Ozric Tentacles, or The Ozrics, are an instrumental rock band from Somerset, England, formed in 1983. To date they have 14 studio albums, 6 cassette only albums, 4 official live albums, 2 EPs, 2 video releases, and several compilations and remix albums and have sold over a million albums worldwide despite never having major label backing.
THAT SOUND
The Ozrics use a plethora of instruments to get their sound including the usual guitar and bass, but incorporate flutes, a wide variety of percussion, and lots of layered keys and synths. While strictly instrumental, they occasionally will have heavily altered voices used simply as another background instrument.
They use progressive elements quite frequently including unusual time signatures and modes as well as changing time signatures, key signatures, and tempos. However, there are also at times straight forward grooves in the vein of funk, dub/reggae, and jazz fusion, or ambient passages. Something that foreshadows styles that would later be pursued by various members of the band are the incorporation of electronic elements like psytrance style synths and programming.
PERSONNEL
Though they have had many lineup changes, guitarist Ed Wynne has remained as the lone original member of the band, while many members have worked on projects both before and after involvement with Ozric Tentacles. Former OT keyboard player Christopher “Seaweed” Lenox-Smith formed Moksha prior to his involvement with The Ozrics. Early keyboardist Joie Hinton joined with Ozrics drummer Merv Pepler to form the more electronic based Eat Static. Joie Hinton also teamed with The Ozrics’ ringleader Ed Wynne to form the ethereal Nodens Ictus.
BOTTOM LINE:
Go out and get some of these on Vinyl, kick back, and have an experience.
AG Zero 