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TASTE OF BLUES

Krautrock • Sweden


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Taste Of Blues biography
Formed around Claes Ericsson, who would later perform in the 70's band LOTUS, Taste of Blues challenges their listeners with a saucy concoction of the late 60s psych sound as well as something entirely original and free. It might just be a stretch to call this one Krautrock, but when one jumps in at the deep end here, the overt improvisations beyond the relative blues banner up front, is downright uncanny. Loads of CAN reminding moments, and this is well before CAN even developed their legendary monotonous rhythm based structure.

Schizophrenia opens with the title track, which is a feast of krautocking hypnotising rhythms and then flips over to a more bluesy style on the 2nd side whilst still retaining a sonic playfulness.

Maybe this band is obscure beyond recognition, but it (two of the musicians that is)later evolved into the hard and heavy hitting ASOKA that sounded like a psychedelic take on ATOMIC ROOSTER.

American Don Washington provided the vocals that are eerily similar in style and delivery to Malcolm Mooney, and even the repetitiveness and fiery motorik stuttering drumming recalls a certain Jaki Liebezeit.

David (Guldbamsen)

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3.94 | 13 ratings
Schizofrenia
1969

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 Schizofrenia by TASTE OF BLUES album cover Studio Album, 1969
3.94 | 13 ratings

BUY
Schizofrenia
Taste Of Blues Krautrock

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

4 stars TASTE OF BLUES were a Swedish band who released this one album back in 1969. Their original singer came up with the band's name since he was a big fan of Paul Butterfield, John Mayall and CREAM. He would leave though and his shoes were filled by a black American named Don Washington who fled to Sweden in the mid sixties and is claimed in the liner notes to be a convicted thief and a deserter from the Vietnam war. He also hated whites and physically went after two of his band mates. The liner notes say he was in his forties and was an alcoholic and drug addict. Apparently his soulful singing is what kept him in the band despite the unflattering comments.

The most talented member of the band was the keyboardist who would later play with LOTUS, he also adds violin to this recording. The guitarist was very talented as well and loved to improvize with those fuzzed out tones. The drummer really brings to mind the band CAN with his style. He's like a machine out there. And I should mention that it's because of the side long 17 minute title track that these guys are labelled Krautrock as the second side of this record is mainly made up of blues songs including a cover of John Mayall's "Another Kinda Love". The closing track "What Kind Of Love Is That" reminds me of THE DOORS.

Prior to recording this album the band had gained a good reputation as they played gigs constantly throughout Scandanavia, including opening for Frank Zappa and the Mothers as well as the Jefferson Airplane in the summer of 1969. Still record companies weren't interested, but an American living in Sweden had faith in them and paid for the recording of this album. Unfortunately the controversial cover art kept this not only from selling well but it also kept the media from reviewing it. They didn't want to touch it so the band would breakup not long after.

Without question the 17 minute title track is the highlight with the Teutonic Krautrock style with freaky electronics including sax and flute along with fuzzed out guitar. This is an instrumental and a fine piece of Krautrock as themes are repeated and certainly the band CAN comes to mind quite strongly although I doubt these guys would have heard of them this early on.

If your into CAN you need to hear the opening track while COLOSSEUM fans might dig the rest of this record. A solid 4 stars for this obscure Swedish recording. Well worth hunting down by Krautrock and blues fans alike.

Thanks to philippe for the artist addition.

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