The Story Of Zamrock Vinyl Box Set – Second Edition

The Story of Zamrock, a Now-Again x Vinyl Me, Please x Strawberry Rain release – The Second Edition.

The Story of Zamrock is told through 8 Zambian garage, progressive and funk rock albums, including WITCH’s private-pressed version of their landmark Introduction and an unreleased album by The Fireballs. This is the second edition of this sought after set, issued in conjunction with Vinyl Me, Please and Strawberry Rain.


Heavyweight two-piece slip and hand-numbered slash box.
Audio restoration & remastering by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters.
Limited to 1000 copies
Pressed on 180g black vinyl with heavyweight tip-on jackets.
24-page booklet with extensive liner notes and newly unearthed photos.

ORDER » THE STORY OF ZAMROCK MORE

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Announcing: WITCH “Movin’ On/Kuomboka” – and a free mp3!

The legendary Zambian band’s disco/boogie years, contains the entirety of their two rare albums: 1980-1984. Out now on Now-Again Deluxe, 2CD on 01.21.14.

Regular visitors to this site are no strangers to the Zamrock movement from Zambia’s early to mid ’70s, from issues of the likes of WITCH, Rikki Ililonga and Musi-O-Tunya to our association with the Shadoks, Strawberry Rain and Mississipi Records reissues of Paul Ngozi and the Ngozi Family, Amanaz and Salty Dog.

Left out of our Zamrock investigation, for stylistic reasons as well as logistical concerns, were albums released after Zamrock’s heyday, when the music of ‘80s Zambia came to be influenced by disco and rhumba from neighboring Congo. Bands that didn’t adapt sounded outdated. Thus even Zamrock’s greatest band, WITCH, splintered, with a skeleton crew of core members embracing younger musicians to record and release two albums that found the band replacing fuzz guitars with whirling synthesizers and trying their hand at soul, disco and boogie.

The band privately issued two albums – Movin’ On in 1980, Kuomboka in 1984 – in small quantities before a dearth of gigs and the large ensemble’s overhead caused them to disband, sometime in 1985. Though but a decade separated the first and last WITCH albums, the recording capabilities of most nations in sub-Saharan Africa by 1984 had caught up with the rest of the world. Finally, fans of the WITCH’s arch can listen to, and acknowledge, the breadth of this great band and assess for themselves the recordings of both of WITCH’s incarnations.

We’re currently offering “Movin’ On” via Now-Again Deluxe at Drip.fm – “Kuomboka” will follow shortly. A 2CD set will see release on 01.21.14. Limited vinyl editions of both albums will soon be available through Invisible City Editions. Free download below!

Download: WITCH “Movin’ On”
Subscribe Now: https://drip.fm/nowagain
If you missed it: WITCH We Intend To Cause Havoc!.

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Announcing: WITCH’s Jagari Chanda “Kwamununga”

WITCH’s bandleader Jagari Chanda’s first recordings in over thirty five years – digital 7″ available now at Now-Again Deluxe!

This is a special release: WITCH’s bandleader Jagari Chanda’s first recordings since Zamrock’s most beloved band after their release of the Including Janet album! They were recorded in L.A. when he traveled to the USA for the first time to play a private show that we threw in conjunction with Urban Outfitters in Hollywood.

How, you ask? Well, it went something like this: our pal, the producer Luther Russell (you’ll be hearing more about him later this year), is as big of a WITCH fan as is Patrick Bailey, the guitar and bass player who assembled the band to learn and play WITCH’s Zamrock classics in L.A. (and a part of the great Jungle Fire and Ethio Cali ensembles).

Jagari had an idea for a song he wanted to record – a Zamrock take on a Zambian standard about – you guessed it – witchcraft. He met up with Russell and Bailey, recorded his ideas straight to tape (with Russell on drums and Bailey on bass), and rounded out the session with some acoustic songs that had been banging around in his head.

And then he went back to Zambia. Never to be seen in America again. Well, not quite. Madlib invited him up to play at the San Francisco Sounds of Zamrock Madlib Medicine Show extravaganza and Russell, overjoyed to be able to present Jagari with a most special gift, went back to his studio with Bailey and some friends and overdubbed the parts Jagari had told him he wanted to hear in the final arrangements. We presented the songs to Jagari in S.F., and he was overjoyed. And, well, we were too. So we’re giving these songs away to our subscribers at Now-Again Deluxe.

Subscribe Now: https://drip.fm/nowagain

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Madlib Medicine Show In San Francisco, June 7th: The Sound of Zamrock

Buy Tickets: Madlib Medicine Show: The Sound of Zamrock.

Madlib has championed Zamrock’s heroes for some years now: his Beat Konducta in Africa release leaned heavily on samples from the likes of WITCH and Paul Ngozi and the Ngozi Family; his DJ sets feature rarities from the scene; he and the rapper formerly known as Mos Def have been discussing a trip to Zambia to record a collaborative album. At this special Madlib Medicine Show, Madlib will not only put together a DJ set that weaves his trademark hip hop beats in and out of funky and fuzzy Zamrock classics, but he’s brought WITCH’s last remaining member, bandleader Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda from Zambia to San Francisco to 1015 Folsom to perform Zamrock Live! on June 7th for the first time to a public audience in North America…. Ever.

Also on the bill is Egon, Madlib’s partner in Madlib Invazion, and, as any visitor to this site is almost certainly aware, the man behind the resurgence of interest in the Zamrock movement via anthologies of the giants of the scene: WITCH, Rikki Ililonga, Musi-O-Tunya, Paul Ngozi, Chrissy Zebby Tembo and, soon to come Salty Dog, Mike Nyoni, Born Free and The Peace.

As Now-Again ramps up its undertakings to document the lost gems from this isolated yet genius movement in 2013, they happily partnered up with Urban Outfitters to bring a Zamrock inspired collection into the chain this spring. With Urban Outfitters, Now-Again brought Chanda and his Zamrock Live! – which has been making the European festival rounds – to Hollywood this past month for a private show, but this is the first time that Zamrock Live! can be accessed by the ticket buying public.

At the show, Madlib will be selling a limited edition 7” EP containing selections from his forthcoming Rock Konducta album on Madlib Invazion. The 7”s – white labels, housed in a custom designed Jeff Jank sleeve – were only manufactured in a run of 300 copies.

More Info/Rock Konducta preview: Rappcats.com

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Friday May 3rd: Zamrock Live In Hollywood feat. WITCH’s Jagari Chanda

Now-Again and Urban Outfitters present: Zamrock Live! in Los Angeles; WITCH’s Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda is coming from Zambia to Los Angeles to perform his band’s world-psych-rock classics in America for the first time!

We here at Now-Again have championed the 70s rock scene that originated in Zambia – Zamrock – for years now, releasing anthologies of the giants of the scene: WITCH, Rikki Ililonga, Musi-O-Tunya, Paul Ngozi and Chrissy Zebby Tembo. As we ramp up our undertakings to document the lost gems from this isolated yet genius movement in 2013 – we’ve already mentioned the Paul Ngozi and the Ngozi Family and Musi-O-Tunya Give Love To Your Children albums – we are proud to partner up with Urban Outfitters to bring WITCH’s lead singer and bandleader Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda – the only member of the ensemble still living – to Los Angeles to perform the band’s world-psych-rock music. While Zamrock Live! has been making the festival circuit in Europe, this is the first time it will be performed in America: at Bazaaaaar, May 3rd, Hollywood, at Space 15 Twenty.

Space is limited so RSVP quick and show up early. They’ll hit the stage at 8.

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