MISSUS BEASTLY (1970)

One of the first underground German psych groups around, MB was known as Psychotic Reaction then Reaction before changing their name to an afro American TV show doll. They experienced quite a success live, but by the time they came to record their debut album, they had nothing ready for it, so they had to dig up old live songs, and according to bassist Hofman, the album is absolutely not representative of their stage sets.

Indeed this first album might appear quite deceiving compared to the band's future jazz- rock albums, because it is a full-psyched-out rock often delving in jazzy-blues-rock. The four main tracks (ranging from 5'30" to 9 minutes) of the album are all in this genre, and while enjoyable and well played, there is nothing extraordinary which would really interest most progheads, outside the psych flavour: they even sound like early TYA. The three shorter tracks (max 3 minutes) are even more psychedelic, but are amounting to being almost negligible. Indeed this album is really not that much essential to progheads, but can be a curiosity to Missus Beastly fans and to those psych-minded progheads as well.

This album will then be pirated (straight from the vinyl, therefore of inferior quality) quickly under the name Nara Asst Incense, and a group named MB with no link with the legit one will then live off the reputation of the name and even record two albums of their own. On the other hand, obviously the real MB was completely disorganized and only partially existed, but at one point the group will align seven musicians (including two wind players). The group will eventually fold, before being reformed on the request of ex-Missing Link Dieter Miekautsch, and former MB Jurgen Benz who asked the only remaining original drummer Lutz Oldermeier to reform. But this is another story.

This is the (first) nameless album of MISSUS BEASTLY - a band from my little hometown Herford. When they produced it in 1970 I was 14 years old - a litte bit too young to follow up the first steps of the band. Later I had closer contact to guitarist Atzen Wehmeyer for some time - but not related to music primarily. We worked together in a social project for children and he had formed another band named EINHORN in the meanwhile after he left MISSUS BEASTLY. So to review this album is something special for me because reminding a lot of experiences from that time.

They had chosen a psychedelic painting for the cover which was absolutely reflecting the music they played at that time. Their gigs often worked like happenings though, differing to what normally would be considered as a concert. They simply played what came into their minds in an intensive stirring mood - breaking all rules - and that finally caused the band's special reputation and success. They had been invited to play at two important german music events - at Burg Waldeck Festival and the Essener Pop & Blues-Festival. It is also known that someday the audience catcalled the main group THE MOVE at the Herford Jaguar-Club because they wanted to hear more from their favourite band.

It is fairly applicable to say that this is krautrock. MISSUS BEASTLY offers a blend of different music styles based on the blues - sometimes psychedelic coloured, sometimes jazz influenced and decorated with some weird insertions. The song material was worked out by accident in the same way as the gigs happened. It didn't match with what the band played live. Some of the songs never were presented on a stage. Hansi Fischer, the flute player of XHOL CARAVAN, appears on one song and the sessions were additionally supported by the AMON DÜÜL II members Dieter Serfas, Chris Karrer und John Weinzierl.

The short opener XOX is presented in a weird krautrocked mood - a short jam with distorted organ and guitar later fading into a backward spoken word part contributed by Atzen Wehmeyer. The textual content is harsh as it was usual at that time and defends the hippie subculture. Uncle Sam follows as a more blues inspired song - composed by Petja Hofman when the soundman was justifying the microphones! Vocals are rare and then the band jams once more in free form returning back to the main theme at the end.

Shame On You comes much more hippiesque first with acoustic guitar, percussion and flute. And then the band suddenly switches to a jazzy atmosphere whereas Wolfgang Nickel and Atzen Wehmeyer are swirling around nicely with their instruments. Another song which was composed spontaneously during the recordings was Decision - heavy rocking this time and one of the most accessible songs of the album. Chinese Love Song belongs to the highlights by all means because very weird - the vocals are a pun somewhat with rhyming words in german and this could be used at Halloween for eample - to frighten a lot of people without any problem. The deep bluesy Mean Woman and the instrumental and more grooving Aphrodisiakum are finally usual proper played songs with some improvised portions here and there.

Generally MISSUS BEASTLY is associated with jazz rock/fusion. And considering the whole discography this suits by the way. But this band has an eventful history with some changes and a lot of musicians. And they started with a krautrock album as many other german bands did in the same way. Definetely recommendable if you are searching for early german output reflecting the transition from the 60s to the 70s with a special spirit of optimism and pleasure to experimentalize - 3.5 stars.