A to Z of Classic German Prog

BOKAJ RETSIEM      Quite simply one of the best psychedelic bands there's ever been, or ever will be, not just in Germany, but the entire world! And if you're wondering what on earth Bokaj Retsiem means, then try reading it backwards. Still none the wiser? Frere Jacques - a traditional French children's song. 

So Bad (but really so good). Don't let me be misunderstood, but you may recognise this song, even if you've never heard it before. 

BRAVE NEW WORLD     It's back to the future for Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel brought to life in music, featuring an intriguingly complex instrumental fusion of rock, jazz and electronica.  We've all heard of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, although I doubt if many of us have read the book. The novel predicts a future World State, or maybe a European super-state, but Aldous Huxley reckoned without Brexit. For a more accurate prediction of the future, you'd need to read Arthur C. Clarke, who predicted Earth-orbiting satellites, laptop home computers, mobile phones, the Internet and Google! He should have been a presenter on Tomorrow's World. 

The new portable mobile phone in 1979, where you needed to carry a briefcase-sized battery around with you to charge it.. 

ROMAN BUNKA      Souks you, sir! An early member of German Jazz Rock/Fusion band Embryo, guitarist Roman Bunka's second instrument of choice is the Arabic Oud, so you can expect to hear him rocking the kasbah with some exotic spicy music from much further east than Frankfurt, maybe somewhere around the souks and bazaars of Cairo, and just in case you're wondering what "Dein Kopf ist ein Schlafendes Auto" could possibly mean, roughly translated, it means "Your Head is a Sleeping Car". Oud have guessed!? 

C.A.R.      Described on Bandcamp as a psychedelic foursome who combine repetition and wobbling, C.A.R. are a modern Kraut-Jazz outfit from Cologne, and if you're looking for their best album, then Look Behind You. 

CAN       Can they be the best-known Krautrock band of all time? Yes they Can! Do I Want More? No!

CLUSTER      A Cluster of stripped-down, minimalist ambient music from Moebius & Roedelius, Germany's answer to Brian Eno & Harold Budd - for those of us who like that sort of thing. For the rest of us though, it's a Clusterfoot of nothingness that's about as dull as watching back-to-back episodes of Deal or No Deal with Noel 'tidy-beard' Edmonds. 

COLOUR HAZE      Monumental Stoner Rock, German style, seen through a purple haze of sludgy guitar riffs, which can be a shade too much all in one listening session, but fine if you like that sort of thing. 

Two other German bands, not yet mentioned ... though where they fits is another story ... one fits the folk mode and the other ... take your pick.

Tanned Leather

Cherubin

And both of these were released in the Harvest Label ... and they are both nice ... even though no one has ever played them except Guy Guden!

CHERUBIN      Get funky! Thanks to Mosh for the addition of Cherubin - Germany's answer to Santana!