Ozz II - Exploited (1983) 1000 posts

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Z okazji małej rocznicy na tym blogu -tysięcznego posta - chciałbym przedstawić prawdziwą perełkę, której bardzo długo szukałem i fartem udało się. Szczerze mówiąc to nie wiem czy ktoś poza mną i kilkoma moimi przyjaciółmi zna tę pozycję. Chodzi o płytę zupełnie mi nieznanej grupy Ozz II, której liderem jest amerykański gitarzysta Gregg Parker. Musiała być to jakaś muzyczna efemeryda, bo z informacji znalezionych w necie dowiedziałem się tylko, że były dwie grupy Ozz i Ozz II. Prezentowany album nabyłem kiedyś w pakiecie płyt analogowych. Okładka i pierwsza strona czerwonego winyla nie wzbudziła we mnie szczególnego entuzjazmu. Natomiast druga strona to absolutna perełka. Nie ma w niej nic odkrywczego, ale są za to dwie bardzo długie kompozycje - gitarowe jamy inspirowane niewątpliwie Hendrixem. Proszę posłuchać zresztą ponad 15-sto minutowej kompozycji "Electric Gliding Nails Movements".

Gregg Parker - guitar
Carson Haggins - drums
Craig (Detroit) Jones - bass

We have a little anniversary on this blog - 1000 posts - so we have special musical gift for all our readers.

OZZ was formed by Chicago, Illinois born guitarist Gregg Parker. The band really took off once Crookston, Minnesota vocalist Alexis T. Angel, came on board, the pair having first met in the rather bizarre location of the Bahamas where Parker had spent his days jamming with passing names like ex Beatle Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones and Bad Company's Simon Kirke.

Earlier in his career, Parker had eked out a living backing up R&B outfits before realising that it was a Rock n' Roll lifestyle that he wanted to pursue. Parker headed to Los Angeles to form a short-lived band prior to landing a gig playing with Buddy Miles in 1974, leading to tours opening for Santana and Funkadelic.

Leaving Buddy Miles in order to fulfill his dreams of forming the ultimate Hard Rock band, Parker went through various line-ups of OZZ before taking the fateful trip to the Bahamas and linking up with Angel. It's believed that, prior to meeting Angel, Parker recorded an album under the OZZ banner for Darkhorse Records in 1978, although the guitarist claimed that he was unsure as to whether it was actually released. Parker also reckoned that one of the singers in pre-Angel versions of OZZ was none other than Steve Perry, later to find fame and fortune with Journey.

Back in the Mid-West, Angel had fronted bands since the age of 16, specifically Clown with whom he is said to have opened up for the likes of Alice Cooper, Kiss and Black Oak Arkansas. Relocating to the bright lights of Los Angeles Alexis plied his trade in a number of different club bands before attempting to reform Clown and eventually travelling to the Bahamas.

Parker and Angel put their combined talents onto tape back in Los Angeles and in December 1978 they'd won a deal with Epic Records. The 'No Prisoners' album was produced by Andy Johns and features ex-Rainbowman Craig Gruber and Willie Basse playing bass and Donnell Hagen on drums. It was especially noticeable that Parker cleverly reworked several Led Zeppelin riffs into his work on 'No Prisoners'.

Relocating to London in the mid 80's, Parker formed the short-lived Ninja with drummer Dave Raeburn and Gruber, playing a show at The Royal Standard in Walthamstow, East London for good measure. An album was planned to be recorded at Trident Studios in London with producer Jeff Glixman. However, whilst recording may have been undertaken nothing was ever released.

Feeling that there was more demand for OZZ, Parker chose to issue an album under the band's name, although adding the II suffix. The record was a collection of live material. He also released a solo single in late 1982. In the late 80s Parker returned to the fray with a frantic cover of Led Zeppelin's 'Black Dog' under the Parker handle.

The 'No Prisoners' album was released on the obscure German label Urbania Records on CD in the early 90s, albeit with less impressive cover art than the original. 'No Prisoners' was the subject of a September 2009 re-issue through Krescendo Records.

Post OZZ Willy Basse created Black Sheep with guitarists Paul Gilbert and Geolrge Lynch for the now highly collectable 'Trouble In The Streets' album.

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