What band's original name was Hocus Pocus?

The band whose original name was Hocus Pocus was UFO. The English rock group formed in London in 1968 and went through several early names before settling on UFO. Its members included vocalist Phil Mogg, guitarist Mick Bolton, bassist Pete Way, and drummer Andy Parker.

The name Hocus Pocus was used briefly during the band’s early development. By October 1969, the group had changed its name to UFO, reportedly inspired by the club UFO in London and the band’s emerging interest in space rock. The new name also suited the expansive, effects-heavy sound heard on its early recordings.

UFO released its debut album, UFO 1, in 1970, followed by UFO 2: Flying in 1971. Although those albums were not major chart successes in Britain or the United States, they helped establish the group’s space-rock identity. Later, guitarist Michael Schenker joined and helped push UFO toward the harder rock sound associated with its best-known work. The band should not be confused with the American rock group Blue Öyster Cult, which also used science-fiction imagery.