Yet Guru
Guru were one of the least inhibited psychedelic free-form bands of their
generation, and for a three-piece packed a phenomenal amount of power into
their music. They were similar to their fellow electronic experimentalists
in that they created sonic soundscapes, but their means were usually made by
guitar feedback and sound effects rather than massed banks of synthesizers.
The final results, as can be heard in the title track to "UFO", their debut
album from 1970, prove that here is a band with a grasp of dynamics that
borders on the virtuoso. More proof if needed may be heard on "Space Ship",
the closing track on their second album "Hinten", where they pull out all
the stops. "Space Ship" covers the ground left from "UFO" while the frantic
"Electric Junk" and "Bo Diddley" race for the cosmic finish line in a blur
of speed and technoflash. Their guitars, bass, special effects, zonk
machines, contact mikes, radio show tapes and intercoms allied to an arsenal
of percussion and drums make exposure to Guru Guru's early music an
experience one is never likely to forget. Later material on both "Mani Und
Seine Freunde" and "Tango Fango", especially "Tomorrow" and the chilling "Nightbear",
prove the later line-ups could still deliver the goods when required.
Chancing
on an advert in Folk Michel magazine for a project of long time Guru
associate Roland Schaffer made me curious about doing a Guru Guru interview.
The said agent was kind enough to give me the chance to correspond with main
Guru and founder member Mani Naumeier, and needless to say the Terrascope
was delighted to take up the opportunity to publish it. So it was that in
the 27th year of their activity the following exchange took place:
PT: When
and where did Guru Guru start, who was involved in the early line up and
what were the band's initial musical influences?
MN: We
started on the 4th of August 1968 at the Holy Hill Festival in Heidelberg,
Germany. We came from a free jazz background and were turned on by Hendrix,
the Stones, the Who etc and wanted to do our own electrified music. I
founded Guru Guru with Uli Trepte (bass), the first guitarist was Edi Nageli
and we had a singer named Hans Sax then Jim Kennedy from the USA joined on
guitar and then Rudi Sparri came in on sax — they all stayed for only 3 ‑ 6
months until we met with guitarist Ax Genrich. Our musical influences would
have been Coltrane, Monk, Miles etc and contemporary music including ethnic
music from India and Africa also Hendrix especially and Zappa, Cream and
Pink Floyd.
I'm
curious about the name Guru Guru. Where did you come across it or come up
with it?
When I was
researching in 1967 for a band name, after smoking an opium pipe the name
"The Guru Guru Groove Band" came into my mind.
Uli
Trepte was with you for the first three albums, why did he leave and how
did you get Bruno Schaab into the band?
Uli Trepte
wanted to take over and write all the compositions without Ax and me. So we
did not agree and he had to leave. Hard luck but what could we do? So Bruno
Schaab, a young bassist came in and he did his best but he could not really
fill the hole (Bruno played for 1 year with us). So we got Hans Hartman, a
fine experienced bass player and an old friend of mine from Zurich, and we
toured for 1½ years together.
Who were
the other people who came in at the time? There was a completely new line up
for the "Dance Of The Flames" album other than yourself.
Hans
Hartman and I made "Don't Call Us We Call You", that was the trio of
Genrich, Hartman and Neumeier, and for "Dance Of The Flames" we had Hans
Hartman, Hauschang Nejaderpur on guitar and myself. With Hauschang
Nejaderpur Guru Guru became a bit more jazzy. On "Mani Und Seine Freunde" I
got a little help from my friends Helmut Hattier and all the other Kraan's
and Mobi Moebius (Cluster) and good old Champion Jack Dupree and Conny
Planck. I very much enjoyed that recording session, it was the first time I
could do what I wanted and it's my favourite album.
"Mani
Und Seine Freunde" was a different Guru Guru album in so far as they
abandoned the trio format and invited various guests to partake in the
recording. The addition of Tommy Goldschmidt and Ingo Bischoff gave them a
more melodic sound. Certainly it was not as intense as the Uli Trepte days,
but Mani could still use sound effects to create some pretty amazing and
classic Guru Guru material such as "From Another World" and "Wood Dream"
which recalled the effects passages of "Immer Lustig". Mani also had the
Moebius and Rodelius duo fresh out of Cluster along, then making up Harmonia
with ex-Neu member Michael Rother. Mani returned the compliment to Harmonia
playing on their "Deluxe" album for Brain, recorded in the Summer of 1975.
Lest we digress too much let's resume our chat with the Guru himself.
Are
there any of the approximately 2500 live shows Guru Guru have played that
stand out in your memory?
There are
many shows which were remarkable. One of the greatest was in Munich in 1978
in the Olympic Stadium with about 6000 people present. The stage was in a
small lake and the public were sitting in an amphitheatre. We had a real
good concert and in the end I stood in front of the mike and said, "OK
people, let's do the 10 year Jubilee Swim with Guru Guru", put down my
clothes, shouted "Follow me!" and jumped together with the three guys into
the water. About 200‑300 others took off their clothes and splashed in the
water to the music of Herbie Hancock's "Just Keep On Doing It". We had a
great "ringel rein" and orgy. Big fun, many of the people couldn't
find their clothes any more... and the Police did not appear.
When did
guitarist and sax player Roland Schaffer join Guru Guru?
Roland
joined us in 1975. Then Guru Guru became a quartet for the first time. We
recorded "Tango Fango" etc.
Did you
do most of your gigs in Germany only or did you
play in
any other countries?
Most gigs
were in Germany, although we also did shows in France, Austria, Switzerland,
Italy, Holland and in the USA in 1980, but never in England. I tried! But, I
think they didn't want us, and there was this funny Musicians Union exchange
(all the UK bands came to Germany but not many German bands went to the UK.)
Who was
doing the spoken parts in "Electric Junk" (lead track of the devastating
second album "Hinten") and in "Der Elektrolurch"?
On
"Electric Junk" that was Uli Trepte speaking. "Der Elektrolurch" is my
voice. The new version of "Der Elektrolurch" will soon be released in
conjunction with Jurgen Eugler from The Krupps.
When was
the Guru Guru Sunband that recorded the "Hey Du" album formed? Was it a move
towards a bigger line up that made you form it? Who else was involved?
Guru Guru
Sunband was formed in 1980 when I cracked my knee and I got a second
drummer. Butze Fischer was my right hand and left knee! We played 2 Drum
Sets and lots of percussion. The others were Ingo Bischof (keyboards/piano)
from Kraan, Gerald Luciano on bass and Roland Schaffer on sax and guitar.
Moving
along to some later Guru Guru albums which have come out in the last 10
years or so, "Cosmic Hole", "Jungle" and "88". Who was in the band for
those albums and how different was the musical style from before?
"Cosmic
Hole", "Jungle" and "88" were recorded with a new line up. Hans Reffeft
guitar, Barbara Lahr vocals and bass, Uli Zufle sax and Rolf Sohaude drums
and bass. We played from 1984 to 1986 and from 1986 to 1988 with Erwin
Ditzner on drums and Uli Krug on bass. "88" was with Hans Reffert on
guitar, Lisa Kraus on vocals and Wietn Wieto on bass (in '89 Wolfi Zeigler
was on bass). It was a different style of music but also psychedelic and
funky.
When did
your solo career start?
It started
in 1981 when the bond broke again for the 5th time. Then I collected all my
instruments around me, pulled myself back from people for weeks and tried
out what I can do alone. This was another important step.
Mani's
one-man show is another dimension to his career, and in 1993 his first solo
album "Privat" was released. It's a powerhouse display of pyrotechnics
allied to a marvellous sense of rhythm. It's also the first CD housed in a
cover resembling a cheesebox I have yet laid eyes on. For a man who once
played a duet with a power shovel it is just one more step on a continuing
journey.
When did
your other project, the zen-rock duo "Tierre Der Nicht" begin?
In 1989
when I met the guitar enfant terrible Louigi Archetti in Zurich. It's the
real here and now music. European Hypnodelic, 100% improvised.
Who is
in the current Guru Guru line up? Is it the same as on the new album "Wah
Wah"?
Like in
1977 with Roland Schaffer on guitar and sax, Dieter Bornschlegel on guitar,
Peter Kumstedt on bass and myself on drums and vocals. The new CD "Wah Wah"
was recorded in December 1994 with Heinz Gimbus on bass in the Krupp‑Studio
in Dusseldorf.
Finally
what are the current plans for Guru Guru?
Playing
like always and trying to get out of Germany sometimes.
And
that's where our chat ended. A busy man is Mani Neumeier, and with the
current Guru Guru line up the glory days of 1978's "Guru Guru Live" are not
far away. This is not however a band living in the past: they are moving on,
creating new music where their characters can find further means of
expression. Long may you run
Mani und
seine Freunde.
Written
and directed by John O'Regan, produced by Phil. © Ptolemaic
Terrascope, August 1995.
Thanks
to Mani Neumeier and to Rainer Zellner.
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