Search - Orang-Utan :: Orang-Utan

Early 70's heavy, stoner, dual-guitar rock!!

Tuco | Phoenix, Az USA | 04/12/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Get ready for some early 70s heavy rock out of the UK with smoking twin-lead guitars and fiery vocals!! The music itself consists of some very well played, heavy, guitar-oriented rock somewhere near Leaf Houd or heavier Free with a bit of Zep's style.



The liner notes on this release are way off and name some folks who were in the band's previous lineup and only recorded demos together when they were still named Hunter. For the album as released, most of the music was written/composed by drummer Jeff Seopardie, guitars by Sid Fairman & Mick Clarke with Paul Roberts on bass. The stellar vocals are from their replacement vocalist Nobby Clark - who incidentally had only one lung - and are a great match for the band's sound.



The album was recorded in London at a 16-track, state of the art facility and was subsequently 'stolen' in 1970 and released only in the US by a seedy and 'self-named' producer, all without the knowledge or consent of the band. They found out after the fact and have never been paid a dime for this fine record. When they found out the LP had been released, the band realized they had been screwed and went their seperate ways.



One of the best 'lost' 70s album in my collection and everything I look for in a lost classic. Too bad they were jilted and never got the opportunity to follow up this little gem...







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Dont monkey around with Orang-utan

MARK CHOMA | COLLINSVILLE IL.USA | 03/30/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Is Orang-utan the lost 70s hardrock gem everyones been searching for? No.Is it a godawful album not worth your time or money? Again a resounding no.Id have to rate this cd as middle of the road early rock,nothing mindblowing but a worthy addition to your obscure rock recordings collection. Here's the linear notes in all their glory:

As most people dont know: Orang-utan grew from the dying members of Jason Crest,whilst the remaining members continued with new vocalist Brian Prebble and ex-Mike Stuart Span/Leviathan guitarist Brian Bennett under the new name.Their US-only album is full of far music heavier than the Crest ever managed to cut."I can see inside your head" is unsubtley Hendrixian and very 'eavy {but not at all 'umble!}therefore quite brilliant.'Slipping Away' is also bloody heavy,this time Led Zep sounding. Its mellowed interlude,complete with phased vocals,shows that the path from 'Black Mass' lead somewhere equally troubled:"Time is all kinds of pain and your mind is never quite the same" 'Love Queen'is very cool.'Chocolate Piano'is bombastic and 'kin great! A vertible epic.This is one of the very best heavy albums of the period,and most definitely not for the popsykers!But if you dig Broughtons, Writing on the Wall,or the Faries I am sure you'll dig this big time;and song titles such as 'Fly Me High'or 'Magic Playground'leave no one in doubt that this is music stuffed full of brain fryin'chemicals.In fact,this is one of the very few genuine UK 'Acid Rock'albums. Play loud,play very very LOUD!......Again 3 stars on the music and 5 stars on the album cover. ORANG-UTAN Original release 1971 USA Bell Records 6054

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