Orang-Utan was not an American band, as the fact that their debut album was released exclusively in the US might suggest. The sad story of this English band is a prime example of corruption, deceit and greed within the music industry. The group was formed in London in 1970 by the two guitarists Mick Clarke and Sid Fairman, bassist Paul Roberts, drummer Jeff Seopardie and singer Gerry Trew. Their original name was Hunter. Gerry Trew soon left the group and was replaced by the new lead singer Terry „Nobby“ Clark. They invested their own money to record their first LP at the state-of-the-art De Lane Lea Studios in London, working with sound engineer Louis Austin and producer Adrian Millar. They played a raw brand of hard rock with influences from blues and psychedelia, that showcased a remarkable level of musicianship. Built on a driving drumbeat and a powerful bass line, the eight tracks – all written by the drummer Seopardie – are dominated by two technically superb, cutting lead guitars. Nobby Clarke impresses as an excellent lead singer with a distinctive, raw voice.

The eponymous album was eventually released in 1971 on the Bell Records label exclusively in the USA, but not in their home country of Great Britain. This was because their producer had cheated them. The master tapes were stolen and taken out of the country, where they were sold to Bell in the USA under the name „Orang-Utan“, without the band even knowing about it. And none of them ever received any royalties for it. Disappointed, they subsequently split up, leaving only this one album, which today enjoys cult status worldwide.