GURU GURU - Dance of The Flames

Guru Guru are/were one of the wildest and most imaginative bands to emerge from the 1970`s Krautrock scene and gave definition to the term. Fuelled by a combination of LSD and loud raunchy experimental music, which may seem to be unstructured, it indeed incorporated many styles, from jazz to pop. These influences became more and more evident as the band’s career progressed. Guru Guru was founded 1968 by Mani Neumeier and Uli Trepte, whom had previously played together in the free jazz influenced Irene Schweizer Trio. Mani Neumeier had played from 1966 to 1968 with well known musicians like Peter Broetzmann, Peter Kowald, Champion Jack Dupree, Philly Jo Jones, Alex V. Schlippenbach, Manfred Schoof Quintett, Globe Unity Orchestra, plus other bands at the Berlin Jazz Festival and other European fests and clubs around the world. German Rock Music’s first presence was felt in 1968 and was a movement that later became a worldwide influence on music with acts such as Kraftwerk, Cluster, Amon Düül II, Can, Guru Guru, Faust and Tangerine Dream, to name just a few. Krautrock, as it has become known the world over, became a new way of expression in music and lifestyle. These musicians created a German underground scene that was not influenced by Anglo-American idols and other countries soon took an interest in this new phenomenon. Extensive touring in Europe and the U.S. in early seventies showed that the Krautrock bands possessed enough self-confidence potential to make it on an international level and directly started influencing diverse musicians like Brian Eno and David Bowie, whom claimed that they were fascinated by this new wave of German bands. The will to experiment, producing sound collages, non-song structured music and noise, is seen nowadays as the birth of industrial electronic music. Guru Guru was one of the most popular Krautrock bands in the seventies as well as being one of the most experimental. Mani Neumeier and his ever changing line up of Guru Guru produced some of the most innovative albums in the German music history. Their first four albums UFO, Hinten, Kaenguru and Guru Guru were as experimental as it gets and their music was often referred to as acid-space music - music that follows no rules and is free and inspirational. Guru Guru presently continue to create original sounding albums, completely detached from the mainstream and on stage they are one of the most colourful and energetic bands ever.

Originally Released in 1974, Dance Of The Flames marked the end of an era for Guru Guru with the departure of highly experimental guitarist Ax Grenich. He was replaced by ex-Eiliff guitarist and Persian born Houshang Nejadepour who injected eastern sensibilities into Guru Guru. Dance Of The Flames sounded more fluid and expressive than the previous drugged out musical concoctions by the German Krautrock band. Day Of Timestop is an eye watering demonstration of Nejadepour's light speed electric guitar riffing which is nothing short of dazzling. Drummer Mani Neumeier plays wonderful slashing drums throughout as well as other percussion instruments supported by solid bass work by Hans Hartman. Although the Guru Guru line-up on this album didn't last more than one year, Dance Of The Flames is by far the most intricate and complex album in their extensive and varied catalogue.

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Tracks

1. Dagobert Duck’s 100th Birthday

2. The Girl From Hirschhorn

3. The Day Of Timestop

4. Dance Of The Flames

5. Samba Das Rosas

6. Rallulli

7. At The Juncture Of Light And Dark

8. God’s Endless Love For Men

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