Krautrock Album Database

Albums

UFO 1971
Hinten 1971
Kanguru 1972
Guru Guru 1973
Don't Call Us We'll Call You 1974
Dance Of The Flames 1974
Mani Und Seine Freunde 1975
Tango Fango 1976
Globetrotter 1977
Live 1978
Heydu 1979
Mani In Germani 1980
Neue Streiche 1983
Jungle 1987
Hot On Spot 1987
Shake Well 1993
Wah Wah 1995
Moshi Moshi 1998
2000 Gurus 2000

UFO ( 1971)

Album Legnth: ___

Genre: ___

Best Song: ___

Release Info: ___

Tracks:

1. Stone In 5.43
2. Girl Call 6.21
3. Next Time See You at the Dalai Lhama 5.59
4. UFO 10.25
5. Der LSD-Marsch 8.28

Overview:

____

Album Rating: _ out of 5 [Doug]

Musicians:

Mani Neumeier - Percussion
Uli Trepte - Bass
Ax Genrich - Guitar

Hinten (Ohr 1971)

Album Legnth: 44:24

Recorded: July 1971 Star-Produktion, Hamburg, Germany

Genre: Space Rock

Best Song: 'Electric Junk'

Release Info: 1996 CD Reissue ZYX OHRCD 556017

Tracks:

1. Electric Junk 10.58
2. The Meaning of Meaning 12.09
3. Bo Diddley 9.56
4. Space Ship 11.05

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Overview:

Perhaps the greatest and most meaningful cover of all-time! For those of you who aren't aware, the English translation for 'hinten' is behind; hence, Mani Neumeier's (presumably) hairy ass with Guru painted on each cheek. Building upon the strength of their first album, 'Hinten' is more structured than its predecessor and contains an infectious mixture of psychotic percussion, throbbing bass, guitar riffs and solos out the hinten, Mani's obscure psycho babble vocals, and awesome studio effects courtesy of Konrad Plank's engineering brilliance. In all the album contains four extended tracks, all but one topping the ten-minute mark. 'Electric Junk' kicks off the album with a lightning fast Hendrix-style guitar riff which I'm sure made Genrich's contemporaries, including Hendrix, cringe with envy. The remainder of the track plays like an acid trip gone horribly awry. 'The Meaning Of Meaning' is a slower track featuring some ferocious distorted guitar. Towing the narrow line between genius and idiocy, 'Bo Diddley' features a tight bass line, wild percussion and a nonstop guitar freak out which will make you stand up and scream "Bo Diddley". Transcending musical boundaries, 'Space Ship' guides the listener on a journey into an acid riddled brain writhing in agony due to an overdose. This album features some of the freshest and most original jamming ever heard; it is safe to say that Ax Genrich's brilliant axe-work is second to none. Play this sucker loud! [5/5 Doug]

Musicians:

Mani Neumeier - Percussion, Vocals
Uli Trepte - Bass
Ax Genrich - Guitar

Kanguru (Brain 1972)

Album Legnth: 48.20

Recorded: Feb/Mar 1972 Windrose Studio with Conny Plank

Genre: Krautrock

Best Song: 'Immer Lustig'

Release Info: 1992 CD Reissue Brain 511737-2

Tracks:

1. Oxymoron 10.32
2. Immer Lustig 15.39
3. Baby Cake Walk 10.58
4. Ooga Booga 11.09

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Overview:

If one were to write a recipe summarizing 'Kanguru', Guru Guru's third studio album, it might go as follows. Starting with 'Hinten', take away half a serving of acidic space rock. Add two cups of blues influenced hard rock guitar riffs, making sure to be heavy on the echo so that the cosmic effect is still intact. Allow ample time so that the band can form together extended musical jams of a cosmic nature. Add a heaping helping of goofy, oddball lyrics. Turn the volume up to eleven and when it is all said and done you will have an ass kicking rock fest. 'Kanguru' fits that description in so many words as it contains everything from the bluesy cosmic rock and insane lyrics heard on the classic 'Oxymoron' to the punk rendition of a standard German marching song which kicks off 'Immer Lustig' to the Stooges guitar sound and slow space rock freak out middle section of 'Baby Cake Walk' to the demented krautrock rendition of 50's era Chuck Berry blues rock as heard on 'Ooga Booga',a seminal live classic. Whether its Ax's incredible axe-wielding ability, Mani's outlandish vocals and octopus-armed drumming, or Uli's steady bass riffs, 'Kanguru' has something for just about everybody. I will give you the same advice I gave you for 'Hinten'. Play this sucker loud! [5/5 Doug]

Musicians:

Mani Neumeier - Percussion, Vocals
Uli Trepte - Bass, Vocals
Ax Genrich - Guitar, Vocals

Guru Guru (Brain 1973)

Album Legnth: 42:24

Recorded: 1973 Conny's Studio

Genre: Rock/Space Rock

Best Song: 'The Story Of Life'

Release Info: 1997 CD Reissue PMS 7056-WP

Tracks:

1. Samantha's Rabbit
2. Medley
3. Woman Drum
4. Der Elektrolurch
5. The Story Of Life

Overview:

I'm sure that 9 out of 10 Guru Guru fans reacted much like myself upon their first exposure to the group’s self-titled 1973 effort - not so keen on the new direction. The group had recently lost bassist Uli Trepte who left to pursue his solo interests and took along with him a good portion of the group’s spark. Side one, a mixture of heavy rock, insane Guru Guru humor and 50's styled rock, presents a new direction which one can say was partially explored in the classic track 'Ooga Booga' from 'Kanguru'. ‘Guru Guru’ kicks off successfully with the short commercial track 'Samantha's Rabbit' which was also released as a single. Following this is the 13-minute 'Medley', an homage to 50's styled rock, which includes an adaptation of Eddie Cochran's 'Twenty Flight Rock'. Compared to the extended tracks which graced the group’s prior albums, 'Medley' fails to prove memorable.‘Woman Drum’ brings side one to a close in goofy fashion with its mock tribal percussion, deranged guitar riffs, and oddball lyrics. For many fans, myself included, the album is saved by the incredible side two which contains ‘Der Elektrolurch’, a live favorite, and the out of this world ‘The Story Of Life’. ‘Der Elektrolurch’ is a wacky effects driven number containing some of the group's weirdest lyrics to date.

"Gestatten, hier spricht der elektrolurch. Ich wohne in der lüsterklemme neben dem Hauptzähler. Ich sorge für euren saft. Volt, watt, ampere, ohm, ohne mich gibts keinen strom.”

“May I introduce myself, it's the elektrolurch speaking. I live in the power terminal beneath the electric meter. I care for your juice (electrical power). Volt, watt, ampere, ohm, without me there's no power."

‘The Story Of Life’ is a throwback to the band's earlier space rock tendencies, however, it is much more subtle and relies on dramatic atmosphere rather than loud guitar effects and noisy jamming. The track, sung by new bassist Bruno Schabb, begins as pure space rock before launching into a jazzy instrumental fusion section. From here the track returns to the subtle space rock theme before ending with a powerful distorted guitar which recalls Toni Iomi’s guitar sound on Black Sabbath’s classic ‘War Pigs’. [3/5 Doug]

Musicians:

Mani Neumeier - Percussion
Uli Trepte - Bass
Ax Genrich - Guitar

Tango Fango (Brain 1976)

Album Legnth: ___

Recorded: ___

Genre: ___

Best Song: ___

Release Info: ___

Tracks:

1. Tomorrow
2. Tango Fango
3. Soba Soave Bossanova
4. Un, Deux, Trois
5. Nightbear
6. Banana Flip
7. L. Torro
8. Salto Mortadella<
9. Das Lebendige Radio

Overview:

____

Album Rating: _ out of 5 [Doug]

Musicians:

Mani Neumeier - Percussion