OFF : This week ....in Space/Krautrock

[Doug Pearson]

Sorry to chime in late, but a couple additions to this thread ...

Yeah, I love the Cosmic Jokers!  Probably the closest thing to them are Ash
Ra Tempel's most "out" excursions ("Amboss", from the first album, for
instance).  Walter Wengmüller's 'Tarot' double-album IS exceptionally good,
and actually (IMO) worth the outrageous price (but I never would have paid
that price without hearing how good it is; I just lucked out by getting a
free copy from a friend who received a promo at work).  It's far more
"song"-oriented than the Cosmic Jokers or Ash Ra Tempel, and features
outstanding gutiar work by both Gottsching and Enke, as well as some of
Klaus Schulze's most freaked-out synth playing.  Probably about the best
example of what Klaus could've done in a Hawkwind/Roxy Music-type band.

The first and third ('75) Neu! albums are excellent.  If you've heard the
live '76 version of "Uncle Sam's On Mars", then you've heard Hawkwind's
most direct Neu! homage ('Opa-Loka' also comes very close).  For the second
album, the band had recorded the Super/Neuschnee 7" single, the label (UA)
advanced them the money for a full LP, which was used up on the recording
of one or two more songs.  Since the record company wasn't gonna shell out
any more $, they had to resort to the "16/78rpm" gimmick to pad out the LP;
it probably should have been released as a mini-LP or 10" or something ...
a few years later they could have released it as a "disco" 12" ;^).

Amon Duül (I)'s sole "real" studio album ('Paradeiswarts') sounds
absolutely nothing like their four albums (7 LPs worth!) of bludgeoning
"commune-rock", but is rather a very beautiful, laid back folkish
psychedelic album.  Sides 3&4 of 'Yeti' is a pretty decent comparison
(since most of Amon Duül I are on that improvisation), although I'd say
'Paradeiswarts' is a bit mellower.  The Japanese CD reissue on Captain Trip
includes two tracks from a 7" recorded at the same time, with the same sort
of sound.  Emtidi's 'Saät' LP falls into a similar category to my ears.

and now, the reason you made your way through the message ...

FREE TAPE OFFER!
In the interest of getting some too-expensive-to-be-heard-by-enough-people
music out to your ears, yesterday, I ran off two cassette copies of the
'Tarot' album (c90), and two cassette copies of the 1971 live tracks from
the 'Ash Ra Tempel Private Tapes' (c110).  I'll send these four tapes for
*free* to the first people who Email me privately with their postal
address, and specify which of the two tapes they want (sorry, one tape per
"customer", but feel free to list first and second choices).  If anyone
wants to offer me a trade, I won't decline :^), but this is a
no-strings-attached offer!

        -Doug
         ceres at sirius.com