It wasn't until 5 years later, when hearing their superb 1974 album 'Phaedra', that I began to be drawn in. This trancey, electronic trip full of revolutionary sequencer effects with plenty of moogs and mellotrons was right up my alley at the time and I had to find more. I found something quite different.
Playing their 1970 debut 'Electronic Meditation' for the first time was the closest thing to a religious experience I'd ever had. It was instantly clear to me that this was a rock band, but a rock band doing something entirely other-worldly. Tribal tom-toms, groaning cellos, dancing flutes, crashing guitar chords and church organs, all competing but somehow complementing each other. Check out the standout track, 'Journey Through A Burning Brain', a twelve and a half minute free-form rock jam subdued at first but ultimately building into a blazing psychedelic freakout.
I didn't realise at the time that of course this album didn't come out of nowhere and there is even a genre(s) that it fits into. The overall sound and the experimentation can be likened to early Pink Floyd (particularly 'A Saucerful of Secrets), and many other German bands at the time were doing similar things. This was my introduction to Kraut-Rock or Space-Rock or Avant-Garde Rock or whatever the hell you call it and I couldn't get enough.
The first four Tangerine Dream albums show a marked difference to anything that was released later, on Richard Branson's Virgin label, and are hugely underated in my opinion. All four are present on the compilation Nebulous Dawn: the Early Years
as well as rare extra tracks 'Ultima Thule parts 1 & 2', and both sides from The Ones' (Froese's previous band) 'Lady Greengrass' single. It won't be everyone's cup of tea but I couldn't be without it in my collection.
4 comments:
Yo,
You still have those albums.............you're a good man...........least I know their in safe hands!!
Waiting for the next blog with baited breath as only a matter of time before you mention 'Little Green Isaacs' - Prefab Sprout (I think it was). I always, always quote that when discussing pointless lyrics, something like "Little Green Isaacs, walking backwards through a room, did you think I wouldn't see you, walking backwards through a room". How's that for a memory from our childhood!!
wow thanks for the reminder. I remember hearing that for the first time. I misheard the lyrics and thought he was singing 'His little green eyes light up'. Then I saw the title and realised it made even less sense. Classic though, from the self proclaimed world's greatest song writer.
Are you DJ these days then mate.......are have just become a major music anorak like I've been since 1980?
You've obviously gone 'all things electronica', whereas I've gone 'one man on a stool, with a guitar and a dog' type thing.
I remember when we had a quiet time at work, we all brought in various CD's.......and as I'm 'hilariously' famed for my depressing taste in music I brought in a song called "The day Texas sank into the sea" by Micah P Hinson and the Gospel of Progress. They weren't laughing after that had ended, that's for sure.
TP
Hey T.
Had a taste of DJing when I was living in Rio. Indie & Punk stuff mainly. The post-punk era's my real favourite these days but I like a bit of anything. Gotta get those TD albums back to ya. Sounds like an excuse for a jar or two.
Post a Comment