Guru Guru

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Guru Guru is one of the pioneering German space rock/kraut rock bands. They have released numerous albums and they really need no more introduction. 
I got in touch with Mani Neumeier  for a small chat about Guru Guru.
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Let's start with your personal history.
Where were you born and what was your introduction to rock music,
which at that time was regarded as a bit “risky” for young people
?

I was born in Munich on 31.12. 1940. I
came from the Irene Schweizer Trio and I was the 
first freejazz
drummer in Germany and Europe. After I heard Jimi Hendrix I wanted to
play electric/amplified music. We - Uli Trepte bass and I started the
idea and concept of GURU GURU.

When and where was Guru Guru formed ?
By whom ? Who was your musical influences ?

This was spring 68,our first concert
was 4.aug. 68 in Heidelberg, Germany. We were influenced by Coltrane,
Miles, Monk, Coleman, Taylor, also by indian,african +other
worldmusic + stockhausen+all kind of natur + citysounds + noises.

How was your first gigs and how did you
get spotted by your first record label ?

Our first gigs where very
free,noisy,spacy improvised sounds,chaotic+loud and in the end always
police came. The pope of ,krautrock, -Kaiser was running for weeks
behind us to get us for his new label Ohr. First we did not want to
make a lp. 

Each individual Guru Guru studio album
is pretty different from each other so it is only fair that we run
through each of them and you just add your own, short or long
comments to them and what type of music we can find on them. 

Please tell us more about UFO from 1970

A milestone of the space/acid rock with
me, uli t.+ ax genrich guitar

…..Hinten from 1971

With Conny Plank on the mixing desk,
very compact and a great,clear sound. One of my favorits. 

…...Känguru from 1972

Also produced with  Conny, supersound,-
sold ca. 20.000  

…....Guru Guru from 1973

First influences of rockn roll+others.

…...Don't Call Us We Call You from
1973

Influences of, world + red indian music
to hear.

….....Dance of the Flames from 1974 

With Houschäng Nejadepur on guitar.
Influenced by Mahavishnu Orchestra.

…......Mani und seine Freunde from
1975 

My first solo lp with musicians from,
kraan, + moebius(cluster) a.o. -very groovy album!

….......Tango Fango from 1976 

Rock, pop, worldmusic, good produced -
sold ca. 20.000

…......Globetrotter from 1977

Rocky, spacy, with guests from
kraan...etc 

…....Hey Du from 1979

Many different stiles, good produced,
sold good.

…...... Mani In Germani from 1981

Influenced by our USA tour, a bit
punky..

…........Guru Mani Neumeiers neue
Abenteuer from 1983 

Thommy Patexx, key chowmeier, bass
-diff.stile-psycedelic too

….......Jungle from 1987

With Hans Reffert, guitar + other line
up new influences

…........Shake Well from 1993 

With Luigi Archetti guitar.+ Rasem
Rübel, voc, bass spacy + rockn roll influenced

….......Wah Wah from 1995

with roland Schaeffer guitar + others,
psycadelic + rocky

…...... Moshi Moshi from 1997

+ l.archetti, Peter Kühmstedt
bass+H.Reffert guitar., a very nice record, many stiles, influ.by our
Japan tour 

….......2000 Gurus from 2000 

Same line up, used many loops +
el.drums, a bit loungy, spacy

….......In The Guru Lounge from 2005

Same people, rocky, loungy, jazzy 

….. and finally; PSY from 2008

Same line up with guests , Chris
Karrer-Amon Düül 2- Helmut Hattler+Jan Fride- Kraan,
Moebius-Cluster, Uchihashi Japan... 

You have also released a lot of live
and compilation albums. Is there any of them you highly recommend and
is there any of them you would warn us against ?

guru guru 2008 live....

22..in work...doublebind..
dec.2010 

30 years guru guru live-98 ,-2 from 98
finkenbach festival with g.g. +musicians from ,can, ,-1 cd guru guru
live 1971,a good feeling! 

1live cd  75, outcuts, bootleg,
not good

You have cooperated with Bo Diddeley
and other greats from the history of music. Please tell us more about
these co-operations.

no,,sorry ,we did not cooperate with bo
diddley, we only gave a song on ,,HINTEN his name.  

Was Guru Guru ever a part of a music
scene or had any political affiliation during the 1970s which saw a a
lot of political activities in the then West-Germany with the
Baader-Meinhof gang and other leftist “movements” ?

Of course, we where and are still a
part of the music scene, with over 3000 concerts since 1968, on our
40 years jubilee tour we had 69 concerts in 2008.

Yes, we had political affilations with
the student movement and played sometimes in prisons.

What is your experiences with the
record labels and the rest of the music industry ?

The experiences with the rec.labels was
mostly not so good, they keep too much money for themself.

Your many live albums testify that Guru
Guru was and is an active live band. Please tell us more about Guru
Guru at stage.

Guru Guru on stage try to make more
than only a concert, it is like a happening and I have a warm
connection with the people. We want to make them happy.

What is your memories of Guru Guru and
how do you think Guru Guru will be remembered in the next 200 years ?

I have 1000 memories of Guru Guru. And
people will may be remember us for that music we made up with other
krautrockgroups and listen our cds.

And if my waxfigure in the Tokyo Wax
Museum is not melting away, people can still look at me, ManiSan of
Guru Guru.

Is there any of today's music and bands
you like ?

I like many,for instance
Acidmotherstemple or Afri Rampo of Japan or Gong...

What is the future plans for yourself
and Guru Guru ?

We play as long we can, bring out a new
cd ,doublealbum, make this year 55 concerts in Europe and I go to
Australia, New Zealand & Japan in 3 months and have gigs
holidays.

What is your all time five favourite
albums ?

Hinten, Känguru, Mani + Seine Freunde,
Moshi Moshi and the new one.

 Anything you want to add to this
interview ?

Thank you for your interest and
questions and forgive me for my strange English.

Thank you to Mani for this interview

Their PA profile is here and their homepage here

Guru Guru

Nice Interview. Must listen to their songs now.