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Beatique In CorporationThese were an early blues-rock band from Hamburg whose only recorded output seems to be on the POP & BLUES FESTIVAL album. Their contributions had lengthy instrumental sections and classical touches, showing promise that they could have become a major league band. Who exactly they were, we've no idea! featured on: POP & BLUES FESTIVAL '70 Jerry Berkers Although Dutch born, Jerry Berkers was very much a part of the Krautrock scene. He was the original Wallenstein bassist and second vocalist (often taking the lead on MOTHER UNIVERSE), and was also a collaborator in the early Cosmic Courier sessions. Jerry also recorded an album of his unique folky, psychedelic spiced rock (as hinted at in softer Wallenstein songs) showing much influence from acoustic Pink Floyd, in fact British and German folk-song in general. But, be warned, Jerry's deeply intoned Dutch accented German vocals can be a little hard to take at times! After this, Jerry disappeared into obscurity. Rumour has it, that when on an LSD trip he announced to his friends that he was walking back to the land of flowers: Holland (not really that far from Monchengladbach), and he was never seen again. Whether this is true, or just a fanciful tale, we may never know! Jerry Berkers (guitars, bass, percussion, vocals), + Jürgen Dollase (keyboards), Thomas Engel (drums, percussion, choir), Bill Barone (guitar), Walter Westrupp (harmonica), Bernd Witthüser (acoustic guitar), Dieter Dierks (choir) UNTERWEGS (6-7/72) Na Na Tschu Tschu / Es Wird Morgen Vorbei Sein Berluc Unlike most DDR progressives who served a long apprenticeship before making an album, Berluc were virtually catapulted onto the scene in early 1979, only a few of months after their formation. Their debut REISE ZU DEN STERNEN was quite remarkable for its invention and originality, especially as a space-rock album with lots of synthesizers, heavy rock and ballads, almost a cross between Stern Meissen and Hawkwind, with typically East Euro touches akin to Omega and Progres 2. Unfortunately, further albums (with a different guitarist and bassist each time) paled each in succession to a rather ordinary indistinguishable song-based 80's DDR rock mediocrity. Dietmar Ränker (drums), Alexander Stehr (keyboards), Manfred Kähler (vocals), Gerd Pöppel (guitar), Günter Briesenick (bass) REISE ZU DEN STERNEN (1979) HUNDERTTAUSEND URGEWALTEN (1981) ROCKER VON DER KÜSTE Between A most unusual and unique group, the Munich combo Between (formed in 1970 as Between The Chairs) were the brainchild of musical theorist and experimentalist Peter Michael Hamel. As such, Between drew together a wide range of international musicians into a musical and cultural melting pot. Between were aptly in between everything, both musically and culturally. Featuring avant-garde tendencies within a music that blended the medieval, the ancient and the futuristic, with jazz and rock musics, the initial results on their debut EINSTEIG were most inspiring. Arguably a step on from The Third Ear Band (sans the mantric rhythms) Between were invention in the extreme, in a music that was melodic yet challenging. Not surprising for a band that featured such acclaimed musicians as James Galway, Roberto Détrée and Robert Eliscu. There are some extraordinary cosmic excursions here too, all amounting to a revolutionary mixture of psychedelic and world musics. EINSTEIG is still as remarkable and fresh now as when it was created. Further albums developed the Between sound on an increasingly ethnic level AND THE WATERS OPENED with its atmospheric dronings from Détrée's moto-cello is probably Between's most innovative and fascinating, it's an album that oozes beauty and mystery. It's almost chilling! DHARANA and CONTEMPLATION were the most ambitious on a cross-cultural level, and were much more serious in their attitude. Both of these combined Indian and African musics into a larger more symphonic sound, notably so the lengthy excursions that encompassed the second side of each. Finally, with SILENCE BEYOND TIME Between moved both closer to esoteric ECM jazz realms, notably because of Roger Jannotta's presence and other influences, and also moved closer to traditional ethnic musics. It's a great shame that Between split after this. Peter Michael Hamel has been quite prolific since, going on to work solo in systemic/new-age music and also serious avant-garde. Also, Roberto Détrée has continued his work with novel instrument creations. During Between's history Peter Michael Hamel also worked with Agitation Free, Bob Eliscu worked on and off with Popol Vuh in tandem with Between, and Cotch Black was also in the rock group Sinto, and the jazz/percussion ensemble Niagara. An oddity in Between's discography is the album HESSE BETWEEN MUSIC, which wasn't really a Between album as such, but a radio-play project of one Gerd Westphal with Between and guests. Its message is lost to non-German ears, and musically only some of it is real Between. Approach with caution! Roberto Détrée (guitar, moto-cello), Jimmy J. Galway (flute), Bob Eliscu (oboe, flute, crumhorn, voice), Cottrell Black (tympani, congas, drums), Ulrich Stranz (viola), Peter Michael Hamel (organ, piano) EINSTEIG AND THE WATERS OPENED DHARANA HESSE BETWEEN MUSIC (6/74) CONTEMPLATION STILL ÜBER DER ZEIT/SILENCE BEYOND TIME (1979) Birth Control Formed in 1968 as a Cologne student rock-band, Birth Control chose their name as a stab at Pope Paul's anti birth control policy. In their early days, dogged by military service commitments, and ideological differences, the line-up was in flux for many years. In fact, only two original members remained by the time of their first album, at which time they had moved base to Berlin for a while. Their debut was released with a special mock birth control pill case type cover, and introduced them as an original hard-rock band with a classical edge, extensively featuring the keyboards of Reinhold Sobotta. Highly progressive (with a psychedelic edge) and with an original sound, they also paid homage to one of their influences with a highly creative version of The Doors' "Light My Fire". Comparable to many British bands of the era, Birth Control were accessible and creative, yet rarely on their studio albums did they ever show how talented they really were. The album OPERATION was much more conventional than their debut, and they also released a lot of singles at this time. This was Birth Control the underground pop band, with a hard-rock based style. Birth Control were the straightest of rock bands on the Ohr label! Strangely, after moving to CBS, the third Birth Control album HOODOO MAN took them to very different realms. It's surprising that the same album that spawned a hit single could also be their most experimental, the creativity in HOODOO MAN ranges from sublime to outrageous. But, ever unpredictable, the album REBIRTH was not so hot. It seemed that CBS wanted Birth Control to become a German Chicago type brass-rock band. Yet, the double album LIVE revealed their talent as superb musicians and improvisers, showcasing Zeus B. Held as a major new asset.Moving away from 60's influences, the concept album PLASTIC PEOPLE had its moments, with a move to more sophisticated mid-70's progressive styles, and complexly composed works featuring synths, winds and guitars. It was BACKDOOR POSSIBILITIES that saw their final creative peak, being a surreal concept work, with a move into more instrumentally complex progressive-rock, like a hybrid of all they had done before, embellished with Gentle Giant type multi-vocal cannons and keyboard stylisms. All change in 1977, adding two ex-Message members, and subsequent albums moved to a funky pop-rock, becoming less interesting with each release. A minor highlight was the LIVE '79 album, which recaptured some early magic. Since this, Birth Control have reformed many times without any real success. Bernd Koschmidder (bass), Reinhold Sobotta (organ), Bernd Noske (drums, vocals), Bruno Frenzel (guitar, vocals) October / Freedom No Drugs / All I Want Is You BIRTH CONTROL Hope / Rollin' OPERATION (2/71) What's Your Name / Believe In The Pill HOODOO MAN (9-10/72) Nostalgia / Kaulstoß REBIRTH (11/73) LIVE (6/74) PLASTIC PEOPLE (5-6/75) BACKDOOR POSSIBILITIES (7-8/76) Fall Down / Laugh Or Cry INCREASE (7-8/77) TITANIC (5-7/78) LIVE '79 (6/79) COUNT ON DRACULA (10-12/79) DEAL DONE AT NIGHT (11-12/80) BÄNG (5-6/82) The Blackbirds Amongst the earliest of Krautrock bands, The Blackbirds (like Xhol) started elsewhere before venturing on to experimental realms. In fact, they were originally a 60's pop band typical of the soul-beat era, but with a touch of the Mothers Of Invention type satire and some progressive touches. Although their debut NO DESTINATION had its moments, it is generally very dated and only of marginal interest. Curiously it only ever gained a UK release. By the time of their second album TOUCH OF MUSIC, the three year gap had made a lot of difference. In fact, only one member (Werner Breinig) remained from the original line-up, and they had moved on to a classical spiced rock music of great invention, blending heavy and spacey styles with great finesse. Strong songs form the basis of most tracks, all of which are sufficiently long enough to give plenty of room for solos from flute, violin, guitar and keyboards. Stylistically The Blackbirds here come pretty close to Italian bands of the era like New Trolls, Panna Fredda, Hero, at al, (a hint of Xhol Caravan and Vanilla Fudge even more so) and they also had much in common with British bands like Skin Alley or Jody Grind. It's a shame they never made a third album! Werner Breinig (guitar, vocals), Heinz Koop (bass), Hubert Koop (organ), Helmut Vigneron (drums) NO DESTINATION TOUCH OF MUSIC Black Spirit One of many obscure bands on the little-known independent label Brutkasten, Black Spirit were of Italo-German origins, and may actually have been Swiss. Their style was a basic heavy progressive, with some Cream, Man, Quicksilver influences, and some saving moments, but were largely uninspired, and of only marginal interest. Salvatore Curto (keyboards, vocals), Giovanni Granato (bass), Nicola Ceravolo (guitar), Johnny G. Peske (drums), + Gianny Piras (percussion) BLACK SPIRIT (1969-78) Blackwater Park Amongst the most obscure of Berlin bands, Blackwater Park's sole album was nothing remarkable, being mainstream Anglo-American styled heavy rock with blues touches, with no real individuality or experimentation. They were very basic Edgar Broughton Band type stuff really, nothing more. But, despite this, DIRT BOX still gained a reputation in collectors circles amongst those liking gutsy heavy rock. This said, the album only has one track of any real merit for Krautrock fans, which reflects Andreas Scholz's origins in Murphy Blend. Michael Fechner (guitar), Richard Routledge (vocals, guitar), Andreas Scholz (bass), Norbert Kagelmann (drums) DIRT BOX (17-20/12/71) Toto Blanke Toto Blanke was originally the guitarist in the German-Dutch avant-garde/jazz-fusion band Association PC. With them he served a long apprenticeship, and made friends with many international musicians, achieving fame as one of the most dazzling fusion guitarists in Europe. His work as a soloist, as group leader, and with his own experimental band Electric Circus, has indeed been most varied. With the aid of top international session musicians (John Lee and Gerry Brown were both previously in Dutchman Chris Hinze's band) on his debut SPIDER'S DANCE, he took the Association PC sound into rock realms (as hinted at by his composition "Spider" on Association PC's SUN ROTATION), and came up with fiery fusion akin to Mahavishnu Orchestra, playing some dazzlingly fiery guitar against Charlie Mariano's flute and sax. Since then, Toto's ventured onto creating all sorts of fusions, from simple classical and jazz musics through to groundbreaking avant-garde, both as a multi-instrumental soloist and in collaboration with other musicians. Sometimes Toto embraces technology and pushes it to the limits, and at other times he ignores it altogether. Such is his schizophrenic personality as a musician. Apart from numerous albums with Electric Circus (see entry elsewhere) his most interesting release since the 70's is the more recent, and very bizarre, adventurous classical/electronic-fusion of FOOL'S PARADISE. Toto Blanke (guitars), + Joachim Kühn (electric piano), John Lee (bass), Charly Mariano (soprano sax, flute), Gerry Brown (drums) SPIDER'S DANCE (7-8/74) TALES OF TOMORROW (2/78) SOMEWHERE IN TIME Blonker These were originally a fully fledged band on their debut album DIE ZEIT STEHT STILL, playing a lightweight progressive rock, stylistically close to Novalis or DDR bands like Karat or Electra, with folky phrased lyrics in German. Later releases however (not listed here) saw the rest of the band scarper, leaving Blonker as the vehicle for guitarist Dieter Geike with the aid of various session musicians (Peter Franken, Dieter Horns, Jochen Petersen, etc.), playing a lightweight guitar fronted instrumental music, even softer than Michael Rother, akin to Sky or Hank Marvin. Really, these albums are so wet and pretty, that they are not musically within the scope of this book! Kay Jessen (vocals, percussion), Thomas Grützmacher (bass, percussion), Nicolas Stallard (keyboards), Helge Tillmann (drums), Dieter Geike (guitars, percussion), + Gaby Borowski (choir), Rolf Köhler (choir), Heiko Effertz (choir), Bernardo Ball (percussion) DIE ZEIT STEHT STILL (11-12/77) featured on: BRAIN FESTIVAL ESSEN II Bokaj Retsiem This was the project of one Rainer Degner (ex-German Bonds and Rattles guitarist), creating a psychedelic rock and beat theme music all based on the song "Meister Jakob" (note: Bokaj Retsiem is Meister Jakob backwards, or what we know as "Frère Jacques"). Hardly "psychedelic underground", of minor curiosity interest only. PSYCHEDELIC UNDERGROUND Date: 2015-12-18; view: 1275
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