As if WITCH weren’t already badass enough, the band’s name is an acronym for We Intend To Cause Havoc. A dream come true. And they did cause havoc in the best way possible, at the forefront of an early ’70s Zambian movement known as Zamrock, mixing traditional African sounds with psych, soul, funk and rock. WITCH practically owned it with their 1972 debut LP, Introduction. However, as the “golden days” of Zambia’s liberation began to wane, and economic collapse and increasing authoritarianism took hold, WITCH had faded into obscurity by the ’80s.
But there’s no way that fire could be extinguished. Following Now-Again Records‘ reissues of the band’s records in the early 2010s, igniting a renewed interest Zamrock’s history and sound, WITCH founding member/vocalist Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda relaunched the band with a new line-up and recorded Zango, their first album in nearly 40 years.
Roll out the red carpet for this musical royalty. WITCH is in Austin tonight, Friday Aug. 18, for a show at The Far Out Lounge and Stage. Doors at 7 p.m., and the line-up features experimental artist Metius, and Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band.
