LIVE WIRED 2004

Hard-wired but not hot-wired ...

ZONE SIX is known in Germany for playing improvised rock music within nearly ten years now. 'Live Wired 2004' is exemplary for their jamming style. The Double LP version contains 87 minutes with impulsive drums and a lot of excellent space guitar work, sometimes bloody rocking, sometimes in a trippy trance mood. Musically the musicians get along with each other perfectly and have contributed a fine live album which is not boring in any case. As you cannot watch their special lightshow at least use your headphones please and close your eyes. At the (space)bass we have Dave Schmidt, also known for several other project contributions and solo efforts as Sula Bassana.

Synthy soundcapes are opening the emotional Hopscotch which gets tempo after some time until it culminates into a furious finale. Spheroidise could also be an excerpt of a MAN gig but is a lot more dedicated to the delay effects of Julius-K's excellent space guitar work. The trippy Sod waterways remembers me at the band TRIBE AFTER TRIBE from south africa, played with Walt Jahn's djembe accompaniment but not so heavy and more relaxed - wonderful! Beach comber starts as a Pink Floyd reminiscence, later with heavy guitar delay effects once more. A stunning song which makes you high without any other help. Susurrus is delivered in two versions whereas I'm familiar with the shorter CD one. This song is also interesting for electronic fans - ambient with spacy synths and djembe percussion - fly, fly - up into the sky.

This live album is nearly perfect - recommended to fans of trippy space rock sounds which also like Hawkwind or the 70s psychedelic/space phase of Man.

I still remember my first listen of this and being infatuated with how beautiful and trippy this was for a live album. Recorded on October 8th 2004 at Sudhaus Tubingen in Germany we get the incredible Martin Schorn on synths, Dave Schmidt(Sula Bassana) on spacebass, Julius K on guitar and Walt Jahn on drums. The last three played on the debut of a band called SUDSTERN 44 who are on the site here and released their album the same year this was recorded live so we get some great chemistry on this live event 'cause these guys like to jam and improvise.

A long one at 78 minutes spread over six tracks but it sure doesn't feel that long.

The opener "Hopscotch" is a top three opening with sounds that echo along with atmosphere before it starts to move 3 minutes in with drums and bass. Everything is more upfront and louder after 4 1/2 minutes then a minute later the guitar is lighting it up and he will take the spotlight for the next 7 plus minutes. "Collaptus" opens with experimental sounds that come and go until we get a steady and fairly heavy sound then the tempo picks up and it turns more powerful before 2 minutes. The guitar is grinding away 3 minutes in, so good. They amp it up more at 5 1/2 minutes as the guitar rips it up. The synths are amazing here and check out the guitar at 8 minutes! What! Killer track and a top three.

Final top three is that almost 23 minute "Beach Comber" which reminds me of that Canadian show I detested back in the day but with getting only 2 channels you did what you had to do. A lot of jamming here and I love how it starts with the atmosphere and picked guitar that gets louder. The main melody with drums and a fuller sound kicks in after 3 minutes with guitar over top. This is mid-paced and fairly powerful. The guitar is lighting it up after 7 minutes then they just drift along but I'm so into this. It settles after 11 minutes with bass to the fore then it kicks in hard at 11 1/2 minutes. Oh my! This continues almost to the end.

The other three tracks are also excellent including that mellow 10 minute loser. A solid 4 stars for this wonderful sounding record.