Abensberg, Bavaria, Germany • 1967-1971

Jam was a Bavarian rock trio from the small towns of Neustadt an der Donau and Abensberg, playing from 1967 until 1971. The group consisted of Wolfgang Hinz (bass/vocals/flute/harmonica), Oswald Hermann (drums), and Herbert Wachsmuth (guitar), musically influenced by Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, and Free. At local concerts, they often played cover versions of these bands but managed to compose two songs, "Friends" and "World is Satisfied."

The band traveled to a Munich studio in 1970 when the members were 16 and 17 years old, respectively, to record their solitary single, independently released later that same year. It's a document of Jam's moody, downtempo sound at the time, with heavy-sounding melodies combined with the raw energy from their influences. The music was different due to the dark, introspective feel that set them apart in this burgeoning hard rock scene.

The most significant gig Jam played was at Regensburg's ice stadium, supporting Hardin & York and Frumpy before an audience of 2,000. Given their short career, the single remains a haunting relic of their ingenuity and what was happening at ground zero of the early 1970s rock underground in Bavaria.