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Amon Düül II - Meetings With Menmachines Inglorious Heroes Of The Past

It should come of no surprise that most fans of the first Amon Duul (UK) album detest this - some reviews elsewhere are not kind, and for that very reason I would hazard a guess that many other would find much to like about it. Meetings with Menmachines... is all about the subtle shift to basic song structures, the use of eighties synths such as emulators and the sweet sweet voice of Julie Waring.

The pleasing opening Pioneer hints at a new direction, The Old One starts off very promising but that is just false promise, as very quickly we find our self in dull clapton-like rock/blues. The pivotal Marcus Lied is a nine minute stroke of pure genius. Washy synths introduce one of the loveliest and most solemn pop songs I think I have ever heard. The whole thing has an air of greatness underpinned by a lazy beat and simple bassline, the synth strings are topped off by Julie Waring's gorgeous vocal melodies. I can only imagine that this is what post-Hip Section 25 were trying to achieve, and the comparisons between Waring and Jenny Cassidy's vocal styles are very evident.

The Song opens like an epilogue to Marcus, but it quickly shifts up a few gears into Martha And The Muffins territory on Confucious Say. Things Are Often Not What They Seem aptly sums up this record which closes off with the riotous pub-rock psychedelia of Burundi Drummers' Nightmare which owes more to Silver Machine than Inglorious Heroes Of The Past.

Originally released on a vinyl album on Illuminated Records (JAMS 27) in 1983. This post is from a reissue CD ripped to high quality lossless flac and then re-split into what I understand to be the correct track titles.

A1. Pioneer
A2. The Old One
A3. Marcus Lied
B1. The Song
B2. Confucius Say
B3. Things Are Often Not What They Seem
B4. Burundi Drummer's Nightmare

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Amon Düül II - Hawk Meets Penguin

It makes sense to feature these two albums next. I know very little about the British variant of the krautrock act Amon Düül, except that it featured former British members of the German band, with links to Hawkwind and prog band Van Der Graaf Generator. That should be enough to put off most regulars to this blog. Amon Duul (UK) released two very different albums as Amon Düül II on classy London independent Illuminated Records in the early-mid eighties when the German band were defunct.

Hawk Meets Penguin borrows heavily from the early seventies and is more a tribute to the original German acts experimentation, but with lots more prog (that's with a small 'p' and a mellotron) and space-rock influence - this should be no surprise given who was involved. One Moment In Anger... is a pleasant twelve minute instrumental which takes about six minutes to get going. Hawk Meets Penguin (aka Meditative Music From The Third O Before The Producers !!) was split over two sides on the original album, and borrows heavily from the obtuse improvisations on the original Amon Düül's Yeti. The whole thing feels very pointless, as those with an interest in the roots of experimental krautrock will be better investigating the original Amon Düül recordings from the late sixties and early seventies. Those with an interest in early eighties alternative music will however find things to enjoy on the next Amon Duul (UK) album.

Originally released on a vinyl album on Illuminated Records (JAMS 24) in 1982. Ripped here from a compact disc reissue to high quality lossless flac, which has evidence of being vinyl sourced.

1. One Moment Of Anger Is Two Pints Of Blood
2. Hawk Meets Penguin (Parts One and Two)