OZRIC TENTACLES

Like many of the '80s Festival bands, Ozric Tentacles was born in the glow of a camp fire on Salisbury plain. Quite often, while wandering around a festival site in the early morning, you run into a gathering of people listening to a group of musicians, playing and singing familiar and unfamiliar songs or just simply jamming. It was from such a jam session that Ozric Tentacles emerged. Ed Wynne (Guitar), his brother Roly (Bass), Nick 'Tig' Van Gelder (Drums) and Gavin Griffiths (Guitar), happened upon Joie 'Ozrooniculator' Hinton (Keyboards/Noises) sitting by an open fire, at Stonehenge in 1982. They immediately 'hit it off' musically and it was from that moment that the 'Ozrics amoeba' began to grow and multiply. The strange name, that the band eventually adopted, evolved from a joke to do with imaginary breakfast cereals. Ozric Tentacles was one name that was dreamt up during a session of mind expanded lunacy. Other contenders, that fell by the way, were 'Desmond Whisps' and 'Malcolm Segments'! The band was, in the end, forced to adopt a name, when people continued to ask them who they were, at festivals. The inert monicker 'Ozric Tentacles' seemed the perfect choice. 

Over the years that the Ozrics have been in existance the band has undergone a number of line-up changes. The first major change was in 1984, when Gavin Griffiths, who played guitar in a very similar style to Ed, quit the band to form his own unit called The Ullulators. Basically, Ozric Tentacles contained too many members, hence the decision to split into two bands. Tom Brookes remained on synth keyboards (gubbly noises) and Joie Hinton, likewise continued on more notational keyboards. Nick Van Gelder retained the drum stool, Paul Hankin (Conga's, Marracas') and Roly was on bass for a while, being temporarily replaced by Ed Myer. Ed Wynne, of course, still filled the lead guitar position, but when Tom Brookes finally decided to leave, in 1985, he had to play synth in between his guitar work. 

In 1987 Ozrics were off on the road for three months, when Ed Wynne went to Thailand. When he came back he discovered that Nick Van Gelder had left the band due to disinterest. The replacement was Merv Pepler, one of the bands only West Country connections, apart from Steve Everett who has recently joined on synth as replacement for Tom Brookes. 

Marcus Carcus has also spent a short while with the band on extra percussion, while John Egan has been adding flute and occasional vocals for the past year or two. 

The first Ozrics release, 'Erp Songs', appeared in late 1985 and collected together a selection of pieces from the '84/'85 period. The tracks are untitled, on the tape, but recognisable live favourites include "Zelwind'' (Track 1) and "Dots w Thots'' (Track 2). From the opening cut "Zelwind'', it becomes obvious that the tape is a highly professional production. In places a thundering rhythmn section underpins soaring guitar passages that interweave between swirling synth lines and electronic effects, while in other regions strong Reggae patterns weld space rock and dub to create a whole new musical territory. The aforementioned "Dots w Thots'' has a particularly compulsive melody and beat that includes some superb keyboard and guitar runs, bubbling and eddying like currents in a fast moving stream. 

1986 saw the release of 'Live Ethereal Cereal', a collection of the best performances from '85/'86, which includes a blistering jam called "Obstacular Explosion'' that has a mid-section reminiscent of Santana. Ed Wynnes guitar work is strong and sharp, recalling not only mid '70s guitarists such as Steve Hillage, but also, at times, San Francisco masters such as Barry Melton and the late John Cippolina. The drumming of Tig and Paul Hankin is precise and dynamic, powered by some strong bass from Roly, while the dual synth/keyboards of Joie and Tom add the psychoactive icing to the cake. Wonderful! 

Another studio tape was issued in 1986. Titled 'Tantric Obstacles' it is one of the bands best recorded excursions and opens with the ecstatic "Og Ha Be''. Also included is the eerie "Shards Of Ice'', the live killer "Sniffing Dog'', the dreamy, floating "Atmosphear'', the evocative "Trees Of Eternity'' and the deep Reggae of "Oddhamshaw Style'' and "Sorry Style'', amongst other excellent pieces of music. While Ozrics fans were digesting the many facets of this tape yet another tape was released 'Sliding Gliding Worlds', which developed the Ozrics sound still further, with complicated rhythms and atonal ideas. In a live environment, many of the sounds on these tapes, are transformed with long passages of improvisation and the 1986 tape 'There Is Nothing' demonstrates the possibilities for this, with its rolling flowing musical structures that are continually open ended, leaving the listener always wanting more. "The Sacred Turf'' is perhaps the strongest track on the tape and combines some superb keyboard flourishes with waterfalls of guitar work. "OI'' has a very irregular rhythmn and introduces what Ed describes as "Ethnic music elements''. At moments you can hear the sound of a Japanese Koto or a flute, while at others there is a strong Indian flavour. The gentle soothing sections, such as "Airy Area'' are flowing collages of sound that "Lull Your Skull''. This theme is expanded by 1988's tape 'Kick Muck' , wherein a whole selection of synthesised jungle sounds on "The Green Island'' give the impression of listening to a tribal celebration, deep in the Amazon Jungle. "Soda Water'' has an almost hypnotic quality, with deep rolling rhythms, whereas "Yaboop Yaboop'' incorporates superb flute playing, sampled voices and the usual Ozric embellishments. Some of the ideas on this tape were included on the recent LP 'Pungent Effulgent' which we will examine later. 

The eclectic compilation 'Bits Between The Bits' brings together odd pieces from 1985 to 1989 and in places is quite stunning. As an introduction to Ozrics this is easily the best tape featuring all of their styles from the ambient, dreamy Rainforest ether of "Eye Of Adia'' through to the Floyd like space guitar rock of "Health Music''. "Secret Names" is Ozrics attempt at Acid House and it is a marvellous journey into rhythm and sound that blows away all of the competition, because it involves musicianship - something that techno-Freaks have completely forgotten. Commencing with a pounding drum machine and dub beat it gradually evolves into a whirlpool of ethnic sounds and synth patterns that grabs you by the feet and forces you to dance in a kaleidoscope of neural and audio experiences. Ozrics have kindly let Freakbeat use this track on one of our forthcoming compilation albums - we certainly would like it to reach the wider audience that it deserves! 

Completeists may be interested in The Nodins Ictus tape 'The Grove Of Selves', released in 1987. Essentially the tape is Ozric Tentacles without the bass, drums and other percussion. Ed thought that, since the recordings were not applicable to the band so much, they'd put 'em out under a different name. The tape is a mixture of relaxing, computerised pieces of music, in a Tangerine Dream vein, utilising drum machines and various synthesised effects. After the release of the tape, Nodins Ictus were actually booked to play some gigs and, occasionally, still do perform. Look out for an LP out soon and a "Live At Club Dog'' tape. 

Ozric Tentacles, themselves, often use a drum machine in the studio because, with a live drum sound, there are external noise problems (eg. annoyed neighbours!). In the Live environment, therefore, the band have a slightly heavier sound as a result, however the recent LP was recorded with a full drum kit which has given it a sound more faithfull to that live sound. 
 

Just out is the Ozrics newest vinyl production 'Erpland'. A double album it collects together all elements of the Ozrics universe and blends them into a free flowing whole that fits together with ease. It's hard to review each track seperately since in reality the album is one track that is subdivided into smaller elements, however Ozrics fans will not be disappointed. The title track is an orgasmic explosion of sounds while cuts like "Eternal Wheel'' and "Springtime'' are much more relaxed in feel and execution. Ozrics certainly come into their own with this record and those who accuse the band of retrogression will find little to base their claims on here. The album is available on Dovetail Records and in both Vinyl and CD formats (CD owners will be able to experience the evolving nature of the LP without the hassle of having to keep changing the sides over!) 

For now, that about winds up the last tentacle. No doubt 1990/1 will see a surge of Ozric activities and, hopefully, more of their unique music will be made available on disc. I'm off now to tuck into a large bowl of Desmond Whisps! 

by Richard Allen.