Stephen Friedland, aka Brute Force, is a multifaceted artist with a rich history in the music industry. Born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Friedland's journey began after graduating from Cornell University in 1964. He started writing songs for various artists, including The Chiffons, Little Peggy March, Del Shannon, The Cyrkle, and others.
As a guitarist and keyboard player, Friedland joined the vocal pop group The Tokens, contributing to their songwriting efforts as well. In 1967, he married singer Cynian Blair on the beach at Deal, New Jersey, with The Tokens and The Cyrkle providing entertainment.
That same year, Friedland released his debut album as Brute Force, titled I, Brute Force, Confections of Love. The following year, he recorded his most well-known song, "The King of Fuh," a humorous tale about a mythical king who ruled the kingdom of Fuh. The song's punchline, "Fuh King," became the joke, and it was forwarded to Nat Weiss, manager of The Cyrkle, who knew Brian Epstein, manager of The Beatles.
Friedland's friend Tommy Dawes, a member of The Cyrkle, had played with The Beatles at some of their final shows in August 1966, including Shea Stadium and Candlestick Park near San Francisco. According to Friedland, both John Lennon and George Harrison were receptive to the song, with George Harrison purchasing it and adding orchestral strings. However, EMI, the distributor of Apple Records, refused to press or distribute the single.
Despite this, Apple Records privately released the single in the UK in May 1969, making it the rarest Apple single and a collector's item, with only 2000 copies pressed as Apple #8. Friedland eventually left the music industry and became a paralegal, but he later returned to the stage as a stand-up comic in the 1980s and 1990s.
In the 2000s, Friedland resumed his music career, sometimes performing with his daughter, Lilah, known as Daughter of Force.
