Birth Control [Import]

Product Description
1997 reissue on the Repertoire label of the Krautrock act's self-titled 1969 debut featuring their hard rocking cover ofThe Doors' 'Light My Fire' and four bonus tracks, including the two tracks from their very first single (the last two listed): 'No Drugs' (Mono Single Mix), 'All I Want Is You', 'October' & 'Freedom'. 11 tracks total.

Birth Control,Birth Control,Repertoire,Heavy Metal,Pop,Pop/Rock,Prog-Rock/Art Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop

Average customer rating: Certainly Birth Control's finest early album Birth Control - 'Hoodoo Man' (Columbia) Easily their best!

Hoodoo Man Birth Control ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sea Shanties Space Shanty Definitive Collection ASIN: B000025FDB Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

1. Buy!
2. Get Down to Your Fate
3. Suicide
4. Gamma Ray
5. Hoodoo Man
6. Kaulstoss

Album Description

The German progressive hard rock band's 1973 album. Columbia.

Customer Reviews:

Certainly Birth Control's finest early album.......2007-07-20

1972's Hoodoo Man found Birth Control recording for CBS, which obviously helped them get even better exposure than when they were on Ohr. Their previous album Operation was on Ohr and it certainly seemed like the odd album on that label, given that label was dishing out stuff like Tangerine Dream's Zeit, and at the same time, Operation, which was like a German Deep Purple with prog trappings and not typical for the label. The band, in my opinion, released an even better album with their CBS debut, the album being reviewed here. They got themselves a new keyboard player, Wolfgang Neuser, who included Hammond organ, Hohner Pianet, and even some synthesizer. I really dig his organ playing, where you hear the clicking sounds of the organ. I really think this is one of the finest example of hard rock with prog rock trappings. "Buy!" starts off almost in Black Sabbath territory with heavy guitar work from Bruno Frenzo, but then you get those progressive passages, and a great synth solo. Vocal duties are from Bruno Frenzo and drummer Bernd Noske. "Suicide" is a wonderful jazzy piece with lots of great Hammond organ and electric piano. "Get Down to Your Fate" continues showing the hard rock side of the band, with equally heavy organ and guitar work. "Gamma Ray" was the hit on the album, apparently didn't become a hit until 1975, and for some reason was popular at discotheques in Germany. It's a rather extended piece with an extended percussion solo, and nice organ work. Still the song doesn't sound particularly disco (this was 1972, after all). The title track is by far the most progressive thing on the album, especially the classical influences and pipe organ. "Kaulstoss" is a short instrumental piece, influenced by Celtic music, done Birth Control style, with Wolfgang Neuser playing a famous Scottish song on his synthesizer. Although a certain George MacKnickerick is credited to bagpipes on this album, there are no bagpipes to be found. I really love how both guitar and organ gets equal billing, often together, throughout the album, I never heard an album with such guitar/organ interplay as this album, so both fans of the guitar and the organ will be equally satisfied.

I found Birth Control to be rather underrated. Prog rock fans find them too hard rock for their liking (for the more traditional prog rock fan, go for 1975's Plastic People or 1976's Backdoor Possibilities to hear Birth Control at their most progressive, least hard rocking side), and Krautrock fans used to stuff like Can, Neu, Faust, and the likes would not find much of interest here. But to me, I really think Birth Control made some great albums, and Hoodoo Man is a great album to start if you don't know this band.

Birth Control - 'Hoodoo Man' (Columbia).......2006-02-27

Originally released in 1974,as this was the progressive krautrock band's eighth album.Didn't personally get as much out of it as I did their 'Operation' CD reissue(see my review).Oh,it isn't a bad effort,simply not exactly what I had expected.Key tracks here include "Get Down To Your Fate",the rather jazz like "Suicide" and the title cut "Hoodoo Man".Believe they have at least two or three titles out there I plan to eventually check out.

Easily their best!.......2006-01-30

My first introduction to the band was them doing an atrocious version of 'light my fire' on the 'who is there?' album (unreleased on c.d) vocals were never the bands strong point, but as a decent heavy rock band they were pretty good. This is an improvement on the excellant 'operation' due to the lack of brass. It is down to the basic four man line up and is all the better for it. At times a little Uriah heep 'get down to your fate' and 'buy' but that's no bad thing. The standout is the jazzy 'suicide' which is the best thing they ever recorded. 'Gamma ray' is a classic with great wah-wah/vocal interplay and the only downside is the title track overstaying its welcome. If you like this then get 'operation' and the progressive 'plastic people' A fine example of early seventies kraut/rock.

Average customer rating: Their first progressive album Typical 70's prog from Germany:3stars,1/2 is righter

Plastic People Birth Control Manufacturer: Repertoire ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Space Shanty Jade Warrior Hoodoo Man Polite Force Felona E Sorona ASIN: B00005J7GM Release Date: 2001-04-30

Tracks:

1. Plastic People
2. Tiny Flashlights
3. My Mind
4. Rockin' Rollin' Roller
5. Trial Trip
6. This Song Is Just for You

Album Description

Repertoire reissue of the German prog act's 1975 album that is unavailable domestically. 6 tracks including 'Plastic People' & 'Trial Trip'. 2001 release.

Customer Reviews:

Their first progressive album.......2006-05-16

Birth Control had already released a bunch of albums since the start of the '70s and had been frequently compared with Deep Purple. It's probably the reason why the band is often not the most respected in the prog and Krautrock communities. Birth Control certainly doesn't bear much resemblance to groups like Can, Amon Duul II, Ash Ra Tempel, the Ohr-era Tangerine Dream, pre-Autobahn Kraftwerk, Neu, Faust, etc., that's why they aren't too respected with Krautrock fans, and maybe come across as too much as conventional hard rock for prog fans.

This out of the way: 1975's Plastic People is the very first Birth Control album I have ever heard, and I have yet to dig in to their catalog to get a stronger opinion of these guys. This was their final album for CBS, and they changed musical directions to full-on prog rock. Prog rock fans who might have been unkind to Birth Control would be happy with Plastic People. The hard rock influences have been toned down considerably turning to a style of prog rock that brings to mind ELP, Genesis, Grobschnitt, Gentle Giant, etc. In fact the opening cut, the title track, will bring to mind Grobschnitt, with similar sounding vocals, the big difference, is the band lacks the Teutonic humor that was the trademark of Grobschnitt. Zeus B. Held is responsible for keyboard duties here, with the Hammond organ, electric piano, Moog, clavinet, and even some Mellotron. "Tiny Flashlight" is another fantastic piece, and this is on of the pieces where Zeus B. Held whips out the Mellotron (he also uses it on "Trial Trip", but this album isn't plastered with the instrument). The music features all the complexities that would keep all the die-in-the-wool progheads happy. This piece suddenly ends with the band going tango, and also some nice jazzy sax to go with it at the end. "My Mind" starts off almost medieval, with some nice use of cello (one of the cellists here was Jochen von Grumbkow, of Hoederlin, and also appeared on Tangerine Dream's Zeit). "Rockin' Rollin' Roller" is the one cut the band looks to their hard rock past. "This Song is Just For You" features some Chicago or Blood, Sweat & Tears-like horns, but with progressive arrangements, but also some soul influences that might scare off some prog fans, but works surprisingly well.

If you liked the earlier Birth Control like Operation or Hoodoo Man, Plastic People would come as a shock, but for progheads, this is the album to start with.

Typical 70's prog from Germany:3stars,1/2 is righter.......2003-03-20

Actually the right rate should be 3 star and 1/2, cause the second side of the album (almost the whole),is in the vein of classic hard rock, which is not very original (even though it is in the vein of their debut album, which was not progressive and quite Deep Purple-like). The present issue is indeed characterized by a complex sound, expecially the keyboards by Zeus B. Held, a competent keyboardplayer and a good composer as well ... the sound reminds me of such german space rock;instead the guitar sound trademark is that one you find at the end of "Trial trip": in particular such sensible final guitar excursion, which is a Bruno Frenzel trademark!!
But proceeding by order, first of all you can listen to the excellent title track, written off as a song with beautiful instrumental parts and gentle vocals as well!! Instead the track "Tiny Flashlight" is more symphonic oriented in the middle section and sometimes reminding of the proto-prog sound of East of Eden in the album "Merkator projected". Finally in my opinion there is the best track of the album "My mind": it seems the german reply to Gentle Giant, but its sound is not at all like that stuff! The already mentioned "Trial Trip" is based upon an hard rock riff, but after few passages it turns to a symphonic guitar excursion by Frenzel, of which I have already talked to you ...this is probably the unique track of side two which is worth checking out;moreover the support of the mellotron is remarkable and well performed too!! The closing section is represented by a tepid song with a rather unoriginal and slick soul music stuff, but helped and improved by some horns and an interesting flute as well... better things had to come afterwards!!

Average customer rating:

Live Birth Control Manufacturer: Repertoire ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000MEYHQC Release Date: 2007-03-26

Tracks:

1. Work Is Done
2. Back from Hell
3. Gammy Ray
4. She's Got Nothing on You
5. Long Tall Sally

Album Details

Includes a Booklet with Authoritative and Extensive Liner Notes by Chris Welch.

Average customer rating: Get your pill here!

Birth Control Birth Control Manufacturer: Repertoire ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B0000085HF Release Date: 2002-11-25

Tracks:

1. No Drugs
2. Recollection
3. Deep Inside
4. Foolish Action
5. Sundown
6. Change of Mind
7. Light My Fire
8. No Drugs
9. All I Want Is You
10. October
11. Freedom

Album Description

1997 reissue on the Repertoire label of the Krautrock act's self-titled 1969 debut featuring their hard rocking cover ofThe Doors' 'Light My Fire' and four bonus tracks, including the two tracks from their very first single (the last two listed): 'No Drugs' (Mono Single Mix), 'All I Want Is You', 'October' & 'Freedom'. 11 tracks total.

Customer Reviews:

Get your pill here!.......2002-11-11

This first album is a great mix of early DEEP PURPLE, URIAH HEEP and E.L.P., with a large sense of humour-THE DOORS's cover Light my fire, and a lot of 70's kitsch!
They might not have been as great musicians as DP or ELP but they sure knew how to rock in the 70's.
Lots of instrumental parts where the keyboard player shows his talent on the hammond and some great bonus tracks on this specific re-edition.
A very enthousiastic first album that will lead to the great OPERATION and the incredible LIVE ALBUM.
An important discovery for 70's rock fans.

Average customer rating: Great 70's album

Increase Birth Control Manufacturer: Repertoire ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B0000085HG Release Date: 2002-11-25

Tracks:

1. Skate Board Sue
2. Domono's Hammock
3. Fight for You
4. Until the Night
5. Get Up!
6. We All Thought We Knew You
7. Seems My Bike's Riding Me

Album Description

Repertoire reissue of 1977 album by German prog act, origin-ally released on the Brain label. Seven tracks, including 'Skateboard Sue', 'Domino's Hammock' & 'Fight For You'.

Customer Reviews:

Great 70's album.......2003-01-09

My favourite BC album!
A great mix of HARD ROCK and Prog from the late 70's!
The songs are powerful and complex yet not as twisted and filled with horns and stuff like on Rebirth or Plastic People.
Birth Control keeps it straight without falling into the Heavy/Hard cliches-like they will later in the 80's.
Again a lot of room for keyboards-hammond-and guitar solos, and the vibrant deep voice of the singer who decided to be the frontman of the band and left his drumseat to a real drummer!

Probably Birth Control at their peak of creativity and professionalism.

Average customer rating:

The Very Best of Birth Control Birth Control Manufacturer: Sbme Import ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000026EMI Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

1. Gamma Ray
2. She's Got Nothing on You
3. My Mind
4. Buy!
5. Tiny Flashlights
6. No Shade Is Real
7. This Song Is Just for You
8. Back from Hell
9. Plastic People
10. M.P.C.

Album Description

German compilation for the progressive rock act. 10 tracks including 'Gamma Ray', 'She's Got Nothing On You ' & 'Plastic People'.

Average customer rating:

Operation Birth Control Manufacturer: Repertoire/Hepcat ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0002B785M Release Date: 2002-11-04

Average customer rating:

Two Worlds Birth Control Manufacturer: Green Tree ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00000893T Release Date: 1998-12-07

Tracks:

1. Preacher Man
2. Two Worlds
3. Automatic World
4. Sperminator's Lost Battle
5. Hoodoo-Man
6. Back from Hell
7. Sperminator Strikes Back
8. Gamma Ray '95
9. Burnt Gas
10. Work Is Done

Album Description

Green Tree. 2004.

Average customer rating:

Bang Birth Control Manufacturer: Repertoire/Hepcat ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0002B784S Release Date: 2002-11-04

Average customer rating: Birth Control goes the way of Gentle Giant Birth Control steers towards such Gentle Giant style!!

Backdoor Possibilities Birth Control Manufacturer: Repertoire ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00000AOUS Release Date: 2002-11-25

Tracks:

1. Prologue
2. Physical and Mental Short Circuit
3. Subterranean Escape
4. Film of Life
5. Childhood Flash-Back
6. Legal Labyrinth
7. Farrockaway Ropedancer
8. Moineau de Paris
9. Cha Cha d'Amour

Album Description

1997 Repertoire reissue of 1976 album for the Brain label byGerman art rock who occasionally delved into jazz & classical, with both sides of a single added as bonus tracks, 'Fall Down' & 'Laugh Or Cry'. 14 tracks total.

Customer Reviews:

Birth Control goes the way of Gentle Giant.......2007-07-16

Birth Control was mainly a hard rock band with prog trappings, of their early releases, I have always felt that Hoodoo Man was by far their finest albums (I know some point to Operation, but I felt Operation was an excellent album that pointed to the even greater heights of Hoodoo Man). I felt the band took a backstep with the more ordinary Rebirth, but then after a live album, they surprisingly went the full-on prog route with Plastic People. It was with Plastic People that convinced symphonic prog rock fans out there who were otherwise not too keen on the band. With Backdoor Possibilities, they made a switch from CBS (who apparently wasn't happy with the new prog direction the band was heading) to Brain, and this ended up as one of the last releases on the green Brain label (the label changed to the orange label shortly thereafter). If Plastic People left you with any doubts, it was Backdoor Possibilities that was by far their deepest venture into prog rock ever with the hard rock elements completely removed. Might have not endeared to the older fans of the band. But the band was now firmly in the Gentle Giant vein.

No doubt that Zeus B. Held's keyboard work was now heavily influenced by Kerry Minnear, he tended to lots of Hammond organ, Moog, string synths, and electric piano, with lots of elaborate vocal harmonies and intricate arrangements. The lyrics were about a guilt-ridden yuppie named Adam Striver who meets Death (Mr. Skeleton, or as it's spelled on the lyrics included in the LP gatefold, "Scheleton") in an elevator who convinces Mr. Striver there's much more to life than being a bureaucratic man. He is also given flashbacks to his childhood, including when he got the measels and barely escaping polio. The concept might not have been well-written, but I was able to get the message clear still the same. The music isn't exactly the most accessible, but after a few listens, I come to appreciate this as one of the most underrated prog rock albums I have ever heard in a long time! Lots of great analog keyboards, great vocal arrangements (each of the four members of the band handle vocal duties, Bernde Noske, Peter Föller, Bruno Frenzel, and Zeus B. Held), and creative twists and turns, no straightforward material here! Of course, the more hard rocking fans of the bands should stick to Operation or Hoodoo Man, but the more traditional proghead, especially Gentle Giant fans, this album is truly worth your time!

Birth Control steers towards such Gentle Giant style!!.......2003-03-20

Odd time signatures and a certain harmonic complexity as well characterize this album, probably their best one. The job at the moog by Zeus B. Held is reminiscent of such style by the keyboardplayer from Gentle Giant, Kenny Minnear,and moreover you can listen to three tracks at least, divided into several movements, like such mini suites,which are well worth checking out...the opener "One first of April" and the last track "No time to dye" too, are written off as main leading tracks. In particular the latter has a confident feeling and a stunning closing vocal section too, whose harmonies are in the vein of Yes...instead "Beedeepees" has a Gentle Giant mood,but also a complex and quite original structure, which is inspired by the same poliphonic passages from the english heroes of renaissance and baroque poliphony of the seventies.Besides "Behind grey walls" is reminiscent of the early Genesis,being romantic and solid in the same time... such a powerful track!! Then finally a diverse number- "La Ciguena de Zaragoza" - which is more jazzy, expecially at the end, where you find a tasty sax. Instead talking about the story, honestly the present concept album regarding the dramatic vicissitudes of a businessman and all his journeys, as long as He will be killed under a subway,is a bit tepid !! The meaning itself is without sense, but fortunately the instrumental parts are as much remarkable as those ones typical of the best 70's german space rock bands; and for this reason We can forgive them for such uninspiring story...
This issue can complete your 70's german progressive rock collection... if you are into it, you won't be disappointed, regarding naturally of this definitive effort by Birth Control!!

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