• Grobschnitt Rockpalast Germany 2018

One of my all time favorite bands, not one of my favorite prog recordings though. The first album of the German band actually was quite a sensation at the time it was released, but it was clearly overshadowed in time by subsequent productions as 'Rockpommel's Land' and inarguably by 'Solar Music' as well.Despite being or not my favorite album ever, I recognize its purity and its almost perfection and I applaud the clarity the English lyrics sound off in this album (they certainly beat TRIUMVIRAT there). This symphonic album has gorgeous, enchanting suites like the very one 'Symphony', an almost 14 minutes piece that comes across five levels before taking you to primary ecstasy, before getting you prepared to the next step to take in the album called 'Sun Trip' that's also got itself five stages to be enjoyed.

The truthful meaning of this album, is absolutely the bonus track previously unreleased, 'Die Sinfonie' (contained partly within the 'Solar Music' live recording as 'The missing 13 minutes' song).Live recorded at Volkspark, Hagen, Germany, on September 1971 (this apparently meaningless facts may be useful to you one day and you'll think of me then); is the ultimate German symphonic prog rock. Exquisitely composed, perfectly taken to diverse mood levels and fitted particularly to a live performance, gives us that feel of angst, euphoria and emotion never experienced before. Peculiar, strange maybe; 'Grobschnitt' is the album for prog rockers always concerned about rediscovering, for the ones preoccupied about the constant changes in music, for those constantly amazed and endlessly defeated by curiosity. This is the album for you.

Sit back and enjoy. Wiedersehen!by The Prognaut. Right from the first Teutonic Wagner-like singing until the end of the album (excluding the Live bonus track), you know you will be in for quite a ride. These guys were extra crazy/special and developed in the late 70's a extensive live show that is one of my great regrets never to have seen.As we open up the album with Symphony, one is confronted by a relatively subdued zaniness, having a fun time keeping track of all the musical events succeeding rapidly. If you can picture vocals sounding like Chris Farlowe (yes, almost that good!) with a Santana -sounding guitar on top of superb organs and a very dynamic rhythm section (Eroc, the drummer is the leader of this group and the second drummer Harlos will leave after this album), you can see how much fun this album can be. This double drummer thing coupled with that guitar sound can remind you also of the absolute masterpiece Caravanserai of Santana but nothing to disturb you.

Also, a special shout-out to and for their tremendous support during the preparation of this artbook! Risks and challengesThe formatting for the book is near completion, with a few more proofreads planned to ensure your reading pleasure! Games. A huge thank-you to, who put in their time and effort in editing our video for us.

Grobschnitt Rockpalast Germany 2018

Travelling is also quite fine but the well-named first track of side 2 is totally overshadowed by the others. Side 2 is an almost-side-long suite with many great events throughout its almost 18 mins. This of course is another highlight.The Repertoire reissue contains a 29 min+ bonus track that represents a first try at their future Solar Music. A great bonus!!! There is this great side of Grobschnitt showing their improvisation skills this sounding once more very Santana but the middle section is relatively less interesting due to different solos and actually a drum DUET (some five years before Collins/Bruford). Grobschnitt is definitely a more of a live band as we will see in Solar Music Live.By the time they got this album released, Grobschnitt was not yet the popular machine it became by Rockpommel's Land but man is this a great start, foreseeing the future.You might want to forget the review posted just after mine. Just one thing, Prog-zilla: Nektar was an English band but living in Germany, because that was where they had most success!

And the rest of his review is really un-clever almost slandering from someone jumping to conclusion after too few listening of this album.Highly recommended!!!!!by.by Sean Trane. Most debut albums tend to be rather humble, unassuming affairs, and so it is with Grobschnitt's debut. Like Yes' pre-YES ALBUM material, it seems to be grasping for a grand symphonic sound while still grappling with holdover psychedelic/hippie influences. You can hear the former to the best effect on hard-hitting opener 'Symphony' and a bit on the propulsive 'Travelling'. On the other hand, 'Wonderful Music' is a hippie-tinged folk rock number, and the trippy 'Sun Trip'-complete with creepy recitation of Biblical verse (in German!)-is out-and-out Krautrock.The band's token wacky humour was already there, in the whimsical group vocals on 'Symphony', notably. But if the band still doesn't sound like the Grobschnitt you know and love, there's a reason.

Key players in the sound that came to be known as the Grobschnitt-Sound weren't there yet, here only drummer/comic/electronic effects man Eroc, lead singer 'Wildschwein' Danielak and lead guitarist Lupo were present from the 'classic' Grobschnitt lineup.by Progbear. The last months I have played all my Grobschnitt LP's in order to make reviews for this site. I have to admit that some of them disappointed me a bit, like 'Merry-Go-Round', 'Jumbo' and 'Rockpommel's land'. They deserve at least 3 stars but in my memory they were more fascinating.

This first eponymous album from Grobschnitt delighted me more, I was very pleased with the strong electric guitar work, the creative drums and the powerful organ waves. Most of the compositions sound like a pleasant blend of blues, rock and classic, a kind of embryonal 'Solar music' but more bluesrock-based, later Grobschnitt sounded more symphonic featuring more varied keyboard work like on the 2-LP 'Ballermann' and their highlight 'Solar music live' (I hope that once the 1,5 hour Rockpalast tv show will be on DVD!). Anyway, this first album is one of their better works.by erik neuteboom. GROBSCHNITT is another one of those great prog bands that deserve better recognition.All the prog fans who know this band will tell you they were one of the best ever.Had they been British instead of German, they would have been sitting pretty at the pantheon of fame of prog music. 2 or 3 of their best albums would be in the top 20 of the PA list, no less.GROBSCHNITT had a long career spanning almost 20 years from 1970 to 1989.Everything was different with this band. They didn't use their own names, only going with fantasy one word-nicknames. They were known for concerts lasting 4/5 hours, wearing masks and roadies acting on stage, big lavish pyrotechnics and theatrical plays while performing.

They produced later in their career (1977) one of the most monumental piece of music ever recorded live, a fantastic trippy journey of 80mns, the epic SOLAR FIRE which might be for me at least maybe the best prog ever recorded. Or at least throning high in the top 5-depending my mood-. I have no problems with this comment as all prog fans who know this album agree with that. There is NO good prog collection without SOLAR MUSIC.But i digress as for now as i am going to review their first album the self-titled GROBSCHNITT. The band originating out of Hagen,Germany formed in 1969 under the name KAPELLE ELIAS GROBSCHNITT, a reference to a world war 1 German army march band. Of course, any good manager or productive recording company would have asked them to shorten the name of the band and they actually did as only the GROBSCHNITT part survived.The main nucleus of the band was drummer JOACHIM ERIG, better known as EROC who will have a very successful solo career later in the eighties, guitarist GERD-OTTO KUHN,nickname LUPO and rythm guitarist, lead singer STEFAN DANIELAK who goes by the name of 'WILDSCHWEIN' (boar in English). Also on this first album are playing another drummer AXEL HARLOS, bassist 'BAR' and keyboardist 'QUECKSILBER'.GROBSCHNITT first album is one of their best, full of diverse styles but everything mixing together very well going from symphonic to wild groovy jams to melancolic athmospheres and then joyous guitar romps without forgetting this German self deprecating sense of humor.

This is a happy band with no message of despair or coming death, not taking themselves too seriously but playing very seriously their music. This album is still full of freshness, even 35 years later, very lively and spontaneous.There are 4 tracks starting with SYMPH0NY, a 13mns 3 part-suite which happen to be symphonic only in the end. This song starts humorously with funny vocals followed by a very rocking upbeat guitar and groovy percussions. Some reviewers noted some similarities with SANTANA, not that i agree completely but that's very lively full of rythms and scorching guitar like a young Carlos. The singer 'WILDSCHWEIN' has one of those kind of unique vocals that might throw off some listeners.

He has a strong guttural voice well in the style of CHRIS FARLOWE of COLLOSSEUM or DAVID CLAYTON THOMAS from BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS. This is no JON ANDERSON for sure.After a few joyful groovy minutes, SYMPHONY slows down,gets.symphonic, a beautiful part with lush organ and tasty piano before a wonderful guitar solo from LUPO enters the fray, very melancholic, very dreamy that brings you to prog heaven. A magnificent journey for you to experience. Beauty at its best! LUPO is another one of those guitarists like KLAUS HESS from JANE who know how to transmit emotions and deep feelings out of his playing. Heaven, i told you!TRAVELLING starts with a heavy guitar riff before going 'Santana-esque' again for a fast paced rock song another German band of the time BIRTH CONTROL -period HOODOO MAN- would have been proud of! This is not spacey Krautrock, this is groovy Germany!!!

And once again, a fantastic loose performance of guitarist LUPO who don't shut up one second.WONDERFUL MUSIC is a short folk/ acid ballad full of acoustic guitars, flute with a classical and medieval touch, but still played with a lot of vivacity and fun. This is somewhat reminiscent of some old JETHRO TULL acoustic songs.SUN TRIP is the second 'epic' of the album lasting 18 mns.

I don't know if this is a trip to the sun, but this is definitely quite a trip starting with a strong German-accented narration of a Bible part.Then it's time again for LUPO to shine with some great guitar licks in a Collosseum-like frenetic jam before quieting down for a very 'kraut' spacey/acid athmosphere, old AMON DUUL 2 - PHALLUS DEI period-would have loved. Then LUPO goes again into a majestic symphonic guitar solo full of emotions really looking to play the nice note then accompanying tastefully a plaintive vocal performance of WILDSCHWEIN. SUN TRIP is a perfect example for all this German musical creativity of the beginning of the 70s as a typical spacey psychedelic 'kraut' jam where different moods can be reached from weirdness to beauty to melancholy to craziness to frenesy, all in one song and performed masterfully.GROBSCHNITT is a typical German sounding band, but with their ownn personality and a great sense of humor.

And the musicianship is no slouch either. They would l produce great albums, some very average. But that's difficult for anyone to keep the fire burning for so long anyway!

So belive me, this album the self-titled GROBSCHNITT will look good in your collection. Also woth noting is that the remastered version includes one bonus track, a live rendition of SYMPHONY lasting no less than.30 minutes recorded in concert 2 years before the release of this album.another wonderful journey into the beautiful and weird world of GROBSCHNITT.by febus. The music offered in this very good debut album is a wonderful kaleidoscope of the most symphonic prog music combined with superb percussion work as well as beautiful guitar solo. Loads of guitar actually.Surprisingly enough, during the opening and brilliant 'Symphony', it is damned true (as Hughes pointed out) that the reference to 'Caravanserai' is obvious.

During this long song, there is nothing than a devastating orgy of crying guitars offering some sublime moments to the happy listener. Percussion work is absolutely fantastic.During 'Travelling' the great beat and guitar reminds me more of the very early 'Santana' (first album). Even the warm vocals have this indefinite feeling. This album is starting superbly and even if the short 'Wonderful Music' is not on par; who could blame 'Grobschnitt' about it?The epic 'Sun Trip' has indeed some 'trip' oriented movements.

What I do not like very much are these short German vocal parts. I have always felt like this; just can't stand them.

But fortunately, they are not long enough to ruin this track. Still, it sounds more chaotic, less harmonious than the first two numbers (but these were jewels).The bonus track available on the remastered version features an ultra long version of 'Symphony' and shows the band in a live environment which allows them to demonstrate their musical abilities and perform some great jamming sessions (the great drum solo needs to be heard, believe me). Still you would need some patience to go through the bass solo which has always been one of my least favourite instruments in terms of live solo. TheThis is a promising debut album.

I am hesitant in terms of rating since I would say seven out of ten.by ZowieZiggy. First Grobschnitt and certainly one of their very best with Solar Music Live. This self title album is a very audacious epic-kraut effort that variously infiltrates the grandiose-like pleasure of symphonic progressive rock. Their stylistic approach is well exposed in this ensemble of improvised excentricities and melodic songs. The opening symphony is a superb heavy progressive song featuring an avalanche of guitar leads, vintage Hammond organs.

The last five minutes of the song includes a monumental expressive, using acoustic chords sustained by highly emotional and inspired guitar sections. Travelling is a deception, it's a real passable groovy, luminous rockin' song. Wonderful music is an astonishing ballad including folk-ish epic convoluted prog tendencies. The vocals goes like magic on this track. Sun trip really kick ass, this is a tormented, furious but at the same time melodic, tripped out heavy rockin song. It contains ultra groovy vocals, catchy guitar tricks and keyboards.

Die Sinfonie seems to be a much more improvised song with a nice stoned-psych touch. Undeniably a little classic.by philippe. Grobschnitt's debut is definitely something else. The band managed to put in their debut album the characteristics which would set the pace for the their music since: terrific music, comedy, bad english and a considerable dose of space rock.The space rock would constantly, in my opinion, define their music, since some songs definitely sound spacey, both in their debut and in their next release, named Ballermann. The name of the songs would also denote the space theme (the last song of this album, named Sun Trip, is a good example of that).Another interesting characteristic here is the comedy, present in (quite possibly) every Grobschnitt release. Their comic style in their studio songs is really something unique about them, specially in the progressive rock scene, where the music is supposedly taken seriously (with large amounts of self-indulgence and experimentalism). Also in the debut I have noticed something: although the singer does not have a strong accent, there are some grotesque english mistakes in the lyrics in the song Symphony.

I do not know if that was intentionally made to fit the band's comic style, but it is still strange anyway.Grade and Final ThoughtsThis is a surprisingly good release. The comical twist really add something unique to Grobscnitt's music. However, I don't think that is enough to transform this album into a masterpiece.

The highlights are the two suites: Symphony and Sun Trip. The debut of the German Grobschnitt symphonic/space/related prog band is a record to cheer you up! Let's sit down for this and enjoy this enthousiastic and perfectly recorded Rough Cut.

Unlike their second 'Ballerman' and most of their work after that the debut isn't very progressive or symphonic, nor is it spacey like the Solar music suite. This is hard rock heavenly influenced by symphonic rock, but even more by Santana (what?). Yeah Santana. Both the main song themes of Symphony as well as Travelling are Latin-rock like tracks. I would like to add to that: Travelling might be the best Santana song Santana never recorded.

Such energy of the drums and guitars and bass player is not seen very often in the studio, however leed vocalist Wildschwein steels the show. This guy seems to be motivated, I never heard something like it before! Happily singing his lines 'I'm wanting. , like great vocalist as early Maiden Paul Di'Anno would do years later. You will get drawn into this!

Furthermore both lead gitarists of Grobschnitt know how the handle their six strings very well and the solo's are well composed and played. Especially in the beginning some humor finishes the scene.I've been covering the energetic side of this record so far, but wait. What abou this beautiful symphonic rock piece Variation (middle section of Symphony) where Grobschnitt takes it's time to shine some light on extended guitar solo'ing, building up tension on progressive chord progressions! Some nice suble basslines complete the scene and our beloved symphonic atmosphere fills the room with its striking beauty. Also on Side two Wonderful Music has an folk feel and can be seen as an experiment that turned out to be very rewarding. The multi-part song Sun Trip closes the album with an horrible German quotation of the bible of about two minutes. After this things progress as nice as on side one and this act of energy comes to an end.Conclusion.

Well, this is just so well recorded, well composed and rockin'. Turn it on when friends are around or get your girlfriend aroused (choose interpretation of the word yourself).

Great record from Grobschnitt, though strictly not very progressive. Grobschnitt uses different elements of hard rock, latin rock and symphonic rock and comes with one of the most energetic albums I own. Four stars, no hesitation here!by friso. One of the worse sounding german voices (talking about the one in Sun Trip), unbearable, unfriendly, nasty attack on my musical senses.

No offense German friends, but these things contributes to final ratings. And after all, better than if I would hate everything in English, as one of my friends do.

And anyway, most German bands sounds in English and also some of these in German language sounds good). After all, if they sing, they sing mostly in English (as many other foreign bands).This music is good, that's a fact. Because I'm talking about average, as for some it's masterpiece, while others things of this as an average album. My opinion is little big higher, but not so much.

Should I rate more prog elements, or how I like it? Or how would somebody else like it? Nobody stated how this should be, so I'll stick with my usual. Combination of symphonic prog, with Uriah Heep like (or simply heavy prog) and others which I suppose are German folklore elements.

But together, it's something of a beast for me. I would like to rate higher, but I don't feel much good while listening this. It's somehow too weary, lenghty and annoying sound.3(+), because less would be too low even for me. Sorry, something's broken here. By Marty McFly. Grobschnitt's debut album is not a typical symphonic work as those produced in the UK around that time; most of the songs had featured in the live set for a few years and the sound is still rooted in German Kraut rock, taking some of the wild side and psych elements from that scene and mixing it with influences from Santana and some symphonic elements from early Yes and Colosseum.The opener Symphony is a wonderful composition that sums up this album, featuring heavy organ rock as well as space rock, Latin influences and symphonic arrangements. It creates a very unique and sweeping whole.

Due to the eclectic style it won't please everyone, but at least it's not boring. Apart from the bands already mentioned you can also hear echoes from Uriah Heep and Pink Floyd, particularly during the spacey guitar solo.The following Travelling is equally convincing and impresses with Stefan Danielak ('Wildschwein') commanding power vocals.

His singing is a lot more spontaneous and rocking compared to Grobschnitt's later work and he never sounded better. The rousing Santana influenced percussion and soaring guitars turn this into nothing less then a killer track.

It is followed by the short Wonderful Music, that starts with a bit of flute fun and shows the band's sense of humor. The song is delicately gentle and innocently tender as only 60s and early 70s rock music could be.Sun Trip is the second extended prog epic where Wildschwein varies the tender tones of his voice with his tormented gruff baritone. The psychedelic middle section will be too noisy for the pure symphonic public but damn it's fun! The second half is more energetic and melodious again, but not without ruff edges such as VDGG craziness, tormented vocals and harsh psychedelic blues guitar soloing.Before they turned goofy on us, Grobschnitt made this one terrific 'serious' album, a pure heavy prog masterpiece for me and recommended to lovers of adventurous sympho, heavy prog, psych, kraut and so on.Hint.

If you like this one check out Diagonal's debut from 2008. Or vice versa of course. GROBSCHNITT's debut reminds me of ELOY's 'Inside' album with that underground flavour.

Both bands would change their styles with future albums but those two albums are my favourite studio recordings from both bands. Of course you have to add 'Solar Music Live' when it comes to GROBSCHNITT's best albums.There are two long tracks and two shorter ones that make up this album. And thankyou Bonnek for the recommendation.' Symphony' opens in a psychedelic manner with voices that echo but they soon turn silly as we get outbursts of sound coming and going. It settles in before 2 minutes with the guitar outfront. Vocals follow.Some good organ runs in this one as well.

A change before 6 minutes as outbursts come and go. A calm after 7 minutes with organ and deep sounds.The guitar joins in around 9 1/2 minutes.

An amazing opener. 'Travelling' has this heavy beat and sound that kicks in around 30 seconds. A change before 2 1/2 minutes as percussion and guitar take over.Vocals after 3 minutes.

'Wonderful Music' is spacey to start then a flute led passage takes over. It settles with vocals 1 1/2 minutes in then it kicks back in as contrasts continue. I like the vocals on this one.' Suntrip' is the almost 18 minute closer. It's spacey and experimental early then a beat with guitar takes over and German spoken words join in as well.

A change with a heavier sound after 2 1/2 minutes including marching styled drums.The tempo picks up after 4 minutes. Organ and vocals follow. A calm before 7 minutes as it almost comes to a stop.The sound does start to build before 11 minutes as we hear some gun fire and other sounds.The guitar starts to solo then the tempo picks up.

It settles again with guitar after 13 1/2 minutes and it's almost bluesy including the vocals that follow. Organ joins in as well.4.5 stars but i'm bumping it up because of that Krautrock vibe that would soon disappear from future releases.by Mellotron Storm. A strong debut which would eventually be overshadowed by later works, Grobschnitt's first album is still a decent start, a feast of symphonic prog which the band has stamped their unique personality on. Not to say that the music here has no precedents - the flute and acoustic guitar work on Wonderful Music, for example, put me in mind of early Genesis - but the group includes just enough of a space rock influence and a quirky compositional style that's all their own to set their sound apart.

The album isn't wall-to-wall goodness - I found the blues-rock conclusion to Sun Trip to be rather pedestrian, truth be told - but it's a hell of a start.by Warthur. Before Grobschnitt conjured up the thick symphonic sound that adorned such classic albums as 'Ballermann'(1974) and 'Rockpommel's Land'(1977) they sported a kind of psychedelic rock style closer in spirit to the likes of Santana than to the British progressive outfit's such as Yes and Genesis that would influence their sound further down the line. A less polished release, this self-titled debut from 1972 was issued on the underground Brain imprint whilst the German group were still trying to find a settled line-up, hence the stylistic difference between this and the rest of their 1970s output. However, this is still recognisably Grobschnitt, only without the glutinous keyboards, overt fantasy themes and surreal teutonic humour that would soon become their trademarks. Although more associated with their later spacey and loopy cosmic prog, most of the self titled debut album from Grobschnitt is exciting, intelligent and forward-pushing 70's rock in the tradition of the earlier albums by fellow German acts Eloy, Jane and Birth Control, with a healthy dose of the Santana band and Pink Floyd. The music has quite a basic, plodding and repetitive sound, but filled with lengthy structured themes and jam- based parts.

The lyrics are grounded in very human concerns like love, peace, romantic obsession and war, which makes the album easy to relate to and connect with. There's also something oddly upbeat and hopeful amongst the more somber moments throughout the album.Opener `Symphony' has a grand and frequently repeated main theme, with slight Santana band influences in the electric guitar and organ washes, some urgent percussion, gorgeous mournful Rick Wright-styled organ and piano in the moody middle section with restrained and tasteful strings. All this before forceful percussion, commanding bass work and a near five minute extended Gilmour-esque epic guitar solo wrap up the piece amongst swirling electronic and cosmic effects!

There's some very amusing fractured English lyrics translations, which I assume were not on purpose? For instance, 'I am going, going to get you, trying to get you with my eyes, going to make you with my mind.' Is brilliant and sweetly naive nonsense! Not sure if it's the band getting in early with their sense of humour or just badly translated, but it's strange that much of the rest of the album lyrics are fairly grounded!The intro of `Travelling' has booming and very intimidating drums before heavy guitar strums transform the song into a upbeat and frantic cross between the mediterranean guitar style of Eloy's `Floating' and the screaming guitar runs of the early Santana albums.

Shame about the rather abrupt fade out mid solo!`Wonderful Music' is a hazy and sprightly foot-tapper with a folky acoustic guitar and flute dancing around the warm and heartfelt crooned vocals from Stefan Danielak. Still, there's something slightly haunted and reflective in his voice that gives the track a slightly uneasy feel, too.Plodding bass and thunderstorm effects swirl around a foreboding bible passage read in German before dirty sprawling metallic riffs and militaristic marching drums stomp in.

The piece becomes faster amd more uptempo with melodic guitar runs and passionate yet restrained vocals. 'Sky is blue, but rain is whispering.'

Is a surprisingly lovely but ominous lyric. Shimmering organs before a very effective change of direction, slowing right down to the moody and spacious middle. Like the dark ambience of early 70's Floyd live, the low- key organ, spectral vocals and gentle guitar strums float around sounds of warfare and battle, before snappy percussion and quirky effects kick back in before a hugely emotional long bluesy guitar solo tears it's way through the rest of the piece.I've been reviewing my LP copy, but apparently the remastered CD comes with a thirty minute bonus track that is a live interpretation of the opening piece with long and heavy improvisation sections. Maybe look into that version.Really glad I kept at this one after being initially quite uninterested and let down by it.

Now after flogging the heck out of it, playing it over and over to let it sink in, I've come to find it a hugely charming and energetic release. It's also become an album I play on drives all the time, so it's always in the car waiting for when I need a quick fix!An easy four stars.by Aussie-Byrd-Brother. Easily the best studio album Grobschnitt ever put out. This 1972 S/T debut LP of theirs is a fantastic progressive krautrock recording. 'Traveling' is maybe the weakest of these four songs but it's very enjoyable still. However those two massive tracks 'Symphony' and 'Sun Trip' are both wonderful just like the short 'Wonderful Music' too.Even if some of their later albums are very nice too the band never succeeded to record as powerful totality as this one. I consider Grobschnitt's eponymous debut album to be a true cornerstone in the German progressive rock history.

Definitely worth giving a try for the prog fans.by.CooperBolan. The German group Grobschnitt were one of the more famous bands from the classic 70's Krautrock era. They had a long and varied history that spanned over 20 years and were quite popular in their native Germany. Their music was characterized by theatrical sequences, space rock jamming, a large dose of humor, along with creative songwriting.Grobschnitt's self-titled debut was a dynamic opening for the band, and is simply a superb slab of heavy prog rock. Hard psychedelic driven guitar and Hammond organ lead the instrumental parade, whereas the crack rhythm section push the proceedings along with constantly changing and complex rhythms.

Guitarist 'Lupo' has a very sharp edged sound and plays in a constant fiery/heavy blues mode, while drummer 'Eroc' is a master of creating and maintaining the tempo for the complex yet energetic compositions. The four tracks contained within recall other heavy German bands of the day like Orange Peel, Prof. Wolfff, 2066 and Then, and even Inside era Eloy. Had this been Grobschnitt's only album it surely would've gone down as one of the great one-off Krautrock classics. As it turns out, it may very well have been their shining moment, though no doubt much great music was to appear in their future, including the can't miss space rock suite 'Solar Music'.ashratom. A very good debut album that is unfairly overlooked by many fans of Grobschnitt's later progressive rock classics. On Grobschnitt the band has yet to completely settle upon their quirky blend of space rock and symphonic prog.

It is more strongly indebted to krautrock than any of the group's subsequent offerings ('Travelling', 'Sun Trip'), and as such occupies a place in their discography that is similar to that of Inside in the catalogue of their countrymen Eloy. Grobschnitt is also a surprisingly 'serious' work, at least by the band's standards. Very little of their trademark silliness comes through, with the band's eccentricities instead being diverted towards heavy-handed melodrama (witness the vocal harmonies on 'Symphony' or the German-language biblical recitation opening 'Sun Trip').

So if you're looking for anything remotely approaching the Eroc-driven weirdness of 'Sahara' this probably isn't the Grobschnitt album for you. On the other hand, people who are turned off by the band's occasional goofiness may find this record far less offensive.Stylistic concerns aside, the four songs off Grobschnitt are all fairly strong, even if their occasional meandering reminds the listener that this is a formative recording by a young band.

The album's most fully realized track is the 13+ minute opener 'Symphony', which makes excellent usage of both strings and piano over its extended instrumental outro. My other personal favorite is 'Wonderful Music'- a shockingly uncharacteristic slice of folkish prog that sounds more like Jethro Tull than latter-day Grobschnitt but is successful nonetheless. The only real weak point of the record is some of 'Sun Trip', an interesting fusion of krautrock and space rock that has a few good ideas yet drags on for far too long at nearly 18 minutes.

All things considered, an entertaining listen that I listen to as much as any of the band's work. I'd still recommend starting with later Grobschnitt records like Rockpommel's Land and Solar Music Live.Walter12. In the mid- to late sixties there was a band in North Rhine-Westphalia Hagen called 'The Crew', which became a local celebrity, especially because of their wild stage show. After their dissolution, some crew members in 1970 again together to found a new formation. Every true fan will know the story of the naming of the new band inside and out: a friend of the musicians known as 'Toni Moff Mollo' (Rainer Loskand) brought a picture of a soldier's band from the First World War who called himself 'Kapelle Elias Grobschnitt' and in which his grandfather once played.

Since this band also performed all kinds of slapstick during their performances, one probably felt a certain affinity and took over the name,The 1972 debut album was created in sextet with two drummers who give the music a sometimes even latino-like groove. 'Symphony,' a track played at almost every concert, moves into a long groovy part after a classically-sounding opening that lends the fervent a capella vocals some parody, while the second half of the piece is dominated by melancholy organ and psychedelic guitar is. The following 'Traveling' begins in a monotonous, sluggish rhythm, which abruptly turns into a brisk, groovy part with slight hints of Santana.From a completely different point, a rough cut on 'Wonderful Music' shows: acoustic guitars and flutes set the tone for the music, which has a slightly classic touch, but completely without bombast. Finally follows 'Sun Trip', an 18-minute Psychedelic orgy, but then in the second half but still a few lengths.The CD issue contains a bonus version of a live version of 'Symphony', recorded in September 1971 in the Hagen Volkspark. The piece is here enriched by some improvisations and a wonderfully sloping choral part.By: Jochen Rindfrey.babyblaueprog. Συνήθως όταν αναφερόμαστε στην μοναδικής προσφοράς γερμανική progressive rock σκηνή της δεκαετίας του 1970, οι πρώτοι λογικοί συνειρμοί που γίνονται φυσικά είναι περί Kraut ήχου και περιπτώσεις συγκροτημάτων που έφτασαν την ψυχεδέλεια σε διαγαλαξιακά ταξίδια με βάση τις επιταγές πρωτοπόρων σαν τους Ash Ra Tempel φερ' ειπείν. Παρόλα αυτά, στις αρχές τις δεκαετίας και ενώ η ανάπτυξη των ηχητικών δομών της ήχου άρχισε να παρασέρνει όλο και περισσότερους μουσικούς να παντρέψουν τον συμφωνικό κλασικό ήχο με την ψυχεδέλεια των 60s και τις jazz καταβολές, εμφανίστηκε ένα συγκρότημα στην γερμανική σκηνή που επρόκειτο να θεωρηθούν εν καιρώ μοναδικοί και επιδραστικοί για τη γενιά τους.

Alternately psychedelic, progressive, and hard rock-styled, the eclectic German band Grobschnitt became one of the most popular live acts in German history. The group recorded several lauded albums in the 1970s, moving between styles before switching to more mainstream pop and rock in the 1980s. Meanwhile, in part thanks to drummer Joachim Ehrig, the group added touches of absurdist humor to their records and live shows.Grobschnitt were formed in 1970 by several members of a band called Crew, including Stefan Daneliak (vocals, guitar), Eroc, and Gerd Otto Kuhn (guitars, vocals). This nucleus later added Axel Harlos (drums), Bernard Uhlemann (bass), and Hermann Quetting (keyboards). The band's first record, Grobschnitt (1972), found the band playing fairly straightforward progressive rock that was rather unsuccessful with critics and record buyers. After the release, both Harlos and Quetting left the group. Deciding to carry on, the band adapted a new state persona, filled with bizarre costumes and theatrical performances that even featured their roadies.

Meanwhile the group added Volker Kahr on keyboards. The band focused more on their space rock sound on their second album, Ballermann (1974), which originally consisted of two LP's, one filled with symphonic progressive rock, the other was given all to a space rock suite, 'Solar Music.' Their third album, Jumbo (1975), was released in both English and German versions and found Grobschnitt moving closer to symphonic progressive rock in the manner of Yes and Genesis with a series of epic tracks. That sound was the focus of Rockpommel's Land (1977), which even featured a cover that was reminiscent of Roger Dean. A concept album, the record told the story of a boy's adventures in a strange land. Solar Music Live (1978) was a live recreation of the 'Solar Music' suite off their second album.

The band moved towards a harder rocking psychedelic feel with Merry Go Round in 1979 and Illegal (1981). By Razzia (1982), the group had abandoned many of their more progressive tendencies as drummer Eroc had left the group. Their late-'80s records were far more conventional keyboard-dominated pop records.

By Geoff Orens. 1972: Grobschnitt1974: Ballermann1975: Jumbo (englisch)1976: Jumbo (deutsch)1977: Rockpommel’s Land1978: Solar Music – Live1979: Merry-Go-Round1980: Volle Molle - Live1981: Illegal1982: Razzia1984: Kinder und Narren1985: Sonnentanz - Live1987: Fantasten1990: Last Party - Live1994: Die Grobschnitt Story 11998: Die Grobschnitt Story 22001: Die Grobschnitt Story 3 „The History of Solar Music“ Vol. 12002: Die Grobschnitt Story 3 „The History of Solar Music“ Vol. 22002: Die Grobschnitt Story 3 „The History of Solar Music“ Vol. 32003: Die Grobschnitt Story 3 „The History of Solar Music“ Vol. 42003: Die Grobschnitt Story 4 „Illegal Tour 1981 Complete“2004: Die Grobschnitt Story 3 „The History of Solar Music“ Vol. 52004: Die Grobschnitt Story 52006: Die Grobschnitt Story 6 „Rockpommel's Land And Elsewhere.“2006: The International Story2008: Grobschnitt 2008 live2009: Another Journey (Maxi CD)2010: Die Grobschnitt Story 02010: Grobschnitt Live 20102010: 2008-Live-2010 (Zusammenlegung der CDs 2008 live und RPL Live 2010 + Single 'Another journey')2013: Symphony live 2012 (Maxi CD)2015: 79:102016: Solar Movie - Rockpalast & Berlin 1978.

If you have an account,οn vk,spotify, & deezer you can listen to the albums right from the blog's homepage, without having to change the page,If you do not have an account open one of these three sites, it is very easy, it will take you about three minutes each, and then enjoy, plenty of music.Spotify is famous for its sound quality that you won't find anywhere,the deezer is similar to spotify & the vk (Russian facebook) there are thousands of rare albums by hundreds of users. May all of you be well, and listen to a lot of music.John.