Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXVII: More Talking Cars/Heroes of the Glimmerlight

Everyone in the Glimmerlight had a talking car, a light cycle, a cylon raider, and a poster of David Hasslehoff on their bluepool wall. David was a guy who really knew how to communicate with his automobile, which was something all the cyborgs could really appreciate. As half man/half machines who rode through the Glimmerlight on our talking automobiles, we all looked up to David and Kit, we loved them really.

So in 1982 when they decided to make a documentary about the adventures of David and Kit for the Amerikansche Television Netwerk "NBC," we decided to contribute sonically to the production. Pulling out our Roland 808s and our Oberheims we transmitted the Theme for Knight Rider to one of our brethren who had left our crystal shores: Stu "Kaufenmeister" Phillips. Check out the synth manna by clicking on the title of this post.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXVI: The Sound of Arrows

A couple of months ago a couple of Swedish dudes, Stefan and Oskar, were walking the nighttime streets of Düsseldorf when Stefan fell through a crack in the sidewalk. Oskar yelled down to his fallen comrade, asking if he was alright. Stefan said he was fine and asked Oskar to climb down through the crack to check out something really cool. Oskar climbed down through the crack, joining his friend.

"Look!" said Stefan, pointing deeper into what looked like a tunnel at a faint purple light in the distance. "Let's go check it out."

So the two Swedes walked deeper into the tunnel until they came to a cliff in a vast, indeed endless, chamber. They peered over the edge to look at what appeared to be the source of the purple light. They were clouds emitting a purple glow, and illuminating a universe of stars above. Little did the two Swede's know that they were witnessing the remnants of the glimmerlight, but they felt the power of the fading crystals even in these days of late-history.

They sat and gazed for quite awhile, like Tron and Flynn at the blue pool. Finally, Oskar remembered he was hungry and said "let's go get some pickled herring and crackers."

When the Swedes emerged from the tunnel below Düsseldorf, they purchased some herring and had a hearty snack. A couple of weeks later they had a shared dream of the purple chamber, and when they woke they formed a synth pop duo called The Sound of Arrows to honor the memory of the fading glimmerlight. Maybe they could bring the crystals back to life and we could all live as synthetic beings once again! Hear their attempt by clicking on the title of this post.

Blasphemous rumour has it that Harald Grosskopf heard this tune, "And Beyond", up on his off-world colony and liked it so much he might beam down to meet Oskar and Stefan and take them up to where the glimmerlight now resides, on the off-world colonies of Rother, Adelbert and the others. I await the day of their return with great anticipation.

So say we all!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXV: Lessons in the Tempel

Every year, Manuel Göttsching would hold a gathering to choose an apprentice. All the hopeful androids would travel deep into the Glimmerlight to the halls of the Ashra Tempel and present themselves to Göttsching where he floated in the Quasarsphere in his glittering blue robes and his favorite scarf - holding his sacred guitar.

By the early-70s, Manuel had not chosen an apprentice in over 50 years, and an attempt to attain the position was seen as somewhat of a hopeless quest. Yet, that did not stop young Michael Rother and the others from journeying to the halls of the Ash Ra Tempel in early 1973.

I still vividly remember as we all gathered below the floating Göttsching. He played his soft guitar tones that sounded like a synth and he asked us the riddle that would determine our destinies - "The power to control the Universe is in which finger?"

Of course , Schulze stepped forward first, pointed at Göttschings pinkie and said "that one!" Göttsching slowly shook his head, and Klaus stepped back, crushed.

Then Roedelius stepped forward and said, "that is a trick question," and holding out his bare foot he said, "the power to control the universe is in my big toe!" Again, Göttsching shook his head, and stepping back, Roedelius began to weep.

Finally, young Rother stepped forward with his guitar of blue fire and holding up his own index finger proclaimed, "the power to control the universe is in my own finger!" Beaming, Göttsching stated, "I believe I have found my new apprentice." And soon after that, Rother moved into the Quasarsphere to learn how to make his guitar sound like a synthesizer. He emerged later as the super-hero we all came to know and adore - The Flaming Hawk.

Hear some of the sweet sounds of Göttsching's Quasarsphere by clicking on the title of this post. And remember, he dwells there still, looking for his next apprentice.

Immer wieder!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXIV: Harold Budd Day

Today was always a special day in the Glimmerlight. Indeed, 4/20 was a national holiday, a time when all the replicants would gather in the White Arcades to celebrate Harold Budd - the kindest android to ever grace our crystal shores.

While Harold wasn't constructed under the streets of Düsseldorf, we accepted him as a brother upon his arrival. With the coming of the yellow crystals we had all gotten to feeling a bit uptight. But Budd's synths created soothing melodies, and he built the White Arcades, where all the droids would go to have a mellow good time.

When Budd departed for his off-world colony we all thought it was a bad trip, but he left the White Arcades behind, where we could all gather to chill out and remember him.

So spark up that blue crystal in your inner core, click on the title of this post, and check out some of those sweet sounds we listened to in that white haze.

The Adventures of Moebius -- Part III: Trading Places II

Long ago, I promised you I would complete this tale.

Let me refresh your memory - In 1983, Moebius and Roedelius, inspired by the American comedy Trading Places, exchanged subroutines, so they could make music like the other. Moebius took Roedelius' melodic subroutines and created his masterpiece Tonspuren. Roedelius, on the other hand, took Moebius' skronky subroutines and created his album of off-beat skronk - Offene Türen.

Finally, you can now experience Roedlius as Moebius by clicking on the title of this post. This is one of the highlights from Offene Türen - "Husche" - a true slice of skronk madness. Indeed, the skronk almost drove Roedelius insane - he longed for the sweet beat-less melodies of his youth on the blue crystal shores of Horst.

However, he left Offene Türen in homage to skronk - he left it for all androids of the future to ponder over, and enjoy.

Immer wieder!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXIII: Free-Birds

As I've mentioned before, we always loved it when Frédéric Mercier joined us in the Glimmerlight. He would play to adoring crowds of replicants, bathed in the cooling blue hues of the Glimmerlight's Hinterhoff Stadium, deep beneath the streets of Düsseldorf.

As Mercier's epic shows drew to a close, the crowd would chant "Free-Birds!" in all of our mechanized glory, imploring Frédéric to play his signature tune. At the end of the tune, as the grand climax to his show, Frédéric would transform into his other form, a majestic robotic Pigeon. He would fly from the stage back to France, leaving the androids open-mouthed with awe and appreciation.

We always left Mercier's shows tremendously pleased, but also perplexed that such a fine specimen of technology originated in France.

Check out "Free-Birds" by clicking on the title of this post.

Rauf und runter!

Intence - Triade - Part VII: The Glimmerlight

As the droids sang our weary farewell...

"Do you remember me long ago

Used to wear my heart on my sleeve

I guess it still shows

We watched the sun fall down and

I hop on my bike; still that night

You're my first glimmer of light

You were my, you was my first

Glimmer of light!"

The last track of Intence's LP is called "Train." You know the drill.

Rauf und runter!

Intence - Triade - Part VI

For those rainy days in April, pull out your "Parapluie" by clicking on the title of this post. Track 5 of Triade attempts some funk.

You be the judge.

Intence - Triade - Part V: Unprotected Sax!

For real though, this track is the reason I usually don't post full LPs. Intence was a really intense crew of cybernetic synthesists, but, as was the case with many of my early-80s colleagues, they had the penchant for engaging in unprotected sax - check out what I mean on "Spectrum" by clicking on the title of this post.

My loyal readers will know that I'm working my way through the classic album Triade by Intence, on Germany's Sky Records. Between "Quiver", which was my last post, and this post, "Spectrum," is the track "Yellow Below" which I posted some months ago. In the end, you'll have to put it all together. But I've posted the correct track listing somewhere in this gripping mini-series on the late-glimmerlight.

Keep in mind the words of Bob Barker, and have your android spayed or neutered.

Intence - Triade - Part IV

As you all know, the droids have gathered to mourn the passing of the purple and gold crystals. Another year, another Vikings' playoff loss. Our digital hearts may be broken, but we can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind; 'cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance, well they're no friends of mine.

And to celebrate our renewal in the blue glimmerlight we continue our Intence quest. Side 2 of the Triade LP begins with the track "Quiver" which you can access by clicking on the title of this post. Basically, it's track two of the LP, after the marathon "Mosaique (parts I-VII)" of side one.

Everybody takin' a chance!

Intence - Triade - Part III

Side one of Intence's Triade is one long medley in seven parts, titled "Mosaique." Here, in the third installment of our series focusing on the classic LP, you can obtain parts III - VII of "Mosaique" by clicking on the title of this post - these synthetic nuggets round out our examination the first side of the record. With an intellect and a savoire-faire, no one in the whole universe will ever compare.

So here's a recap of what we've posted and what is yet to come (TBP):

Intence - Triade (Sky Records 1985)

Side One:

1. Mosaique (Parts I - VII) (20:01)

Side Two:

1. Quiver (4:01) (TBP)

2. Yellow Below (3:49)

3. Spectrum (5:02) (TBP)

4. Parapluie (3:09) (TBP)

5. Train (3:24) (TBP)

We will continue on the slow journey towards completing Triade in the coming days. Powered by the purple crystals, we may yet retire the symbol's number. Of course, we will keep all of our loyal readers posted.

So say we all!

Intence - Triade - Part II

Just so you know, Intence were really Intense. They'd walk across the glimmerlight preachin' the power of the crystals, and placing pentagrams in pennies at your door if you crossed their path. But we still loved them. We loved them even though their musik verged upon the progbarian din that we persisted in keeping at bay. We loved them even though they sometimes created musik that would have sounded right at home on some Richard Simmons jazzersize hour.

You can check out what I mean by clicking on the title of this post: track # 2 from Triade- "Mosaique (Part II)." This is for you Herr Maestro!

Rauf und runter!

Intence - Triade - Part I

So Herr Maestro requested Intence's complete Triade album quite a while ago, and finally, I am happy to announce its arrival from the blue recesses of the the glimmerlight.

However, you must remember that I am operating on antiquated equipment (the Brøselmaschine), hence I can only post one track at a time. Track # 1 of Triade is called "Mosaique (Part I)" and you can access it by clicking on the title of this post. I must warn you that it is almost progbarian in nature, but it's redeemed by the synth. As are we all. So say we all.

Tomorrow, I'll post track two, fittingly titled "Mosaique (Part II)". And so on and so forth.

Immer wieder!

Eye in the Sky

As some of you may know I have been getting my bröselmaschine repaired so I can continue to bring you the sounds of the glimmerlight.

Up here on the off-world colony I have had plenty of time to drink by the blue crystal pools, play foosball with Klause Schulze (he's very good), and catch up on some reading.

As children in the glimmerlight, PKD was required reading. His words and images were sort of like our Bible, or history books. No one else captured our particular predicament quite so well, part-human, part-machine, drivers light-cycles and talking cars.

Anyway, I picked up one of PKD's masterpieces, Eye in the Sky, and sat down in my neon lawn chair for a good read. Halfway through the book Harald walked by and noticed what I was reading. He reminded me of that time in late '81 when Alan Parsons came to the glimmerlight for a visit. He was another of those who came to learn our ways, to try and capture our electronic magic in his own musik. He stayed for a couple of days learning that many of our secrets could be found in the pages of PKD. We gave him Eye in the Sky as a parting gift.

Less then two years later Alan came out with his glimmerlight-influenced classic Eye in the Sky. Sadly, like so many other interlopers before him, he never credited the glimmerlight and its android citizens. But that is why I am here; to give credit where credit is due. Check out his track "Mammagamma" by clicking on the title of this post to hear what I mean.

If Alan Parsons can groove like a bad Mammagamma, so can you!