KRAUTROCK MEETING

Well, this DVD is one hell of a pleasant surprise, even if it uses the terms Krautrock in a wider and more liberal sense of the word than our beloved site does. Of the six groups on this DVD, only two (Guru and Duul) fits in our description of Krautrock, while two more (Birth and Jane) are placed in the Art Rock/ Heavy Prog realm, while Epitaph's early album could easily match those last two groups. This double disc was recorded in the closing days of 04 at the famous Rockpalast in two days.

I will do a quick rundown of the groups as they appear on the two discs.

Epitaph developed a heavy prog rock (I'm only familiar with their first two albums), but some 30 years later, they sound like a fairly average guitar dominated riffy hard rock, much like what Wishbone Ash has developed since the mid-70's. Nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering, not worth writing home about, it was pleasant to see them play with two original members in this reunion line-up.

Guru Guru was easily this double set's best moment as clearly these veterans have kept an incredible enthusiasm and delivered us an incredibly fresh set, where nostalgia had no place. With only drummer Neumeier left from their original line-up, obviously their music is quite different than on those groundbreaking and experimental early Guru vinyls, but it is no-less worthy then their glory days. The line-up has been together for ten years and the musicians develop a very entertaining funky-ethnic-psych-jazz rock, communicating us their certain joie de vivre and a fairly visual show. Neumeier holds the great shape and plays drums, sings and adds crazy wind instrument, while Schaeffer also blows some mean winds and wails and the bassist and guitarists remain largely rhythmic. One of the jewels in this crown.

Not an easy task to follow-up this combo, unless doing something completely different and this is exactly why Karthago was welcome. They play a very credible (and creditable ;-) blues rock with prog overtones and the quintet gets extra points for boasting an excellent Hammond player as well as good percussionist (congas mostly). While I may not familiar at all with this group's discography, I believe only the guitarist/singer is the only one remaining from their early days, but the KBman Ingo Bischof is a long-time veteran. Not really prog, but they could one day see their inclusion in prog-related.

Closing off the first disc is Jane, one of those group that have simply never stopped playing, recording and touring. And by the sound of it, this has kept their enthusiasm on a very high level and their Hammond-driven heavy prog still sounding fresh. And the amazing thing is that most of the line-up are historic members from their early albums (Panka is still singing and drumming up a storm), while their guitarist is from another band's (present on this DVD) glory days. They only play three tracks, but are they really hot, extended, very well played and downright exciting. The group still knows how to pull shivers from their audiences with their dramatic ambiances and instrumental heroics. Truly a surprise, as I was not really expecting that much from this group.

The second disc holds just as many superb moments, but in a more surprising mode. ADII was always a very loose and chaotic-sounding group on stage, and not that much has changed some 35 years later. This line-up is also loaded with the historic members from their early (and best) era. Not holding the same kind of shape and enthusiasm as their peers from Guru, they nevertheless play a credible set that reflects quite well their typical selves. Never a fan of Knaup's voice, they play two tracks from their Yeti album, but clearly once they go instrumental (the last and extended Kanaan track), ADII does show the sporadic brilliance that all Duulers wished them to consistent. Having seen them twice in the last decade, I knew what to expect, and I was not let down.

Last (but not least) is another long-time survivor that has apparently never stopped either (to my best of knowledge anyway), and like Jane, Birth Control is a superb Hammond-driven heavy prog that puts the emphasis on then instruments rather than the vocals. And like Jane, they are headed by a singing drummer (Noske), but unlike their rivals, BC is a bit short on historic members. Most of the group is newer members (with Foller coming in to sing on one track as a guest), but the superb BC spirit is kept as their three extended tracks are sizzling and frying your brains, much like Jane did on the other disc. And like Jane, they rely on instrumental heroics, but never splurge in the dramatics the same way their competition does. But nevertheless (and despite my original - and unfounded - fears that BC was only the shadow of their former selves), BC draws this double-disc affair to an exciting close.

So far, this is only the first release of this sort (that I am aware of), but hopefully not the last, because I know there are many classic 70's band still around waiting to get a chance for exposure. A real must even if two of the six-bands are not related to prog, the other four are simply outstanding.