Vertigo Germany obviously enjoyed the
liberty of signing their own (German) bands for the label and this
resulted in an interesting series of albums, that truly live up to the
spirit of Vertigo. The albums were assigned a new prefix, 6360 6**. All
authentic German albums, bar one, have this prefix. The Vertigo logo is
black and white in all cases where it appears.
6499
156/157
(6641 055)
PETER MICHAEL HAMEL - HAMEL
(1972)
|
|
Line-up: Peter-Michael
Hamel, all.
Production:
Ulrich Kraus & Peter-Michael Hamel.
Cover-design by
Guntram Holdgrün
Photography by
Peter Andersen.
Liner notes: by
unknown.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at unknown.
Track listing A-side disc 156: Storm Over Asia And Calm
(4'10'')/ Baliava I (5'10''/ Baliava II (8'22'').
Track listing B-side
disc 156: Fire Of Holy Eyes (9'55'')/ Song Of The Dolphins
(7'30'')/ Sinking Sangsara (3'55'').
Track listing A-side
disc 157: Aura (20'05'').
Track listing B-side
disc 157: Gomorrhaga (8'45'')/ Cathedral On C (9'20'').
All tracks by Peter-Michael Hamel.
No Vertigo logo on front.
Matrix number A-side
disc 156
10 AA 6499156 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side disc 156:
10 AA 6499156 2Y 320
Matrix number A-side
disc 157
10 AA 6499157 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side disc 157:
10 AA 6499157 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R3
|
Hamel is a classical composer with a
strong interest in electronic devices and non-European cultures. He
doesn't consider his music to consist of sets of composed notes, but
rather looks upon them as ''radiations''. Travels to India were a major
influence on his music. This here double album is nothing more or less
than a series of treated keyboard sounds, often with the use of
prepared instruments to produce non-European tone intervals. Some
percussive passages emerge, also played on prepared keyboards, such as
the uncannily gamelan-alike Baliava I.
Some pieces show an influence of minimal music and only very slowly
develop into different directions. Anyone wanting to listen to the
whole of this opus must bring a lot of time. Whether or not this
conglomeration of styles still stands up after almost half a century
depends upon your point of view. At the time of release, this record
harvested heaps of praise from ''serious'' aficionados of music. To us
this may sound very dated, indeed. Images of orange bathtubs and olive
green automatic coffee-makers keep popping up. As seventies as it gets.
The scary front cover image belies the meditative character of the
music. The colours are screaming at you, the forms and patterns
suggest an alien mind. This goes on on the back and inside the
gatefold, where also a picture of the man himself is on display. Yes,
he
wears an Afghan coat and a scarf around his long-haired head, what did
you think he would wear?
The lettering is in stark contrast to the images: an interplay of black
and white lines in various gauges, but fits well to the underlying
rigidity of the main image.
Notes: the strange
habit of giving another catalogue number to the cover of double albums
is also in effect in Germany. This one has 6641 055.
6360 601
Not released in Germany, but it was in New
Zealand! Please refer to that page.
6360
602
LUCIFER'S FRIEND - ....WHERE THE
GROUPIES
KILLED THE BLUES (januari 1972)
|
|
Line-up: Peter Hecht, keyb/
Peter Hesslein, gtr, voc/ Dieter Horns, bsgtr, cb/ John Lawton, voc/
Joachim Rietenbach, dr.
Production: Conny Planck
& Herbert Hildebrandt.
Cover-design by Witt.
Photography by Foth.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Windrose - Dumont Time Studio & Star Music Studio.
Track listing A-side: Hobo
(Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 4'15''/ Rose On The Vine (Peter Hesslein
+ John O'Brien-Docker) 8'19''/ Mother (Peter Hecht + John
O'Brien-Docker)
7'25''.
Track listing B-side:
....Where The Groupies Killed The Blues (Dieter Horns + John
O'Brien-Docker) 5'07''/ Prince Of Darkness (Peter Hesslein + John
O'Brien-Docker) 5'37''/ a) Summerdream (Peter Hesslein + John
O'Brien-Docker) b) Delirium (Peter Hecht) c) No Reason Or Rhyme ( Peter
Hesslein + John O'Brien-Docker) 8'56''/ Burning Ships (Peter Hesslein +
Dieter Horns + John Lawton) 4'32''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360602 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360602 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R2
|
Second album of this studio crew, that produced a lot of records under
aliases too, before recording under a fixed name. Where the first LP
proper (on Philips) was a modestly
successful hard-rock album, this here effort is lightyears better.
Heavy rock, it is, albeit with a touch of the occult. The expressive
vocals of Lawton are an asset, as this is uncommonly well-sung for a
German record. The interplay is smooth and oiled, though never
over-polished. Characteristic are the fast accompanying ornaments on
both guitar and keyboards. Apart from the opening
Hobo, which is too close to British
examples, the band is imaginative and does not shun sudden
style-changes and odd textures. Unusual, often menacing, harmonies
galore on
Rose on the vine,
while
Mother even foreshadows
later dissonant rock-chamber-music like Univers Zero, though with more
rocking energy. Fine flute parts on the title track and discordant
orchestral parts on almost all of the rest of side B make for
disquieting but enticing listening. The album ends on a placid note
with
the much more accessible
Burning
ships, where cellos become foghorns. An excellent, energetic and
adventurous album.
Giant letters can be a nice design too and these are nice enough, but
it seems a but simple anyway. The two extremely sinister figures in
the top left corner are standing in a small pool of blood... Serves
them right!
Inside just the lyrics and the information is on the back.
A big poster is included with some unclear people standing behind an
enormous pile of fruits. This could very well be taken at the same
session as the cover of the Juicy Lucy album.
Notes: This was
released in the USA on Passport (PPSD 98008) in 1975
6360
603
JACKSON HEIGHTS - 5TH AVENUE BUS
(beginning of
1972)
We
cannot even begin to guess why this one album was released in Germany
with a different catalogue number to the British issue, which normally
would have been
reserved for a German signing. The gimmix door in the cover was
deleted: you now see immediately into the driver's cabin. Pretty silly.
The Vertigo logo on front is
white.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360603 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side
10 AA 636060 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R2
|
For more details on this album, please
refer to the
British page which
contains this LP (6360 067).
6360
604
FRUMPY - BY THE WAY (march 1972)
|
|
Line-up: Rainer Baumann,
gtr/ Carsten Bohn, dr/ Erwin Kania, keyb/ Jean-Jacques Kravetz, keyb/
Inga Rumpf, voc, gtr/ Karl-Heinz Schott, bsgtr.
Production: Frumpy.
Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by unknown.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Windrose - Dumont Time Studio.
Track listing A-side: Goin'
To The Country
(Inga Rumpf) 3'40''/ By The Way (Carsten Bohn + Inga Rumpf) 8'51''/
Singing Songs (Inga Rumpf + Rainer Baumann)
7'03''.
Track listing B-side: I'm
Afraid, Big Moon (Carsten Bohn + Jean-Jeaques Kravetz + Inga Rumpf)
6'26''/ Release (Carsten Bohn + Inga Rumpf) 8'51''/ Keep On Going (Inga
Rumpf) 5'23''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360604 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360604 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R2
|
Third effort by this interesting crew that combines the mature voice of
Rumpf (easily the best continental female blues singer) with the
dexterous guitars of Baumann. The rhythm section is tight and Kravetz
fills the holes. Again the first track is disappointing, sounding all
too familiar American, but the bluesy title track is very atmospheric.
Afterwards,
Singing songs
sounds slightly common. Much better material on side B makes up for
this.
I'm afraid, big moon
evokes a scary feeling and boasts excellent driving rock as well.
Impressive climax is the very emotional
Release, a gripping tale about a
friend who cannot be saved from his drug addiction. The closing track
is disappointingly conventional again.
An exciting live photograph of the singer on the front cover, very
nice. On the back we find the lyrics.
The lettering is unexpectedly chosen, but fits nicely in the total of
the image.
Again a big poster is included, but this is just six times the front
picture and can thus be filed under lost opportunities.
6360
605
KRAVETZ - ''same'' (may 1972)
|
|
Line-up: Roger Hook, gtr/
Jean-Jacques Kravetz, keyb/ Thomas Kretzschmer, gtr/ Udo Lindenberg,
dr, voc/ Inga Rumpf, voc/ Carl-G.Stephan, bsgtr.
Production: Jean-Jacques
Kravetz.
Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by Carstens
& Wiebols.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Windrose - Dumont Time Studio.
Track listing A-side: I''d
Like To Be A Child Again
(Jean-Jacques Kravetz + Udo Lindenberg) 9'35''/ Ann Toomuch
(Jean-Jacques
Kravetz + Udo Lindenberg) 7'55''.
Track listing B-side:
Routes (Udo Lindenberg) 7'27''/ When The Dream Is Over (Udo Lindenberg)
3'14''/ Master Of Time (Jean-Jacques Kravetz + Udo Lindenberg) 9'51''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360605 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360605 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R2
|
Solo album by the keyboardist of Frumpy with the Udo Lindenberg Band
backing up. Rumpf guests on A1 and it is small wonder that this track
would not sound out of place on a Frumpy album. What a guitar solo by
Kretschmer, though! Since Kravetz is no singer at all, Lindenberg takes
the mike on the other cuts (he drums better, we must confess). The
spacey
Ann toomuch is
agreeable, again the guitar solo stands out. Side B holds few
surprises.
Routes is too
monotonous and
When the dream is over
is downright sentimental. The typical krautrock of the closing
Master of time holds its ground
much better. A touch of symphonic thinking and excellent guitars plus
keyboards end the LP on a promising note.
There is Mr.K in sea-geeen, framed by an oval and vegetation in another
green. Quite atmospheric. This is a single cover with no extras, a
rarity with Vertigo.
The lettering has the wrong colour, but is satisfactory otherwise.
Notes: the composers
credits on the label are not correct.
6360
606
BRAVE NEW WORLD - IMPRESSIONS ON
READING ALDOUS HUXLEY (july 1972)
|
|
Line-up: Esther Daniels,
narration/ Reinhart Firchow, rec, fl, voc/ Herb Geller, fl, sax, ob,
keyb/ Lucas Lindholm, bsgtr, cb, keyb/ John O'Brien-Docker, gtr, keyb,
voc/ Dicky Tarrach, dr.
Production: John
O'Brien-Docker.
Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by unknown.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Studio Maschen.
Track listing A-side:
Prologue
(Reinhart Firchow + John O'Brien-Docker) 1'02''/ Alpha, Beta, Gamma,
Delta, Epsilon...Ford
(John O'Brien-Docker) 7'55''/ Lenina (Herb Geller + John
O'Brien-Docker) 4'27''/ Soma (Herb Geller + John O'Brien-Docker)
5'22''/ Malpais Corn Dance (John O'Brien-Docker) 3'27''.
Track listing B-side: The
End (Reinhart Firchow + John O'Brien-Docker) 19'22''/ Epilogue
(Reinhart Firchow + John O'Brien-Docker) 0'15''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360606 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360606 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R3
|
Yes, this must be a concept album, at least according to the title, but
not much inside the grooves conveys a Huxleyan atmosphere. Although the
brainchild
of O'Brien, who wrote or co-wrote all the material, the main ingredient
is the truly magical flute of Geller, who can produce any style
imaginable and does so convincingly, too. A sad recorder over solemn
organ in
Prologue
slowly gives way to the warm sound patterns of
Alpha, a versatile piece of jazzy
rock and leading to passages with experimental use of different tape
speeds.
Lenina is very serene
with a narration and multi-voiced flutes, while
Soma is krautrock in the best of
traditions with long guitar improvisations over a floor of organ.
Almost early Pink Ployd, but with the unusual sound of an embedded
flexatone. And there is
Malpais corn
dance, an unlikely track that sounds like folk music played by
Martians. Side B is dominated by the long suite
The end (nothing to do with The
Doors, of course) which pulls all stops. Wistful wind, English horn,
ocarina, double-tracked recorders, sombre monk's choirs, Scottish
percussion, wild electric guitars, heavy synths, cascading saxes,
soft-horror, well anything almost, but somehow forged into a meaningful
whole, that can hardly be compared with anything else we have heard.
Krautrock in its best form, an at times almost magical record!
The cover has its own share of subtle horror. The shrewd malformation
of the flat building in combination with the silhouetted figures that
have explicitly coloured shadows, all bathing in a cold grey-blue
light, works wonders. Inside, a great panel with control lights, some
information and small photographs of the musicians.
The lettering is partly askew, just as it should be, I guess, but the
title is in an unreadable colour, unfortunately.
Notes: this is not the
same band which recorded ''O Calcutta'' for Polydor.
6360
607
AGITATION FREE - MALESCH (july 1972)
|
|
Line-up: Michael
Günther, bsgtr/ Michael Hoenig, keyb, steel/ Uli Pop, perc/
Burhard Rausch, dr, voc, mar/ Jörg Schwenke, gtr/ Lutz Ulbrich,
gtr, keyb.
Production: Wolfgang
Sandner & Peter Strecker for Music Factory.
Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by Michael
Hoenig & Hans Georg Losse.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by H.O.Persiehl.
Recorded at
Audio-Ton-Studio.
Track listing A-side: You
Play For Us Today 6'08''/ Sahara City 7'42''/ Ala Tul 4'50''.
Track listing B-side: Pulse
4'43''/ Khan El Khalili 5'30''/ Malesch 8'10''/ Rücksturz 2'09''.
All tracks by Agitation Free.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360607 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360607 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R3
|
A formation from Berlin, that mixes eastern themes and harmonies with
improvised krautrock. This works reasonably well on the opening track,
but dives really deep on
Sahara City,
a lesson in silent music that evokes endless vistas of open space
through pale organ sounds and strange rhythm instruments.
Ala Tul is again organ-fusion, a
bit like J.S.Bach in the desert. Another fine track is
Pulse, that boasts an Arabian
string part that sounds pretty authentic and through a dissonant
improvisation discharges into
Khan
El Khalili, a track that develops very slowly, but suddenly gels
in the middle. The title track sounds like common kraut but the closing
Rücksturz is excellent
driving rock with competing organ and electric guitar. Nice album,
nothing for rock purists, though.
The cover is one of those mirrored images with the spine serving as the
axis, a surefire sign of inspiration lacking. At least they had the
good taste to change the colours on either side: the front is warm and
stony, the back cold and stony. An avalanche of holiday pictures
is on the inside, all taken during a journey into the Middle East.
Very common lettering, but for the inclusion of some beautiful Arabic
script. The light blue of this detones quite strongly.
Notes: the label gives
all composers credits to Michael Günther (Guenther), while the
cover gives them to Agitation Free.
6360
608
ODIN - ''same'' (end of 1972)
|
|
Line-up: Jeff Beer, voc,
keyb, vibr/ Ray Brown, bsgtr, voc/ Stuart Fordham, dr/ Rob Terstall,
voc, gtr.
Production: Odin.
Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by J.A.Carstens.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Windrose-Dumont-Time Studios.
Track listing A-side: Life
Is Only (Jeff Beer + Ray Brown) 10'50''/ Tribute To Frank (Jeff Beer)
1'50''/ Turnpike Lane (Rob Terstall) 3'40''/ Be The Man You Are (Rob
Terstall + Ray Brown) 2'40''.
Track listing B-side:
Gemini (Steve Hammond) 8'50''/ Eucalyptus (Jeff Beer) 2'50''/ Clown
(Jeff Beer + Ray Brown + Stuart Fordham) 8'35''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360608 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360608 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R3
|
At least two of these lads are English, so it comes as no surprise that
their brand of prog-hard-rock sounds a bit like more notorious British
examples. Very typical of the times, the main problem lies in the
composition department. Rolling organ and many tasteful guitar
interceptions are a bonus, but much of the material is too bleak to
attract more than a casual interest. Almost all tracks are too long to
be borne by their musical substance.
Turnpike
lane
is a notable exception, being mildly balkanized folk-rock. On side B
Quatermass'
Gemini is duly
covered, a logical choice as the attitude towards the music is somewhat
similar
to that band. The last track holds its ground pretty well. Muscular and
inventively played rock with great guitars and again sounding rather
British. Even so, it cannot save the whole album.
The boys stand on a field in blue duotone, while drawn assorted fantasy
attributes are loosely scattered around. The enormous bass-drum in the
middle is a strong focal point. Amateurish, but interesting
nonetheless. On the back a very serious photograph of the gentlemen,
who seem a depressed and depressing lot. The printed lyrics confirm
this impression.
A gigantic poster is included. Unfortunately this is just the backcover
six times enlarged and newly lettered.
The lettering is simplicity incarnate, but fits well enough within the
total image.
Notes: some copies
have the infamous ''Deutsch-Rock'' sticker on front (like on our scan),
which was affixed to many Philips albums from this era.
6360
609
ATLANTIS - ''same'' (december 1972)
|
|
Line-up: Curt Cress, dr/
Frank Diez, gtr/ Jean-Jacques Kravetz, keyb/ Reebop Kwakuh Baah, perc/
Jean-Alain Roussel, keyb/ Inga Rumpf, voc/ Karl-Heinz Schott, bsgtr.
Production: John Burns
& Atlantis.
Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by unknown.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Island Studios.
Track listing A-side: Get
Up (Inga Rumpf) 5'20''/ Big Brother (Inga Rumpf) 5'03''/ Rock 'N' Roll
Preacher (Frank Diez) 3'39''/ Maybe It's Useless (Inga Rumpf +
Jean-Jacques Kravetz) 3'39''.
Track listing B-side: Let's
Get On The Road Again (Inga Rumpf) 3'33''/ Living At The End Of Time
(Frank Diez) 9'05''/ Words Of Love (Inga Rumpf + Frank Diez)
4'52''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360609 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360609 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R1
|
More or less a continuation of Frumpy, but with a much tighter drummer
and a guitarist that tends more towards hard-rock. Logically, this is a
heavier outfit, although the charateristic voice of Rumpf reigns
supreme. The first two tracks show the band at its best: robust rock
with excellent guitar parts. The rest of this side sounds more like an
average band with outstanding vocals. Side B continues in just this
vein, but the over 9 minutes long
Living
at the end of time is much better again with superb guitar
playing and even a modest amount of experimentation with bells and
echo. The tender closing track is saved by the vocals; the melody lacks
excitement. Not ''the best German band'', as some promotional notes
claim, but surely worthwhile and maybe the best vocal achievement
of Inga Rumpf.
Designing a cover cannot get much more trite than on this one. From
dark to light pink, wow! There isn't even a gatefold or an extra in the
packaging. Easily the worst cover design to emerge from Vertigo. The
backside has the same tasteless design, but augmented with a tiny
photograph of the band, which is in this case a deliverance.
The lettering is just as horrible. Some kind of ''neon'' is suggested
(but ''sausage'' comes to mind too). Brrr...
6360
610
TIGER B. SMITH - TIGER ROCK (beginning
of 1973)
|
|
Line-up: Klaus Meinhardt,
bsgtr/ Holger Schmidt, voc, gtr/ Karl-Heinz Traut, dr.
Production: Peter Hauke.
Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by Fotocol.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Dierks Studios.
Track listing A-side: Tiger
Rock (Holger Schmidt + Karl-Heinz Traut) 5'14''/ These Days (Holger
Schmidt) 5'53''/ Everything I Need (Holger Schmidt) 6'20''.
Track listing B-side: To
Hell (Holger Schmidt + Karl-Heinz Traut) 9'45''/ Tiger Blues (Holger
Schmidt) 8'52''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360610 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360610 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R4
|
A reincarnation of the power trio ''Second Life'', and unfortunately
just as unimaginative. It's glam-hard-rock, without any trace of
humor, ever treading the same mill with heavy boots. How did these
boys get a recording contract? The only positive sounds that we can
discern are the tiger growls on the opening track. As all ''songs''
have more than 6 minutes on the clock, listening to the whole of this
album becomes a cathartic experience. But we felt none the better
afterwards, we confess.
The boys pose like a cross between Jethro Tull, Gary Glitter and some
escaped wild animals, which maybe an attitude as valid as anyone
else's, but which does not make for an attractive cover design. On the
back another shot from the same session.
A huge and very seldom seen poster is included (which causes the R4
rarity), but this is yet another shot from the same session and
therefore strictly for die-hard fans of the genre only.
The lettering is is in style, the patterns of the tiger's tail are duly
recognized.
6360
611
LUCIFER'S FRIEND - I'M JUST A ROCK 'N'
ROLL SINGER (beginning of 1973)
|
|
Line-up: Herbert Bornhold,
perc/ Herb Geller, sax/ Peter Hecht, keyb/ Peter Hesslein, gtr, voc/
Dieter Horns, bsgtr, voc/ Bob Lanese, trp/ John Lawton, voc/
Hans-Joachim Rietenbach, dr.
Production: Peter Hecht +
Peter Hesslein + Dieter Horns.
Cover-design by Sebastian
Dietrich.
Photography by Witt.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Windrose - Dumont - Time Studios.
Track listing A-side:
Groovin' Stone
(Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 5'18''/ Closed Curtains (Peter Hecht
+ John Lawton + Fendt) 6'00''/ Born On The Run (Dieter Horns + John
Lawton) 3'48''/ Blind Freedom (Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 6'24''.
Track listing B-side: Rock
'N' Roll Singer (Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 3'45''/ Lonely City Days
(Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 4'55''/ Mary's Breakdown (Dieter Horns +
John Lawton) 5'51''/ Song For Louie (Peter Hesslein + John Lawton)
7'14''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360611 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360611 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R1
|
After the triumph of the previous album, expectations are strung high
for this release, but they are largely disappointed. The opening track
is impeccable hard-rock, no doubt, but shows no trace of the
adventurousness that we expected. As the second track is well-executed,
but ultimately void of anything we didn't already know, the creepy
feeling that the title of the album could be the motto too, cannot
longer be held off. Technically very proficient, this music sounds like
a lot of other music on the whole of side A. The other side isn't any
better, until the closing
Song for
Louie
passes the speakers. Suddenly there is a daring harmonic twist as well
as a spooky middle-part with unexpected mellotron. This cannot save the
album, but is a welcome piece of music nonetheless.
Another scary person on the cover, this time with a fake Chinese jacket
on. Luckily we see him from the back. Turning the cover around shows us
the man from the front, every inch as unattractive as we'd expected. No
extras with the simple single packaging, pity!
The lettering is just adequate, but nothing more.
6360
612
BETWEEN - AND THE WATERS
OPENED (1973)
|
|
Line-up: Fabian Arkus,
elektr/ Cotch Black, perc/ Roberto Détrée, gtr, vlc, hrp/
Robert Eliscu, ob/ Peter Hamel, keyb, voc/ Duru Omson, fl, voc, perc.
Production: Ulrich Kraus
for Music Factory.
Cover-design by Guntram
Holdgrün.
Photography by unknown.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by Gerhard Stalling AG.
Recorded at
unknown.
Track listing A-side: And
The Waters Opened
(Roberto Détrée) 10'55''/ Uroboros (Robert Eliscu)
5'35''/ Syn (Roberto Détrée) 6'10''.
Track listing B-side:
Devotion (Peter Michael Hamel) 3'45''/ Happy Stage (Robert Eliscu +
Peter Michael Hamel) 11'15''/ Samum (Roberto Détrée)
5'35''.
Matrix number A-side:
111 A 10 AA 6360612 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
111 B 10 AA 6360612 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R2
|
A very international ensemble with interest in all kinds of
experimental sounds and avant-garde. This results on the title track in
a pandemonium of style-elements like electronically treated keyboards,
Indian singing, jazzy flutes, South-American guitar pyrotechnics
(Détrée is Argentinian) and a lot of world-music
percussion.
Uroboros starts
with the sonority of an English horn over organ plus a crescendo of
monk's choir, developing into multi-voiced singing and a folky theme
with woodwinds and percussion, definitely unusual.
Syn is a meditation of over six
minutes on one organ-note. Hard on the ears.
Devotion also takes its share of
meditation, no harmonic progression at all, this time almost Indian in
feeling. The overlong
Happy stage
sets out as a hobosonata, but doesn't go anywhere after all. Great
percussion, though! And as you would expect,
Samum for oboe and organ has
Arabian overtones and ends with a large quantity of howling wind, which
is allowed to persist long after the music has stopped. Surely
interesting, though there probably are better projects to be found in
this
realm.
The designer has taken a thermo-photograph as foundation for a rather
eerie human head with a rose for an ear (or is it a cabbage?), that
dissolves into a turquoise river. Impressive as an image. This is yet
another single cover without any extras.
The lettering contrasts sharply with the image, but this is very
welcome indeed and therefore well-chosen.
6360
613
PETER MICHAEL HAMEL - THE VOICE
OF SILENCE (1973)
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Line-up: Peter Michael
Hamel, all.
Production: Ulrich Kraus
for Music Factory.
Cover-design by Peter
Michael Hamel.
Photography by Werner
Bethsold.
Liner notes: Peter Michael
Hamel.
Cover manufactured
by Druckhaus Maack.
Recorded at
unknown.
Track listing A-side: Panta
Tantra (Peter Michael Hamel) 20'47''.
Track listing B-side: The
Voice Of Silence (Peter Michael Hamel) 16'10''/ Ego-Loss [Let The Red
Buddha Amithaba Sweep You Along] (Peter Michael Hamel) 6'45''.
Matrix number A-side:
112 A 10 6360613 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
112 B 10 6360613 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R3
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Hamel time knows no time. PMH is let loose in the studio and assaults
the grand piano and other assorted keyboards, meditating his ass off.
This doesn't mean there are only meditative sounds here. Some of it is
quite aggressive even. The instruments are often doctored, not only to
achieve different scales (mostly eastern), but also to intensify the
players' touch. Three long tracks are the result and our hero even
sings an Indian melody with long notes and fraught with echo. So here
is another strange mixture of east and west, that becomes dramatic on
Ego-loss (small wonder with such a
title) through the inclusion of panting and screaming (crisis? what
crisis?) and a kind of resurrection of the singer. He finally finds a
mantra, that is adorned with German and English shreds of text. In
retrospect this is not very convincing and sounds too dated to excite
in the 21st century. Surely it is very time-typical and could be duly
used as a soundtrack for a nostalgic retrospective of the
esoteric attempts of the seventies.
Artistic freedom can be a sharp weapon, but this home-made brew of
mandala, brimming with all kinds of occult symbols seems only
ill-advised to us. Surely this is not how the road to any spiritual
quest that really matters looks like. The backcover is more of the
same. The cover is lightly textured with a rectangle pattern.
Even the lettering is strictly home-made, but in its attempt to be
clear-cut even worse.
6360
614
ATLANTIS - IT'S GETTING BETTER (autumn
of 1973)
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Line-up: Dieter
Bornschlegel, gtr/ Ringo Funk, dr/ Jean-Jacques Kravetz, keyb/ Gasper
Lawal, perc/ Inga Rumpf, voc, gtr/ Karl-Heinz Schott, bsgtr.
Production: Atlantis.
Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by Gwen
Phillips.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at
Phonogram Studios.
Track listing A-side: It's
Getting Better (Inga Rumpf +
Jean-Jacques Kravetz) 4'50''/ Drifting Winds (Inga Rumpf +
Jean-Jacques Kravetz) 5'06''/ Days Of Giving (Inga Rumpf) 7'23''.
Track listing B-side:
Changed It All (Inga Rumpf +
Jean-Jacques Kravetz) 6'05''/ Fighter
Of Truth (Inga Rumpf + Dieter Bornschlegel) 6'17''/ Woman's Sorrow
(Inga Rumpf +
Jean-Jacques Kravetz) 3'23''/ A Simple Song (Inga Rumpf) 1'59''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360614 1Y//4 320
Matrix number B-side:
63606149 B 2Y-2 (this side has the matrix number hand-etched,
before the ''B'', there is an ''A'' crossed out)
Rarity scale: R1
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With Bornschlegel (another excellent German guitarist) instead of Diez,
Atlantis shoulders on, fighting for international acclaim. Is the title
ironically meant? Fact is that the title track is not getting better at
all: average rock with inane lyrics. There seems to be a slight
tendency towards afro- or soul-rock, not a good sign. If is wasn't for
Rumpf's excellent vocals, the next track would be average too. The long
Days of giving finally shows
something of architecture and contains a brilliant guitar solo, as
rough and unrestrained as you could wish for, but the commonplace
melody takes away most of the excitement. An insignificant song,
gorgeously played. The best track
Changed
it all opens side B. Power and subtlety combined, this rises
high above anything previous.
Fighter
of truth, the only track written by the guitarist sounds almost
like Nina Simone! Two short tracks, one fake-USA rock, the other a
doubtful unburdening of Rumpf with an acoustic guitar do not contribute
to any favourable impression. Very checkered, definitely worse than the
first album
And another hopeless cover. The photograph isn't that bad, but it is
framed in a completely senseless border. The backside is the same photo
in the same border. What a waste of time and space!
The horrible lettering is maintained, probably to produce something
like corporate identity. The ''neon'' letters cut savagely through
Inga's head, poor girl. Thumbs down for this lazy effort.
6360
615
AGITATION FREE - 2ND (autumn
of 1973)
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Line-up: Frank Diez, voc/
Stefan Diez, gtr/ Michael Günther, bsgtr/ Michael Hoenig, keyb/
Burghard Rausch, dr, voc/ Lutz Ulbrich, gtr, bouz.
Production: Agtation Free.
Cover-art by Folke Hanfield
& Alex von Koettlitz.
Photography by Irm Siering.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by H.O.Persiehl.
Recorded at
Studio 70.
Track listing A-side: First
Communication (8'18'')/ Dialogue And Random (2'00'')/ Laila, Part 1
(1'32'')/ Laila, Part 2 (6'45'').
Track listing B-side: In
The Silence Of The Morning Sunrise (6'29'')/ Quiet Walk: a) Listening
b) Two - Not Of The Same Kind (9'11'')/ Haunted Island
(7'10'').
All tracks by Agitation Free, lyrics of Haunted Island by Edgar Allan
Poe.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6360615 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6360615 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R3
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This second effort is a lot more accessible than its predecessor, due
mostly to recognizable guitar parts by Diez.
Laila, part 1 even is symphonically
inclined rock. Supple improvising guitar over spacey accompaniment is
the main dish on almost all tracks, until the atmosphere changes
strongly on
Quiet walk. Here
there are instruments coming from so far away as to get almost
uninterpretable. They are skilfully blended with sounds of water to
result in a mild tension that is very atmospheric.
Haunted island is again very
different through the sudden inclusion of a singer and threatening
mellotron. The ever perpetuating closing is boring, though. The whole
album is not as adventurous and uncommon as their previous one, but by
its genuine drawings of different musical climates still much
worth hearing.
A dried-out riverbed in white and violet with a leaf-like figure
superimposed. Is there a human being seen from above too? The backcover
holds heavy vegetation with sunlight seeping through. Inside a nice and
large picture of the culprits themselves.
The lettering is of the wrong type, but by its colouring and placement
very well integrated into the image.
Notes: unfortunately
this was the very last of the German swirl releases. Only an earlier
record club release follows suit.
28
621-1
6000
92 881
BLACK SABBATH - ''same'' (1970)
''Club Sonderauflage''
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Cover-design by unknown.
Photography by unknown.
Liner notes: none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Track listing A-side: War
Pigs (Black Sabbath) 7'55''/ Evil Woman, Don''t Play Your Games
With Me (L.Weigand + R.Weigand + D.Waggoner) 3'18''/ Black Sabbath
(Black Sabbath) 6'11''.
Track listing B-side:
Paranoid (Black Sabbath) 2'50''/ Sleeping Village (Black Sabbath)
8'25''/ Iron Man (Black Sabbath) 6'00''/ Rat Salad (Black Sabbath)
2'30''.
Matrix number A-side:
10 AA 6000 1Y 320
Matrix number B-side:
10 AA 6000 2Y 320
Rarity scale: R2-3
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A sampler from the first two Black Sabbath albums was issued in three
slightly different variations, all with the same matrix number, but
with small differences in the covers and the labels. They also had
three different catalogue numbers.
Four fine live shots are somewhat clumsily combined into a cover
design. Especially the white separation lines are cheaply chosen. The
differences are small but noticeable. The backcover has a well-known
photograph of the band.
The lettering has the virtue of being very conspicious, but that's all
we could find in favour. Cover and label differences are discussed
below.
The label for 28 621-1 has the wording ''Sonderauflage für den
Deutschen Schallplatten-Club'' (special issue for the German
Record-Club) just above the band name.
The label for 6000 has the wording ''Sonderauflage für die
Deutsche Buch-Gemeinschaft'' (special issue for the German Book-Union)
at the same place.
The label for 92 881 has the wording ''Club-Sonderauflage'' (special
club issue) at the same place.
The cover for 28 621-1 has a small logo of a record with the wording
''Deutscher Schallplattenclub'' in the middle left of the front cover.
The same logo is inserted on the backcover in the bottom left corner.
In the top left corner there is a wording ''Club Sonderauflage'', as
well as ''Stereo auch mono abspielbar''. The backcover has a greenish
shade.
The cover for 6000 omits the logo mentioned above. It also omits the
''stereo'' wording. The backcover is strictly black and white.
The cover for 92 881 is the same as for 6000, apart from the catalogue
number appearing in the top right corner of the backcover.
Notes: The issue with
the 6000 catalogue number seems to be the rarest of the three.
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