CLUSTER: I have fallen in love with this band, please help

http://www.nepenthemusic.com/catalog/humanbeing.html

yeah, summing up after more listening, the California 2008 live sets (esp. Big Sur & Aquarius) >>>> Berlin 07 and Qua

i've been playing some of a roedelius record a bunch lately (i can't remember which, but the one with cafe culture, i think it's called, and mitsommer as a bonus track (which is lovely)) - there's a crazy limited box set (<200 copies) getting a lot of play on fabio's show on fmu if anyone's interested on geeking on unheard classic cluster.

that box set is Schnitzler's Kluster (no Moebius / Roedelius) but I am interested in checking it out, thanks for repping the playlists

Schnitzler on Kluster / Eruption:

http://www.eurock.com/Display.aspx?Content=Kluster.aspx

Seidel: There is some confusion about Kluster/Eruption recordings. This is rooted long ago in the past but should also be solved after these many years. Kluster was always Conrad's brainchild. Eruption was used for events where Kluster was open to other people

Episodes 8 & 10: feed://www.eurock.com/Podcasts/EurockLive.xml

I've enjoyed most everything I've heard from that Kluster box, but ye gads it's expensive.

http://www.importantrecords.com/releases/imprec308_release_page.htm

On June 12, 1980 Cluster performed at the Wiener Festwochen Alternativ with Farnbauer. The performance was recorded and released as a limited edition cassette on the British York House Records (YHR) label. It was reissued in Germany on the Transmitter label of "Grüne Kraft" owner Werner Pieper The style of the music is highly experimental and discordant and very reminiscent of Moebius and Rodelius' early work with Conrad Schnitzler in Kluster, albeit with updated electronic instrumentation.

yeah, I'm curious about this one. anyone heard it?

have only heard the two 15-minute excerpts tacked on as bonus tracks to the original Kluster CD reissues, and they definitely fit in there. atonal drones & fields with a lot of bowed cymbal & scraped percussion, no melodies to speak of, very abstract. the excerpts fade out just as they seem like they're about to get going, so I'm looking forward to hearing the whole thing.

http://boomkat.com/cds/340331-cluster-farnbauer-live-in-vienna-1980

2nd sample = Roedelius had a piano there after all

digging those samples.

picked up the Cluster & Farnbauer CD. there are some good sections for those who are very patient -- it was obviously an improvised concert and appears to be presented in moderate fidelity with no editing, the sound is thin and the textures are very spare. I don't think I'm ever going to need to listen to the first disc again. track 5, the 25 minute 'Metalle' on the 2nd disc is where they finally get there. the drumming on 'Drums' is so haphazard & sideways, you can kind of see why the collaboration happened, they did share an aesthetic.

upthread I mentioned bowed cymbals, but that was from memory, there's nothing bowed here, all the drones come from synths.

the bootleg of Cluster's 77 Metz show has slightly more repeat listenability than this, which is truly fans only. that being said, I'm happy it's out.

& here's stephen illife's review (the only guy who's reviewed nearly every single Cluster album). he likes it more. who am I kidding, of course I'm going to listen to the first disc again. just not today.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stepheniliffe/5036327861/

starting to think sowiesoso might be the prettiest album ever made

Good news that the long awaited CD re-release of Roedelius' Selbstportrait is now finally out. Here's my review of it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stepheniliffe/5208519329/

hey Stephen. thanks for posting.

original track order and everything! can hardly wait for volumes 2-3-5. especially 3.

awesome, had no idea these were in the works

I am told by the record label Bureau Buskies that they will definitely do all the Selbstportrait volumes up to vol. 6.

4 and 6 are already with 1 and 2 just coming out now, and 3 and 5 to follow in 2011.

looks like they're redoing cluster II as well? guess the water label has gone under [ba-dum-tsssshhhh]

i'm all confused now. i have Selbstportraits I, II, III, and VI. what is IV? and V?

http://www.discogs.com/Roedelius-Wenn-Der-S%C3%BCdwind-Weht/master/28323
http://www.discogs.com/Roedelius-Flieg-Vogel-Fliege/release/1426718

mentioned nowhere on the packaging -- no one realized these albums were IV & V until he put out another one in 1990 and called it VI.

I, II, III & VI are all archival 70's recordings from Forst, some of the themes ended up reworked on the studio albums. I suspect IV & V were new recordings, but that he later decided were in the older style and so retroactively annointed them. they definitely sound different than the other new solo recordings on Sky from 78-84.

oh! thanks! i do have those two too. anyhoo, kudos to Bureau for reissuing all of these.

And not forgetting the wonderful Selfportrait volumes 7 to 8 (7 = Ahead of the Wind, 8 = Introspection) these were recorded much later on after year 2000 and are digital rather than analogue but they have the same small scale intimacy and warmth, plus added colours and textures.

I really like this one a lot. I caught their performance in NYC last year and it was pretty magical.

For those who might be interested, here is a haiku-style poem about Cluster's Grosses Wasser that was reproduced on the sleeve of the Water label's CD-rerelease of the album:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stepheniliffe/5208523107/in/set-72157624709969408/

Discovered the Moebius/Plank/Neumaier record Zero Set today.
Enjoying the tracks that are up on youtube.

Here's a new and lengthy review of the classic Moebius/Plank Rastakraut Pasta:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stepheniliffe/5051492108/in/set-72157624709969408/

“In Conny’s hands, his mixing desk became
a sophisticated instrument,” says Petrus Wippel.

“He customised it with a quad stick so he could pan any
instrument left and right, as well as dry and wet, with one
fingertip, and make it fly through time and space.”

should come standard

Ah. I was listening to Jardin Au Fou just this evening. Such a lovely record. It is nice to see some appreciation for it earlier in this thread.

Here's a lengthy text about the Harmonia Eno 76 album Tracks and Traces:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stepheniliffe/5377752168/

i want to start a Zuckerzeit vs. Sowiesoso poll but i don't know if enough people here have heard those albums
besides, Sowiesoso should win in a landslide!

you are underestimating ILM.

for real

Curiosum vs. Metz 23-9-77 poll

i'm not sure how many of the above posters post anymore? I know Cluster is spoken very highly of but they're nowhere as well known as Neu! or Can

ok, ok, the real reason is that i have made too many polls lately

but seriously, Sowiesoso is amazing, did these guys do anything else like it?

There are moments that echo Sowiesoso spread throughout Moebius' and Rodelius' respective discographies.
Like this tune has that vibe imo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKr2rfheAAM

Roedelius is playing at a small club here in town next month, very curious to see what that'll be like.

thats a sweet tune Trip

go Geeta

http://blog.frieze.com/interview-dieter-moebius/

i want to start a Zuckerzeit vs. Sowiesoso poll but i don't know if enough people here have heard those albums

lol @ this

tbf I think a lot of those posters left but yeah lets do it

36 votes: CLUSTER / Moebius & Roedelius solo & group recordings 1970-1986 poll

almost started Moebius solo poll. there is no Moebius solo thread.

Cluster II, the one with the stars on the cover, we made with Conny Plank. It was all very big improvisations, and we recorded it in Hamburg. We didn’t have a lot of time, because it was not our studio. I think we made it in one night, or something like that.

good interview

there is that 15 minute track 'Live In Der Fabrik' on Cluster II, so probably not quite all in one night. but yeah these guys had this music on tap, those early records are incredible

yes, sweet interview! I would love to participate in a Moebius solo thread or poll, I think I have almost all the albums. The other poll had way too many great albums so it was impossible to really get any worthwhile results IMO.

thanks for reading, guys! glad this is finally up, so i can focus on the next Big Frieze Piece, which also involves germany & the 1970s & electronic music

germany & the 1970s & electronic music

<3

(plz to link on ILX when up, thank you)

saw Moebius live a year ago and he seemed genuinely touched that people (and a pretty young crowd) came out and were into it - seemed like a super nice guy

(plz to link on ILX when up, thank you)

i will! if you liked the moebius piece you will love the next one - it incorporates some quotes from moebius & also new insights from eno & many other people i'm talking to for it - it's a real labor of love along the lines of the conrad schnitzler piece i did a few months back

geeta, are these pieces heading in the direction of a book? b/c that would be nice