Amon Düül II
Amon Düül II | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Munich, Bavaria, Germany |
Genres | |
Years active | 1968–1981, 1995, 2010–present[1][2] |
Labels | Liberty, Repertoire, United Artists, Atlantic |
Spinoff of | Amon Düül |
Amon Düül II (or Amon Düül 2, Pronunciation: Amon Düül) are a German rock band formed in 1968.[3] The group is generally considered to be one of the pioneers of the West German krautrock scene. Their 1970 album Yeti was described by British magazine The Wire as "one of the cornerstones of ... the entire Krautrock movement".[4]
Amon Düül II emerged from the radical West German
History
The band emerged from the radical
The band was founded after Weinzierl and the others met at the Amon Düül 'art commune' in Munich. The commune consisted mainly of university students, who formed a music group initially to fund the commune, with everyone who lived there joining in to play music whether or not they had any experience or ability. The commune split when they were offered an opportunity to record, which was boycotted by the more musically proficient members of the commune (who went on to form Amon Düül II). Recordings were made by the other members but were of very poor quality and were only released later (under the name Amon Düül) to capitalise on the success of Amon Düül II's albums. As Amon Düül II grew and personnel changed, they still remained a commune, living together as a band.[7]
Their first album
Their second album
Still touring widely, they recorded their Live in London album in late 1972 and in 1975 signed with Atlantic Records in the US, and United Artists Records Germany and initially disbanded in 1981.[2]
As well as their albums and live shows ADII received offers to write music for films, winning a German film award, the
Amon Düül II's drummer, Peter Leopold, died on 8 November 2006. A memorial service was held for Leopold in Munich, where the remaining members of Amon Düül II sang a song for him. Leopold was replaced by multi-instrumentalist Daniel Fichelscher, for many years guitarist and drummer of Krautrock group Popol Vuh.[10] Fichelscher is not new to the group, and in fact has had a long affiliation with Amon Düül II, having played with them as early as 1972 on Carnival in Babylon.[2]
Bass player Lothar Meid died on 3 November 2015.[11]
Band members
- Chris Karrer – violin, guitars, saxophone, vocals (1969–1981, died 2024)
- John Weinzierl – guitar, bass, vocals (1969–1977)
- Falk Rogner – organ, synthesizer, electronics (1969–1971, 1972–1975, 1981)
- Renate Knaup – vocals, tambourine (1969–1970, 1972–1975, 1981)
- Dieter Serfas – drums (1969)
- Peter Leopold – drums, percussion (1969–1972, 1973–1979, died 2006)
- Christian "Shrat" Thiele – bongos, vocals, violin (1969–1970)[12]
- Dave Anderson – bass (1969–1970)
- Lothar Meid – bass, vocals (1971–1973, 1974, died 2015)
- Karl-Heinz Hausmann – keyboards, organ, electronics (1971–1972)
- Danny Fichelscher – drums, percussion, guitar (1972, 1981)
- Robby Heibl – bass, guitar, violin, vocals (1973, 1975)
- Nando Tischer – guitar, vocals (1975)
- Klaus Ebert – guitar, bass, vocals (1976–1979)
- Stefan Zauner – keyboards, synthesizer, vocals (1976–1979)
- Jörg Evers – bass, guitar, synthesizer (1981)
Discography
Amon Düül II discography | |
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Studio albums | 15 |
Live albums | 4 |
Compilation albums | 14 |
Singles | 2 |
Studio albums
Release year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1969 | Phallus Dei | |
1970 | Yeti | Double LP |
1971 | Tanz der Lemminge | Double LP Also known as Dance of the Lemmings and in Italy as Journey into a Dream (Viaggio In Un Sogno) |
1972 | Carnival in Babylon | |
1972 | Wolf City | |
1973 | Utopia | Originally released as a Utopia album; being a side project by Amon Düül II producer Olaf Kübler; only re-releases credit the band as Amon Düül II. Renate Knaup, Falk-U. Rogner and Chris Karrer are featured in one song of the album each, John Weinzierl in two songs and Danny Fichelscher on four songs. Only Lothar Meid is featured on all eight songs of the album. |
1973 | Vive La Trance | |
1974 | Hijack | Also written Hi-Jack |
1975 | Made in Germany | Released as a double LP in Germany and a single LP outside Germany |
1976 | Pyragony X | |
1977 | Almost Alive ... | |
1979 | Only Human | |
1981 | Vortex | |
1995 | Nada Moonshine # | |
2010 | Düülirium | Originally released online as Bee as Such First released on CD and vinyl in 2014 |
Live albums
Release year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1973 | Live in London | |
1992 | Live in Concert | BBC recording from 1973 |
1996 | Live in Tokyo |
Compilations
Release year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1974 | Lemmingmania | |
1978 | Rock in Deutschland Vol. 1 | |
1989 | Milestones | |
1993 | Surrounded by the Bars | |
1994 | The Greatest Hits | |
1996 | Kobe (Reconstructions) | |
1996 | Eternal Flashback | |
1997 | Flawless | |
1997 | The Best of 1969–1974 | |
1997 | Drei Jahrzehnte (1968–1998) | |
1999 | The UA Years: 1969–1974 | |
2000 | Manana | |
2001 | Once Upon a Time – Best of 1969–1999 | |
2005 | Anthology | A complete Amon Düül II career retrospective |
Singles
Release year | Title | Notes | Album |
---|---|---|---|
1970 | "Archangels Thunderbird" | b/w "Soap Shop Rock" | Yeti |
1970 | "Rattlesnakeplumcake" | b/w "Between the Eyes" | Non-album single |
1971 | "Light" | b/w "Lemmingmania" | Non-album single |
1972 | "All the Years Round" | b/w "The Tables Are Turned" | Carnival in Babylon |
1974 | "Pigman" | b/w "Mozambique" | Vive La Trance |
1974 | "Mirror" | b/w "Liquid Whisper" | Hijack |
1979 | "Don't Turn Too Stone" | b/w "Spaniards & Spacemen" | Only Human |
Legacy
Amon Düül II influenced such bands in late 70s like Hungarian psychedelic hardcore 'shaman punk' band Galloping Coroners.[13]
References
- ^ "Amon Düül II". discogs.com. May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
- ^ "Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ Pouncey, Edwin (February 1996) "Communing With Chaos" The Wire 144
- BBC4. October 2009.
- ^ Griffiths, Mark (30 December 2014). "Germanic street preachers: The psychology of Krautrock". drmarkgriffiths. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
- ^ a b Gross, Jason (August 2008). "Interview with John Weinzierl". Perfect Sound Forever. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- Pouncey, Edwin (February 1996). "Communing With Chaos". The Wire. No. 144. Archived from the originalon 29 May 2012.
- ^ "Amon Düül II". Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
- ^ "Band History". Amon Duul II. Archived from the original on 21 March 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
- ^ Davis, Jon (10 November 2015). "Lothar Meid, Amon Düül II bassist, RIP". expose.org.
- ^ Shrat – Christian Thiele discography at Discogs
- ^ Patterson, Archie. "Atilla Grandpierre Interview". eurock.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
External links
- Official website
- Amon Düül II discography at Discogs
- Amon Düül II at IMDb