Popol Vuh - 'nuff said

[Scrotum Scissor]

Their WHAT!?!

Their rockabilly phase, Carlberg man. BTW, Pharaos has got some meaty Fender Rhodes on it too. It's slick fusion, then.

[Steve F.]

Yup. That first note is one of the all-time great opening musical salvos. And, for me, this track -- with its hint of the demonic -- wipes away all frivolous suggestion of new-ageness.

what you said! what you said!

[Kai]

Their WHAT!?!

The period in their history when they sounded closest to a conventional rock band. Perhaps not an unbroken period, but I find that they released most "rock-oriented" material in the mid 70s. I don't see a lot of their music really as rock music, even if there are some guitars included.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I don't see a lot of their music really as rock music, even if

The lengthy title track E&S ("Einsjäger") is not only a binafide progressive rock epic, but a magnificent one. IMO.

[Kai]

The lengthy title track E&S ("Einsjäger") is not only a binafide progressive rock epic, but a magnificent one. IMO.

I agree.

[Steve F.]

The lengthy title track E&S ("Einsjäger") is not only a binafide progressive rock epic, but a magnificent one. IMO.

I also agree. it's 19:24. An epic.

[rcarlberg]

One track makes "a rock period"?

[NogbadTheBad]

One track makes "a rock period"?

If it's 19 minutes long.

[rcarlberg]

Point taken. Objection withdrawn.

[Udi Koomran]

Has anyone else ever plumbed that whole ambient/spiritual thing with such grace and subtlety? .

I think Daevid Allen

[rcarlberg]

I think Daevid Allen

You might as well suggest Raffi.

[Mr.Krautman]

Has there ever been a box set that collects several (or all) of their classic albums?

There's a very nice long box (issued by SPV) including all the Werner Herzog soundtracks: Aguirre , Coeur De Verre , Nosferatu , Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde and also a superb photo/bio booklet. Not what I would call P.V's classic albums but good to have if you can get it cheap.

[yoyiceu]

If it's 19 minutes long.

Basically the whole album is like that. I also remember that it was Album of the Year in some Italian publication of the time.

[Enid]

Their WHAT!?!

It might be a reference to the guitar playing....which truly wasn't far from sounding like Ted Turner of Wishbone Ash. The more soft gentle Rock style of Turner's playing on Argus...which sounded more spiritual than Andy Powell. So if you're thinking about Powell's playing ...then no , there isn't a comparison. During this period of Popol Vuh the drummer backed the guitar improvisation with a few Rock beats. This occurred for only a short amount of time in the 70's and was noticable on three albums.

[Enid]

I have all the official releases on CD which ends with Spirit Of Peace. Also have Yoga, which supposedly doesn't include Florian , but love it anyway. These are becoming rare, but short of that I have just the official releases and nothing too rare. Additionally I have the two Celestial Harmonies releases and a strange import compilation. I tried listening to later releases from the 90's and they did not hold my interest.

[Progbear]

I tried listening to later releases from the 90's and they did not hold my interest.

It’s generally agreed that Spirit of Peace is the last non-soundtrack release of any worth.

[Kai]

It’s generally agreed that Spirit of Peace is the last non-soundtrack release of any worth.

It's not for me to challenge the general opinion, but I'll just say that I like For You and Me, not to mention Messa di Orfeo and Kailash, though those two are essentially soundtracks. It's just City Raga and Shepherd's Symphony where I find nothing of worth.

[GuitarGeek]

So, which albums would you suggest one start with? I already have In den Gärten Pharaos, but haven't really heard anything else (and yes, I know the music after that album is completely different).

[smcfee]

So, which albums would you suggest one start with? I already have In den Gärten Pharaos, but haven't really heard anything else (and yes, I know the music after that album is completely different).

Einsjäger & Sibenjäger
Letzte Tage - Letzte Nachte

[Progbear]

Einsjäger & Sibenjäger
Letzte Tage - Letzte Nachte

I hardly have anything left to add except that if you liked IDGP, Affenstunde might be of interest, since it was Florian’s only other Moog album.

[GuitarGeek]

I hardly have anything left to add except that if you liked IDGP, Affenstunde might be of interest, since it was Florian’s only other Moog album.

Yeah, so I've heard. I know that after the second album, Fricke abandoned the synth (reputedly for religious reasons) and later sold his big modular to Klaus Schulze. That's one reason I've always been hesitant about exploring the subsequent albums, though I'm sure I'd probably like them.

[Scrotum Scissor]

after the second album, Fricke abandoned the synth (reputedly for religious reasons) and later sold his big modular to Klaus Schulze. That's one reason I've always been hesitant about exploring the subsequent albums,

My cent: drop Affenstunde and get Aguirre if you want more synth-based 70s Fricke. Then, for the ensuing Vuh style, try Hosianna for the celestial and tranquil approach, Einsjäger for the more powerful one and Letzte Tage for his altogether probably most varied work.

[NogbadTheBad]

Hosianna Mantra
Einsjäger & Siebenjäger
Aguirre

[Trane]

My cent: drop Affenstunde and get Aguirre if you want more synth-based 70s Fricke. Then, for the ensuing Vuh style, try Hosianna for the celestial and tranquil approach, Einsjäger for the more powerful one and Letzte Tage for his altogether probably most varied work.

Not sure I would drop Affenstunde, but yes, it's relatively unrepresentative album for PV... It sounds more like a Tangerine Dream album between Zeit, Atem, Phaedra and Rubycon.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Not sure I would drop Affenstunde, but yes, it's relatively unrepresentative album for PV... It sounds more like a Tangerine Dream album between Zeit, Atem, Phaedra and Rubycon.

But significantly less melodic and more attemptively "expressionist" and disharmonic than those. I personally find it somewhat baby-steps for Fricke, although he obviously already knew very well what he was doing and wanted to do.