Keith Law , songwriter,ex- Jardine and Frank Wilson, founder member, vocalist and keyboard player,are back together writing and recording for a proposed new Velvett Fogg album. Word has it that an Italian record company is already showing a lot of interest in the project.
Velvett Fogg, who were formed in 1968 out of a respectable Brum band called Gravy Train. The initial line-up of Velvett Fogg featured guitarist Tony Iommi (later to make the big time with Black Sabbath).
The other band members were drummer Graham Mullett, bass guitarist Mick Pollard, and Londoner Frank Wilson who played Hammond organ. The band were soon off to Germany.Their exciting stage act included a light show and a go-go dancer. Upon returning to Birmingham, the band, was given a record deal by Jack Dorsey of Pye Records. At this time it seemed that the more un
usual or controversial a band was, then the greater chance there would be for success in the record business. The record label was looking to sign unusual "underground" acts and Velvett Fogg were told to, in Jack Dorsey's words, "develop an image that would make people think you would piss on the pope"
Velvett Fogg's self-titled album was released on the Pye label in January of 1969
Material for the Velvett Fogg album would be supplied by local songwriter/guitarist
Keith Law who became a friend of the band. Keith takes up the story; "I was in the Rum Runner one night, when someone told me that Velvett Fogg were looking for new material, and they introduced me to them. I arranged to meet them at their rehearsal place, Langley Baths. I went along the next day, and went through the following songs with them: Yellow Cave Woman, Once Among The Trees, and Within' The Night and that was it! The next couple of days, they were in London recording"
Despite what some may have thought, the album stands up as a fine example of late 1960s British psychedelia. As well as the previously mentioned covers, original compositions such as Yellow Cave Woman,Once Among The Trees and Wintin' The Night are hypnotic if not compelling.
By far the most controversial feature of the Velvett Fogg album was the record cover. It displayed the band wearing garish make-up/body-paint and costume but also included two well-endowed young women wearing nothing but strategically applied body paint! This politically-incorrect package was accompanied by a typically obscure sleevenote by the influential U.K. disc jockey John Peel who commented "There is a lot of good music on this record. Remember Velvett Fogg - you will hear the name again."
A fuller biog, can be found on the Velvett Fogg web-site
Keith Law
stayed in the music business, is still writing songs, and is now a successful entertainer in the South-West of England. During the years since Velvett Fogg's demise, demand amongst collectors for copies of their (now very rare) album has increased considerably. Original albums have changed hands for high prices with bootleg copies also known to be in circulation. Fortunately, in 2002 the Sanctuary Records Group Ltd. re-issued the album officially for the first time on CD (CMRCD619) and it is strongly recommended for those who are fans of the British psychedelic or early progressive sounds of the late 1960s.
“ Remember Velvett Fogg - you will hear the name again"...
John Peel. 1969.
For more information,
Visit the band's Web-Site on,
http://www.myspace.com/velvettfogg/
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