Krautrock

[nosaj]

I found a pdf of Julian Cope's Krautrocksampler on the internet today!!! But, silly me, the website I found it on was already posted in this thread a couple of pages back (the user named Stephen rocks!).

[Stephen]

(the user named Stephen rocks!).

What ever happened to him?

[rememberaday]

(the user named Stephen rocks!).

You're sucking up to a Brit. Are you Canadian, by any chance?

Anyways, on a more serious note:

I have been trying to get into Krautrock in earnest these last few days. I have already gotten into Tangerine Dream (not sure if that's Krautrock though). I also have Ash Ra Tempel's debut as it's mindblowing.

I have been listening to Can (Tago Mago) and I'm not really getting into them. I don't like Damo Suzuki's vocals. Musically, they are brilliant, though.

I plan to listen to Faust next. Are they a far-out band? Should I try another more "accessible" band? How about Amon Duul II?

[Stephen]

There are so many to try and plenty of ideas if you look back through this thread. You might like one of the perhaps lesser known bands such as Agitation Free...try their album 'Malesch' for instance. Faust is definitely worth trying so take a look on Youtube for some ideas, their music ranges from some really gorgeous melodies to the more experimental but all their first 4 albums are definitely worth a listen.

[rememberaday]

Is Birth Control krautrock?

[Massed Gadgets]

Krautrock isn't a sound or style of music, so it's difficult to categorize bands into the movement. Birth Control was German, and they were recording during the classic Krautrock era (from about 1969 - 1975). But if any characteristic can be applied to a 'Krautrock sound', it was the desire to move away from making American blues based rock n' roll to a more "Teutonic" form of rock. Birth Control's most famous album, Operation, tends to be more blues based rock than sounding something like, say, Neu! or Can. But by mid-70's albums like Plastic People and Backdoor Possibilities, they were certainly starting to explore a more experimental, less blues based sound. So, I know that's not really an answer, but I don't think it can be answered, per se. Some might categorize them as Krautrock and others might categorize them as progressive hard rock. There were plenty of bands and musicians of that era from Germany that would not be considered Krautrock now.

[my breakfast.]

I'm listening to Hawkwind's X In Search Of Space at the moment... seems really Krautrock at times. I guess that must be Dave Anderson's contribution.

[rememberaday]

I'm listening to Hawkwind's X In Search Of Space at the moment... seems really Krautrock at times.

I know, it hardly even sounds British.

There is this band called Gaa that I want to investigate. Is it worth it? (I'm specifically waiting for Massed Gadgets to answer this one. It seems he knows every band on the face of this earth.)

[Massed Gadgets]

Gaa...wow, I have not heard that name in years. I think I have their first album on CD somewhere. I don't really remember it that well, I'd have to dig it up and listen to it again. I seem to vaguely remember that their first album was not bad, their second album was not so good. Sorry I can't be more specific than that. The Krautrock re-issue label Garden of Delights is who released the CD version.

[Massed Gadgets]

It seems he knows every band on the face of this earth.)

I read a lot of music encyclopedias

[rememberaday]

I HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN INTO CAN! WHEEEEEEEEE!

Not really, though. I love Tago Mago and Future Days. I'm going to give Ege Bayamsi a listen tonight. I've yet to listen to Monster Movie, maybe I'll do so after Soon Over Babaluma.

[danielcaux]

I'm listening and trying to get into "Soup" right at this moment... have never been able so far. The rest of Ege Bamyasi is great though, too bad is so damn short.

Can is like the Radiohead of the 70s. Or to put it better, ever since "Kid A" Radiohead has been trying to be the Can of the 2000s, you could put songs like "I'm So Green" in the middle of "The King Of Limbs" and it would feel like part of the same album.

[rememberaday]

I'm listening and trying to get into "Soup" right at this moment... have never been able so far. The rest of Ege Bamyasi is great though, too bad is so damn short.

I sort of understand, there seems to be one track on many Can albums that is just purely inaccesible. It's the same case for me for Mushroom on Tago Mago...the sound is so dry, and that snare is just harsh, man.

I've checked out Ash Ra Tempel/Ashra till Blackouts. Should I go on with Correlations. Somehow I feel it's not going to be that good an album.

[Peter Beasley]

I've checked out Ash Ra Tempel/Ashra till Blackouts. Should I go on with Correlations. Somehow I feel it's not going to be that good an album.

Correlations is more guitar and drums orientated than Blackouts, but I rate it no higher than 7/10. The stand out track is 'Club Cannibal' - unless you don't like dance influenced rhythms. However, Belle Alliance is my favouritre Ashra album. Enormously underated. It has a superb contrast between side 1 and 2, with short, lively, melodic tracks for the first half and a long, dreamy floating second half with a lovely latin influenced guitar finale.

[rememberaday]

Thanks man! I'll check it out when I have some free time.