First-ever complete anthology of early 70s UK progressive rock band notorious for occult- based lyrics and explicit stage act.
The release 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’.
The release also includes 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).
’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.
Artist: Black Widow
Album: Sabbat Days (The Complete Anthology 1969-1972)
Year: 2024
Label: Grapefruit Records
Style: Hard Rock, Occult Progressive Rock
Format: mp3/320, flac (tracks, cue, log, 44.1kHz/16bit)
Tracklist
CD1 – Pesky Gee! Exclamation Mark (1969)
01 – Another Country 07:36
02 – Pig Foots 04:38
03 – Season Of The Witch 08:21
04 – A Place Of Heartbreak 03:00
05 – Where Is My Mind 02:59
06 – A Piece Of My Heart 02:50
07 – Dharma For One 04:01
08 – Peace Of Mind 02:20
09 – Born To Be Wild 04:22
10 – Madman’s Song 03:48
11 – The Devil’s Lair 02:51
12 – Daddy Babe 11:49
01-09 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
CD2 – Demo Album (1969)
01 – In Ancient Days 09:27
02 – Way To Power 04:07
03 – Come To The Sabbat 04:10
04 – Conjuration 05:51
05 – Seduction 04:40
06 – Attack Of The Demon 03:56
07 – Sacrifice 10:50
08 – Mary Clark 03:56
01-07 Demo album, recorded November 1969, first released 1998
08 First demo, acoustic version, recorded late 1969, first released 2012
CD3 – Sacrifice (1970)
01 – In Ancient Days 07:39
02 – Way To Power 03:56
03 – Come To The Sabbat 04:57
04 – Conjuration 05:43
05 – Seduction 05:35
06 – Attack Of The Demon 05:36
07 – Sacrifice 01:11
08 – Come To The Sabbat (Single Edit) 03:37
09 – In Ancient Days 15:10
10 – Way To Power 03:36
11 – Come To The Sabbat 05:27
12 – Conjuration 04:57
01-07 The album Sacrifice (CBS 63948, released March 1970)
08 Single edit, CBS S 5031, released June 1970
09-12 Live on German TV show Beat Club 28th May 1970, first released 2007
CD4 – Black Widow (1970)
01 – Tears And Wine 08:56
02 – The Gypsy 04:31
03 – Bridge Passage 00:30
04 – When My Mind Was Young 05:07
05 – The Journey 05:51
06 – Poser 07:43
07 – Mary Clark 04:05
08 – Wait Until Tomorrow 03:24
09 – An Afterthought 01:09
10 – Legend Of Creation 05:54
11 – Mary Clark 03:58
12 – Seduction 05:37
13 – Attack Of The Demon 05:24
14 – Sacrifice 15:14
01-10 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
CD5 – Black Widow III (1972)
01 – The Battle (The Onslaught / If A Man Should Die / Survival) 10:54
02 – Accident 04:08
03 – Lonely Man 04:50
04 – The Sun 04:28
05 – Kings Of Hearts 06:39
06 – Old Man 09:11
07 – I Wish You Would 03:45
08 – In Ancient Days 09:19
09 – I Wish You Would 08:31
10 – Come To The Sabbat 06:15
01-06 The album Black Widow III (CBS 64562, released January 1972)
07 Single, CBS S 7596, released November 1971
08-10 Live at Teatro Lirico Milan, Italy 10th May 1971, first released 2012
CD6 – Black Widow IV (Recorded 1972)
01 – Sleighride 09:12
02 – More Than A Day 04:29
03 – You’re So Young 03:54
04 – The Waves (5:47
05 – Part Of A New Day 08:31
06 – When Will You Know 02:16
07 – Floating 04:30
08 – Pictures In My Head 03:42
09 – I See You 03:13
10 – Mary Clark 04:19
11 – Legend Of Creation 07:56
12 – Sacrifice 13:37
01-05 Intended album Black Widow IV, recorded August 1972, first released 1997
06-09 Demos recorded December 1972, first released 1997
10-12 Live at Teatro Lirico Milan, Italy 10th May 1971, first released 2012