Ofege

EMI Ofege : Try and Love (NIG,1974)****°

Ofege was formed by a bunch of teenage hipsters at the prestigious St. Gregory's College in the Obalende area of Lagos. Comband Razor described them as "a cross between the Bay City Rollers and Santana". He also said "It's clear that for Ofege, songs were largely incidental, little more than excuses to launch into insane, distorted guitar solos. It's also very clear that they smoked a lot of weed."

EMI Ofege : The Last Of The Origins (NIG,1974)****

"The Last Of The Origins" is a great rock record with a rather psychedelic approach. The rhythm section is attractive and complex and has African inspirations. The songs themselves aren’t really great lyrically, but the drive is incredible, and everywhere they can they add attention to instrumental parts where the organ, in a psychedelic way takes care of mind-losing groove, while fuzz guitars soar and improvise. The vocals can be post-60s, a bit Stones like or just leave themselves flooding with the psychedelic drive.

"Try and Love" from the same year was published actually before "The Last of the Origins". "Nobody Fails" continues in the same vain, with slight what I called post-60s harmony vocals (also especially “It’s not easy” has such vocals). Also here in this song the fuzz breaks out/breaks free, wild and uncompromising, while the rhythms in an African way are repeated and smoothly carry the song. Also here the bits of funky elements are completely dissolved in the psychedelic effect of all. The rhythms are complex and groovy.

It took some years before other albums appeared. Some members still had to finish university.

Paul Alade (bass, vocals), Dapo Olumide (keyboards), Melvin Noks (= Melvin Anokuru or Melvin Ukachi ?) (guitar, lead vocals, percussion), M-Ike Meme (drums, vocals, percussion) and Filix Inneh (vocals, gong)