Name: Schwingungen (50th Anniversary Edition)
Brand: Ash Ra Tempel

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

MGART 612LP

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Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2021-11-05

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Forced Exposure

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

4260017596125

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Total Cap

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Ash Ra Tempel

Genre US

Krautrock

Label US

MG Art

Born out of the late-1960's Berlin underground scene, Ash Ra Tempel were rooted in a succession of beat and blues bands, including: Bluebirds, The Bomb Proofs, Bad Joe, and [a207837]. The latter were transformed entirely when [a10360] from [a10343] met up with them becoming Ash Ra Tempel. The trio of Klaus Schulze, Manuel Göttsching and Hartmut Enke decided to abandon conventional composition and song writing, in favour of free-form improvising and developing a new musical language. As such, they  became notorious for jams that could exceed 30 minutes (some such recordings can be found on The Private Tapes releases).

Ash Ra Tempel went to Hamburg in March 1971 to record their debut, with the aid of top engineer [a40135]. A Krautrock twist on the space-rock music as pioneered by Pink Floyd and Hawkwind, with elements of both yet devoid of songs. One track per side: the power-drive storming "Amboss" and the shimmering timeless "Traummaschine". A yin-and-yang type concept that was followed on further albums. After this only the core of Göttsching and Enke remained constant for a while, with lots of other musicians passing through the band. Songs also featured on some, notably on "Schwingungen" which had psychedelic blues numbers on one side and a deep space trip on the other, and the similarly balanced "Seven Up" collaboration with acid guru Timothy Leary. Other related "super-sessions" that were born out of this "Cosmic Couriers" collaboration idea included albums with [a256782], [a256792] and [a222379].

Later, only Manuel Göttsching kept the band-name going, with the duo project "Starring Rosi" and the cosmic guitar album "Inventions For Electric Guitar" after which Ash Ra Tempel were re-branded as [a49639].

The current version of the  Band is called [a5947028]. The members are [a29855], [a549] and [a761608].

MG.ART announce the authorized 50th anniversary edition of Ash Ra Tempel's Schwingungen, originally released in 1972. One of the most important German krautrock albums. Re-cut carefully overseen by Manuel Göttsching himself. Gatefold sleeve with sticker; Includes original release sheet and inlay.

Julian Cope's review on Schwingungen in Krautrocksampler (Head Heritage, 1995): "'Beware of Schwingungen!' That should be the large sticker on the front of all copies of this record. For it is dangerous to be casually introduced to something that is life-changing, as I found out to my cost when first listening to this record. It all starts fairly simply and without any cause for alarm -- 'Look at Your Sun' begins with a Doorsy lone groover guitar begins a pedestrian blues, beautiful. Then the most crushed voice, a cross between Johnny Rotten and Tiny Tim, preaches its way into the proceeds. God, it is beautiful -- John L. repeats over and over, 'We are all one, we are all one', until a howling fuzztone solo guitar blows the whole one chord 'Signed D.C.' ringing-cymbals torture to an end. And then the most far out track of all begins. This is called 'Flower Must Die' and it is a free-rock giant that transcends everything else in its field (there are no contenders.) As I've written before, PIL sounds like this. John L. was John Lydon in a previous incarnation. After a slow weird build, a frantic streamlined one-chord mantra kicks in and it's like the Stooges' Funhouse period but in a Righteous Vision Zone that fucks them right off. Phasing tears at the whole tracks as this Holy Racket crosses into hyper-space and everything gets all hyphenated just-for-the-sake-of-it. 'Flowers Must Die', man, it's fucked up. Over on side two, the title-track ('Vibrations') begins poetically enough with Wolfgang Muller's epic and hugely reverbed vibraphone. Organ fades in and FX guitars, and time passes by. Finally, tom-toms roll and the developing pace is built upon until that great eternal chord sequence finally materializes -- this is the one that Göttsching and Enke believed was the sound of heaven. They may have been right. And Schwingungen was a gift from the Gods."

Schwingungen (50th Anniversary Edition)

Music US