The Hannover Connection - Part 2

In the late 60's / beginning 70's there were three major forces coming out of a single town, Hannover-Germany, which in parts defined a genre known as krautrock these days. The bands came all three to great success throughout Europe. The bands itselfs named

The Scorpions - Eloy - Jane.

Here are some more releases from those bands and relatives:

Michael Schenker is a german guitarist first known from the Scorpions. With the Scorpions he released only 2 albums, 1973's Lonesome Crow and 1979's Lovedrive. In 1974 he left the Scorpions to join the british band UFO. After and between UFO he released a string of albums as Michael Schenker Group, McAuley Schenker Group or simply Michael Schenker as this one. Thank You is an acoustic album only played by guitar. No other musicians are involved here. Michael is the brother of Scorpions leader Rudolf Schenker.

The JP's (Jaypee's) were a band from Germany in the late 60's. They have released only this single in 1969 under this name. The JP's were Klaus Hess - guitar, Peter Panka - vocals, Wolfgang Krantz - bass, Klaus Zaake - drums. In the beginning 70's the members regrouped as Jane.


Guitarist Klaus Hess was a founding member of the JP's and Jane. In 1982 he left Jane to record his own material. Technodrome is his second solo release from 1992 and features electronic music.
This one were contributed by an anonymous user.


German drummer Fritz Randow was a longtime member with Eloy from 1971 to 1976, recording 5 albums with them. In 1976 he left Eloy and joined the german band Epitaph. With Epitaph he released this 1979 album Return to Reality. In the beginning 80's he rejoined Eloy (1981–1984), recording another 4 albums. In 1985 he left Eloy again to join heavy metal bands Victory, Sinner and Saxon. As of Summer 2007 Fritz is Peter Panka replacement in Jane.

Various: Bakersfield Rebels

File under: Bakersfield Country Rock according to the label on the cd.
This cd contains late 1960's gems featuring Clarence White, Guilbeau & Parsons, Gosdin Brothers, Dennis Payne and many more.

Bakersfield Rebels is volume 4 in a serie of 4 cd's documenting Gary S. Paxton's Bakersfield Productions, recorded between 1965 and 1970.
The other 3 volumes are devoted to Guilbeau & Parsons, Clarence White and the Gosdin Brothers.Not all of what is presented on this compilation could be considered country music.

... And he saw it was good.

Beginning in 1981 Chris Hillman, Al Perkins and Bernie Leadon had various projects to create some christian/gospel music.
In 1981 God Loves Country Music featuring well known artists from the countryrock style like Richie Furay and Gib Guilbeau.
In 1983 they teamed up again for Down Home Praise.The lineup featured Steve Hill (Guitars, Vocals), Dan McCorison (Guitars, Vocals), Chris Hillman (Mandolin, Vocals), Jerry Scheff
(Acoustic Bass), Mel Durham (Acoustic Bass), David Mansfield (Fiddle), Bernie Leadon (Banjo), Al Perkins (Dobro), Tommy Funderburk (Vocals).
A Year later, in 1984 the third go, called Ever call ready was released. Ever call ready were:
Chris Hillman (Byrds, FBB and Manassas)-mandolin
Bernie Leadon ( Eagles,FBB)-banjo
Al Perkins (FBB, Manassas)-dobro
Jerry Scheff (Session bass player)-bass
David Mansfield (Alpha Band)-fiddle

Flying Burrito Brothers - Live From Tokyo

Have made a lot of references to this band, but I've never shared an album of them. So here is a late one, released in 1979.
After the dropping of the band by Columbia Rec, the Flying Burrito Brothers pressed on as a touring act. Gib Guilbeau, Joel Scott Hill, Sneaky Pete Kleinow and Mickey McGee reunited with Skip Battin and Gene Parsons (playing guitar due to a wrist injury) and began tour as the Flying Burrito Brothers again. By 1979, Greg Harris and Ed Ponder were hired to replace Joel Scott Hill and Mickey McGee respectively. During this time, Gene Parsons also left the group and was not replaced.

Sloop John B - Beach Boys

This is a 15 minutes long Sloop John B. edit, sung by the Beach Boy's legendary lineup Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine and Mike Love. May the new Brian Wilson album That Lucky Old Sun become a worldwide success for him...

Al Jardine & The Beach Boy Family - Live in Las Vegas

This is a great live CD and more importantly, the best Beach Boy recording in decades. Even though the only original Beach Boy here is Al Jardine it is a record full of Beach Boy music done by Al's sons and the Wilson sisters. It is the most energetic sound of the Beach Boy music that I've ever heard and puts the sad 60 year old version of Beach Boy music put out by Mike Love to shame. When the Jardine sons and Wilsons sing they are actually excited to be singing these tunes and are not going through the motions. This makes Al Jardine's record outstanding because behind it is an energy about Beach Boy music.

The Hannover Connection

In the late 60's / beginning 70's there were three major forces coming out of a single town, Hannover-Germany, which in parts defined a genre known as krautrock these days. The bands came all three to great success throughout Europe. The bands itselfs named

The Scorpions - Eloy - Jane.

Here are four solo recordings from four of their members.

1981 Hermann Rarebell - Nip In The Bud
Herman Rarebell is a German drummer, best known for his time in the Scorpions 1977-1995, playing on 8 studio albums. He was an important composer writing or co-writing songs like Another Piece of Meat, Falling in Love and Passion Rules The Game. In 1981 he released his first solo album Nip In The Bud. He remains the only member of the Scorpions to have released a solo project while still a full member of the band.

1983 Klaus Peter Matziol - Matze
Klaus Peter Matziol is a German bassist, known from the band Eloy. As a longtime member of Eloy he recorded 10 albums 1976-1984, 1994.
In 1983 he recorded his solo album Matze with german lyrics.



1983 Klaus Hess - Sternentanz
Klaus Hess is a German guitarist, known from the band Jane. With Jane he recorded 11 albums from 1972 - 1982. Much of the bands output in these Years are compositions from Klaus Hess. In 1994 Jane disbanded, but 2 different Jane's are still touring with a changed lineup(Peter Panka's Jane, Mother Jane).

1987 Manfred Wieczorke - Transfer
Manfred Wieczorke is a German keyboardist, who played with two of the Hannover bands. First together with Eloy 1971 - 1975 releasing four albums. Then together with Jane 1976 - 1979 releasing again four albums.
Amazingly, the albums with his involvement are the best of the two bands.

Richie Furay - Part 5

1964 Au Go-Go Singers - They Call us Au Go-Go Singers

The Au Go-Go Singers included Kathy King (who later toured with Bobby Vinton and appeared in the Broadway show, Oh!Calcutta! and currently works as Kathrin King Segal), Jean Gurney, Michael Scott (who afterward performed with the Highwaymen and the Serendipity Singers), Rick Geiger (who later was accepted into a light opera company), Roy Michaels (who later performed with Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys, and toured with Jimi Hendrix), Nels Gustafson, Bob Harmelink, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. Gustafson and Harmelink had been in an earlier trio with Richie Furay, but quit show business after the demise of the Au Go-Go Singers. It was also at the Cafe au Go Go that a new folk group, The Company, was formed from some remnants of the Au Go-Go Singers: Geiger, Michaels, Scott, Gurney and Stills. While on tour, Stills first met Neil Young, who was performing with the Squires, an opening act for The Company. Stills, Young, Furay, and two others formed the Buffalo Springfield.

1990 Poco - The Forgotten Trail

In their own words:
The Forgotten Trail is that we discovered, just as you about to, as the listener. This trail of recorded performances was discovered by historical Poco scouts and devoted musical trackers searching through the musical treasures of the vast Epic Records vaults. We thank those professionals, who are devoted to the music of Poco, for reminding us that the original heart from which this music came has passed the test of time. A new generation stands side by side the old, and enjoys the songs and performances that still continue to inspire us today. Kick back, and enjoy some of the musical memories that we ourselfs had forgotten.

1989 Poco - Legacy

After years on the circuit, playing a country tinged West Coast type sound, Poco attempt to poke their nose into the melodic rock camp, and guess what? They do real well. This album Legacy has a few things in it's favor, namely the production camp of David Cole and Richard Marx and some of the friends who helped out, like Lee Sklar, Gary Mallaber, Jeff Porcaro, C.J Vanston, Joe Chemay and Richard Marx himself.
The lineup on this album harks bark to Poco's formative years, the late sixties no less(Furay/Messina/Young/Meisner/Grantham). So the gentlemen, have reformed and given us a reminder that no matter how old you are, if you've got it, you'll always have it. And so be it, some twenty years on, the Poco brigade is playing a melodic rock road. You could actually say that the material here is a pre-cursor to the stuff we're seeing in the new country arena now. So, lets have a listen..