Website Official site | Years active 1970–1976, 2000–2001 Genre Krautrock | |
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Associated acts Ashra, Eruption, Klaus Schulze, Cosmic Jokers, Bettina Hohls, Timothy Leary, Agitation Free, Wallenstein Past members Manuel GöttschingHartmut EnkeKlaus SchulzeWolfgang MüllerTimothy LearyRosi Müller Albums Profiles | ||
Ash Ra Tempel was a German krautrock group active from 1970 to 1976. It was Manuel Göttsching's first prominent musical output. Ash Ra Tempel featured revolving members, with only Göttsching remaining constant. Eventually, Göttsching retired the use of the Ash Ra Tempel name after he became the sole remaining member. His first solo album Inventions for Electric Guitar was the last album to bear the Ash Ra Tempel name. It was subtitled "Ash Ra Tempel VI" functioning as the sixth and final album. Göttsching later began using the name Ashra for his solo output as an homage to his former group. Ashra eventually evolved into a full band and continued along with Göttsching until 1998.
Contents
History
The group was originally founded by guitarist Manuel Göttsching, keyboardist/drummer Klaus Schulze, and bassist Hartmut Enke in 1971. All three founding members had previously played together as part of the short-lived group Eruption founded by Conrad Schnitzler. Prior to that Schnitzler and Schulze had worked together in Tangerine Dream.
A short-lived project Manuel Göttsching had in 1970 was the Steeple Chase Blues Band, which also included Hartmut Enke, Wolfgang Müller, and Volker Zibell.
Ash Ra Tempel released its self-titled debut album in June 1971. This release is considered by critics to be a classic of the genre; Schulze temporarily departed for a solo career shortly after its release. Schwingungen (1972), Seven Up (with Timothy Leary) (1972), and Join Inn (1973) are all considered key works from the band. The pop-oriented 1973 album Starring Rosi was thus named because it featured lead vocals by Rosi Mueller.
Their music is widely characterized as cosmic and atmospheric. The early albums were more psychedelic-oriented and all had one lengthy track per side: one more powerful and dramatic, the other of a more atmospheric nature. Instead of writing English lyrics, since German language was not popular in rock music at the time, Ash Ra Tempel more or less decided not to have lyrics in their songs.
A reunion concert performance with the original line-up took place in Cologne on February 28, 1973.
Later, after recording the soundtrack Le Berceau de Cristal (1975; unreleased until 1993) Ash Ra Tempel shortened its name to Ashra, making a more melodic, synthesizer-based music. In 2000 the band was reunited in the line-up of Manuel Gottsching and Klaus Schulze. The pair had previously worked together on Schulze's album In Blue.
Influence
Ash Ra Tempel exerted a relatively large influence on later space rock and krautrock bands. The psychedelic bands Acid Mothers Temple and Hash Jar Tempo named themselves in reference to Ash Ra Tempel. The experimental rock ensemble Al Berkowitz covered Light: look at your sun, from Schwingungen, and featured it on their live album Apprenticeship and attitude (2009). Hungarian psychedelic hardcore, 'shaman punk' band Galloping Coroners also said that they were influenced by Ash Ra Tempel in the late 1970s.
Members
Studio albums
Live album
Compilations
Other releases
Songs
Light: Look at Your SunSchwingungen · 1972
Day-DreamStarring Rosi · 1973
Cosmic TangoStarring Rosi · 1973