Nigeria’s Psychedelic Rock Scene from the 1970s

Nigeria’s psychedelic rock scene from the 1970s was a vibrant and creative time for music. This blog explores the history and legacy of this musical movement.

Introduction

Psychedelic rock is a unique genre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The style is characterized by its use of distorted guitars, trippy sound effects, and ethereal vocals. Psychedelic rock was also often associated with the drug culture of the time, particularly with the use of LSD.

Nigeria’s psychedelic rock scene emerged in the 1970s, in the midst of the country’s tumultuous political climate. The Nigerian Civil War had recently ended, and the country was in a state of transition. This period of change and upheaval served as a breeding ground for new and exciting musical styles.

Nigerian psychedelic rock bands such as Ofo The Black Company and Monomono were influenced by Western acts like Jimi Hendrix and Cream. They combined these influences with traditional Nigerian music to create a distinctive sound that was all their own.

The Nigerian psychedelic rock scene remained active throughout the 1970s and 1980s, although it was not without its challenges. Many Nigerian bands struggled to find an audience outside of their home country due to the lack of international exposure. But despite these difficulties, Nigerian psychedelic rock continued to evolve and thrive into the 21st century.

The Birth of Psychedelic Rock in Nigeria

Psychedelic rock emerged in the Nigerian music scene in the 1970s, with a sound that was influenced by Western rock music and traditional Nigerian music. The genre became popular among young Nigerians, who were looking for a new sound that reflected their own identity. Psychedelic rock bands like Ofege and Monomono were at the forefront of this new wave of music, and their popularity paved the way for other Nigerian bands to experiment with the genre.

The First Psychedelic Rock Bands

Psychedelic rock first began to develop in Nigeria in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The earliest Nigerian bands to experiment with psychedelic sounds were of the Afro-rock genre, which combined elements of traditional Nigerian music with rock, funk, and soul. Among these early bands were Ofege, Blo, Monomono, andkeyboardsist Orlando Julius’s band, The Funkees.

Psychedelic rock really began to take off in Nigeria in the mid-1970s with the advent of “highlife-funk,” a new subgenre that fused elements of highlife, funk, and disco. The first highlife-funk band was Egwu Owuro Lojo, whose 1976 debut album featured the single “Ohue” (meaning “ghost”), which became a huge hit in Nigeria. Other popular highlife-funk bands of the 1970s included Dr. Alban & the Deacons, Bala Miller & the Great Mutations, Deknitria Highlife Stars, and Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz.

The popularity of highlife-funk led to a musical arms race of sorts in Nigeria, as each band tried to outdo their competitors with ever more psychedelic sounds and effects. This competition reached its culminations in 1978 with two landmark albums: Ofege’s Try Again and Monomono’s Release Your Mind. Both albums are now considered classics of Nigerian psychedelic rock

The First Psychedelic Rock Albums

Psychedelic rock first emerged in the late 1960s, pioneered by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, and Pink Floyd. The genre is characterized by its use of distorted guitars, extended jams, and mind-altering lyrics. In Nigeria, the scene began to take off in the early 1970s with the release of two groundbreaking albums: “Afro Rock Volume 1” by Blo and “psychedelic Hour” by Ofege. These records blended Western psychedelic rock with traditional Nigerian sounds and themes, creating a unique and influential new style of music. Psychedelic rock would go on to become a major force in Nigerian popular music, with subsequent generations of artists following in the footsteps of Blo and Ofege.

The Golden Age of Psychedelic Rock in Nigeria

In the 1970s, Nigeria’s Psychedelic Rock scene was flourishing. Bands like Ofege and Monomono were making great strides in the development of the genre, and Nigeria was at the forefront of the Psychedelic Rock movement. However, by the end of the decade, the scene had all but disappeared. What happened?

The Second Wave of Psychedelic Rock Bands

After the initial wave of psychedelic rock bands, there was a second wave of groups that started to experiment with the sound. These bands were influenced by both the American and Nigerian groups from the first wave. One of the most popular bands from this period was Blo. Blo was a five-piece band that formed in 1974. The band’s sound was a mixture of James Brown-style funk, traditional Nigerian music, and psychedelic rock. Blo had several hit singles, including “Chantmania,” “Pay Back,” and “Where Is Africa.” Another popular band from this period was Ofege. Ofege was a nine-piece band that formed in 1974. The band’s sound was similar to Blo’s, but they also incorporated elements of progressive rock into their music. Ofege had several hit singles, including “It’s Alright,” “Try and Love,” and “Who No Know Go Know.”

The Second Wave of Psychedelic Rock Albums

Psychedelic rock was extremely popular in Nigeria during the 1970s, with a second wave of albums being released in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some of the most notable Nigerian psychedelic rock albums from this period include:

-The Funkees’ Dancing Time (1973)
-Orlando Julius & The Afro Sounders’ Super Afro Soul (1974)
-Ofu Obekpa’s Psychedelic Dance Party (1977)
-Lijadu Sisters’ Danger (1979)
-The Apostles’ Psychedelic Colours (1981)

The Legacy of Psychedelic Rock in Nigeria

Psychedelic rock arrived in Nigeria in the 1970s, brought by returning soldiers who had been exposed to the music while serving in the Vietnam War. The genre quickly found a home in the country’s burgeoning music scene, and Nigerian psychedelic rock bands like Ofege and Monomono became hugely popular. Psychedelic rock had a profound influence on Nigerian music, and its legacy can still be heard in the work of contemporary Nigerian musicians.

The Third Wave of Psychedelic Rock Bands

The Nigerian psychedelic rock scene of the 1970s was the third wave of psychedelic rock bands that emerged in Nigeria. This wave was led by Fela Kuti, who is considered the godfather of Nigerian rock music. Kuti’s band, Africa 70, pioneered a new sound that combined elements of African music with psychedelic rock, creating a unique and influential hybrid.

Other notable bands from this era include Blo, Ofege, and Monomono. These bands helped to shape the sound of Nigerian rock music and inspired subsequent generations of musicians.

The Third Wave of Psychedelic Rock Albums

In the 1970s, a new style of music emerged in Nigeria that blended traditional Nigerian sounds with psychedelic rock. This new genre, which came to be known as “Afro-psychedelia,” would go on to influence subsequent generations of Nigerian musicians.

The first wave of Afro-psychedelia began in the late 1960s with the release of two groundbreaking albums: Nigerian costumed funk bandleader James Brown’s Black Man’s Pride (1968) and Fela Kuti’s Nigeria 70 (1971). These albums would set the stage for the second wave of Afro-psychedelia, which was led by Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen’s Tomorrow Comes Today (1973) and Kuti’s Expensive Shit (1975).

The third and final wave of Afro-psychedelia began in the early 1980s with the release of two more seminal albums: Jimi Hendrix’s Rainbow Bridge (1972) and George Clinton’s Computer Games (1982). These albums would inspire a new generation of Nigerian musicians who would go on to form bands like Osibisa, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, and Cream.