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KLAUS KRÜGER

Progressive Electronic • Germany


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Klaus Krüger biography
KLAUS KRÜGER (sometimes also mentioned Krieger, Kruger) is a German artist well-known for his collaboration with the pivotal band TANGERINE DREAM, during the late 70s, but whose overall career, as a musician and composer, is incredibly less-known. In fact, if his and Steve Jolliffe's short but special guest appearance in TD's 1978 album Cyclone was, at that time, on everyone's lips and was remembered, afterwards (the controversy of that album adding to the fame, though more on Jolliffe's side), Krüger's musical life after that point is interesting, in some parts unexpected, but rather obscure as well.

Nevertheless, Klaus Krüger is to be recognized as a prominent artist of the 70s Electro-Rock Berlin-scene, this sort of recognition stretching beyond the aforementioned collaboration. In fact, a bit of Krüger's contact with the scene is depicted even from the previous decade, being mentioned that, since 1962, he and TANGERINE DREAM's main founder, Edgar FROESE, have known each other. Besides, Krüger was a member of "Berlin's art and design circles". Klaus Krüger's drumming extended to influential resorts, by developing his own drum sets and pioneering the use of polyester drums.

In 1978, Peter Baumann leaves TANGERINE DREAM, so Cyclone was also a search for new members, who implicitly brought a new sound to the music. Krüger's drumming can be distinctively heard through that set of compositions, as much as Steve Jolliffe's vocals strike. Krüger's collaboration, that same year, also extended on Edgar Froese's solo album Ages, though perhaps not so much on the drumming side as on electronic sampling and sequencing. Krüger is credited to have also played on TD's next album, Force Majeure, released in 1979. The collaboration with TANGERINE DREAM ends, anyway, in that year, Krüger's next role being of a totally different kind, as he was invited as a guest musician in Iggy Pop's punk supergroup for his album Soldier, along (ex-)members from Sex Pistols, Ivan Kral and XTC. Krüger's bond with TANGERINE DREAM could have resurfaced to a new and special chapter in 1992, when he was officially announced to be the guest drummer in the band's US Tour, but it actually never happened.

Klaus Krüger's focuses on solo music during the 80s, releasing One Is One and Zwischenmischung in 1981, respectively 1982. On the latter, Manuel GÖTTSCHING, from ASH RA TEMPEL/ASHRA guests on two specific tracks. Both wer...
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KLAUS KRÜGER discography


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KLAUS KRÜGER top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 2 ratings
One Is One
1981
0.00 | 0 ratings
Zwischenmischung
1982

KLAUS KRÜGER Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

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KLAUS KRÜGER Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 1 ratings
Collection
1989

KLAUS KRÜGER Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

KLAUS KRÜGER Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Collection by KRÜGER, KLAUS album cover Boxset/Compilation, 1989
4.00 | 1 ratings

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Klaus Krüger Progressive Electronic

Review by tszirmay
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

— First review of this album —
4 stars Who is Klaus Krüger? "Ich bin Ein Berliner" are words attributed to John F. Kennedy but they are quite a propos here, as Berlin was the center of the electronic music phenomenon that spawned Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel and Klaus Schulze. Drummer and electronic music pioneer with the Dream and polar opposite in a way with Iggy Pop (during Bowie's fabled Berlin period), Krüger certainly brings some pretty odd textures and sounds to this impressive " collection", recorded at Chris Franke's studio and features Manuel Göttsching on guitars , as well as a few lesser known contributors. The music herein is actually quite removed from the sweeping cinematographic epics that Tangerine Dream were famous for, instead opting for an avant-garde canvas of various effects, both percussive and electronic in nature as well as multiple tapes, voices, dripping faucets etc.In fact, it is actually closer to the Düsseldorf School that sired Can, Cluster, Neu and the robotic Kraftwerk.

"Clever Girl" has spoken word English with that repetitive German -accented "Klevah Guhrl" with increasing hysteria within the translucent drones. The brilliant "In the Meantime" is a moodier piece with shuffling train track noises similar to Trans Europ Express, a repetitive bass synth motif with a monotone female drone and a surprising "out of nowhere" sax blast that is both soothing and disconcerting. A deliciously devilish piano solo drivels over unannounced as the sax flees the scene, oblivious to the crime, adding even more somber reflection. Both "Piece A" and "Piece B" are short but genial percussive interludes that are unsettling and dissonant, the second with some superb wobbly bass synth noodlings and sprightly Moog modules that recreate the sound of the jungle. "Disziplin" is a 9 minute extended affair that searches out new territories, the real drums and percussion giving a definitely more organic feel while at the same time stretching into bizarre tones and intense sonics. This is no easy listening backwash or muzak. In fact, there is an underlying gruesome sensation that manages to keep the listener somewhat off-guard. The avian synthesizer warbles are spellbinding and unyielding, creating an imaginary world that is interestingly both austere and laissez-faire. The female spoken word makes a return adding even more enigma, egged along by the militaristic beat. "Suchen" is like a quirky Ultravox (Vienna period) track gone haywire, pummeling along then stop-starting for no apparent reason. Very cool, pity it lasts only 2 minutes and change! "Hektik" is another spurt that highlights the "mekanikal" drums and percussion, the title says it all. "Deutschland" is the next longer opus clocking in at 6 minutes, a musical accolade to their native Germany with a surprising amount of gentle serenity that caught me off guard as I was expecting some booming Wagnerian meisterwerk. The musical onus is clearly on the brighter future rather than the somewhat thorny past, a frequent occurrence among artists in post-war Germany. This is another highlight that begs for a wider audience as the orchestrations are rather clever and inspirational. A supremely restrained guitar flight adorns this seminal piece. The closest comparison is a more laid back Yello without the goofy vocals. "Motorik" is almost Kraftwerkian in scope, a nearly 4 minute modern rhythmic romp that exudes robotics, automation and computerization. The lower register synth work is invigorating. "Marokko" portrays the North African spirit with lush taped effects, idiosyncratic patterns, scorched "de rigueur" percussives and arid drums that all conspire to create a tropical effect of bewildering animation yet parched abandon. "Finale" ends (pretty eloquent there, you oxy-moron!) with a electro-goodbye, droning synths, gongs, wind and scratching static.

All in all, a surprising collection of electronic jewels that vastly diverges from the accepted norm, boldly daring to explore new sounds and creating otherworldly textures. Refreshing, ultra-modern and ausgezeichnet.

4.5 Unter den Lindens

Thanks to ricochet for the artist addition.

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