Tag Archives: Michael Rother

CAFE EXIL-NEW ADVENTURES IN EUROPEAN MUSIC 1972-1980.

Cafe Exil-New Adventures In European Music 1972-1980. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. At the end of David Bowie’s Station To Station tour in July 1976, he journeyed to Château d’Hérouville to start recording a new album.This wasn’t the followup to his critically acclaimed tenth album Station To Station. Instead, it was his friend Iggy Pop’s …

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DEUTSCHE ELEKTRONISCHE MUSIK 4: EXPERIMENTAL GERMAN ROCK AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC 1971-83.

Deutsche Elektronische Musik 4: Experimental German Rock and Electronic Music 1971-83. Label: Soul Jazz Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘16th’ October 2020. Nowadays, the period between 1968 and the early eighties is regarded as a golden period for German music, and saw groundbreaking artists and groups like Amon Düül, Can, Cluster, Deuter, Faust, Harmonia, Neu!, …

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CULT CLASSIC: HARMONIA-DELUXE.

Cult Classic: Harmonia-Deluxe. In June 1975, the three members of Harmonia returned to their studio in Forst for the recording of their sophomore album, Deluxe. It would become the followup to Musik Von Harmania, which had been released in January 1974. Sadly, this groundbreaking album had failed to find an audience. It  was a bitter …

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CULT CLASSIC: HARMONIA-MUSIK VON HARMONIA.

Cult Classic: Harmonia-Musik Von Harmonia. Having spent five months between June and November  1973 recording their debut album, a new German supergroup Harmonia, released Musik Von Harmonia in January 1974. This groundbreaking album should have been the dawn of a new and successful era for the Harmonia, but sadly it failed to find the audience it deserved and and failed commercially.  So did the followup Deluxe, which …

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CULT CLASSIC: NEU!-NEU!

Cult Classic: Neu!-Neu! There aren’t many artists who after leaving one of the most pioneering groups in musical history, end up founding another groundbreaking group. That’s what happened to Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother who had both been members of Kraftwerk, but left in 1971. After leaving Kraftwerk, the pair  founded Neu! another Kratrock band.  …

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CLUSTER’S CLASSIC YEARS 1971-1981.

Cluster’s Clasic Years 1971-1981. The Cluster story began in the Zodiak Free Arts Lab in West Berlin  when Hans-Joachim Roedelius first met Dieter Moebius. Little did they know that they were about to embark upon a musical journey that would last five decades.  During that period, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius were part of three …

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HARMONIA-A SUPERGROUP AND “THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND IN THE WORLD.”

Harmonia-A Supergroup and “The Most Important Band In The World.” Throughout musical history, innovative music has often failed to find an audience upon its release. It’s only much later, that the music’s importance and innovation is recognised. Musical history is littered with examples. This includes the group that Brian Eno once called : “the most important band in the world,” Harmonia. Despite such high praise, Harmonia’s …

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FOUR DECADES OF MAKING MUSIC: THE CLUSTER STORY.

Four Decades Of Making Music: The Cluster Story. The Cluster story began in the Zodiak Free Arts Lab in West Berlin  when Hans-Joachim Roedelius first met Dieter Moebius. Little did they know that they were about to embark upon a musical journey that would last five decades.  During that period, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius …

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DAVID BOWIE-BOWIE NOW RECORD STORD DAY 2018.

David Bowie-Bowie Now Record Store Day 2018. Label: Parlophone. For Record Store Day 2018, a triptych of David Bowie albums was released including Bowie Now, which was reissued by Parlophone on heavyweight white vinyl. Bowie Now was regarded as the pick of the bunch by The Thin White Duke’s fans, and a reminder of an …

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BROCKMANN//BARGMANN-LICHT.

Brockmann//Bargmann-Licht. Label: Bureau B: Right up until 2013, guitarist Franz Bargmann and keyboardist Timm Brockmann were two-thirds of Berlin based Camera, who were by then, one of the leading lights of the Neo Krautrock scene. They had already released two albums in 2012, Live At HBC and their criticality acclaimed studio album Radiate. Critics were …

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THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF MICHAEL ROTHER.

The Life and Music Of Michael Rother. During the early seventies, the German music scene was thriving, and  was one of the most vibrant in Europe. Some of the most influential and innovative music was being accorded released by German bands. This included the holy trinity of Can, Kraftwerk and Neu!. Along with Amon Düül II, Ashra, …

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EBERHARD KRANEMANN AND HAROLD GROSSKOPF-KRAUTWERK.

Eberhard Kranemann and Harald Grosskopf. Label: Bureau B. Ever since The Beatles released Love Me Do in 1962, many musical luminaries have talked about collaborating on an album. Sadly, that is often as far as it got. Egos got in the way of the project, and what could’ve been a historical collaboration was shelved.  Other …

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CLUSTER-KONZERTE 1972-1977.

Cluster-Konzerte 1972-1977. Bureau B. Back in the seventies, the life of a musician wasn’t an easy one. Most bands were contracted to release at least one album each calendar year. As a result, many bands would get into habit of entering the studio just after the festive period, and would spend a couple of months recording …

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KLAUS DINGER AND JAPANDORF-JAPANDORF.

KLAUS DINGER AND JAPANDORF-JAPANDORF. By 2007, sixty-one year old Klaus Dinger was a veteran of German music. He had been a member of three of the most important, influential and innovative German groups of the past forty years, Kraftwerk, Neu! and La Düsseldorf. Despite enjoying such a long and successful career, Klaus Dinger hadn’t lost …

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KOLLECTION 06: CLUSTER 1971-1981-COMPILED BY JOHN McENTIRE.

KOLLECTiON 06: CLUSTER 1971-1981-COMPILED BY JOHN McENTIRE. One of the most important, influential and innovative bands in the history of German music were Cluster. Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius formed Cluster in 1971. Previously they had both been members of Kluster since 1969. However, Conrad Schnitzler, the third member of Kluster, left the band in mid-1971. …

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THE CLUSTER STORY.

THE CLUSTER STORY. The Cluster story began in the Zodiak Free Arts Lab in West Berlin. That’s where Hans-Joachim Roedelius first met Dieter Moebius. Little did they know that they were about to embark upon a musical journey that would last five decades.  During that period, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius were part of three …

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HARMONIA-“THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND IN THE WORLD.”

HARMONIA-“THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND IN THE WORLD.” Throughout musical history, innovative music has often failed to find an audience upon its release. It’s only much later, that the music’s importance and innovation is recognised. Musical history is littered with examples. This includes the group that Brian Eno once called : “the most important band in the world,” Harmonia. Despite such high praise, Harmonia’s …

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ELECTRI CITY_2.

ELECTRI CITY_2. At this time of year, most people’s thoughts turn to holidays. Some people are easily pleased, while others struggle to find the perfect holiday. They spend an inordinate amount of time flicking through holiday brochures. Part of the problem though, is the amount of choice. However, one group of people seem to be …

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CAMERA-PHANTOM OF LIBERTY.

CAMERA-PHANTOM OF LIBERTY. Ever since the late-sixties, Berlin has been home to some of the most innovative bands in German musical history. That was the case from the time when all the freelance musicians in the city found their way to Zodiak Free Arts Lab, in West Berlin. That was a meeting place for members …

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HARMONIA-DOCUMENTS.

HARMONIA-DOCUMENTS. By 1974, supergroups were popular on both sides of the Atlantic. This had been the case since 1966, when Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker formed Cream. Since then, several supergroups had been formed, including Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Blind Faith, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Bad Company. These supergroups enjoyed varying …

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