Krautrock Side-Projects

Michael Rother's solo albums - blah, I have to be in the right mood to listen to this stuff else it can come across as mere Teutonic Mike Oldfield fluff. The only album you really need, if you need any at all, is "Flammende Herzen" because it does everything he does on all his subsequent albums and does it better - specifically the first three tracks. His other albums are almost insultingly nice until he ditches Jaki and the guitars and starts using Fairlights and stuff then they become actively repellent.

no mistake, the Rother albums aren't weird or edgy like a lot of krautrock, they're so unselfconsciously majestic, it's silly. but they grew on me, what to do. my listening reaction can oscillate back and forth from "that's incredibly beautiful" to "that's absolutely ridiculous" without personal discomfort, which helps.

Not too much of Schmidt's solo stuff has stayed with me, though I like parts of Toy Planet. I don't like his occasional attempts at pop music, and his solo method is more about sculpted precision than chaotic & free. but there are a lot of great atmospheric moments on the Soundtracks series, most of which ended up on the 3 CD set. "Man On Fire" is amazing.

briania's right to mention Zero Set, it came up often this weekend on the Cluster thread.

I must say: I'm really digging Rother's Sternthaler right now (though I can't figure out why the two copies of the record I've found on slsk both have two cruddy tracks from 1993 on them).

It's interesting to compare what Rother was doing solo to what Dinger was doing in La Dusseldorf. The former seemed to be largely concerned with, yes, a majestic, epic scope, with very bittersweet, contemplative melodies. KD, on the other hand, was tapping more into dynamic, dramatic swells of texture and energy. Love them both, really...

Movies — Two KLASSIC singles—"Cool In the Pool" and "Persian Love"—and two so-so extended proggy experiments.

Der Osten Ist Rot and Rome Remains Rome — lots of goofy french horn and dictaphone stuff. Some works, some doesn't, but they're generally it's pretty consistent. "The Photograph Song" from the former is another genius pop tune.

After that (and beginning with some of RRR), Czukay begins employing the services of "vocalist" Sheldon Ancel, who more or less ruins everything he touches. Radio Wave Surfer, in particular, is virtually unlistenable, as this guy—who kind of sounds like he works at Radio Shack when not performing here—is on almost every track.

Dunno Moving Pictures and beyond. I like "Tom Sawyer," though.

Second thing is, did Julian Cope write some list of best Krautrock or something? I find Cope irritating so I wouldn't know.

2) Yes, and whatever you think about him personally, it's a great, great book (that has, admittedly, angered a few). I wrote about it on the Stylus blog some months back...

these are the first two proper solo albums. his tape editing skills, which were already the key to turning Can's 2-track jams into coherent albums, become the main emphasis of the music; the editor is the author, creating the music from the details of the improvisations. on Movies he's still working from tapes of Can playing, on Normal he's working with Wobble and the band S.Y.P.H. (the title track on Normal is actually the meandering side-long jam from their second album condensed into a bizarrely focused 'song' with Czukay vocals). Even though these are studio records, the most spontaneous moments have all been kept from the jams, and the presence of the mixing and the editing in the music also feel live, they feel performed. Sounds like magic.

this thread motivated me to check out Radio Wave Surfer again last night... started laughing when at the point where Sheldon starts screaming "I Ride The Freight Train of Love!!!" over and over. So bad it's actually fascinating if you're prepared. Holger's abrupt tape-edits are particularly jarring when applied to crudely recorded live material (the original sessions captured with one stereo microphone & that's it) -- listening again reminded me that several moments here have really stayed with me, but listening once every 10 years is more than enough.

Also listened to New Millenium again and there's not much on it for me beyond the first & last tracks. The pieces don't go anywhere, they don't peak. It's important to note that Holger isn't playing with live musicians anymore to generate his new material, he's just tracking synths and drum machines, the razorsharp quick edits and flitting details are still there, but the alchemy is absent.

I saw him in concert last week; turned out that it was largely just a DJ set. He added keyboards, guitars & samples over the finished studio versions of his tracks. Opened with "Biomutanten" (played at the right speed, woebot!), closed with tracks from the Phew record and "Der Osten Ist Rot"; the tracks from New Millenium came off best because they weren't the studio versions, they were wilder remixes from the multitracks (still freshly available on his hard drive I guess). Was a good show though at points the karaoke was laid on a little thick.

Milton I love your tendency to write long, rambling posts. It reminds me of myself, only I guess I haven't really ventured to show that side of myself here, yet. I could sure point you to other sites where I've done that, though.

One day I hope to be able to fully understand exactly which albums you two are talking about. It gets a little confusing sometimes when you just mention album titles without artists to go with them.

day job

Bimble, I think that was all Holger Czukay there. And yeah, I write for Stylus when das spirit moves me. Do either of you guys write somewhere?

I know that it used Can members, bu was Movies actually old Can tapes? Because if so, that's fascinating, esp. given that he wasn't even on the last few Can records. Still, for all the genius of the two sings, those two long tunes always left me a bit cold. Maybe I'll revisit.

Czukay's "Oh Lord Please Give Us More Money" is constructed from Can's "Hunters and Collectors". Parts are obviously the same performance used on Landed, other parts may have been freshly recorded; it's unclear as the final result is seamless.

Saying it's Can on Movies is pushing it, there's no Irmin. Those two were always sparring, it's easy to imagine Irmin's playing was entirely removed.

I'll throw this out there that Holger was a really distinctive guitarist, too. Very melancholy in his way...

I love Czukay's playing. Very distinctive guitar tone, and remarkable way of forcing himself to wander into some very unpredictable, almost uncomfortable 'wrong' notes that he then manages to find his way out of, landing perfectly in the right place.

just checked all music, Irmin is on Movies. His piano on "Money", perhaps elsewhere. I'll check later, or perhaps just shut up now

Damn, this IS "Hunters and Collectors" (or what I remember of it anyway, I traded it with a friend years ago, the dumbass I am). It's interesting to hear Czukay's leads over Karoli's parts. Must admit that I'm hearing this kind of differently now...

the main theme from "ode to perfume" (the guitar melody, not the organ riff) is still one of the most overwhelming things I've ever heard.

I'm working on getting Movies as we type.

I actually prefer the SYPH version! Holger is doing his silly voices all over this track and I've had problems with his vocals ever since my insensitive bastard of a brother pointed out his unfortunate tendency to sound like Kenny Everett putting on a silly German accent. That SYPH thing is a very very odd album.

John Foxx is indeed the Conny Plank Conny-ection

Czukay's vocals are so silly it's actually intense. His vocals on "Oh Lord Give Us More Money": madman.

Whoah. Who the hell is playing this guitar? Czukay? Fuck Rother -- THIS guy sounds like the Kraut Duane Eddy...

BTW, "Hey Baba Reebop" — C/D? And a tribute to the former Can member?

Being the good man that I am, I have Movies now. Unfortunately "Cool In The Pool" sounds dreadfully silly to these ears. I can picture an equally silly music video to accompany it. I'll pass. Just listened to the b-side of "Persian Love" 12". Pretty minimal kindof like the Sylvian ambient stuff. I still need to sort through the rest, but "Oh Lord Give Us..." sounds a lot more interesting so far than either of the aforementioned.

I heard a song off Zero Set, sounded great, pulling that now, along with Ashra's Correlations album.

Finally got all of Roedelius' Selbstportrait I & II, I'm very happy.
Also received my Japanese remastered Sowiesoso CD in the mail. YAY!

Nobody's mentioned Schmidt's bombastic fantasy ooooperrrrra Gormenghast yet, I see. :) (Actually, it has some quite beautiful moments on it). Toy Planet with Bruno Spoerri I quite like, that has some subtly great tracks on it.

Radio Wave Surfer...I don't even think I got past the first 3 tracks of that, I thought it was awful (at least, at the time). Agreed that the Sylvian collabs are pretty decent. I'll have to track down some more of Czukay's solo stuff based on the feedback here...

I like the Karoli/Eltes album, myself.

Re: Cluster
Good solo Roedelius includes Durch Die Wuste and Lustwandel. Wenn der Sudwind Weht I had for the longest time, since it basically completes the former two (recorded around the same time), but I was listening to it one day and just said, "Nah, don't need it." I have one he did in the early 90s where he reads this poem in German at the end...can't remember the title offhand. Also had one of the albums he did with Aqueous, but didn't find it keep-able. Solo Moebius hasn't really struck a chord with me.

Also, does anyone have comments about Klaus Schulze? I know I've heard good stuff by him in the past, but if he's too ambient I'll want to steer clear. I just don't have the patience anymore for really ambient stuff (even Eno's) the way I did when I was younger.

It's fuggin' classic

Most of it is probably too ambient for what it sounds like you are looking for. If you get any of it, stick with the analog stuff, like Timewind (though, again, that's probably way too mellow/ambient). I've heard a couple of early 90s albums by him (e.g., Dresden Performance, Dome Event) and they are real snoozers...

Then again, I would say that about a lot of the more popular/touted Krautrock releases, too...