Feature

Retro Dizzy re-release “Blasphemy” their controversial garage-rock anthem that’s just as bad-ass as you remember it

Six years down the line, most bands aren’t exactly thrilled to be listening to the second song they ever wrote. Hell, six years down the line, most bands no longer exist.

But the psych rockers are a nostalgic bunch, and six years later, Retro Dizzy are dusting off an old gem, “Blasphemy” and re-releasing it without so much as a polish.

The song comes with its own legend that involves a freshly-signed Jägermeister contract, a last minute Up the Creek slot, and a rock ‘n’ roll kiss between Andre (Vlok, guitar) and Stuart (Dodds, bass), mid-performance, that divided the audience in two: the jollers who immediately turned to their plus ones and pulled in, and those who preferred a more Christian-friendly festival experience.

But that’s a story for another time.

“Blasphemy” is noize and grit and screech with a fuck you attitude, as hedonistic as any garage-rock anthem could hope for, and it hasn’t lost its bad-assery.

Vocalist and guitarist, Richard Liefeldt’s loyalty to the track is undying, “Why we wanted to re-release it is because it never got the love that I think it deserved. It’s the first song on the first album, and it’s the only song on the album that really stood the test of time with the live set. I think it’s about time that it got some love on the streaming side.”

They’re all six years better at playing their instruments and their sound has taken a more polished, psych-meets-surf rock shape, but until the entertainment world is back on its feet, and they can pick things up where they left off — the Cape Town leg of their cross-country tour to promote their latest album — they’re showing a much-deserved love to their first love.

“Blasphemy” is finally available to stream on all major platforms so press play to let out a burst of all of that pent-up, evil lockdown energy.