Cloud Nine & The Vitamin C - Evolution of a psychedelic Band (5) (GER 1990)

In 1990 Peter Schupp, former guitarist of CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C, had been replaced by Andy Schulz, who had quite a different style, though no less "psychedelic" than Peter – probably a little bit more uncontrolled with lots of wah wah and using more effects pedals and feedback... Also new in the line-up (CNVC # 5 already) was a very young drummer, Peter "Fuchs" Gündling, who did quite a good job.
Live the band in 1990 performed a couple of new songs, that showed a clear progress in songwriting.
First of all we have "Draw Down the Distance", for the next few years the central piece of every performance of CNVC and later CLOUD NINE and also the highlight of the CLOUD NINE demo 1992. Just like the take-off part at the end of "Survivor" this new song could go in any direction, when the band started to improvise after the 2nd verse. Just compare the two versions here and notice how different they are! Some later versions lastet for nearly 20 minutes... 
Another strong new song was "Empty & Cold", with a basis guitar riff reminding slightly of QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE, another song, that often featured long instrumental improvisations.
What makes that Bürstadt-gig so special is that CNVC not only played those two songs for the first time and in very long versions, but also – of course – that it was the first gig ever with Andy and Fuchs with the band. Another "special" is the one-of "Boogie Jam", completely improvised on the spot, featuring a friend of Andy's, called Olex, who was a big fan of HOWLIN' WOLF and other ol' blues men – and one can definitly hear that: I mean, that guy sounds like CAPTAIN BEEFHEART and plays harp like PIG PEN!

https://cloud-nine-and-the-vitamin-c.blogspot.com/

Cloud Nine & The Vitamin C - Official Bootleg Archives Vol. 7 - 8

(live 1990, mp3 zip of 2 CDR, 18 tracks, 206,2 MB, 157 min)

Vol. 7

1. Last Night - 5.44

2. I'm Lost - 6.20

3. Car Car - 3.26

4. Black Queen - 12.29

5. Rainfrontier - 4.02

6. Draw Down The Distance - 15.59

7. Angel Of Mine - 5.35

8./9. Tracks of My Tears (edit) - 6.20

10. Survivor - 17.17

Vol. 8

1. Empty & Cold - 12.13

2. Boogie Jam - 15.36

3. Sing A Song - 10.04

4. Black Queen - 12.46

5. Rainfrontier - 4.13

6. Draw Down The Distance - 13.37

7. Angel Of Mine - 4.58

8. Tracks Of My Tears - 5.50

(No longer available.)

Please support the artists and check out the official releases at Bandcamp and Discogs!

 

UBIK paint - A Collection of 2006 Remasters (GER)

One of the many sideprojects of MEMBER & STOLLE. This here is a remastered edition of some tracks by a band Stolle was involved some years ago (1996-2001), called UBIK PAINT.

Not all tracks on this collection are great (e.g. "Life is Grey"), but some are simply brillant ("Laß sein was den Blick trübt", "La Verite"). The musical approach is – as usual – an experimental one, that brings to mind older Krautrockers, especially FAUST ("How does it Feel") and CAN ("Laß sein..."). But there is also room for the occasional pop tune ("Beautiful"), sometimes sung in a depressed KEVIN-AYERS-Voice ("Late") or arranged like a late THE CURE ballad ("As It Is").

This is a song collection of many contrasts, and the industrial-experimental track "Quiet Earth" is THE perfect closer. Recommended!

UBIK paint - A Collection of 2006 Remasters

(mp3 zip, 17 tracks, 178,4 MB, art incl.)

Get it HERE.

Catasto Elettrico - Micro (IT 2008)

In my opinion this is their best work until now. If you don't know CATASTO ELETTRICO yet, "Micro" is a good starting point. If you like SOFT MACHINE, the late MILES DAVIES or WEATHER REPORT this stuff here might be the right medicine for you.

Enjoy and be sure to check out their site!

Catasto Elettrico - Micro (2008)

(mp3 zip, 6 tracks, 77,6 MB, art incl.)

Get it HERE! (New Link 05/2024)

Dreamcolour - Dreamdemo (USA 2008)

Another great recording from the californian psychedelic jam band DREAMCOLOUR. Just like "Listen to Dreamcolour" in an improvisational-krautrock-style.

Recorded in January 2008; line–up: Alex bs, Teddy dr, Alexa synthesizer, Rob sax.

Enjoy and check out their site here and at Myspace.

Dreamcolour - Dreamdemo (2008)

(mp3 zip, 3 tracks, 23 min, 20,7 MB)

1. Broadcast Antenna - 16.17

2. Cosmic Sun - 4.55

3. Disjointed Vision - 1.12

Get it HERE! (New link 05/2024)

Anyone's Dreamcolour - Opel Opera - Dadaistische Oper in 3 Akten (GER. 1994)

When I started this little blog here, one of the first posts was "Rosemarine", an excerpt from the LOFI- PSYCH-DADA-OPERA "OPEL OPERA - Dadaistische Oper in 3 Akten" by ANYONE'S DREAMCOLOUR, the homemade lofi psychedelic project of Mike S. (from ORANGE and earlier CLOUD NINE & THE VITAMIN C – two bands most of the regular blog readers here will probably know by now). Postings of "IT'S SO COLD OUT HERE IN SPACE" (1996) and "ACID DAZE" (1992) followed recently. Today it's time for ANYONE'S DREAMCOLOUR's third major work.

So now here it is: the complete thing in all its glorious lofi madness. What you get to hear (that is: if you dare) is a strange sound collage of various styles, ranging from spacy blues rock to hard rock snippets, experimental kraut psychedelia mixed with typewriter and radio noises, dog snarling and saxophone improvisations. There also is a theme ("Opel Opera Main Theme") that is repeated in different variations (reminding of ZAPPA's "Uncle Meat" concept), one time for example played as a pseudo reggae (Jamacian Opel") and another time in a mean grunge parody, DINOSAUR-JR.-style ("Dinosaur Opel").

This "Opera music" uses indeed all kind of different sounds, often in collage format, using every usable source imaginable. The lyrics are a mix of bad english, german and sheer dadaist nonsense. All songs were recorded in Mike's living room (see front cover!) on anaolog-4-track recorder in the time span of November 1992 'til June 1994.

A word about the Opera ... "concept": Go and sell back the painted Opel car ("Opel" is a well known car series in Germany) to the factory and throw the keyboard player out of the band... (Well, make of that whatever you will...)

(In order to keep the flow of the music and to avoid unwelcome splits between tracks, I joined together some of the songfragments, when converting the audio tracks into mp3s.)

ANYONE'S DREAMCOLOUR - OPEL OPERA (Dadaistische Oper in 3 Akten) (1994)

(mp3 zip, 36 min, 16 tracks, art and lyrics incl.)
(Get it here!)

Mad Magic - Mad Magic (GER 1992)

No psychedelic music today!

MAD MAGIC evolved out of a party cover band from Mainz, Germany, called FURY'S RIDE, that played JIMI HENDRIX-, ROLLING STONES-, early KINKS- and YARDBIRDS-songs and the like. FURY'S RIDE was active in the late 1980s, early 1990s, and when guitarist Hans Frommer wrote more and more songs and the band played more gigs in the Rhein-Main area, the name was changed to MAD MAGIC.

Without a doubt Hans Frommer was the central figure in the band. He played a solid rock guitar in ROLLING STONES or KINKS fashion (or even, more relaxed, the DOOBIE BROTHERS), wrote songs with great hooklines and melodies, reminding of his old heroes, with an occasional reggae rhythm thrown in for a change. And most of all his voice and singing style brings to mind STEVE MILLER in his prime.

MAD MAGIC played some festivals, concerts and private partys near Mainz and even made a small tour through the south of France – and then split after a few years in the mid-nineties.

 

MAD MAGIC - MAD MAGIC (GER 1992)

(mp3 zip, 13 tracks, 45 min, 67,4 MB, art incl.)

1. Never Coming Back - 4,19

2. Heart On Fire - 2.50

3. Explorer In Love - 3.47

4. Faces In The Night - 2.42

5. Can't Go On - 4.26

6. Dry Your Eyes - 3.03

7. Never Felt In Love - 3.08

8. A Thousand Heartbeats - 4.16

9. Sweet Nothin' - 2.32

10. Explorer In Love - 3.40

11. Faces In The Night - 3.09

12. Guitar Tune - 2.11

13. Bonus track - 5.11

Get it HERE. (New link 05/2024)

HLFP 01 - Relax And Float Downstream

This is the first HOMEMADE LOFI PSYCH PRESENTS SAMPLER!

HLFP 01 "RELAX AND FLOAT DOWNSTREAM" is a bizarre collection of ambient and instrumental psychedelic tracks for your enjoyment.

So sit back, do whatever you do to make life for youself a little bit more comfortable, close your eyes and enjoy!

Homemade LoFi Psych presents HLFP 01:

RELAX AND FLOAT DOWNSTREAM

(mp3 zip, 134,6 MB, 14 tracks, 73 min)

01. Egomania - Mondaufgang - 3.34

(from "Moon", 2001)

02. Orange - Neil's Elevator (introduction/edit) - 5.12

(from " In The Graden Of The Demon King", 1995)

03. Dreamcolour - Experiment # 2: Depths of The Wind Tunnel - 4.42

(from "Listen To Colour", 2008)

04. Maurice Rickard - Music For Dance, Part VIII (desert uke fade) - 5.51

(from "Music for Dance", 2005)

05. We're Late For Class - Set The Controls... (edit/middle section) - 10.00

(from "Set The Controls For The Heart of The Sun' As Played By Vanilla Fudge Imitating Iron Butterfly When Fudge Were Forced To Open For Butterfly At The Fillmore West After In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Went Top Ten", 2007)

06. True Colour Of Blood - Sisiphus - 8.18

(from "All Of The True Things I'm About To Tell You Are Lies", 2008)

07. CK - Synthespacer - 3.16

(from "CK", no year)

08. Light Seems Dark - Psychedelic Virgin (middle section/edit) - 10.01

(from "Psychedelic Virgin", 1999)

09. Cloud Nine - Sunspots - 7.05

(from "1992", 1992)

10. Anyone's Dreamcolour (feat. Superking) - Electric Hippie Church - 4.45

from " It's So Cold Out here In Space/FfM Bunker", 1995/6)

11. Damaged Tape - Emerald Twilight - 1.44

(from "Electric Ocean", 2004)

12. Szbutä Soröh - Way Home - 2.51

(from "The thing we found amongst the woodsticks", 2007)

13. Catasto Elettrico - 4 (glagolitico) 3.21

(from "Trio", 2007?)

14. Hans Frommer (Mad Magic) - Guitar Tune - 2.11

(from "Mad Magic", 1992)

(Version REV1, incl. new artwork.)

Get it here!

Captain Fartfish And His Careful Muffins - Live, Woodstöckchen 1987 (GER.)

CAPTAIN FARTFISH AND HIS CAREFUL MUFFINS was a psychedelic jam band from Germany, operating between 1987 and 1989 in the Odenwald area near Darmstadt. The three man band was heavily influenced by ZAPPA (especially Zappa's guitar playing – and also his humor), CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND HIS MAGIC BAND (around his most experimental phase, 1969) and Free Rock/Free Jazz (in the mood of early GURU GURU for example).

What makes this band so special is the excellent guitar playing of both Holger B. and Daniel P. Caesar (later SUPERKING & THE FIRE ACTION, ORANGE among others). It's most of the time quite heavy (the brilliant "Shotokan") and/or very experimental ("Little Insects...", "... Deep Sea Fish").

You can compare this version of "Little Insects Flying Around My Head" with the one played by CLOUD NINE AND THE VITAMIN C here.

Another weapon especially for this gig here was the trombone played in an unnerving Free-Jazz-CAPTAIN BEEFHEART-style ("The Captain Whips It Out"...).

The Woodstöckchen (= Little Woodstock) was a small (private party) underground festival, May 1987, in some vineyards near Heppenheim an der Bergstraße. Imagine an improvised stage in front of a small crowd of chatty stoned local freaks in the sunshine and you will get the picture...

Captain Fartfish And His Careful Muffins -

Live, Woodstöckchen 1987

(mp3 zip, 9 tracks, 90,4 MB, 66 min)

1. Little Insects Flying Around My Head - 12.58

2. Little Bakery I Used To Live In - 2.56

3. Shotokan - 6.43

4. Sharleena - 5.53

5. The Fartfish Is A Deep Sea Fish - 10.21

6. The Boring Old Fart Blues - 8.13

7. The Captain Whips It Out - 8.58

8. Some Stupid Pawn - 3.27

9. Playing Trombone In A French Café - 6.18

(New link December 2014)
GET it HERE!

True Colour Of Blood - All Of The True Things I'm About To Tell You Are Lies (US 2008)

Is this part 4 of my little series called "A VISIT TO THE DARK SIDE"? Well, probably... On the other hand the overall mood of pieces like "Of" is that of calmness and meditation, not that of fear and anxiety. 

TRUE COLOUR OF BLOOD is the one-man-band project of Eric Kesner, and "All Of The True Things I'm About To Tell You Are Lies", released on the Gears Of Sand label in April 2008, is already the fifth TCOB realease. What you get is (mostly dark) ambient/drone music and if that is your thing, you clearly should check this one out. It's great. What makes it so special is (if I get it right), that all that you hear is guitar based – no computerized soundscapes, samplers or synthesizers were used.

The listening experience is similar to listening to "Zeit" from the year 1972 of the german electronic avantgarde band TANGERINE DREAM (though musically TCOB is of course somehow quite different): Pure cosmic beauty. Press the repeat button and listen to these tracks over and over. Listen to them all day and all night... and than you will get it. As Julian Cope remarked on "Zeit" (and he could as well have talked about TCOB): It doesn't matter, if you have to go to pee or make some tea in the meantime. When you come back, nothing much has changed. And that, in my opinion, is a great thing. And it's what ambient or drone music is all about. To go on a journey beyond the meaning of time and space...
Check out the very informative site of TCOB and also have a look at Myspace.

If you like the music, please support the artist!!!

 

TRUE COLOUR OF BLOOD - All Of The Things I'm About To Tell You Are Lies (2008)

(mp3 zip, 10 tracks, 93,9MB, 78 min)

1. Upon These Shores - 4.03

2. Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow Creeps - 4.13

3. Of - 16.38

4. Defy - 6.06

5. Illegally Jailed For Applauding The Violent Death of A World Leader - 6.55

6. A Man Alone Is Simply God - 5.36

7. Once Was Blind But Now I'm Deaf - 4.45

8. Somnifer - 17.17

9. Sisyphus - 8.20

10. All Of The True Things I'm About To Tell You Are Liese Lies - 3.46

Get it HERE! (New link 05/2024)

Albert Hofmann (1906-2008) R.I.P.

Just read on the great musicneverstopped blog, that ALBERT HOFMANN, the "father" of the mind-altering "psychedelic" drug LSD, has died on April 29th, age 102.

Hofmann first synthesized LSD-25 in 1938 for the Sandoz Laboratories, Swizerland, but it was set aside until April 1943. While re-synthesizing the drug, Hofmann accidentally absorbed a small quantity through his fingertips and discovered its powerful effects while riding his bicycle home on the first acid trip in man's history. A series of self-conducted experiments followed.

Read more about Hoffmann's life and his experiments with mind-altering drugs in his book "LSD: My Problem Child".

Have a look at some blotterart here.