Classic Rock 410 Items

Welsh rockers Badfinger in live performances on the BBC radio and TV network. Badfinger was the first band other than the Beatles signed to the Apple Records label in 1968.

After a hiatus of almost 4 years Berlin-based label Avec Plaisir Records is finally back with their second outing: A stunning collection of six almost forgotten Progressive Rock oddities by the Austrian Band Crazy Temple.

Being mostly active in the late 70ies, the bunch of youngsters around the songwriting duo Günter Schiller and Herbert Bachinger only released one cassette „Heavy Birth“ as well as the sought-after 7-inch record „Homecomer“ in 1980 shortly before the band was scattered to the four winds. Their productions were recorded in the myth-enshrouded Ebensee Studio, were two members of the band were on the payroll.

Despite their fairly young age Crazy Temple established a very unique and authentic sound, carried by breezy synthesizers, meandering guitar-solos and the mature voice of Günter Schiller that seems heavily influenced by the favorite bands of their time. Being able to maintain a room in „Schloss Ebenzweier“ where already Franz Schubert was composing might have helped equally as the herbs the teens were smoking during countless hours of rehearsal.

The completion of the first long-player by Crazy Temple was originally planned for early 1981 - 43 years later the plan is put into action with the help of Avec Plaisir founders Sandra & Hendrik Stein. The record comes with six fully remastered original tracks recorded in 1980 complemented by three different takes on „Ev’rything’s Alright“ and „Homecomer“ by label-wright Sandra’s Alias Frinda di Lanco. The reproduction of Oto Atman’s etching „Die Träumerin von Eden“ as cover artwork adds zest to the authentic look of this release.

The last, and previously unreleased, recordings from the legendary and world renowned Swedish psychedelic organist Bo Hansson before he passed away. (Jimi Hendrix was a fan and recorded his song “Tax Free”). Here you can listen to Bosse in fine form together with his lively organ student and keyboardist extraordinary; Eric Malmberg, joined by drummer Niklas Korsell, creating mesmerizing and ethereal space jazz. The music seems to contain information about a deep perspective that questions both time and space and recognize the universe unfolding its abstract process of creation.