Black Merda

Black Merda (pronounced Murder also known as Black Murder means The Killing of Black People) was an American rock band from Detroit, Michigan, active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It often bills itself as "the first black rock band."

History

The band's original lineup included Anthony "Wolf" Hawkins, VC L. "The Mighty V" Veasey, and Tyrone Hite; they were later joined by Anthony's brother, Charles. They were first popular as a local and national backup band under various names: Impact, The Fabulous Impacs and the Soul Agents. The group provided backup for Motown recording artists Edwin Starr and The Spinners as well as for Brunswick recording artists Gene Chandler, The Artistics, Billy Butler and The Chilites.

Veasey and Hawkins first met in the spring of 1960; both were budding blues guitarists. Hawkins later met Hite at Western High School in Detroit, introducing him to Veasey, and the three became friends. The band became locally well-known as a talented rhythm section, and were called on for recording sessions by local producers and record companies such as Don Davis, Fortune Records, and Bob and Chico Hamilton, producers for Golden World Studios. Veasey played bass and Hawkins played guitar for Edwin Starr's hit "Agent Double O Soul" in 1965. They later toured with Starr to support his record and his later hits "Twenty Five Miles" and "War".

Discovering Jimi Hendrix

Veasey, who was stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington in early 1966, noticed a picture of Jimi Hendrix in a Seattle newspaper story. Although his first response was to laugh at Hendrix's appearance, Veasey remembered the name and face well enough to recognize Hendrix on the album cover of "Are You Experienced" in a record store in 1967. He pointed the album out to his bandmates, and the three decided to buy the record, mostly intending to play it for laughs. However, their actual response to Hendrix's music was quite different. All three band members were fascinated with Hendrix's screaming rock guitar sound, which was very new at the time, and they played the album over and over again.

Up to the point of discovering Hendrix, Veasey, Hawkins, and Hite had performed soul jazz with rhythm and horns, but they decided to jettison the brass section and become a three-piece psychedelic rock band. At the same time they changed their visual appearance, growing their hair in Afros and wearing psychedelic-inspired clothing.

For a year or so the three emulated the three-piece lineup of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, but soon decided they needed an additional instrument in the band to give them a fuller sound. After a short search, they hit upon Hawkins' younger brother, Charles, as another guitarist. Charles, nicknamed "Charlie Hawk," was more than willing to join, although his older brother wasn't entirely comfortable with having him in the band.

Hawkins and Veasey had been writing songs since they first met at age 14. They turned their hands to writing songs about the turbulent, unjust social and racial issues of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Origins of the band name

The four band members were on their way to a gig in 1968 when Veasey suggested they come up with a new name for the band, as their then-current name, The Soul Agents, didn't fit them any more. Charles Hawkins suggested the name "Murder Incorporated", but this was rejected as being identical to the notorious criminal organization. Considering that many young black people were at that time being killed by the police and the Klan in Detroit and in the south, Veasey wanted to choose a name that would be a shocking reminder to the public of how bad the situation was. Veasey suggested "Black Murder" and the others agreed. After a year or so Anthony suggested spelling "murder" "merda", So the spelling was changed to "Black Merda" as a way of retaining the original name without having to deal with the negative impact of the word "murder" with it's connotations of killing people constantly placed before the public's mind. Black Merda is an American slang spelling of Black Murder and means the killing of black people.

Touring with Edwin Starr

Black Merda was still in demand as a backup band for various local and nationally known acts. Edwin Starr, whom they had worked with in the past, came calling for their services for an upcoming tour with Motown recording artists The Temptations in late 1969. The band agreed to do the tour, but only as a four-piece guitar rock band. Starr, thinking that their new psychedelic look and sound would add to his stage appeal, agreed to their terms, and they toured the New England states together.

The Temptations were impressed with Black Merda's sound and their offstage camaraderie, but the foursome viewed The Temptations and other Motown acts as passé compared to the experimental music of Hendrix and other young artists. Still when Temptations member Eddie Kendricks expressed an interest in producing them, the band did start meeting with him once they returned to Detroit.

Meeting Ellington "Fugi" Jordan

Through Kendricks, the band met Ellington Jordan, also known as "Fugi". Jordan was extremely impressed with Black Merda's live performance and wanted to join the band, but the band members declined. Contrary to what has been reported by various media sources Jordan was never a member or a front man for Black Merda. Jordan had written and recorded several songs, including "Mary Don't Take Me On No Bad Trip", which he played for the band. They didn't think much of the song as it existed, but Veasey spontaneously began to play the groove and bass line of the song, and the Hawkins brothers and Hite spontaneously jumped in with their parts. Jordan pleaded with the band to let him use their version, which they did. When the song was released on Chess Records' Cadet label under Jordan's alias, "Fugi", the band was not credited for its contribution. "Mary" became a huge local hit in Detroit.

Jordan introduced the band to Marshall Chess, president of Chess Records. The band recorded one album for Chess, their self-titled "Black Merda", and another for GRT Records on the Janus label, "Long Burn the Fire". (Both albums are now available on the CD "The Folks from Mother's Mixer".) Another sought after disc by collectors is the band’s cover of Jimi Hendrix’s "Foxy Lady" recorded on a local Detroit label in 1967, as the "Soul Agents", the first cover of a Hendrix song on record.

Reunion

Black Merda recently performed at the Detroit Motown Winter Blast Festival in 2005 and 2006, The Beachland Ballroom Cleveland 2006 , The Ottawa Blues Festival in Ottawa, Ontario 2006, the Central Park Summer Stage Series in New York 2006 and other venues.

Discography

* "Black Merda" Chess, 1970, reissued Tuffcity, 1996.
* "Long Burn The Fire" GRT/Janus, 1972, reissued Tuffcity 1996.
* "The Folks From Mother's Mixer" Reissue CD Funky Delicacies, 2005.
* "Psych-funk Of Black Merda" Funky Delicacies, 2006.

References

* Chernus, Matthew. [http://www.clevescene.com/stories/13/39/a-funkadelic-relic-black-merdas-first-show-outside-detroit-in-30-years "Black Merda".] Published in "The Cleveland Scene", January 18, 2006.
* Fricke, David. [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/6965691/the_folks_from_mothers_mixer Review of Black Merda's "The Folks from Mother's Mixer".] Published in "Rolling Stone", November 28, 2005.
* Mills, Fred. [http://harpmagazine.com/articles/detail.cfm?article_id=3541 "Black Merda: It's a Detroit Rock Thing".] Published in "Harp Magazine", November 2005.
* Mills, Fred. [http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=7042 "The Merda Files".] Published in "The Detroit Metro Times", 2004.
* Niesel, Jeff [http://www.freetimes.com/stories/13/39/a-funkadelic-relic-black-merdas-first-show-outside-detroit-in-30-years A Funkadelic Relic: Black Merda's First Show Outside Detroit In 30 Years] Published in " The Cleveland Freetimes", January 18 2006
* Perlich, Tim. 2005. [http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2005-03-24/music_perlichspicks_p.html "Perlich's Picks".] "NOW Magazine Online Edition", March 24-30, 2004.
* Weisbard, Eric. [http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3764 "The Guide" Review of "The Folks From Mother's Mixer"] Published in Blender Magazine, March, 2006.

External links

* [http://www.blackmerda.com Black Merda's official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/blackmerdamusic Black Merda's official Myspace site]
* [http://www.mydamnchannel.com/channel.aspx?episode=315 Black Merda Video]
* [http://www.myspace.com/vclveasey VC L. Veasey's Myspace site]