OFO THE ROCK COMPANY - Live In Europe – Fonk Afrika - LP

* Breathtaking mix of power funk and furious rock elements by this Nigerian cult band
* For fans of Mother’s Finest, Assagai, Demon Fuzz, Geraldo Pino, Fela Kuti
* Filled to the last groove with catchy tunes that feature awesome harmonies
* Recorded live during a European tour
* An original affair for fans of groovy Nigerian afrobeat
* Excellent sound and performance by high-class professional musicians
* First ever rerelease on vinyl and CD
* Fully licensed
* Remastered audio
* LP housed in a superheavy 430g art carton cover
* Ultimate collector's item for fans of classic afrobeat.

OFO The Rock Company (originally known as OFO The Back Company) was Nigeria's first acid-rock band. Blending Hendrix and Deep Purple with shamanism and a pro-black philosophy, they cut their teeth at Fela Kuti's Afrika Shrine, developing a fearsome live reputation that intimidated every other band in Lagos. No one wanted to follow the guys from OFO, not even Fela himself. Lead by the charismatic Larry Ifedioranma, OFO The Rock Company considered itself a musical cult. Their live shows were a heady mix of mind-melting musicianship, mysticism, and theatre. In 1973 the band tour Europe and Fonkafrika gathers together the best of those performances. The moments captured range from small intimate gigs in London, where you can hear the conversation amongst the crowd, to an astonishing gig in East Germany where they played before 900,000 people. The undoubted highlight is the extended prog-rock wig out of 'Ayaya,' recorded at the Berlin gig, before an obviously delighted crowd. See if you can pick out the moment where the band was joined on stage by a long-haired hippy who insisted on playing guitar. They didn't realize it at the time but it was Carlos Santana. It was in Europe that the band fell apart, riven in two by Ifedioranma's increasingly autocratic rule. Fonkafrica remains a precious testament to what the band did best – playing loud and proud and putting on a show you would never forget. - Peter Moore