Description
Label Review.
1970 album. Funk rock. Debut rock release on Motown subsidiary Rare Earth Records.
Our Overview.
Seminal funk-rock album originally released on Rare Earth Records in 1970 the label set up by Motown to cater for hard rock acts. Formed in 1968 by vocalist / guitarist Joe Periano, who was joined by bassist/vocalist Bill Jones, drummer Bob Michalski, and organist Dennie Webber, the group initially going by the name of Gangrene, the quartet became the unofficial house band at the Wooden Nickel club, where they were spotted by a local manager. Rare Earth signed the band on the condition they find a new name. Having decided upon Power of Zeus they began work on what would become their sole album ‘The Gospel According To Zeus’, drawing inspiration from British hard rock and heavy metal giants like Cream, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin they created this well-produced, seminal hard rock album.
Though a flop at the time, the LP has become highly sought after with crate diggers. The drum beat from “Sorcerer of Isis” has been one of the most sampled in hip-hop music, including KRS-One, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Cypress Hill, A Tribe Called Quest and Eminem to name a few.