UFO [Import]

Guru Guru, ???? | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• ASIN: B00005643I
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #751,129 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

A brief version of the Guru Guru story is told in the rare OHR label LP sampler "Ohrenschmaus": "Formed in the summer 1968, when, as acoustic musicians Mani Neumeier and Uli Trepte (up to then Free jazz) said, 'everyone bought a strong amplifier.' The album text goes on to note that: "There are many groups who practice with acoustic or electronic instruments a spontaneously changing music, which is characterized as improvisation. Actual improvisation, however-like for example with the Guru Guru-is not straight ahead. They orient themselves at agreed upon structures." Given freedom by the freest label of the day, free jazz drummer Mani Neumeier and bassist Uli Trepte and guitarist extraordinaire Ax Genrich let the acid and the musical innovation flow. Guru Guru were genius, and "UFO" (released in 1970) was their first testament. Like any truly groundbreaking and important album, "UFO" makes one ask oneself bizarre questions such as, "could the members of Joy Division have heard this album?" or induces one to make emphatic statements like "so this is where Throbbing Gristle got the idea." This is an album which is ber-psychedelic, proto-industrial, free in every sense. Or as one writer said, "A high water mark for acid psychedelia that possibly cannot be beat." Our Lion Productions edition comes with a 20-page booklet which contains band info, a history of Rolf Ulrich Kaiser and OHR Records, and an OHR label discography. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Whats more spacey than two GURUS flying a UFO?, February 24, 2009

By 

W. T. Hoffman "artist and musician" (Pennsylvania, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: UFO (Audio CD)

Uncle "CID" visited Germany just a little later than London, but he freaked out just as many hippies as anywhere else. Krautrock had an analogous band for almost every band in London, and this is the band that were suppose to sound like CREAM. But they dont. There isnt a whisper of psychedelic blues on this album. Instead, their sound reflects free form rock along the lines of "Bear melt" by Jefferson Airplane, with a heaping serving of Berlin's EARLY experimental "Cosmic" music scene, on the second half. Consisting of a drummer/bass/guitar rock trio, what sets this band apart from unbearable guitar noodling, drum bashing, and bass plucking, is their ability to "TAKE OFF", especially with their less dated sounds, their freak out ambient soundscapes. While they scratch bass strings, modulate white noise, and work on various echo effects, drones, and such, the album reveals its originality, not to mention its UFO connection. In fact, the song UFO is on that compilation SPACEBOX 1970 and BEYOND. (A great boxset that connects Krautrock's top bands, with Hawkwind, Porcupine Tree's early work, anbient trance, and Gong.) GURU GURU started as one of the "TOP 10" of the Krautrock bands, and remained there for a 30+ year career, due in part to the status of this, their first album.

UFO has no vocals. Side one has the rock trio sound, messy, fluid but without the technical wizardry of LED ZEPPLIN, Hendrix, or Clapton in CREAM. The first half of the album merges endless drum rolls into guitar noodles. If nothing else, they conjure TRUE garage psychedelic punk, like the instrumental stuff on IGGY POP AND THE STOOGES' first album. These guys are not what you might call "schooled". Whereas bands like CREAM or ZEP could do blues covers, or west coast psychedelic bands extend folk/country covers, these guys completely commit to musical acid anarchy. Whether they rock out, or space out, its with a D.I.Y. punkish vibe, and humor (they would develop both their humor and musical technique as they matured). So actually, they were breaking some new ground with this album, at least with what was commercially available. (Lots of bands dropped acid, and played this way. These guys recorded their experiment.) If your taste for music runs towards experimental punk freakouts, mixed with nascent KOSMISCHE Krautrock, you'll love every minute here. However, if your sense of psychedelia depends in any way on vocals, song structure, technical prowlness, or sophistication of some sort, you may find this album a bit over indulgent. Perhaps connecting to a later GURU GURU album, or better yet, discovering their sound in KRAUTROCK samplers like the XYZ compilation album "THE WORLD OF KRAUTROCK" (Amazon sells it), may be a better first step. Like Orange-Peppermint flavored Schnapps, not all German tastes are for everyone.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guru Guru - 'UFO' (ZYX Music) German import, May 12, 2004

By 

Mike Reed (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: UFO (Audio CD)

Originally released in 1970,this was the group's debut effort.This is said by many to be probably one of the better krautrock lp's ever put out.After hearing this CD reissue,you'll understand as to why Guru Guru pretty much remained a cult band.A total of 37 mind-blowing minutes containing a total of five tracks that's SURE to more than satisfy any true fan of this genre.The title cut "UFO" is most likely the best tune on the entire disc.Then comes "Stone In" and "Girl Call".How would one describe Guru Guru to a curious fan that's never heard of the long running ensemble?Try Jimi Hendrix on steroids.If you're wanting to really expand your collection,check out their archive live release 'Live Essen 1970' on the Garden Of Delights label.First rate head music.A must have.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars complete bonkers super intense stoner dynamic rock, September 8, 2002

By 

mikey (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: UFO (Audio CD)

This is the sound of pure THC revolving around your head. It is a super creative attempt at taking the experimental aspects of Hendrix and ripping down all forms of song structure. The guitarist, Ax G., lets loose what seems to be improvised semi-melodic feedback laced riffs with lots of WahWah , while the drums (drummer has decent chops but plays VERY quirky and doesn't seem interested in replicating a typical drummer) pound away and sort of grooves on in the background. Drums have lots of banging and splashing away at cymbals and various objects which lend themselves to sounding foreign, industrial, and even electronic. And the bass is what seems to hold everything in check. Because the guitar and drums are pretty much free form. But believe it or not, the album is catchy as hell, you'll find yourself listening to it over and over to discover all the little subtleties that are there to be discovered.
If you like fresh, HOT, psychedelic, creative stoner rock, which grooves at a slow (music constantly falls apart then picks itself up to what can be described as only orgiastic feedback climaxes!) and sometimes rapid tempo, then you'll love this. Very original!!! Very Intense and Very Heavy!!!
(Later albums do not really compare to UFO.So get it!)