Sourced from a 45 year old cassette. Dates and location unknown.
Obtained via a tape swap from a friend in the early 1980s, I sent a copy to Mani Neumeier to see if he could identify when or where the recording was made and who the guitarist would be. He wasn't exactly sure on any of those things, except it was definitely 1969 and not Ax Genrich. We now know (99% sure) it is Jim Kennedy.
That original cassette copy was rather raw and low-fi, but just about listenable. It was obviously brilliant music. The raw roots of a lot of the material heard later on UFO. When converting my cassette archive to digital, I was surprised that by some tweaking, processing and EQing I could get the recording to sound much better than many things I'd heard documented on CD. Several levels of processing further to that you now have what is on this disc. It's still a pretty raw and wild crunchy mid-fi, but played through a good stereo system the quality is now adequate.
Later, when seeking-out material for the audio sector in The Crack In The Cosmic Egg CD-Rom Mani upplied a few other unreleased early live oddments dating 1970 to 1972 which remain otherwise unreleased, so it made sense to add those as bonus tracks here for a better value disc, adding up to an early history of Guru Guru.
Outstanding live from Guru Guru's first line up. The album features three long "stoned" heavy compositions taken from their two first "UFO" and "Hinten". Mostly instrumental with incredibly great rockin sections. The guitars are really powerful, heavy, sometimes bluesy but with an emphasis on distorted, deranged textures. This rather loudy jam session is punctuated by a few "archaic" electronic treatments and a great dose of "multi-guitar effects", providing a nice "cosmic" tendence to the ensemble. The heavy psychedelic improvisations can without reserve be compared with Agitation Free's most memorable live performances; an inventive and freak'n roll electro-shock that can reaches you into an other galaxy. The set starts with the kraut-slowing heavy hymn "Stone in", carries on "Der LSD march" and the humorous, strange & delirious "Bo Diddley". A ecclectic and electrip improvised musical session! good-going to an "acid" test.
Third studio effort by Guru Guru and the last one with the original trio formation, "KänGuru" is, in my humble opinion, a masterful apex in the history of krautrock, an abrasive masterpiece in the context of 70s experimental rock from Germany. Truth is that this trio had managed to create amazing adventurous music from day one in a perfectly consistent way, only "KänGuru" happens to be a bit less dense than "UFO", more in the vein of the reasonably articulated trips that had shaped the excellence of "Hinten", with a more robust focus on teh development of the musica traves that take place throughout the tracklist. Guru Guru is, by now, generating a profile that gets closer to other most relevant jam-oriented bands in the kraut circle, such as Agitation Free, Amon Düül II and Ash Ra Tempel. 'Oxymoron' kicks off with a powerful bluesy vibe instiled in the main riff. While the jam evolves further, the lead guitar's florusihes, bass's ornaments and drum kit's inventive cadences state that sort of cerebral madness based on jazz-rock, heavy psychedelia Hendrix-style and "Ummagumma" spacey expansions, with some extra industrial sensitivity that makes itself noticeable in a few pulsating passages. Mani's occasional vocal deliveries add some humor to the fold, for good effect, not being really that abundant. As atractive as this opener is, it is in the remaining repertoire that the whole album will meet its highest expresions. 'Immer Lustig' is the album's longest piece, surpassing the 15 minute mark. The track beings with a military march and a burlesque speech, soon [&*!#]ing toward a harsh blues-rock motif. This one is quite catchy, actually, so the shift to a new motif may take the listener by surprise, but sure the sense of tension has been greatly achieved. This new motif add a touch of funk to the ever-recurring heavy psychedelia: Genrich's guitar is a definitive cornerstone in the band's trippy architecture, including those moments in which it fills a more subtle space. The next motif states a weird mixture of spacey moods and rockabilly phrasing, wrapped in effective lisergic layers. Later on, the section tha tstarts at the 12 ½ minute mark bears a Zeppelin trend, featuring a powerful guitar lead that takes the overall dynamics to a red-hot climax. 'Baby Cake Walk' opens up the album's second half picking up the explosive fireworks of 'Immer Lustig'. The starting heavy jam elaborates brief climaxes along the way, until the 5 minute mark brings a brief interlude dominated by ethereal moods. With this interlude ended, the trio indulges in yet another wild crescendo sustained ona cleverly syncopated rhythm pace: ultimately, the rhythm turns fuller and the band decides to elaborate an exercise on pure frenzy, which doen't hide the previaling sense of organization on the working. Last but not least, 'Ooga Booga' starts with an extroverted mood on a 5/4 tempo, paving the way for a rockier section on 6/8 whose Arabic nuances and exotically driven drumming. Then, a momentum starts to build up on teh basis of multilayered guitar leads that sound equally menacing and magical. By the way, the rhythm duo of Mani and Tripte is also magical. All in all, who knows, maybe this is the absolute peak of Guru Guru. Less sublime and more groovy, the next section lightens things up without losing an inch of power. The last passage is more mysterious, as if displaying a cacophonic portrait of the cosmos' greyish realms until it bursts into an inscrutabe chaos. This distrubing coda is a hell of a way to close down such an incendiary album - "KänGuru" is an absolute kraut gem, a golden testimony of Guru Guru's particular genius.
Second album from this groundbreaking group, this album is almost better known for its buttocks artwork than the wild music on the vinyl. The almost instrumental trio (drummer Neumeier struts out some weird vocals once in a blue moon) is still just as crazy and free from all commercial considerations, and even if the music on the album has not aged well, the album's historical worth is certainly indisputable and the Konrad Plank production and its release on the legendary Ohr label adds even more to its legend .
This is more of a free jam with four tracks all around the 10min+ mark that have no real structure or constraint or restrictions (except the one of not having any ;-), so a good bunch of progheads will most likely frown at this album the ones that bookend it. But the double guru chose theirs and they clearly announce the colour by flashing their guitar power trio based on its ultimate form: the Jimi Hendrix Experience. But overall compared to their UFO debut album, this album is more structured (if you can call it that ;-), a tad less anarchic and a bit calmer. But don't be fooled: this still complete and utter chaos.
Electric Junk (rather aptly titled is always on the verge of complete chaos while coming from pure mystic Hendrix-esque moments to a free jazz and utter spacey nightmares with feedbacks included. A pure joy to hear, if you ask me. And this apocalyptic atmosphere is only after the first track, and there are three left, so you'd better attach the safety belt and ask your buddies fasten the strap of your loony bin costume, cos you're in for a completely mind-boggling ride, starting with the meaningful Meaning Of Meaning. This 12-min freak out is probably one of the best examples to show what kind of freedom Guru Guru enjoyed during that blessed period of the very early 70's. with even less of a structure (if you except Mani Neumeier's incredible drum works) Genrish is free to go explore what good ol'Jimi was out to explore in some of his wildest jams.
On the next slice, the group visits another black guitar rock legend, Bo Diddley, and pay him an incredible tribute, even if I always wondered how the old master appreciated his works being trampled destroyed and rebuilt, not always successfully either, as this track is maybe the slightly weaker one, because there some evident lengths. The closing Spaceships starts out understandably on spacey sounds, which can be closer to Popol Vuh's Affenstunde or TD's Zeit period, even if they remained the guitar trio without synths or other keyboards. Rather impressive, slightly fascinating but definitely not for the faint-hearted.
Yes this album is clearly indebted to the great Jimi, but it is also a bit more than a glaring and blatant copy. One of those absolute statement on musical freedom, this is the type of album that had most parents and grandparents heaving in anguish for their offspring's sanity. And little did they know that they were fully right to be concerned, because no kid listening to this album would come out fully unscathed. All hail to the double Guru.
"We`re not cosmic rock, we`re comic rock." Mani Neumeier, 1973
A free form jazz mentality, avoiding musical clichés and commercialism, has always characterized the music and philosophies of German freak `n roll band GURU GURU who have categorically occupied their own special stage within the realms of modern music. From it`s LSD induced origins in the late `60s to it`s present day configuration which still rocks and grooves with intensity, countless personnel changes have occurred making it more of a succession of musical ventures and concepts under the moniker GURU GURU, which came about as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the BEATLES and their guru worshipping of the late `60s. GURU GURU were one of the first bands to become associated with the German Krautrock movement from that era along with bands such as XHOL CARAVAN, AMON DUUL and CAN. However, the band was not partial to the absurd stereo-typing and preferred the terms "acid space" or simply, "acid rock" which better described their loud, trippy, improvisational music.
The constant driving force behind GURU GURU since it`s inception as THE GURU GURU GROOVE BAND in 1968 has been the unusual intellect and masterful musicianship of drummer MANI NEUMEIER. During the first half of the 1960s he embraced the jazz interpretations of JOHN COLTRANE, THELONIOUS MONK, MAX ROACH and other jazz mentors from which he would develop his own style of impulsive drumming. During this period he played with various traditional jazz groups in Zurich, Switzerland culminating with work with Swiss jazz pianist IRENE SCHWEIZER. It was during this time that he hooked up with bassist ULI TREPTE with whom he shared the desire to create louder more adventurous music which would follow the paradigms of JIMI HENDRIX and FRANK ZAPPA. Joined by guitarist EDY NAGELI, they played their first gig in Heidelberg, Germany in August 1968 and shocked audiences who had been familiar with Neumeier`s work in the more mainstream European jazz scene.
After a few more lineup changes, during which they briefly became a quartet, they were joined by ex- AGITATION FREE guitarist AX GENRICH whose pyrotechnical aspirations were just what Neumeier and Trepte were looking for. On the insistence of their fans who followed them from gig to gig, their debut album, "UFO", was released in early 1970 on the Ohr record label which by that time was already known for promoting avant garde music. Their guitar driven music was wild and imaginative and also incorporated many primitive atmospheric effects using echo boxes, fuzz pedals, wah wah pedals, processed signals and microphone distortion which predated the electronic instrumental music of the seventies. Drug experimentation with LSD also acted as a catalyst and their live performances were often better than material recorded in the studio because of the high decibel levels of their playing. This extravagant free nature of their music was also meant as a left wing political statement as the band was also part of the Socialist German Student Union who would read out political statements during their performances. These free-thinking attitudes were also reflected through their communal lifestyle, living on the road and later in a house with their groupies and roadies
Tripped out philosophies as well as a nod towards one of their rock`n roll heroes, BO DIDDELEY appeared on their next acid soaked LP, Hinten in 1971 while the following album, Kanguru, took musical experimentation to soaring heights. With the aid of German production wizard CONNY PLANK it was one of the first albums released on the new German Brain record label which was created by former employees of Ohr Records. It contained long discordant compositions with psychedelic textures which incorporated more recognizable elements of jazz, hard rock and pop music laced with all kinds of bizarre humour and drugged out vocals, not surprisingly becoming an underground favourite of long haired freaky people everywhere.
The first personnel changes occurred on a self-titled album which was released in December 1972 with ex-NIGHT SUN bassist BRUNO SCHAAB replacing ULI TREPTE who disappeared under similar circumstances to those which resulted in the decommissioning of SYD BARRETT from PINK FLOYD. Attempts were made at a couple of psychedelic `60s sounding singles as well as another far out tribute to a rock`n roll hero, this time a medley of EDDIE COCHRAN classics from the `50s. But long trippy abstract compositions remained their forté and the album also spawned a whacked out piece of music which would become their trademark entitled "Der Elektrolurch". It was about an imaginary electric amphibian creature that Neumeier and Genrich cooked up while travelling on their tour bus which Nuemeier would act out on stage during live performances wearing a costume he designed much like PETER GABRIEL of GENESIS was doing around the same time.
In 1973 GURU GURU were signed to the heavy hitting Atlantic Records ( UK ) label for their fourth album " Don`t Call Us We Call You " which brought on further changes in personnel and significant musical departures. Bassist HANS HARTMAN, a veteran of the European jazz scene replaced BRUNO SCHAAB and with his more precise and dominating bass playing giving the band a tighter sound. AX GENRICH also watered down his guitar experiments to include more streamlined blues explorations as well as some country ingredients. A group of Schoshonen native Indians spent some time with with the band in their communal ways of life during this period and Neumeier`s tribal curiosities resulted in an ethno track entitled "Round Dance". There was also more emphasis on Neumeier`s quirky vocals but nonetheless the album didn`t sell as well as Atlantic had anticipated. This signaled the end of an era of the band which many consider to be GURU GURUs definitive years.
Persian / German guitarist Houschang Nejadepour who had played with the recently dissolved German progressive jazz-rock band Eiliff joined the band in early `74. This generated the most technically spectacular GURU GURU album, Dance Of The Flames which sounded at times like THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA minus the keyboards and violin as a result of Nejadepour`s fluid speed-of-light guitar lines and eastern influences ( he also played the sitar while with Eiliff ). Like their previous album, "Dance Of The Flames" also had world beat elements with African and Latino rhythms along with the inevitable psychedelic blowouts and silly vocalizations. The album was greeted with mixed sentiments by fans and the press alike and The New Musical Express even called it : "absolutely terrible music". Nejadepour`s tenure was brief and he left in July `74 and was replaced temporarily with Connie Veit who had previously played with the psyched out "GILA" and the highly experimental avant garde band POPOL VUH. An unofficial CD which surfaced in the late `90s documented some live performances from this period with Veit on guitar.
In 1975 Neumeier would rethink the GURU GURU concept by inviting a potpourri of musical friends to perform with himself and new members Sepp Jandrists and Jurgen Karpentiel on guitar and bass respectively on an album appropriately titled "Mani Und Seine Freunde" ( Mani And His Friends ). Members from KARTHAGO, HARMONIA and KRAAN gave the album a wonderful jazz-rock feel to most of the tracks while members of CLUSTER added surreal touches on a couple of ambient adventures which also included ethereal environmental sounds. It had a joyous feel to it and Neumeier considered it to be the most satisfying GURU GURU project to date.
The more upbeat approaches on " Mani Und Seine Freunde" set the stage for the next GURU GURU record, "Tango Fango" which would become the template for the funked up jazz-rock flavoured attitudes which would colour GURU GURUs music for the remainder of the seventies. Back on the Brain label, it introduced a full time keyboard player, INGO BISCHOF as well as sax / guitarist, ROLAND SHAFFER who would become a GURU GURU fixture to the present day. In March 1976 the band became the first act to be featured on the acclaimed German rock music TV program Rock Palast ( Rock Palace ) playing music from "Tango Fango" as well as the spaced out signature numbers "Der Elektrolurch" and "Ooga Booga". They also starred in a movie called "Notwehr" in which they played a freaky hippie band called Rattenfanger (The Ratcatchers )which takes over a small German Hamlet much to the chagrin of the townspeople. On the music side of things two further albums were released " Globetrotter" ( 1978 ) and "Hey Du" ( 1979 ) interspersed with a long awaited double live album in 1978. . These albums didn`t completely forget the band`s earlier more spaced out socio-political deviations and included weird compositions which spoke out against nuclear power, called for the re-unification of the two Germanies as well as another extended freakout, " Atomlch" which was reminiscent of the dark sonic images of "Der Elektrolurch". By the end of the decade GURU GURU had played hundreds of concerts all over continental Europe, parts of the United States as well as acquiring a vibrant following in Japan which still exists to this day.
In the early 1980s the GURU GURU entity went into stasis while Neumeier focused on jazzy solo work as well as other side projects. He also furthered his musical education by taking instruction with an Indian drum master and released an esoteric drum album entitled "Privat" in 1991.
The GURU GURU creature creeped back to form with " Guru Guru Jungle " which included a female vocalist, Lisa ( Lysa ) Kraus and contained freakish new wave electronica experiments with the idiosycratic GURU GURU touch. They also became regular performers at the Finkelbach free music festival which they co-founded and continued to record periodically. Throughout the 1990`s and into the 21st century GURU GURUs music fluctuated between pilgrimages to their psychedelic past, straight rock, more freak techno excursions as well as jazz-rock.
Neumeier`s ongoing native tribal drumming convictions from all corners of the planet which have constantly instilled primeval visions into GURU GURUs diverse sound are more conspicuous than ever as the Gurus transcend the new millenium. Continuing to elude any notions of mainstream identity GURU GURUs eternal quest for freedom and contentment through their wonderfully strange music forges on to this day. Their live performances still breath fire and shine with exuberance with no sign of letting up any time soon with concert dates planned well into the year 2010.
Now there is one album every parents must've loathed back then, especially if their kids were playing it. I can imagine the insults and other epithets thrown (such as noisy drivel or useless sonic nuisance) at this album from the pop critics to the music industry in general. And to think that the next one would even have buttocks as an artwork would've confirmed them in their opinions, but let's face it this album was a complete and utter revolution for many more adventurous music fans. The group started as the Guru Guru Groove (the amazing Mani Neumeier on drums and the spirit of the double Guru, and Uli Trepte on the inventive bass) in 68 as a trio of free jazz and read texts. By early 70's, their text-reader had gone and after many tryouts, the incredibly experimental axeman Ax Genrich was chosen and a few months later they recorded this aptly titled album, UFO, released on the legendary Ohr (Ear in English) label. Graced with a "flying saucer" the album warned us of more intelligent and advanced life and that this album would help us getting ready to meet it. And in some ways, this album does make you see life from a different point of view, and most likely from a better vantage point.
It may appear to today's progheads that early Guru albums might just be jams sessions, but even if that were true, the sheer fact that this music was recorded and released back then, showed how much the group only cared about its own music without paying attention to chart success. Some might consider this a useless and worthless pile of rehearsal tapes (I've heard this opinion a few times from "music buffs"), but nothing could be further from the truth.
What we have in this album is one of the earliest examples of space rock, kosmische muzieke, wild psychedelia and an essential base to the Krautrock scene, even if it is not the most representative. Based on the live jams of Jimi Hendrix, a lot of Guru's music just soars on ahead often reaching mayhem and redefining chaos. Indeed Stone In and the fabulous Girl Call (it sounds like she's not calling but orgasming really) are coming almost straight out from Hendrix's realm (thinking of Hear That Train Coming on the Rainbow Bridges soundtrack, here). Their mainly instrumental rock exudes energy, sounding sometimes like a three guitar Floyd (Saucerful-era) fusing the tracks together (have to pay attention when the next Dalai Lama track starts) in an intense and sometimes improvised dirty lo-fi rock.
The second side of the wax shows a different Guru with a definitively more spacey, spooky ambient guitar feedbacks (Genrich was obviously not afraid of blowing amp bulbs, and must've had loads of spare strings) where spaceships are boarding up, travelling through black holes and shooting asteroids out of their trajectory. While the title track may appear a bit lengthy and will not really stand numerous listens, this track is absolutely fascinating because mostly made of one guitar and its amplifier. The closing LSD March is another freak out most likely depicting the world where a certain Syd never really came back from. Neumeier's drumming shines throughout the album.
Not necessarily better than it's follow-up, UFO is one hell of al album that gets the ever-essential title of historically and musically important and influential. Clearly this is the kind of album that either met marvelled disbelief and implacable attraction, or complete misunderstanding and utter repulsion. For this proghead, and even if it has not aged that well, obviously the first option was the good one.
