Wizzard / Roy Wood
Wizzard Brew
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

1973 Textured Cover UK Original. 3U/3U Stampers. Released in March 1973, "Wizzard Brew" was the debut album by Roy Wood’s band Wizzard, following his departure from The Move and after co-founding Electric Light Orchestra. The album showcased Wood’s ambition to blend glam rock with a broad palette of genres, including rock and roll, jazz, and classical influences. The band was notable for its outsized, brassy sound, with a lineup that included multiple saxophones and cellos, contributing to an orchestral and sometimes chaotic feel. "Wizzard Brew" did not produce major hit singles, in contrast to Wizzard’s later chart-toppers, but it established the group’s reputation for dense arrangements and Wood’s playful, experimental approach.

From a historical perspective, "Wizzard Brew" stands as a distinctive artifact of early 1970s British rock, marked by bold production choices and genre-bending ambition. The album’s tracks, such as "You Can Dance Your Rock ’n’ Roll" and the nearly 14-minute "Meet Me at the Jailhouse," encapsulate Wood’s penchant for both pastiche and innovation. Critics and fans often note the album’s eccentricity and unpredictability, with its abrupt shifts in tone and style. While not a commercial blockbuster at the time, "Wizzard Brew" has gained cult status among enthusiasts of progressive and glam rock, highlighting Roy Wood’s role as one of the era’s most inventive and idiosyncratic songwriters.