HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

If I jumped it the car I could be in Germany (or Belgium - but we won't bother with that) within an hour. So you would think that German music would be a big influence on the Dutch music scene. Well, it isn't. There is a definite antipathy to most things German in Holland and the music one hears on the radio is mainly from the US or UK.

So, Krautrock. Actually an English term applied to the experimental, psychedelic music that started to come out of Germany in the early 70's. The Germans took it as a bit of an insult (it translates as 'Cabbage Rock') but the movement became a popular and defined genre.

A renewed acquaintance with Teutonic synth-rockers Eloy last week has got my curiosity about the genre active again, I actively collected Krautrock LP's back in the early 80's - bands like Can, Faust, Neu!, La Dusseldorf, Amon Duul II, Cluster, Harmonia. It's all coming back to me now....

One of the better and more accessible Krautrock acts was Nektar who formed in 1969 in Hamburg. However they weren't actually German but the original line-up comprised ex-pat Brits who were the house band in the Star Club (yes THAT Star Club where The Beatles had had the same job some years earlier).



Youtube: Nektar - A Tab in the Ocean

Nektar's 'A Tab in the Ocean' (1972) is a great slice of psychedelic rock and another album worth checking out is 'Down To Earth' (1974) if only for the brilliant track 'Nelly The Elephant' which features Hawkwind's Robert Calvert playing the part of a German circus ringmaster.

Nektar - Nelly the Elephant

Now trying to get hold of some CD's by space-rockers Jane who released some innovative LP's in the 70's.

Any other Krautrock enthusiasts out there?

Just got into a bit of Can. Not heard too much else but I am liking it especially the drumming and bass.

Must go and listen to my Passport LP's again.

Another very influential band were the short-lived NEU! . Listen to this track from 1975 and ask yourself if the whole punk scene was actually started in Dusseldorf ...

Youtube: NEU! - Hero

Or for that matter a lot of Hawkwind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztk1BKvgP0s

Hawkwind were interested by the Krautrock movement and supposedly Dave Brock wrote the sleeve notes for the UK release of the NEU! debut album.

Certainly the Motorik beats and spaced-out textures of Hawkwind put them stylistically very close to bands like CAN and Amon Duul. And, oddly, most Krautrock bands sang in English with vocal stylings heavily influenced by the likes of Hawkwind and Gong.

Looks like they were all on the same drugs.

As far as I'm concerned there is one German band which wipes the floor with all others, the Scorpions. Not forgetting Schenkers contribution to UFO.

CN211276 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:41 pm As far as I'm concerned there is one German band which wipes the floor with all others, the Scorpions. Not forgetting Schenkers contribution to UFO.

Strangers in the hight, great live LP. I saw UFO with Schenker around that time, twas a good gig.

I keep thinking that I should get hold of some MSG (Michael Schenker Group) albums, anyone any suggestions?