Release Date: 30 August 2024
Label: Grapefruit / Cherry Red
Packaging Type: Clamshell
No of Units: 6
Barcode: 5013929195103
Genres: Rock Psychedelic Rock
Description
• First-ever complete anthology of early 70s UK progressive rock band notorious for occult- based lyrics and explicit stage act.
• Features their three CBS albums, demos, including an early demo version of 'Sacrifice', out- takes, live recordings and a pre-Black Widow LP as Pesky Gee! And their final unreleased album from 1972.
• Inspired by the popularity of Hammer Horror films and Dennis Wheatley novels, in 1969 Leicester progressive rockers Pesky Gee! became Black Widow and immersed themselves in the occult.
• Sharing management with Black Sabbath, they signed to CBS and issued concept album 'Sacrifice', a Top 40 set that included their calling card, the demonic invocation 'Come To The Sabbat'.
• Also including two live sets from 1970-71 and all surviving tracks from an aborted 1971 solo LP by vocalist Kay Garrett on which she was backed by Black Widow (who also wrote the songs).
• Featuring a 40-page booklet that contains the band's full story with quotes and many rare photos/press clippings,'Sabbat Days' is a must-have for fans of vintage UK progressive rock, and is a fascinating document of a time when rock music still had the power to offend mainstream society.
Aided by Wiccan High Priest Alex Sanders (“the most powerful witch in Britain”), they developed a stage act that climaxed with the mock-sacrifice of a naked virgin. The show inevitably attracted the interest of the Sunday tabloids and the condemnation of the clergy, and they were refused entry to America in the wake of the Charles Manson atrocities (reported at the time as “black magic” murders).
Reluctantly deciding to drop their stage show, they moved away from occult-based imagery and parted company with Sanders. Two further albums appeared before CBS dropped them, the band breaking up after being unable to place their final recordings.
Tracklisting
DISC ONE
1 ANOTHER COUNTRY
2 PIG FOOTS
3 SEASON OF THE WITCH
4 A PLACE OF HEARTBREAK
5 WHERE IS MY MIND
6 A PIECE OF MY HEART
7 DHARMA FOR ONE
8 PEACE OF MIND
9 BORN TO BE WILD
Bonus tracks
10 MADMAN'S SONG
11 THE DEVIL'S LAIR
12 DADDY BABE
1-9 The album Exclamation Mark by Pesky Gee! (Pye NSPL 18293, released August 1969)
10-12 Tracks from cancelled 1971 Kay Garrett solo album, backing from Black Widow, first released 2003/2012
DISC TWO
1 INI ANCIENT DAYS
2 WAY TO POWER
3 COME TO THE SABBAT
4 CONJURATION
5 SEDUCTION
6 ATTACK OF THE DEMON
7 SACRIFICE
Bonus track
8 MARY CLARK (first demo, acoustic version)
1-7 Demo album, recorded November 1969, first released 1998
8 First demo, acoustic version, recorded late 1969, first released 2012
DISC THREE
1 IN ANCIENT DAYS
2 WAY TO POWER
3 COME TO THE SABBAT
4 CONJURATION
5 SEDUCTION
6 ATTACK OF THE DEMON
7 SACRIFICE
Bonus tracks
8 COME TO THE SABBAT
(single edit)
9 IN ANCIENT DAYS
10 WAY TO POWER
11 COME TO THE SABBAT
12 CONJURATION
1-7 The album Sacrifice (CBS 63948, released March 1970)
8 Single edit, CBS S 5031, released June 1970
9-12 Live on German TV show Beat Club 28th May 1970, first released 2007
DISC FOUR
1 TEARS AND WINE
2 THE GYPSY
3 BRIDGE PASSAGE
4 WHEN MY MIND WAS YOUNG
5 THE JOURNEY
6 POSER
7 MARY CLARK
8 WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW
9 AN AFTERTHOUGHT
10 LEGEND OF CREATION
Bonus tracks
11 MARY CLARK
12 SEDUCTION
13 ATTACK OF THE DEMON
14 SACRIFICE
1-10 The album Black Widow (CBS 64133, released December 1970)
11 Alternative version from CBS label sampler album Rock Buster (CBS PR 48/49, released December 1970)
12-14 Live on German TV show Beat Club 28th May 1970, first released 2007
DISC FIVE
1 THE BATTLE (THE ONSLAUGHT/IF A MAN SHOULD DIE/SURVIVAL)
2 ACCIDENT
3 LONELY MAN
4 THE SUN
5 KINGS OF HEARTS
6 OLD MAN
Bonus tracks
7 I WISH YOU WOULD
8 IN ANCIENT DAYS
9 I WISH YOU WOULD
10 COME TO THE SABBAT
1-6 The album Black Widow III (CBS 64562, released January 1972)
7 Single, CBS S 7596, released November 1971
8-10 Live at Teatro Lirico Milan, Italy 10th May 1971, first released 2012
DISC SIX
1 SLEIGHRIDE
2 MORE THAN A DAY
3 YOU'RE SO WRONG
4 THE WAVES
5 PART OF A NEW DAY
Bonus tracks
6 WHEN WILL YOU KNOW
7 FLOATING
8 PICTURES IN MY HEAD
9 I SEE YOU
10 MARY CLARK
11 LEGEND OF CREATION
12 SACRIFICE
1-5 Intended album Black Widow IV, recorded August 1972, first released 1997
6-9 Demos recorded December 1972, first released 1997
10-12 Live at Teatro Lirico Milan, Italy 10th May 1971, first released 2012,
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Uriah Heep
Strawbs
Praying Mantis
Peter Hammill
Black Widow
Black Widow
Black Widow
Black Widow
