch with their psychedelic rock and slightly jazzy guitar riffs in duet with the saxophone. They toured their home region successfully for a while with this repertoire. The tiny print run of just 200 copies was certainly one reason why the LP was a commercial failure. The band split up at the end of 1971. Their first and only record has long been considered a highly sought-after item among collectors.