"Freak Out" was a short-lived Psychedelic Rock band from Austria.
Band members: Robert Musenbichler on guitar and background vocals, Peter Musenbichler on guitar and lead vocals, Max Weissenbäck on sax, Charly Dienes on drums, Mike Gärtner on bass, and Ivan Miholic on percussion.

Named after the Mothers of Invention title, they really had their finger on the pulse with their mad jazzed out cover versions of real classics like 'Son of Mr. Green Genes' (Frank Zappa), 'Evil Ways' (Santana), 'See My Ways' (Blodwyn Pig) and more in extended sax and guitar jams. This is really tripped out and to see an original copy of this 1971 album is like finding the Holy Grail.

Liner notes from their album:
This, their live release, is also their only album released. Filled mostly with covers, Life does feature two pieces that the band composed, "Jamming Brother" and "Crazy Colours Of Life." "Jamming Brother" appeared on the band's 7" single, as "Jaming Brothers," and is included as a bonus track here along side the single's flip, the above mentioned "Crazy Colours…." The first of these is an energetic piece with a distinctive, funky bass riff, though it's the guitar that stands out. It may be the Ike & Tina Turner version of "Proud Mary" that I'm thinking of with that bass riff. The second of these originals is a dreamy, upbeat piece that recalls "Traces" by Classics IV, a 1969 soft-rock hit, which almost makes it seem like another cover. Gentle vocals, light sound… quite unlike the jam-rock of the rest of the album.

The set, performed before an audience of 1000 at Klangenfurt Concert Hall, Austria, April 24, 1971, opened with the Santana{ classic "Evil Ways." Interestingly, the set featured many Blodwyn Pig tunes, though only two were included on the actual release. In fact, only half of the band's set is included here, and now the other 9 tracks are lost (having been recorded over). A Rolling Stones tune in the form of "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" is also featured, and it's here that Dienes gets his drum solo spot, and does quite well with it. They do become a bit possessed in a psychedelic kind of way, but you do suddenly think that maybe you've stepped into the Twilight Zone. The set did include a cover of "Paint It Black," too, but it's one of the lost tracks. We get some neat guitar interplay during the jam section of "Fresh Garbage," a piece that recalls Santana though it was originally recorded by Spirit. And then there's sax, which can be heard all over this release, most notably in a lead role on the Zappa piece "Son Of Mr. Green Genes." The band took their name from a Zappa album, so it's fitting that a Zappa track appears here.

There is no quest this is a live recording, the sound alone tells you that. The GoD reissue is clean as the original masters were used, so this reissue of a rarity doesn't suffer from being taken from a secondary source. The two bonuses were, however, taken from well-preserved LP and de-noised using the Cedar NoNoise system. The original production was only slightly muddy at times… in other words, don't expect a "modern" live sound, it is very much a product of the 70's. What the album does demonstrate is that this band could play. My favourite aspects are the sax and guitar playing here, which do come across very clear. In the broad sense, more of interest to collectors, given the rarity of the original LP (only about 200 were pressed), but it's pretty good release besides.


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