Axel Stupplich/Pyramid Peak/Axess: Prog Electronic

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This is an offshoot from the 'Maxxess for psychelic rock or Neoprog' topic suggested by Aragon yesterday: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=92867 
The creator of 'Maxxess' (Max Schiefele) played regularly with Axel Stupplich (also known as 'Axess', and formerly the driving force behind the band 'Pyramid Peak'), both in Germany & at renowned electronics festivals in the UK and the Netherlands, as well as releasing two joint albums together ('Contact' in 2004, and 'Impact' in 2010).

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_Peak
The band was founded in 1988 by Axel Stupplich and Andreas Morsch after they had met by chance through a mutual friend. Stupplich was especially influenced by the music of Tangerine Dream and Jean Michel Jarre, and Morsch was inspired by Klaus Schulze's work. They decided to make music together, and with initially modest equipment, they started the project "Digital Dream", which was only years later renamed "Pyramid Peak".

More detailed bio from: http://www.pyramid-peak.de/

"Axel Stupplich from Leverkusen/Germany, born in 1967. Since 1985 Axel is occupied on electronic music instruments and computer based sequencers to create his own musical landscapes. He bought his first synthesizer (an Ensoniq ESQ 1 which is still in use !) in 1987 after he had a 6-years education on an electronic organ. For a long time the music from artists as Tangerine Dream, Kitaro, Jean-Michel Jarre and others fascinates him and it was an old wish to make this kind of music by his own. This dream came true when Axel founded the band Digital Dream together with Andreas Morsch in 1988.

Until 1992 they recorded in total 5 tapes before Andreas left the band for private reasons. Axel continued alone and released 2 more tapes - “Eclipse” and “Himalaya”, the last one re-released on CD-R nearly 8 years later in 1999. In 1995 Axel founded the band Pyramid Peak, first only together with Uwe Denzer, later as a trio with Axels old partner Andreas Morsch. 1998 they released their first CD-R “Atmosphere” followed by the first real CD Ocean Drive on the german label Invisible-Shadows in 1999. 

Pyramid Peak released 2 more new CDs (Random Events in 2000 and Fish n Love in 2001) and did a couple of Live-Concerts in several European countries with the alfa-centauri festival 2000 in the Netherlands as their biggest gig in front of more than 400 visitors. The two concerts they did in a stalactite cave in Iserlohn/Germany were especially remarkable and caused a lot of positive reviews in the electronic music scene and the local press.

Besides the music for Pyramid Peak Axel was and is still working on his own musical career and his own project AXESS which he started in January 2002. After a 9-years break Axel released his next solo-CD “First Light” which was available at the Invisible-Shadows label as well. Listen to some excerpts on the download page or order this CD (or any of the other beautiful electronic music staff there) directly from Axess by Email.

After an open-air concert 2002 in the Gruga-Park in Essen Axel met with Max Schiefele who makes his own music under the name MAXXESS. During this concert both decided to make some music together and based on this first steps an interesting mix of electronic music and progressive rock was established. It begun with a couple of songs available for free on Maxxess homepage www.maxxess.de and had its first official result in a common CD named “Contact”. 

In March 2003 Axel helped to organize the EMiL festival for electronic music in Langenfeld and performed solo on the E-Live festival in Eindhoven in October 2003.

In 2004 Axess and Maxxess promoted their new album CONTACT during a small tour accross Europe. The first concert was given in the National Space Center in Leicester UK on the 22.05.2004 followed by a gig on the 12,5 anniversary festival of Alfa-Centauri in Huizen/NL on the 11.09.2004. The highlight was a performance on the ELECTRIC VISION festival in Dinslaken/GER on the 13.11.2004, which was organised by F.D.Project, Chilltopia and Axess & Maxxess.

This festival saw excellent concerts of all 4 artists and more than 150 visitors enjoyed a powerful mix of electronic music styles and a brilliant lightshow which included a laser as well (thanks Gerd!). Also the sound was perfect and so Electric Visions was one of the most remarkable concerts for Electronic Music ever performed. Who knows, maybe there will be an Electric Visions II in the future... 

The year 2005 saw the revival of the successful trio Pyramid Peak when their next CD CAVELAND was released in April. The music on this CD is a remix of the recordings during the Dechenhöhle concert in 2002, added with new effects, leadsounds and atmospheric pads. In the same year Pyramid Peak was one of the main acts on the E-Live festival in Eindhoven on the 15.10.2005.

Besides the work with Pyramid Peak Axel also released his 3rd solo CD TIME TRAVELLER under his name Axess. The music on this CD is much more powerful and modern than his earlier releases and was the realization of an old dream. Because the Invisible Shadows label stopped all activities already in 2003 all music from Axess and Pyramid Peak is available directly from the artist himself. Simply send an Email to [email protected]."

Discography:

Space (1988)
The Second (1988)
Digital Mind (1989)
Fractals (1990)
Star Music (1990)
Explorer (1991)
Eclipse (1992)
Himalaya (1993)
Atmosphere (1998)
Ocean Drive (1999)
Random Events (2000)
Fish'n Love (2001)
Caveland (2005)
Evolution (2007)
The Cave (2010)
5 Before 12 (2011)

Since 2002, as well as his collaborations with Max Schiefele as Axess/Maxxess, Axel Stupplich has worked solo under the pseudonym Axess, involved in the EM scene.

2010 Fusion  (solo)
2010 Impact (axess/maxxess) 
2008 Voices Of Dawn  (solo)
2005 Time Traveller (solo)
2004 CONTACT (axess/maxxess)  
2003 Chamaeleon (solo)
2002 First Light  (solo)

http://synthsequences.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/axel-stupplich-speaks-about-his-musical.html (detailed interview with Axel Stupplich).
http://www.musikzirkus-magazin.de/dateien/Pages/Musiker/axess_maxxess_interview.htm (interview with both Axel and Max Schiefele, conducted in 2004).

Some music:

Axel Stupplich (Axess, Pyramid Peak) - TOP 8 (1998 - 2011):

As Axess:

Live version of the song "Pictures", taken from the album "Axess - Fusion", and played by the 4 musicians of Axess and Maxxess at The Planetarium in Bochum/Germany, 13.11.2010

As Pyramid Peak:

There's more on YouTube, but those samples should give you an idea of what the guy is all about. 

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Crossover Team Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 7087	Topic: Axel Stupplich/Pyramid Peak/Axess: Prog Electronic Posted: April 06 2013 at 13:44
	This is an offshoot from the 'Maxxess for psychelic rock or Neoprog' topic suggested by Aragon yesterday: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=92867 The creator of 'Maxxess' (Max Schiefele) played regularly with Axel Stupplich (also known as 'Axess', and formerly the driving force behind the band 'Pyramid Peak'), both in Germany & at renowned electronics festivals in the UK and the Netherlands, as well as releasing two joint albums together ('Contact' in 2004, and 'Impact' in 2010). http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_Peak The band was founded in 1988 by Axel Stupplich and Andreas Morsch after they had met by chance through a mutual friend. Stupplich was especially influenced by the music of Tangerine Dream and Jean Michel Jarre, and Morsch was inspired by Klaus Schulze's work. They decided to make music together, and with initially modest equipment, they started the project "Digital Dream", which was only years later renamed "Pyramid Peak". More detailed bio from: http://www.pyramid-peak.de/ "Axel Stupplich from Leverkusen/Germany, born in 1967. Since 1985 Axel is occupied on electronic music instruments and computer based sequencers to create his own musical landscapes. He bought his first synthesizer (an Ensoniq ESQ 1 which is still in use !) in 1987 after he had a 6-years education on an electronic organ. For a long time the music from artists as Tangerine Dream, Kitaro, Jean-Michel Jarre and others fascinates him and it was an old wish to make this kind of music by his own. This dream came true when Axel founded the band Digital Dream together with Andreas Morsch in 1988. Until 1992 they recorded in total 5 tapes before Andreas left the band for private reasons. Axel continued alone and released 2 more tapes - “Eclipse” and “Himalaya”, the last one re-released on CD-R nearly 8 years later in 1999. In 1995 Axel founded the band Pyramid Peak, first only together with Uwe Denzer, later as a trio with Axels old partner Andreas Morsch. 1998 they released their first CD-R “Atmosphere” followed by the first real CD Ocean Drive on the german label Invisible-Shadows in 1999. Pyramid Peak released 2 more new CDs (Random Events in 2000 and Fish n Love in 2001) and did a couple of Live-Concerts in several European countries with the alfa-centauri festival 2000 in the Netherlands as their biggest gig in front of more than 400 visitors. The two concerts they did in a stalactite cave in Iserlohn/Germany were especially remarkable and caused a lot of positive reviews in the electronic music scene and the local press. Besides the music for Pyramid Peak Axel was and is still working on his own musical career and his own project AXESS which he started in January 2002. After a 9-years break Axel released his next solo-CD “First Light” which was available at the Invisible-Shadows label as well. Listen to some excerpts on the download page or order this CD (or any of the other beautiful electronic music staff there) directly from Axess by Email. After an open-air concert 2002 in the Gruga-Park in Essen Axel met with Max Schiefele who makes his own music under the name MAXXESS. During this concert both decided to make some music together and based on this first steps an interesting mix of electronic music and progressive rock was established. It begun with a couple of songs available for free on Maxxess homepage www.maxxess.de and had its first official result in a common CD named “Contact”. In March 2003 Axel helped to organize the EMiL festival for electronic music in Langenfeld and performed solo on the E-Live festival in Eindhoven in October 2003. In 2004 Axess and Maxxess promoted their new album CONTACT during a small tour accross Europe. The first concert was given in the National Space Center in Leicester UK on the 22.05.2004 followed by a gig on the 12,5 anniversary festival of Alfa-Centauri in Huizen/NL on the 11.09.2004. The highlight was a performance on the ELECTRIC VISION festival in Dinslaken/GER on the 13.11.2004, which was organised by F.D.Project, Chilltopia and Axess & Maxxess. This festival saw excellent concerts of all 4 artists and more than 150 visitors enjoyed a powerful mix of electronic music styles and a brilliant lightshow which included a laser as well (thanks Gerd!). Also the sound was perfect and so Electric Visions was one of the most remarkable concerts for Electronic Music ever performed. Who knows, maybe there will be an Electric Visions II in the future... The year 2005 saw the revival of the successful trio Pyramid Peak when their next CD CAVELAND was released in April. The music on this CD is a remix of the recordings during the Dechenhöhle concert in 2002, added with new effects, leadsounds and atmospheric pads. In the same year Pyramid Peak was one of the main acts on the E-Live festival in Eindhoven on the 15.10.2005. Besides the work with Pyramid Peak Axel also released his 3rd solo CD TIME TRAVELLER under his name Axess. The music on this CD is much more powerful and modern than his earlier releases and was the realization of an old dream. Because the Invisible Shadows label stopped all activities already in 2003 all music from Axess and Pyramid Peak is available directly from the artist himself. Simply send an Email to [email protected]." Discography: Space (1988) The Second (1988) Digital Mind (1989) Fractals (1990) Star Music (1990) Explorer (1991) Eclipse (1992) Himalaya (1993) Atmosphere (1998) Ocean Drive (1999) Random Events (2000) Fish'n Love (2001) Caveland (2005) Evolution (2007) The Cave (2010) 5 Before 12 (2011) Since 2002, as well as his collaborations with Max Schiefele as Axess/Maxxess, Axel Stupplich has worked solo under the pseudonym Axess, involved in the EM scene. 2010 Fusion (solo) 2010 Impact (axess/maxxess) 2008 Voices Of Dawn (solo) 2005 Time Traveller (solo) 2004 CONTACT (axess/maxxess) 2003 Chamaeleon (solo) 2002 First Light (solo) http://synthsequences.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/axel-stupplich-speaks-about-his-musical.html (detailed interview with Axel Stupplich). http://www.musikzirkus-magazin.de/dateien/Pages/Musiker/axess_maxxess_interview.htm (interview with both Axel and Max Schiefele, conducted in 2004). Some music: Axel Stupplich (Axess, Pyramid Peak) - TOP 8 (1998 - 2011): As Axess: Live version of the song "Pictures", taken from the album "Axess - Fusion", and played by the 4 musicians of Axess and Maxxess at The Planetarium in Bochum/Germany, 13.11.2010 As Pyramid Peak: There's more on YouTube, but those samples should give you an idea of what the guy is all about.

seventhsojourn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 11 2009 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 4006	Posted: April 11 2013 at 06:20
	Awesome work David, many thanks! Now with the PE team.

yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Crossover Team Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 7087	Posted: October 02 2013 at 11:31
	And since the related thread for Maxxess has been bumped by The Mystical earlier today: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=92867&PID=4868820#4868820... ...Bump!