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!

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.