Necronomicon (Krautrock band)

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Necronomicon
General information
origin Aachen , Germany
Genre (s) Progressive rock , symphonic rock
founding 1970
Website www.necronomicon-1972.com
Founding members
Norbert Breuer
Walter Sturm
Gerd Libber
Harald Bernhard
Current occupation
Vocals, electric guitar
 Norbert Breuer
Vocals, electric guitar (lead)
 Walter Sturm
Electric bass
 Gerd Libber
Drums
 Harald Bernhard
Organ, mellotron
Helmut Herzog
Flute, sound and light technology
 Karl Swiontek
former members
Electric bass
 Detlev Hakenbeck
Electric bass
 Bernhard Hocks
Electric bass
 Bernd Oppitz
Organ, keyboard
 Wolfgang "Fistus" Dickmann
Organ, keyboard
 Dieter Ose († 2007)

Necronomicon is a German progressive rock band from Aachen .

history

Necronomicon from Aachen is one of the few progressive groups that dared to perform their songs in German as early as the 1970s. Guitarist and singer Walter Sturm, Norbert Breuer, also on guitar and singer as well as Gerd Libber on bass got together in the summer of 1970 and added the drummer Harald Bernhard to the group. Fistus Dickmann joined the group a little later as the fifth man on the keyboard. Necronomicon, based on the book by HP Lovecraft, was the first German rock band under this name. The name “Necronomicon” was deliberately not intended to stand for esotericism and the “fictional cosmic horrors” described by Lovecraft, but rather the group wanted to use their music to point out very tangible, real horrors.

1970 had Necronomicon still pieces of John Mayall , Pink Floyd , Ten Years After , Black Sabbath , Uriah Heep and Deep Purple gecovert . Her first own works were then sung in English.

Detlev Hakenbeck took over bass in 1971 and passed it on to Bernhard Hocks in 1972.

In the spring of 1972 they recorded six tracks for an LP on a two-track tape recorder from Revox in a small studio in Kerkrade, Holland , of which 500 were pressed at Carl Lindström GmbH in Cologne. The title Tips for Suicide has nothing to do with instructions on how to end one's own life individually, but refers to the devastation of the earth by humans, who thereby deprive themselves of their own livelihoods. The group came up with something very special for the self-glued cover: It can be folded out five times, so it consists of six square surfaces that when opened form a cross. The holistic concept of the group name, the rock music, the German lyrics and the title of the LP, first realized in 1972, found its artistic completion in the cover design by Harald Bernhard, the group's drummer, not only formally (cross), but also in particular content (topics: thoughtless environmental destruction, overpopulation, exploitation, injustice, violence). This LP is one of the most expensive LPs on the international market today.

In 1973 Dieter Ose came to the keys for Fistus Dickmann, and founding member Gerd Libber took over the bass again. Walter Sturm had left temporarily to play for Rufus Zuphall , but came back in 1974. In an advertising folder from Necronomicon on the occasion of the new music program, which had been completed by then, one could read: “Our music should also appeal to those who hardly or never deal with the facts of wars, social grievances and environmental threats. That's why we combine our music with German lyrics. The Necronomicon musical style is characterized by influences from classical, jazz , folklore and rock , as far as classification is required . Polyphonic singing is used as an important sound element. "

In 1976 Necronomicon was initially dissolved. Walter Sturm, Harald Bernhard and Dieter Ose continued with a new concept and bassist Bernd Oppitz shortly afterwards. Important innovation: English instead of German lyrics, new program with shorter, sometimes rockier, sometimes more melodic original compositions. In the aforementioned four-person line-up, they continued unchanged until 1981 and then finally disbanded. After the sudden and unexpected death of Dieter Ose in August 2007, recordings of the new program were released in 2009 on the CD Strange Dreams .

Since the end of 2010, Necronomicon has been making music again with almost the original line-up (Harald Bernhard, drums; Norbert Breuer, guitar; Gerd Libber, bass; Walter Sturm, guitar). Helmut Herzog is now playing the keyboard with the original sound (Hammond plus Leslie) and additional Mellotron emulation. Karl Swiontek has been enriching the sound with flute , saxophone and bass clarinet since 2013 .

style

Necronomicon combines progressive rock music with German lyrics. The Necronomicon musical style is characterized by influences from classical, jazz , folklore and rock , as far as classification is required . Polyphonic singing is used as an important sound element. The through-composed songs are typical of the 1970s: multi-layered, with numerous changes in style and tempo, polyphonic guitar and organ passages, but also room for improvisations.

Discography

  • 1972: Tips on Suicide (Album)
  • 1990: Four Chapters (4-LP-Box, Little Wing of Refugees)
  • 2009: Strange Dreams (Garden of Delights)
  • 2012: Haifische (LP / CD, Remedy-Records)

Web links