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INNERSPACEBOY'S INTRO TO TANGERINE DREAM Pt 2

Electronic Meditation (1970)

In spring, 1969, Edgar Froese all of a sudden dissolved his former group and only played in session form for half a year. Subsequently he formed newly born Tangerine Dream along with Klaus Schulze and Conrad Schnitzler. In spring, the next year, Edgar Froese made the producers Rolf –Ulrich Kaiser and Peter Meisel (the representatives of the Ohr and the Pilz recording companies) hear their playing, and received the recording contract and the studio date. As the result of this process, the album “Electronic Meditation” saw the light. Edgar Froese said, “This record had to penetrate into something outside aesthetical aspects. … This album expresses in sound effects one space encompassing birth and demise. … I wanted to express musically the passion inside the core of human existence, and the human existence and its relationship in the life standing towards death.”

In September, 1970, Edgar Froese parted ways with his partners Schulze and Schnitzler. Conrad Schnitzler immediately formed his own group Eruption, and Klaus Schulze joined Ash Ra Tempel. Edgar Froese accepted new musicians Christoph Franke (drums, former Agitation Free member, played synthesizer later) and Steve Schroyder (organ), played, in October that year, in front of more than a thousand audience at the Flipper concert in Kapfenberg, and showed up at the Austrian broadcast. At the time, the six Flipper automatic machines (Gottliebe 4 Player Spin Wheel and 4 Williams 4 Aces were also installed.) were connected to the amplifier Tangerine Dream prepared, and they improvised the debut album “Electronic Meditation”.

Alpha Centauri (1971)

In early 1971, Tangerine Dream recorded the second album, “Alpha Centauri”, and this album, after the releases in Japan, France, and the US, made this group first known to the world. In the 1971 and 1972 poll of the magazine Sound, this album was chosen as the album of the year. Also this album was the first album to which Edgar Froese applied the concept of “Kosmische Musik” (The word Kosmische was used for the force of sound, tone’s spatial expression – the maximal concept of space sound could express) as musical dialogue. “We actually draw our inspiration by way of the cosmos. We will continuously try this musical attempt, with this so-called “Kosmische Musik”, to make listen-worthy music where what people can really think is placed on the edge of the circle.”, explained Hans Peter Baumann who would join Tangerine Dream soon after as a new member. It was from this time that record companies, under the slogan of Kosmische Musik, promoted it as a new musical genre by giving other bands “Kosmische Design”. In February, 1971, Steve Schroyder left the band, and in three months in his place Hans Peter Baumann participated. Edgar Froese who for a few months subsequently had studied the music of John Cage, Varese, and Stockhausen, recollected, “We really made great musical leap. … We sold as many as twelve instruments and acquired one synthesizer.”

Zeit (1972)

When Tangerine Dream recorded the double album “Zeit” in 1972, Edgar Froese also prepared the philosophy on the album. He said, “Parmenides is one of the establishers of the philosophy school in Elea. According to him, time only exists as its phenomenon in people’s heads. … Nothing changes. … And nothing could be known.” On this album, the magazine Zigzag critiqued, “”Zeit” is too boring work, when compared with “Alpha Centauri”. … However, slowly flowing basic melodies and beautiful electronic sound like a shower, unfold. … This sound arouses the concept of Total Finsternis. And the elements that would give rise to fit are interrupted from smooth movement, and one comes to shake all the concept and thoughts about light.”. The magazine Welt made abbreviated critique, “The endless example of the cosmos that is telling nothing”. In June of that year, Friedrich Gulda invited Tangerine Dream to the Austrian Musik Festival. As a progressive rock group that parallels with Pink Floyd, they presented the 14-minute long soundtrack to the TV movie “Vampira” (aired on WDR in November). The magazine Sounds, in the 1972 readers’ poll, selected the album “Zeit” as the album of the year.

Atem (1973)

From December, 1972, to January of the next year, Tangerine Dream stayed at the studio to produce the fourth album “Atem”. In order to record this album, they introduced again the drums part. Edgar Froese attempted to feel “the experience of new sound enabled by the instrument change”. While within Germany, Tangerine Dream’s music was regarded as “the proud music made in the enlarged chaos” and “the dry and barren sound the audience could not enjoy”, Tangerine Dream was thought as a group of capabilities and prospect representing Germany by the British people, especially the famous disc jockey John Peel in the UK.

Phaedra (1974)

As they were treated as “the fools of the carnival” by the German record companies, they signed to the new British label Virgin in December 1973. They, in three months, released the Virgin debut work and their fifth album “Phaedra”. This album drew much attention in the UK. Gordon Fletcher of the Rolling Stone praised highly, “This album is amazing. … This is the most successful one among the achievements synthesizers and Mellotron could reap. … This will be the most unique album of the year.”

This album, which seems to echo the distant dawn in the backdrop of space sounds, was listed at no.9 on the Melody Maker’s album chart in April, 1974. The British media agreed with the fact that “Tangerine Dream had sold more records than any other foreign musician including Americans for the past twelve months.”.

On June 16 of that year, they took on the first UK concert at the Victoria Palace in London, and this concert was the one that elicited the great appreciation from the critics as well as the audiences. On this performance, the magazine Music Week assessed as “a performance like a river that winds slightly here and there and flows endlessly”, and New Musical Express mentioned, ”a group inside the hangar of big planes”. The audience said of the concert atmosphere, “a paradise where there are all the lovable things and light”. Right after this performance, Edgar Froese mentioned, “People think we are making music. … However, that thought is not correct. … When people listen to our music, they make their own music inside their heads.”

Aqua – Edgar Froese solo (1974)

In the mid-1974, Edgar Froese’s debut solo work “Aqua” was released. This album full of electronic sound was produced as Kunstkopf (Artificial Head) that Gunther Brunschen (TV Berlin) developed. The magazine Disc, which explained, “Beautiful electronic sound that sounds from right one time and from left another time, and the rhythm that appears to hypnotize over one’s head flow.”, regarded this album as “the most innovative work”. “On this album as well, mostly unchanged “Phaedra” sound is heard repeatedly. … Maybe it seems to be played behind.”, Melody Maker replied.

Epsilon in Malaysian Pale – Edgar Froese solo (1975)

In place of Peter Baumann who left the team for a while, Michael Hoenig participated, and they embarked on the ten-day tours in Australia and New Zealand in March, 1975. When they returned to their home country, they were awarded the first gold disc. Subsequently Tangerine Dream were given gold discs in the UK and France. They staged a great performance for the first time as a German group, in front of the 6,000 audience at Royal Albert Hall in London on April 2 of that year. As a result of this, they gave the impression of the synthesizer group at the top in the world. On April 25, they performed the homecoming concert at the St.Benno church in Munich after a long while. Also, Edgar Froese’s sophisticated second solo album, “Epsilon in Malaysian Pale” was released. On this work Edgar Froese wrote while taking a trip in Asia, Melody Maker wrote a poetical critique, “This is like walking into the shining sunshine of the seashore out of the eternal darkness of the jungle. This is a work that evokes the feeling of waking up from the night’s dream and getting back to the day’s reality, real life.”

Rubycon (1975)

In 1975, they released the two albums under the titles “Rubycon” and “Ricochet”. “Rubycon” was their sixth album. While many people said, “This work is too anemic melody-wise and sounds like Neil Diamond’s songbook “Autobahn”.”(Rolling Stone), other people said, “the music world that has not been discovered thus far” (Cash Box). This album ascended to number twelve spot on the album chart in the UK.

Ricochet (1975)

“Ricochet” was their first live album containing their live performance in France. However, this live album, once again, could not be understood in their homeland. “Nothing has been accomplished. … Tension is being wasted without fruit, and listening life seems to be being threatened.”, the magazine Sounds gave harsh comment. On the other hand, in foreign countries, favorable comments were given, such as “One of the most accomplished (beautiful) albums of the year” mentioned by New Musical Express.

Macula Transfer (1976) – Edgar Froese solo

Edgar Froese released his third solo album “Macula Transfer”, and he was engrossed in David Bowie and Iggy Stooge on this album. This album contains the works titled airline flight numbers such as “Quantas 611”, “OS 452”. These numbers mean the air flight numbers he took during his travels from 1975 to 1976.

Stratosfear (1976)

“Stratosfear” that was released as a group album in 1976, is not either mellow or idyllic, compared with Edgar Froese’s solo albums. Rather it is a masterpiece that is brimmed with Klischee and Gimmick etc.. For this masterwork to fly commercially, the members in the group’s heyday, Froese, Franke, and Baumann, embarked on the European tours around Spain, France, Switzerland, and finally reaching England, with initiation of the ten-day German concerts (October). At that time, above all, they showed the epitome of the kind of concert that was unfamiliar to rock consumers. With sitting in front of the electronic instruments with nearly no motion, and with providing no visionary attraction, they deployed their own stream of thoughts. The leader, Edgar Froese, said, “Being coherent is not always achieved when our music is played. It is only through the playing mechanism (feedback) that people have inside of them that it is achieved.”

Sorcerer – film score (1977)

Tangerine Dream, which were called “German synthesizer magicians” (the Billboard), embarked on the first US tour, setting up the twenty-day tour schedule on March 23, 1977. They planned a laser light show for the first time, taking this opportunity. They made the soundtrack for the William Friedkin film “Sorcerer”, and went to Hollywood, aiming at the worldwide commercial breakthrough on June 24. Their first soundtrack Sorcerer was listed at number nineteen on the UK album hit list. In August of that year, their second US concerts cemented their position on the image of the most successful German rock group worldwide. After showing up at the Greek theater in Los Angeles, the US music specialty magazine Cash Box said with enthusiasm like this, “This German avant-garde trio kicked up the door of music open with the mental force of Salvador Dali, and cheered up the audience with this summer’s most charming concert.”.

Encore (1977)

The enthusiastic aspects of their performance on the US tour were captured on the subsequently released live album “Encore”. While the magazine Music Week gave high praise to them, “the most capable electronic music band in the world”, Cash Box established their status as “the classic piece in their musical field”. As, in January of that year, Peter Baumann left the group to concentrate on his project as a musician and producer, Edgar Froese hired the English musician Steve Jolliffe (former member of Steamhammer) and Berliner Klaus Krϋger.
Tangerine Dream discography series no.14

Cyclone (1978)

On Tangerine Dream’s 10th album “Cyclone” that was produced by the changed members, their shifted forms in visual and musical aspects could be read. The vocal was inserted, and besides that, their adventurous attempt to make floating synthesizer sound resound in attractive direction by using the flute sound and the drum rhythms could be heard. Although this album was evaluated as a masterwork that evoked the profound sound world while touching the popular realm, Edgar Froese expressed his negative opinion on this album in two years, “It was absolutely a mistake among the things that could have happened. … I am callous now about the thing. … We want to taste the new sound to the fullest, and to mix it with the electronic and other sounds. … We’d rather execute the new adventure than stay amidst the deployment of our music, standing still.”

Ages – Edgar Froese solo (1978)

After Froese’s solo album, “Ages”, which looks more succinct and less greedy than the previous works, was released, New Musical Express wrote, “a true and deep work”, and “Froese is prudent in his musical footsteps.”. After their tour in the UK, Steve Jolliffe, who could not play a significant role in the group’s success, had to leave the group after all. Tony Palmer, who produced the 17 minute-long TV series “All You Need Is Love” (he also filmed “Tangerine Dream at Cathedral”.), introduced Tangerine Dream as the one and only German group.

To be continued…

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