theremin

Lothar and the Hand People was a late 1960s psychedelic rock band known for their spacey music and pioneering use of the theremin^[1] and Moog modular synthesizer.^[2] They are notable as "the first rockers to tour and record using synthesizers, thereby inspiring the generation of electronic music-makers who immediately followed them."^[3] Formed in Denver in 1965, Lothar and the Hand People relocated to New York City in 1966. L&HP played gigs with groups such as The Byrds, Grateful Dead, Canned Heat, The Lovin' Spoonful and Chambers Brothers, and they jammed with Jimi Hendrix. Lothar and the Hand People played music for Sam Shepard's play The Unseen Hand,^[4] and was the opening act at the Atlantic City Pop Festival.

Capitol Records released two albums by this short-lived band: "Presenting … Lothar & the Hand People" (1968, produced by Robert Margouleff) and "Space Hymn" (1969, produced by Nick Venet). A Rolling Stone review described Lothar and the Hand People's music.

It is electronic country, a kind of good-time music played by mad dwarfs, and it is really good to listen to. There is no tension here, no jarring forces at war with each other. It may be strange that New York, the city which deifies speed and insanity, could produce this music, but it is as if Lothar and the Hand People have gone through this madness and come out on the other side, smiling.^[5]

Lothar and the Hand People's most popular recording was the title song "Space Hymn".^[6] In 1997, The Chemical Brothers sampled the Lothar song "It Comes on Anyhow" in "It Doesn't Matter" for their Dig Your Own Hole album.

Like TONTO's Expanding Head Band, Lothar and the Hand People was named after a modular synthesizer.^[7] Their unusual appellation refers to a theremin nicknamed "Lothar" plus the "Hand People" musicians. Lothar and the Hand People was the source for a Saturday Night Live skit called "Lothar of the Hill People" and a Boston-area theremin band named "The Lothars".^[8]