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The short-lived British band Velvett Fogg was formed in 1968 in Birmingham's vibrant music scene, where Black Sabbath also saw the light of day. So it's no wonder that Tony Iommi was a brief member of the band. Various other line-up changes followed in quick succession, meaning that guitarist Ian Leighton, pictured on the provocative cover, was no longer with the band when the album was recorded. The musicians who contributed to the self-titled debut album at Pye Studios in 1968 were: Frank Wilson (org, voc), Paul Eastment (g, voc), Mick Pollard (b) and Graham Mullett (dr). Produced by Jack Dorsey, the LP was released in January 1969 on the Pye label with a politically incorrect cover design showing the band wearing garish make-up and two naked women with body paint. This was entirely in line with the management's belief that controversial and unusual underground bands would be the most successful. The legendary disc jockey John Peel wrote a cryptic accompanying text, which was printed on the back cover.
The LP is an excellent example of the transition from beat to psych/prog, offering organ-heavy, slightly eccentric psychedelic rock with acid guitar and some longer improvisations. Discouraged by the album's poor sales figures, despite several tours, Pye lost interest in the band and withdrew its support. In autumn 1969, the group already disbanded and the members went their separate ways, with Frank Wilson joining Nick Simper's Warhorse, for example. The album is now considered an outstanding example of late 1960s British psychedelia, and demand for original UK albums among collectors has risen significantly, fetching high prices.
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