Despite having one of the shorter careers out of their contemporaries, the El MidaZ Affair were one of the biggest groups of the early 1970s. Comprised of lead vocalist Javier El MidaZ, drummer Willie “Knuckles” Johnson, bassist Bobby “Too Tall” Willingston, guitarist K.C. Anderson, backup vocalist Rasheeda “Bird” Jackson, horn players Jake and Drake Wyman, and keyboard player Guter Jivelbergen, the group earned their reputation on the chittlin circuit as a must-see live act, playing festivals, state fairs, and juke joints across the south.
By the time they signed a record contract in 1973, the group’s buzz was at an all-time high. But things took a turn for the worse. Studio sessions were tainted by drug use, alcoholism, and an unprecedented pinball machine addiction stirred inner turmoil among the band members. Though a full-length album was recorded, the band split up before it could be released and the project was shelved indefinitely. The members of the El MidaZ Affair moved on to new phases in their life, while El MidaZ himself became a recluse, never to be heard from again.
Until now.
Straight off tape decks that have remained unearthed in the vault for decades, the El MidaZ Affair’s unreleased album is just now seeing the light of day. To kick things off, we present a taste of what listeners can expect from the project with the album’s first leak, “Creation.” Backed by a sweeping string section and soulful horn arrangements, MidaZ demonstrates his impeccable microphone maneuvers in a display that sounds just as fresh today as it did when he recorded the verse in 1973. Be on the lookout for more from the El MidaZ Affair, coming soon…
Download: MidaZ – “Creation” [Right Click Save-As] [Bandcamp]
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