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Josefus

Frequently cited by music historians as one of the first metal bands, short-lived Josefus was a ferocious thing to come upon in 1969. Led by angry, pilled-up drummer Doug Tull, who allegedly committed suicide in jail in Austin in 1991, the band was at the center of much of the militancy in Houston during the turbulent final years of the '60s. Positioning themselves as radicals, the band played frequent free shows, seemingly making a dramatic appearance anytime there was a rally; they were also regulars at the free Sunday hippie jams in Milby Park. In 1969, they recorded Deadman, which has become a rare collectors' item, since only 3,000 copies were printed. The album got the band considerable attention, including a slot on a huge bill at Sam Houston Coliseum in 1969 with the Grateful Dead. But by 1970, Tull was out of control, band members could barely stand each other and the thing fell apart. This second reunion gig of 2011 offers a rare opportunity to turn back the clock and look history in the eye.
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William Michael Smith