Six Degrees of Sauerkraut -- Part LV: The Glimmerlight's Fletch

Michael Bundt was another of my Glimmerlicht brethren who liked to roam the streets of Düsseldorf by night, undercover.  Bundt was one of the Glimerlight's greatest investigative reporters and he was assigned to report on the humanoids who lived above our glittering crystal paradise.  He modeled his career on the famous humanoid reporter, Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher and one would often not even recognize him if one happened upon him on some rainy Düsseldorf night.

When the blue crystals began to fade, Rother and Dinger called Bundt home to the Glimmerlight and asked to take up the fight to save our electronic home.  He took on the moniker "Cosmic Kid" and created the Galaxy Maschine - the Glimmerlight's last defense - a giant escape pod to take us to the Offworld Colony when the last blue crystal faded into the night.  He documented these dramatic times on his classic 1977 album Just Landed Cosmic Kid.  Check out his ode to the Galaxy Maschine ("Galaxy Machine") here.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut -- Part LIV: Claude Larson

Like any good synthesist from the Glimmerlight, Klaus Netzle had an alias.  Tired of his fellow androids making fun of his name, calling him all sorts of names related to chocolate bars, Klaus adopted the rather mundane moniker Claude Larson.

You see, Claude's subroutines had been programmed to make him a very sensitive Cylon - easily affected by things like verbal taunts and such.  He became something like the Glimmerlight's black sheep.  Where most of my brethren preferred to lounge around the pools in the light of the blue crystals by day, and danse in the discos by night, Claude preferred to go hiking in the mountains and the meadows above ground, amongst the humanoids - the Caucasoids and the Leprechauns who preferred an alpine trail to a synthesizer or a Light Cycle.

However, Claude, like all of my cybernetic brethren, always needed to recharge by the blue crystals.  When he returned to our synthetic paradise, he would create impressions of his travelings on his preferred synthesizer - the Farfisa Soundmaker.  In 1979, he returned and created his masterpiece long-player, Surroundings.  Click here to check out my favorite track on the LP, "Mountains & Meadows"- a soundtrack Claude composed to commemorate a hike he took one day in '79 with some Leprechauns in the Wetterstein range in Bavaria.

Immer wierder!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut -- Part LIII: Stern Combo Meißen

As the blue crystals began to fail, Klaus and the others decided it was time to leave the Glimmerlight to construct the Offworld Colony.  To do so, Klaus and Rother created Stern Combo Meißen - a group of three male and three female androids which were sent into outerspace to construct our brave new world.  We also sent along the cybernetic filmmaker Marcel Ophüls to capture this massive endeavor.  Above you can see a clip from Marcel's final documentary, In den Kosmos.  Watch in awe as Stern Combo Meißen sets forth to begin the second age of the Glimmerlight on the Offworld Colony.

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part LII: Highways of the Glimmerlight

No one celebrated the Glimmerlight's road culture and the Light Cycle like the group of synthesists that styled themselves Space Art. The Glimmerlight's subterranean autobahn was called Schnellstraße (or the "Speedway" in English). and the synthetic synthesists would cruise over its grid with reckless abandon.

Space Art penned the greatest ode to the Glimmerlight's greatest road on their 1978 LP Trip in the Center Head - aptly titled "Speedway" - click on the title of this post to hear it.

Immer wieder.

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part LI: The Glimmerlight's National Anthem

Word recently reached us that our brethren Kraftwerk would be teleporting down from the Offworld Colony to play "all" eight of their albums at New York's Museum of Modern Kunst (for some reason they continue to ignore their first two records and their brilliant third LP Ralf und Florian). Tickets went on sale at Wednesday at noon. Humans yelled "action stations!" and hit their laptops and other portable electronic devices. The primitive human electronic system could not handle it and crashed. Some humans even took to the antiquated device of the telephone. "What was this!?" I asked myself. "An ELO concert?"

The true synthesists, the mensche maschines who once dwelled in the Glimmerlight, simply had to download the tickets through our subroutines. Sadly, MoMA's two ticket policy also applied to those of us powered by the blue crystals. So I'll see you on Man Machine night, the magnum opus of Kraftwerk. The album that provided the Glimmerlight with its national anthem. To hear the icy national anthem of the Glimmerlight - "Die Mensche Maschine" - click on the title of this post.

I must say that I find it highly ironic that the ticket buying experience for Kraftwerk, those great paragons of technology, could result in such technical difficulties - computers freezing up from Manhattan to Berlin - humans throwing up their pocket calculators in despair, frantically reaching for their telephones - disappointed hipsters taking to the human blog Brooklyn Vegan to vent their angst. And all the while, I glided through the night on my light cycle, holding my Man Machine tickets in the air, laughing.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part L: Beyond The Wall... Pond

Me and my brothers would often journey to Berlin, to the Wall, to look beyond the edge of the world. In the Glimmerlight, we often heard rumors of the denizens beyond the Wall. However, due to the folly of human politics, East German androids were forbidden to journey to their ancestral homeland among the blue crystals under Düsseldorf. Despite these restrictions, one time in the early-80s, we decided to go beyond the Wall to check out the greatest of the East German synthesists, the synth duo Pond.

Pond was founded by Wolfgang Fuchs and Manfred Henning in 1979 in the Deutsche Demokratische Republik. They journeyed from the hinterlands to East Berlin and soon started creating beautiful synth textures for the other cybernetic synthesists exiled beyond the Wall. When we finally found them in a cellar in East Berlin and heard them play, it was one of the highlights of my early sub-routines. We purchased a couple of their LPs and tried to smuggle them back to the Glimmerlight, but the border patrol found them in the trunk of our light cycle and confiscated them. But they couldn't take our memory chips.

By the time the Wall finally fell, the the blue crystals had dimmed and we had all departed the Glimmerlight for the Offworld Colony. These days, Manfred and Wolfgang do what most of the androids that remain among the humans do, they make music for Planetariums.

Check out one of Pond's synth masterpieces "Cassiopeia" by clicking on the title of this post. It's from their album Planetenwind. . . my copy is probably still spinning in the apartment of that former East German border guard.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXIX: The Glimmerlight's Indie Scene

No synthesist more personified the Glimmerlight's indie scene than Rüdiger Lorenz. He always wore the tightest jeans, seldom smiled, and had the DIY attitude that every droid aspired to, but never really grasped.

While his fellow synthesists were busy selling-out, signing with Sky and Brain - Rüdiger stayed in the bedroom, perfecting the synth art form as only he could. No synthesist stayed truer to the blue crystals longer than Rüdiger, and he valiantly fought the Humanoid Invasion longer than any of his brethren (i.e. well into the 80s). While the rest of us retired to our blue pools in the Offworld Colonies to start the New Age, Rüdiger remained in his bunker down below Düseldorf, cranking out his lo-fi tunes. I do believe the sickest tune in the whole Glimmerlight canon is Rüdiger's "Francis and Friends" (click on the title of this post to hear it). It tells the tale (in Glimmerlichtish so use Google Translate) of what I can only describe as a Glimmerlight "punk house" where we all lived in the summer of '79 - dancing all night and sleeping all day.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXVIII: Glimmerlight Footage

The Glimmerlight was much like an Amish Village. We would often have visitors who came and observed our way of life. On those occasions, like any other night, the Glimmerlight house band, Space, would play a show for the humanoid tourists.

I thought you might like to see some footage straight from the Glimmerlight. The year was 1977 and a group of Italian tourists was visiting our blue crystal shores. This footage is emblematic of a typical evening in the Glimmerlight, Space regaling us with its icy synth anthems and dansing the night away. Enjoy.

Immer weider!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXVII: Ebondazzar

When the humanoid invasion reached the Glimmerlight, we called upon our cybernetic cousins spread across the globe to help us save the blue crystals. Our Australian brethren sent Peak, which had just created the synth apparatus Ebondazzar.

Ebondazzar was the precursor to to what will be known as the Nebuchadnezzar, a technology which the humanoids will one day co-opt to battle the androids in the real world when we are once more ascendant; at least that is what the Electric Sheep's prophecy would have us believe.

Hear Ebondazzar's killer track "Nightmist" by clicking on the title of this post.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXVI: More French Synthesists

Along with the Hydravion, we also called in other French synthesists to try and save the Glimmerlight in its last days. One of which was Joël Fajerman who brought his Azimuts and Turbulences to the battlefield. He also had a really tricked out light cycle and was the only cybernetic organism capable of challenging David Hasselhoff at volleyball. Check out his masterpiece "Oiseaux" by clicking on the title of this post.

Of course, being a true android, Joël had some German circuitry as well, so we considered him one of us. These days, he spends quite a bit of time with us on the off-world colonies and we often reminisce about the glory of the blue crystals before they went dim.

Immer weider.

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXV: Hydravion

At the outset of the humanoid invasion that ultimately led to the downfall of the Glimmerlight, we called in Hydravion - a joint German/French air force that served as one of our first lines of defense along with with the Mistral and David Hasslehoff. While the Mistral fought amongst the deepest crystals, and Hass' upon the beach, the Hyrdavion took up the fight in water the air.

Check out the synth manoeuvres of Hydravion by clicking on the tile of this post.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXIV: MIstral in Action

Broadcasting high above Hurricane Irene - I thought you might like to see some footage of the Mistral at work deep in the Glimmerlight.

Enjoy.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXIII: Humanoids v. Ansectoids

At the onset of the humanoid invasion that led to the fall of the Glimmerlight, my brethren created the Mistral - half-android/half-insectoid - otherwise known as Ansectoid. We sent the Mistral forth to combat the humanoids constructing their underground metro that was ever encroaching on our blue crystal realm.

Like the spawn of any synthesist, the Mistral created a ghostly maschine musik all their own. Click on the the title of this post for a prime example: Jamie.

Jamie was an ode to the leader of the Mistral - who, like any good denizen of the Glimmerlight - had many a pseudonym: Jamie aka .knowdice aka Ansectoid # 1. Jamie led the Mistral in their battle against the humanoid invasion - which was defacing our crystals as if they were New York City Subway Ads.

Immer wieder!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXII: Das Leben Aquatic Der Jürgen Müller

Little do you know, my brethren in the Glimmerlight loved the water. You'd think the water would mess with our circuitry - but no. We would often go on day trips to the Atlantic Ocean, don our underwater gear, and hang out with the dolphins (like a German Fred Neil).

No one loved the sea more than Jürgen Müller. He would often stay under water for weeks on end. Tinkering with his synths and crystals to try and capture the sound of the sea. Click on the title of this post to check out Meeresbett Meditation - Jürgen's ode to the ocean.

This old world may never change, but we'll always have Jürgen's ode to the sea.

So say we all!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXXI: Synthesists and Pseudonyms

Every self-respecting synthesist in the Glimmerlicht had a pseudonym. Some of the androids even had a few. Do you really think I go by Maury all the time up here? An optimus prime example was Frederic Mirage aka Frank Martin-Solf aka Bernard Estardy (my second cyborg cousin). Mirage had so many pseudonyms it made you dizzy. One day he was Frederic, the next day he was Frank and the day after that he'd be Bernard. And he would get really upset if you didn't know what name he was going by on any given day. But Mirage made some of the best musik in the Glimmerlight - before the humanoid invasion; before the blue crystals went dim and we all headed to the off-world colonies. Click on the title of this post to hear one of the tracks we used to danse to all night deep under the streets of Düsseldorf: Atlantic.

Some nights as we drift high above Earth, passing over the Atlantic, we gaze down with deep robotic sadness and we put on Mirage's 8-track and we remember the good old days.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXX: The RIse of Zenamon

During the Glimmerlight's last days, we worked tirelessly to maintain the brilliance of the blue crystals that sustained us. For example, we constructed a band of synthetic synthesists and called them Zenamon. Led by Nandu, they worked tirelessly to keep the yellow crystals at bay.

Nandu and the rest of Zenamon kept the yellow crystals at bay for as long as they could, before they departed to the offworld colonies with Harald Grosskopf and the rest of us. Before they exited the Glimmerlight, Zenamon left behind their self-titled LP to serve as a reminder of their heroism. Hear its final track, "Oh Nandu, What We've Done" by clicking on the title of this post.

Rauf und runter!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut--Part XXXIX: Transformer Man

Neil Young was another guest in the Glimmerlight in its last days, traveling beneath the streets of Düsseldorf to witness the fading blue crystals.

As he had done on many previous occasions with other cultures, Young chronicled the fall of the Glimmerlight in song.

Like his composition "Pocahontas" before it, Young composed "Transformer Man" to honor the cybernetic hybrids that dwelled in the Glimmerlight. We liked it so much we brought him up to Rother's offworld colony, where he composed the rest of his tribute to all that is Glimmerlichten - Trans.

Trans went on to become the best selling Neil Young album ever among this galaxy's android population. Hear Neil's tribute to my brethren by clicking on the title of this post.

Immer wieder!

Six Degrees of Sauerkraut -- Part XXXVIII: Eno's Tears

It is said that when Brian Eno witnessed the fading of the Glimmerlight's blue crystals he wept so greatly it caused a minor flood that disrupted Düsseldorf's electrical grid, causing power outages in its red light district. Many houses of ill repute were forced to close their doors that evening. Because of this, some sailors in town on shore leave rioted, causing over 100 thousand deutsche marks in damage.

Meanwhile, deep below the streets of Düsseldorf, Eno joined Rother and Roedelius, departing for the offworld colony.

The denizens of the Glimmerlight had always loved Eno, despite the fact that he was completely human. They loved him for many reasons, but mainly because he had a big head that had processing capabilities that were equal to almost 46.53 % of those of the cybernetic synthesists that were manufactured in the Glimmerlight. Basically, he was our brother from another mother, and he always tried so hard to be one of us.

Before he walked away from the fading Glimmerlight that evening, Eno composed "Ending (Ascent)" as a tribute to the fading blue crystals - you humans can hear it by clicking on the title of this post. But please remember, this has all happened before, will it happen again?

Rauf und Runter!

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!