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Deutsch-Rock

I discovered German rock music some two years ago, taking a chance on an intriguing review in 'Melody Maker', and was surprised to find that Germany has a large and flourishing underground rock scene. Granted, most German groups are second-rate imitations of British and American rock, but the best are unmistakeably 'Germanic' in a way that is hard to describe. Some characteristics are the large amount of importance placed on the drumming (most lead from the front with loud, explosive drumming), and a surprisingly mature use of electronic sound, used to complement the overall sound, rather than the gimmickry British groups indulge in.

Most top German bands are Marxist-oriented to a greater or lesser degree. What this means in musical terms, is that they are very single-minded, and refuse any compromises to more 'commercial' and financially lucrative music. All have been slogging away for years, building a cult following, but without capturing the public's imagination in any major way.

The best known underground band is Can, a five piece group from Cologne. They reject the planned, structured pieces of English groups like Yes and Floyd as "bourgeois". A lot of German bands fail badly in the vocal department because they attempt to express sociologically meaningful lyrics in stilted, textbook English. Can have got around that. Their lead singer (who has just left) Damo Suzuki is Japanese and knows very little German or English. He piles on jumbles of syllabic sounds in a particularly doom-laden voice which helps give the group its 'alien', Gothic aura. Organist Schmidt studied under Stockhausen and Berio (two noted electronic composers) and conducted symphony orchestras. Bassist Czukay also studied under Stockhauscn. The influence shows. Yet this direction seems hard to reconcile with the pounding, battering drumming. As well as extending the new music. Can are also pushing back its frontiers to primeval beginnings. Their music is a Kaleidoscopic mixture of soaring organ motifs, splinters of electronic sound, piercing/jagged/spidery/ chip-chop guitar and concussive bass riffs. The music bulges in hypnotic spasms.....the effect is powerfully sexual. I have two of their albums, the brilliant double, 'Tago Mago' and 'Ege Bamyasi'. Apparently their latest 'Future Days', just released in England is a little more subtle.

Anion Duul II are the most assured and polished. They are also the least 'alien' sounding, to the extent that they invite comparison with Jefferson Airplane, although their music still retains that unusual 'Germanic' feel. Original Amon Duul II were brash and raw, characterised by harsh violin and double-drumming. It was one step to 'Yeti' —German acid rock — and two steps to 'Dance of the Lemmings' — sophisticated psychedelic rock/Germany's answer to to Pink Floyd. The latest LP I have heard, 'Carnival in Babylon' is very melodic and pastoral, with some beautiful wailing guitar Most of their music is developed from repetitive, but highly effective bass riffs.

Guru Guru is a conventional format, three piece group from Hamburg. Their one LP I have heard, their third, 'Kan-guru' is a strangely mechanical and emotionless sound. They go in for long, loosely-structured pieces with' ambition and often subtle electric drumming, very fluent bass and simple guitar work, which delves into strange musical progressions.

Tangerine Dream is a three-piece group from Berlin with two keyboard players. They play 'space music' and make no concessions to rock form whatsoever. One side of their second LP 'Alpha Centauri', the title track, is comprised entirely of electronic sound. They invite comparison with earlier Pink Floyd, but to my mind their efforts are fuller more developed and more ambitious. Their attitude is very reverent as they feel their way through long organ chords. Tangerine Dream's music is Germanic in the sense that it has a heavy, brooding, melancholy awe about it.

Other bands which apparently warrant attention are Kraftwcrk (a heavier, more powerful version of Guru Guru) and Annexus Quam. None of the groups are available in NZ (except for the brief entry of 'Ege Bamyasi') and except Can and Amon Duul, all are released by small, specialised record companies. Albums can be obtained through the English importing firms advertised in 'Melody Maker'. So if you're bored with the technical sterility of Yes, the commercial compromise of Pink Floyd, and the sheer tastelessness of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, then fill your head with German rock.

—David Buxton