Checkpoint Charlie (named after the notorious checkpoint in the Berlin Wall) have often been acclaimed as the first truly German rock band. They originated from Karlsruhe, and, as early as 1967, they were performing their own uniquely groundbreaking “Terror Rock” music in German! An extremely radical political rock band, especially so in their early days, Checkpoint Charlie were also innovators along with Floh De Cologne and Ton Steine Scherben of a unique German form of rock, blending all sorts of music into a complex and often aggressive rock music.Their debut (roughly translating as “Good God - It’s A Hell Of A Noise”) was very extreme, and rather difficult to come to grips with, notorious for its bizarre theatrics and scathing lyrics, but with numerous brilliant musical vignettes contained within.Many years on, and with only two members in common, and Wilfried Sahm (from Poseidon) adding his bluesy psychedelic guitar, the later albums saw more refinement instrumentally, with complex progressive rock styles (akin to Oktober, Lokomotive Kreuzberg, et al.) making headway against the theatrics, especially so on FRÜHLING DER KRÜPPEL, which featured keyboards strongly, and lengthy instrumental sections venturing on to Grobschnitt realms even. The eponymous live album (known as “Die Durchsichtige” aka “the transparent one” in English, because of the Faust like clear package) showcased them vividly blending angst-punk and complex prog with a brash polit focus.Throughout, even into the 1980’s, Checkpoint Charlie have proven to be amongst the most uncompromising of Krautrock bands, notably on KRAWALL IN SCHWEINESTALL (“Uproar in the Pig Sty”) a very Floh De Cologne-esque album that is especially worth investigation. However FEUER & FLAMME (which comes with a match-book on the front cover, and a burnt insert) is arguably a bit too angry for its own good! After this the band folded, with Sahm going on to the remarkable Schäggi Bädsch. Line-up / Musicians Werner Walten/guitar Malte Bremer/guitar Uwe von Trotha/vocals Joachim Krebssalat/keyboards Harald Lindner/vocals,bass Werner Heß/drums Discography(Album) Grüß Gott mit hellem Klang 1970
1.Nancartan 2.Jesus 3.Geschichte Von Herrn Müller I 4.Geschichte Von Herrn Müller II 5.Das Arme Waisenkind
PUPPENHAUS or 'Puppenhaus Kaiser Blumenstrauss' was formed in 1969 in GOPPINGEN. The band had musicians like Frank FISCHER from RELEASE MUSIC ORCHESTRA and Bea MAIER from ZOMBY WOOF and MOIRA playing jazz rock the likes of FRANK ZAPPA, SOFT MACHINE or WEATHER REPORT. Puppenhaus recorded this purely instrumental album in 1973 at a German radio station, and for some reason never managed to record anything else. The sound quality is not perfect but satisfying enough considering the circumstances. This album contains 77 minutes of exciting music divided into 7 tracks, when most of them are over 10 minutes long.Puppenhaus brings the more insane and freaky side of the jazz rock scene, their music is a blend of heavy King Crimson ideas (without the dark and sinister motif) swimming in a jazzy olympic pool. The music is often intense, upbeat with a wild jammy vibe, including raging sax and flute playing and wild biting guitars on top of some cool and jazzy keys, and of course they are backed by a furious rhythm section who keeps the show going on strong. The band is showing some serious chops every now and then and it's evident that those dudes are a well oiled machine. Although the main course is their energetic and schizophrenic playing, Puppenhaus still brings a lot of ideas to the table, and are not focusing on just jamming on D minor, the music contains all kinds of twists and turns which proves this group were into some top notch prog rock. Line-up / Musicians Frank Fischer/bass Bea Maier/drums Büdi Siebert/flute,saxophone Herbert Binder/guitar Thomas Rabenschlag/keyboards Discography(Album) Jazz Macht Spazz 2009
1.Anfang 2.Jazz Macht Spazz 3.Swingende Elefantenkompanie 4.Let The Pig Out 5.Improvisationen 6.Fünfmal Schnitzel Mit Pommes Frites 7.Sabanone
PTARMIGAN were a Psychedelic Folk Progressive rock band from Vancouver Canada who released a genuine beautiful album in 1974. PTARMIGAN's debut album resonates with a highly unique charm and character with very few true comparisons. Without a question there is a strong Native North American Indian feeling to this album with flute, hand drums and lots of acoustic guitar. Line up included Monte Nordstrom : vocals, 12 string guitar, Kat Hendrikse : drums, Dave Field : acoustic bass, Richard Mayer : electric bass, Glen Dias : lead vocal, alto, tenor & bass recorder, incidental percussion and Peter Wheeler : hand drums. Overall album is quietly psychedelic with some great songs and a semi-haunting nature to them. Vocals are soft and well done and generally sung in harmony. No rock out here, this is one of those "back to nature" albums and a great one to get lost in. Line-up / Musicians Glen Dias/vocals,percussion Monte Nordstrom/vocals,guitar Kat Hendrikse/drums Dave Field/bass Richard Mayer/bass Peter Wheeler/hand drums Paul Horn/percussion Discography(Album) Ptarmigan 1974
1.Rise 2.Go Dancing 3.The Island: Intro 4.The Island: Preambule 5.The Island: Main Theme 6.Vancouver: Reflections 7.Vancouver: The City 8.Night of the Gulls: On the Water 9.Night of the Gulls: On the Wind 10.An Hymn to the Ocean & The Great Northern Lake: Ocean Song 11.An Hymn to the Ocean & The Great Northern Lake: Afternoon rain 12.Coquihalla
All-female funk-rock outfit Isis reunited singer/guitarist Carol MacDonald and drummer Ginger Bianco, who previously collaborated in the '60s girl group Goldie & the Gingerbreads. Inspired by the success of distaff hard rock combo Fanny, MacDonald and Bianco formed Isis in 1972, recruiting lead guitarist Susan Ghezzi, bassist Stella Bass, saxophonist Jeanie Fineberg, trumpeter Lauren Draper, trombonist Lilly Bienenfield, and percussionist Nydia Mata. After building a cult following on the strength of their regular appearances at the New York City club Trude Heller's, Isis signed to the Buddah label to issue its self-titled 1974 debut. Complete with cover art featuring all eight members nude and covered in metallic chrome paint, the record was acclaimed in some quarters but dismissed as little more than a novelty in others. Line-up / Musicians Carol MacDonald/vocals,guitar Ginger Bianco/drums,percussion Suzi Ghezzi/guitar Stella Bass/bass,vocals Nydia "Liberty" Mata/percussion Lauren Draper/trumpet,vocals Lolly Bienenfield/trombone,vocals Jeanie Fineberg/saxophone,flute,piccolo Margo Lewis/keyboards Ellen Seeling/trumpet Edith Dankowitz/saxophone,flute,clarinet Renate Ferrer/guitar Faith Fusillo/guitar Lynx/saxophone,guitar Barbara Cobb/bass Vivian Stoll/drums,vibraphone Discography(Album) Ain't No Backin' Up Now 1975
1.Ain't No Backin' Up Now 2.Icy Winds 3.Old Stories 4.Gold 5.Eat the Root 6.Bobbie & Maria 7.Lost Romeo 8.Come One, Come All 9.Sunshine Tree
North Carolina afro jazz artist, Brother Ah (playing trumpet, flute, jazz French horn.) made a name in the late sixties thanks to a clever and innovative use of non-western music. During this crucial period he started studies of Indian and Japanese music. In 1970 is written "Sound Awareness" (published 5 years later). It's an impressive medley of free jazz improvisations, hand percussions, eastern buzzing sitar drones and voices. This release features an obvious meditative, enchanting "cosmic" atmosphere. This afropsychedelica manifest is followed "Move Ever Onward" (originally released in 1975 privately) which carries on the same ritualistic, spiritual acclamations but with less emphasis on experimentations. An important material for those who enjoy East meets West musical experiences. Line-up / Musicians Brother Ah/French horn,flute Pat Dixon/Cello Barbara Burton/Percussions Barbara Grant/Vocals Max Roach/Rap Howard Johnson/Tuba Discography(Album) Sound Awareness 1972
BULDOZER was formed in early 1975 in Ljubljana, present Slovenia, when an avant-garde singer/songwriter Marko BRECELJ joined the band SEDEM SVETLOBNIH LET ("Seven Light Years") led by guitarist and lead vocalist Boris Bele. Apart from them, the original line-up included keyboardist/composer Borut Èinè, bassist Andrej Veble, lead guitarist Uros Lovsin and drummer Stefan Jez. They released their debut album "Pljuni istini u oèi" in December 1975 to shocking reactions of the public and music business authorities due to its twisted black humor filled with sarcasm, satire and touching "sensitive" issues of drugs or pornography. They also utilized the Zappa-like stage freak-out performances and ridiculed some generally accepted morals of the so-called socialist state of Yugoslavia. The cover sleeve of this album was designed as a magazine sheet (similar to JETHRO TULL's "Thick As A Brick") filled with funny and ridiculous social vignettes and some pornographic cartoons. After the first circulation was sold out, the recording label PGP RTB refused to print more copies. In 1976 they recorded the second album "Zabranjeno plakatirati" but due to their label's policy (the band had to modify their lyrics if they wanted to release the record) it was released only in late 1977, when they joined their hometown label Helidon. In the meantime, the rhythm section changed, so the bassist Vili Bertok and drummer Tone Dimnik participated in studio sessions. Brecelj left the band in 1979 to pursue solo career, while Bele-led BULDOZER embraced then popular punk and new wave aesthetics to gain enormous popularity across ex-Yugoslavia. New members in this period were guitarists Davor Slamnig, Janez Zmazek and drummer Dusan Vran. Highly eclectic studio album "Izlog jeftinih slatkisa", including a radio smash hit "Zene i muskarci", and double live record "Ako ste slobodni veèeras" are among the top-sellers of this era. Still, many of their song lyrics and stage theatricals are full of the local meanings and hard to comprehend outside of the scope of the post-titoist Yugoslavia. Along with his band activity Bele also worked as a chief music editor of Helidon label and succeeded in this period to purchase the copyrights of their debut from PGP RTB, so the reissue came up in 1981 to face very affirmative reviews. Their activity slowly diminished in mid-1980s, after the poor album "Nevino srce". Although they never officially broke-up, their "come-back" album "Noè" was released more than 10 years later, in 1995. BULDOZER was the first domestic rock band to release an album in a compact disc format in former Yugoslavia, not counting international imports - it was a compilation album "Nova vremena" in 1989.First two albums "Pljuni istini u oèi" and "Zabranjeno plakatirati" are essential for avant-prog listeners who like slightly psychedelic moments with Hammond organ and "acid" guitar solos. Their lyrics and performance are quite anarchic and close to RIO movement. "Izlog jeftinih slatkisa" is a diverse collection of more accessible songs ranging from punk aggressiveness to pure psychedelic moments, while "Noè" presents a refreshed band of the 1990s that is also worth checking out. Line-up / Musicians Bele Boris/guitar,vocal Marko Brecelj/vocal Borut Cinc/keyboards Tone Dimnik/drums Uros Lovsin/guitar Vili Bertok/bass Discography(Album) Zabranjeno plakatirati 1977
1.Ne brini, mama 2.Dobro jutro, madam Jovanovic 3.Helga 4.Jeste li vidjeli djevojcice 5.Doktore pomozite
The Spanish quartet KHORUS was formed by guitarist Carmona back in 1974, and for the next five years it plied its trade in its local scene and was apparently a popular live act at the time. By 1979 the band had disbanded, and founder Carmona would continue on in a number of other bands. They never got to release anything while active, but with recorded material more or less ready to be released. Musically we're dealing with a band following pretty close in the footsteps of Camel: symphonic art rock with an emphasis on gentle instrumental textures and instrumental soloing. Opening effort Suite, which is the only reason to contemplate buying this disc, is a 10-part epic that will transfix most with a taste for endeavors of this kind. Playful keyboard soloing, slow mood-oriented guitar soloing, gentle piano textures underscoring and the odd folk- and jazz-oriented movement are all parts of this creation. Gentle psychedelic-tinged guitar licks are a nice additional feature when appearing, an almost customary feature for this type of music back in 1975, but in this case utilized effectively and sparingly. Steady drums and bass guitar provide momentum in an excellent manner. Nothing new or innovative as such, but well-made and well-performed, the kind of song that at least in my case made me forget about space and time while it lasted and where certain passages echo in my mind long after it had finished. Second track Concierto en Huelva is actually two songs performed live, initially recorded on cassette back in 1978. And while both songs appear to be good quality efforts very much in the nature of the title track, the appalling recording quality will make this one a case for the very specially interested only. Line-up / Musicians Fernando Carmona/guitar,vocals Jesús Carmona/keyboards,vocals Juan Falero/bass,vocals Juan Carlos Nieto/drums,vocals Discography Suite 1975
Jarka was the early 70's Spanish band of keyboardist Jordi Sabates. He plays piano, electric piano and organ, backed by bass and drums . Playing with a strong jazz sensibility, Jarka also differed from their Spanish contemporaries in the noticeable lack of any influence from Spanish culture or folk music. They released just two albums in early seventies, which were re-released in 1992 both on one CD. The music on Ortodoxia is predominantly in a jazz-fusion style reminiscent, perhaps, of Soft Machine or other early 70s European jazz-rock groups. Sabates' definitely carries the group with his deft playing, laying down some tasty jazz licks on the piano as well as occasionally turning to the organ or electric piano for more of a fusion approach. The primarily acoustic bass playing of Alfonso de Lucas is also quite impressive, showing a strong familiarity and versatility with the jazz idiom. With these two players coming from an obviously solid jazz background, the drumming, although quite tasteful and inventive, seems a little out of place with its more rock influenced styling, perhaps reminiscent of Robert Wyatt. The album overall is rather average; there is some good playing and some nice moments, but nothing that really stands out as spectacular. The 2nd album adds some guests, but the overall sound is still firmly on the keyboards with rhythm section. Some parts are quite jazzy, while others sound like early progressive rock mixed with a sort a Canterbury jazz/rock sound. Expanded to a four piece, with the addition of a guitarist as well as a new drummer, the album is a significant improvement over their first. Sabates' playing really shines here, and it is obvious that he could have held his own in any of Miles' line-ups. His style is probably most reminiscent of Herbie Hancock; somewhat impressionistic with a keen sense of chordal colors. His chops work best on the piano, but he also knows how to make his Fender Rhodes growl and bite, and there is some fine playing featuring that classic jazz electric piano sound as well. The guitar, present on maybe half the tunes, is also excellent, and may remind some of a slightly less aggressive John McLaughlin in his Miles Davis days. Line-up / Musicians Jordi Sabatés/keyboards Alfonso de Lucas/bass Pedro van Eeckout/drums Danny Somoza/guitars Discography(Album) Ortodoxia 1971
1.Osceli Rescaldat 2.Popiada 3.Resposta 4.Sube la silla roja 5.L.I.A.I 6.Noche de Pez 7.Retorna 8.No Estes Cohibido 9.Ortodoxia
Perigeo was a musical project born in 1971 from Giovanni Tommaso. The original lineup included five members, Tommaso himself at the bass, Bruno Biriaco on drums, Claudio Fasoli at sax, Tony Sidney at guitar and Franco D'Andrea on piano, the band released seven studio albums 'till his definitive breakup in 1981.The band offers a sort of jazz-rock sound inspired by Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew". This early form of fusion initially meets the resistance of so-called "purists" of jazz, but soon attract the sympathy of many fans, earning invitations to major national festivals, but also a series of concerts in Europe, especially in England and France. In 1972 the group comes out with their debut album, Azimut, the jazz roots of the five musicians are already evident, even if the sound is rather static. Abbiamo tutti un blues da piangere, released the following year, proves itself far superior, both for the virtuosity of each musician and for the greater complexity and expressiveness of the tracks; this album marks the origin of Italian jazz-rock and jazz-prog, which is the first true embodiment of modernity brought by Tommaso. The 1974 is the year of Genealogia, an album more ''accessible'' than the previous and it's marked by an increased use of synthesizers, with the coming of moog, played by Tommaso himself. The release is even more rich and varied, with a brilliant mix of music genres: the rhythms and harmonies have a conformation more rock than before, even if the group is more alive than ever. Genealogia give to Perigeo an excellent feedback from critics and soon the band became one of the great classics of Italian prog-rock. After a triumphant European tour with the Weather Report in 1975, Perigeo is back with his 4th studio album La valle dei templi it 's a revolutionary album, more vital and dynamic than previous three, especially in the rhythm section: the credit is mainly due to the intervention of Neapolitan drummer Tony Esposito. With this last release the group also achieved a commercial success, consecrating the Perigeo as one of the best reality of the Italian rock of the period. The next year sign the end of the jazz-rock style with Non e' poi cosi' lontano, while the album still shows the technical abilities of the individual components, it's contamined by pop tunes, after this disappointing release the group members began to devote themselves entirely to the career of sessionmen, a number of external collaborations and also their solo careers. In 1980, the five came back together under the name of 'Special Perigeo', only to achieve the double concept album Alice, inspired by the life of Lewis Carroll, author of the novel ''Alice in Wonderland'' in addition of the old repertory of jazz-rock fusion, the work turns into a sophisticated pop, with the participation of many italian artists. Shortly after, Giovanni Tommaso gives life to the New Perigeo, the lineup consists entirely of new members: Maurizio Giammarco (sax-high-soprano, flute and choir), Carlo Pennisi (electric guitar, acoustic and vocals), Danilo Rea (piano, keyboards, marimba and vocals), Agostino Marangolo, formerly of Goblin (drums). At the end of 1980, the RCA promotes a project with a promotional tour along with New Perigeo, Rino Gaetano and Riccardo Cocciante. From concerts, they make an EP titled Q-Concert, finally in 1981 the New Perigeo release the last studio album Effetto Amore without any success. Although the project was of short duration, Perigeo was certainly the most successful attempt at fusion of jazz and rock happened in Italy, thanks to a careful balance between improvisation and structured music. Line-up / Musicians Bruno Biriaco/drums,percussion Franco D'Andrea/pianos Claudio Fasoli/saxophone Tony Sidney/guitar Giovanni Tommaso/vocals,bass Discography(Album) Abbiamo Tutti un Blues da Piangere 1973
1.Non c'e tempo da perdere 2.Deja vu 3.Rituale 4.Abbiamo tutti un blues da piangere 5.Country 6.Nadir 7.Vento, pioggia e sole
Stray are a British band, formed in 1966. Vocalist Steve Gadd (born 27 April 1952, Shepherd's Bush, London), guitarist Del Bromham (born Derek Roy Bromham, 25 November 1951, Acton, London), bass player Gary Giles (born Gary Stephen Giles, 23 February 1952, North Kensington, London) and drummer Steve Crutchley (born c 1952) formed the band, whilst all were attending the Christopher Wren School in London. Richard "Ritchie" Cole (born 10 November 1951, Shepherd's Bush, London) replaced Crutchley in 1968. They signed to Transatlantic Records in January 1970.The group's brand of melodic, hook-laden hard rock proved to be a popular draw on the local club scene during the early 1970s. However the band did not have commercial success with its record releases. At one stage Charlie Kray (brother of the Kray twins Ronnie and Reggie), was their manager. Gadd left the band in 1975 due to artistic differences and was replaced on vocals by Pete Dyer. The original Stray finally dissolved in 1977, although Bromham later continued to play in various resurrected versions of the project well into the 2000s.There are two Iron Maiden connections to Stray. "All in Your Mind" from Stray's 1970 debut album was covered by Iron Maiden, and Maiden bassist Steve Harris's daughter Lauren has covered "Come On Over". From late 2006 until early 2007, the band's back catalogue of eight studio albums issued originally during the 1970s, were re-released by the UK based Sanctuary Records in compact disc format. The new releases were re-mastered and had bonus tracks culled from single B-sides, studio outtakes and BBC broadcast sessions. Line-up / Musicians Steve Gadd/harmonica,guitar,vocals,percussion Del Bromham/guitar,vocals,Mellotron,organ Gary G. Giles/bass Ritchie Cole/drums,percussion Discography(Album) Stray 1970
1.All in Your Mind 2.Taken All the Good Things 3.Around the World in Eighty Days 4.Time Machine 5.Only What You Make It 6.Yesterday's Promises 7.Move on 8.In Reverse/Some Say
Based in San Francisco California, Shanti is a musical project which can be perceived as a reunion of notorious figures of Traditional Indian raga music (The Sarod player Ashish Khan and tabla player Zakir Hussain) and professional folk-jazzy rockin' musicians from the West. The term Shanti which means serenity, tranquillity of the self perfectly illustrates the beatific-enchanting and entrancing atmosphere which prevails in this relatively unknown album. The music reveals some astonishing improvised percussive, buzzing parts mixed with bombastic psychedelic rockin' sequences. Adding instruments such as sarod, dholak and tablas to their regular guitar/bass/drums line-up Shanti created an exotic, rootsy aura, never mind the spiritual lyrics. Zakir Hussain also played with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead on his Rolling Thunder album. Line-up / Musicians Frank Lupica/drums Neil Seidel/guitar Steve Haehl/guitars,vocals Ashish Khan/Sarod Pranesh Khan/tabla Zakir Hussain/tabla Steve Leach/vocals,bass Discography Shanti 1971
1.We Want to Be Free 2.Innocence 3.Out of Nowhere 4.Lord I'm Comin' Round 5.Good Inside 6.Shanti 7.I Do Believe
German heavy band MAMMUT is nowadays a pure and absolute rarity in the lights of rock classic music; their only album is also a record rather impossible to track down, plus it excels as a fantastic jewel of heavy music, scorching composition and optical art. The music is close to the early classic expressions of progressive rock, showing besides that an empathy for strange visions, compact concepts, psychedelic hazes and fuzz-growing emotions. The ensemble seems to be a fusion between former bands THE ROPE SET and THOSE, consisting of Klaus and Peter Schnur on lead guitars and lead vocals, Rainer Hoffmann on piano and organ, Tilo Herrmann as bassist, flutists and backing vocalist, and Günter Seier on drums and percussions. MAMMUT was, anyhow, raised within the Stuttgart jazz scene, the German rock ideals, the heavy and dark music inspiration conceptuality, plus within the howling feelings that make rock an explosive and exploratory art. Their work scored an unique private print in the Orschwahl label, but was quickly confronted with legal issues, and was re-licensed by Little Wing of Refugees. The same label problems emerged when "Mammut" was re-released, since it was withdrawn quickly, disappearing for good. References drag this hard rock (of psych smokes) movement into Krautrock, given that it is a German classic scene music print. Sometimes, the references to EMBRYO or AMON DUUL bewilder beyond how the music's strength mainly sounds like. The band had a special likeness for DEEP PURPLE, otherwise their main acid thrill had everything to do with the evolved giant lengths of Hard Rock, Hard Blues and Hard Psych. The particular slight references to Canned Heat, Tomorrow's Gift or FRUMPY surface interestingly. MAMMUT unsightly plays heavy concept rock, with an entire arch sketched from the acoustic and lyrical breadths to the violently onirical and strangely (ec)static drone-like jams. The tangent values - that reflect pure psychedelism and concept composition, hard sounds manipulation or a bit of a symphonic crust - are of no surprise at all, they add up both an unusual complexity and a decisive precision of trembling rock, within the popular intense graphic. This music generally raises above the limits of pushy and grouchy music, even if its dust art is of an underground music satisfaction. The programmatic movement, creating completely different values of music within each piece (not superficial are all the tracks conceptualized under the word of "Mammut"), gives a plus in talented (or wildly erupted) music writing. Line-up / Musicians Klaus Schnur/guitars,vocals Peter Schnur/guitars,vocals Rainer Hoffmann/piano,organ Tilo Herrmann/bass,flute,vocals Gunter Seier/drums,percussion Discography Mammut 1971
MACROMASSA were founded as a pioneer of experimental / psychedelic projects in Barcelona by Juan CREK (saxophone, programming, voices) and Victor NUBLA (clarinet, programming, voices) in 1976. Both founders are the only members stationed stably from the beginning, regardless of lots of collaborators, especially two important ones Anton IGNORANT and Albert GIMÉNEZ. With marvelous electronic essence and improvised universe, they've exerted considerable influence not only upon music or performance but also literature or art in Spain. Line-up / Musicians Víctor Nubla/saxophone,vocals Juan Crek/saxophone,vocals,programming Albert Giménez/guitar Xema Hernández/drums Gabriel Brías/guitar Ernest Ballesté/flute Antonio "Pouma" Graña/violin Francesco Bsme/guitar Luis "Morgan" Foyé/drums Enric Massip/drums Paco Espinosa/bass José Navarro/bass Discography(Album) El Concierto Para Ir En Globo 1980
1.Primeras Impresiones 2.Un Sueño Ruiz 3.Tierra De Una Manzana 4.Un Conflicto Y Un Estraperlo 5.De Monios S.L.
In the mid 70's in Montreal existed a Hammond-driven prog rock quartet Incubus (there was also a US group of that name in those years) that could've been often compared to Emerson Lake & Palmer and haunted the scene from 70 to 74, but never released an album, although they had started on it (sessions took place in January 74 in Hérouville, France), when, they called it a day in late 74. So when three out of four original members reformed in 2007, they certainly weren't going to name themselves Incubus, since the name had been used once more, by a metal group whose fame belittled both previous groups. So while wanting to refer to their early 70's heritage, they chose to rename themselves ExCubus. ProgQuebec approached them about the session tapes of 74 and once through them, they selected 4 songs that they saw fit to release. The rest of the tracks present on this first album are the work the group (now a quintet) to rekindle the flame of their gone-by dreams. So Mémoires Incubussienes includes both the historic session and another recent one (January 2007) and the least we can say is that the latter one is definitely worth or the former, the former having no valid reasons for not seeing the light of day, except for the lack of luck and group quitting. The first four tracks develops a symphonic rock ala ELP, but with a solid guitar player answering the local Emerson. Actually the group might also sound between Atomic Rooster, Egg and even Anglagard. Of these track, the most interesting is Abomination D'Une Quarte De Triton, which is clever but complicated musical trick removing some triton quart (or whatever, you figure it out), seconded mello- fest of (Morning) Glass Army Parade. If the first track had some wordless vocals, the other three tracks are instrumentals, but something tells me, that this was probably not intentional back then.. that the session had stopped before they could have added the vocalsAs for the 2007 sessions, they sound like a very credible retro-prog, sometimes close to the Scandinavian school that should have all progheads climbing up the curtains in gleeful joy, three of them sung in English with Tales Of The Tree not being a tale. Clearly meant as the second era's centerpiece is the 9-minutes Pendergast, comes with the full dramatics and a great outro. The closing Child's Funeral is a fitting goodbye with full choirs in the last seconds. All four tracks appear to have been written back in the 70's if I judge by the booklet. Line-up / Musicians Marc Delage/guitar,bass,vocals Léo England/drums Michel Phaneuf/keyboars Pierre Poulet/bass,vocals Discography(Album) Mémoires incubussiennes 1974
1.Bléatis 2.Abomination d'une quarte de triton 3.Parade de l'Armée de verre (au matin) 4.Teeth
Formed in 1970 the band existed till 1989, GROBSCHNITT (which translates to ROUGH CUT) was the best German band from the mid-Seventies. All of the members of the band adopted pseudonyms, namely "Eroc", "Mist", "Wildschwein", "Lupo" and "Popo". The band was created by Joachim "Eroc" Ehrig (drums, percussion), Stefan "Wildschwein" Daneliak (guitars & vocals), and Gerd-Otto "Lupo" Kühn (guitar, vocals). This nucleus was later completed by Wolgang "Popo" Jäger (bass) and Volker "Mist" Kahrs (keyboards, Mellotron, synthesizers). They were best known as a clone of YES (symphonic progressive group), but they also explored other progressive rock styles (either psychedelic prog or more cohesive "Krautrock" with some stunning instrumental passages that will be familiar to anyone into the likes of MAN, AMON DUUL II, WISHBONE ASH and many similar bands). Their sound was characterized by sometimes long suites allowing ambitious composition developments, with intermingled themes, rhythms, climates changes and symphonic passages. A VERY COMPELLING BRAND OF MUSICAL MOODS: haunting melodies, funny voices (by Eroc), wonderful guitar work, great synthesizer sounds, strange drumming/effects man, and sophisticated arrangements. This eclectic German band became one of the most popular live acts in German history.The group released about fifteen albums and added touches of absurd humor to their records and live shows. Their first five albums are all classics. Vocals are mostly in English, although some albums were released with German vocals for the home market and English vocals for export. "Ballermann" (1974) consisted of two LP's, one filled with symphonic progressive rock, and the other that contained a space rock suite... the original version of "Solar Music". "Rockpommel's Land", the fourth studio album exhibited intricate ensemble work, delicate dual lead guitars and theatrical vocals which dominate the music. A solid concept album in the YES/GENESIS tradition, the record told the story of a boy's adventures in a strange land and ultimately finding some sort of wisdom about human nature, as well as piece of mind. The beautiful cover painting looks exactly like an early Roger Dean cover. "Solar Music Live" (1978) is sometimes considered one of the best live albums of all time (similar to early PINK FLOYD's albums in space/cosmic rock. Line-up / Musicians Stefan Danielak/guitar,vocals Joachim Ehrigdrums,percussion Axel Harlos/drums, percussion Gerd-Otto Kuhn/guitar Hermann Quetting/organ,piano,spinet,percussion Bernhard Uhlemann/bass,flute,percussion Discography(Album) Grobschnitt 1972
1.Symphony 2.Travelling 3.Wonderful music 4.Sun trip
