GURU GURU - LIVE

This was the first official live album that GURU GURU released back in 1978. Released on the Brain label the sound quality could not be better. A double album with ten tracks from ten different shows they played in 1978 from February to December of that year. Most of the shows were in Germany with The Netherlands also represented. What I find interesting is that while this was the tour for their 1977 album "Globetrotter" almost all of the music is new, not on any of their studio albums. Side three is where they visit the past, but for the most part it's like listening to new GURU GURU music.

I have always found their albums to be somewhat inconsistent, I think because of the humour Mani insists in using. But you could say that about their whole career. After three legendary albums from 1970 to 1972 they released two sub par albums in 1973. Then two great Fusion records in "Dance Of The Flames((1974) and "Mani Und Seine Freunde"(1975). Back to the sub par with "Tango Fango"(1976), then "Globetrotter(1977) which has it's fans. I'm just not into the latin and funk elements they were into during this period, or that commercial flavour.

I think adding BRAINSTORM's Roland Schaefer was huge. Mostly for his sax but he plays guitar and is a producer. He joined for the "Tango Fango" album. And I have that album cover on a GURU GURU button I wear proudly on my one coat. I also have a balloon both from an archival live release called "Live In Germany '71" which blows this 1978 album to bits in my opinion. It was actually kind of cool to hear them as a four piece though, and to hear the style of music they were playing at this time. So a live document of a period that is far beyond their classic period. In my opinion fans are better served with any of the few archival live albums they have since released that were recorded from 1970 to 1972. An obvious statement I suppose.

Some of these songs drift into territories I have no desire to be in, in any way shape or form. Very much a mixed bag.