Epitaph- early '70s German prog rock/hard rock band

[sotdude]

Recently stumbled upon this band-great stuff from the early '70s. The self titled debut is pretty tasty proto-prog, filled with melodic guitar work, strong vocals, some killer Mellotron, and some lengthy jams that wouldn't have sounded out of place on an Allman Brothers Band album from that same time period. Also picked up Outside the Law, which is a bit more heavy as the hard rocking side of the band seemed to be taking over, but there are still those Allmans styled lead guitar jams as well as some influence from the early Scorpions records.

Any other fans out there? Amazing how much rare proto-prog/proto-metal stuff from the '70s there is out there to be discovered.

[mogrooves]

First album is just OK, Outside The Law even less so, imo. Pass....

[yoyiceu]

Yes, I like them. The twin guitar sound -playing in harmony-also recalls somewhat the sound of Wishbone Ash. It seems they're still active, judging from the big amount of recent videos on Youtube.

[Progmatic]

Yeah, I got a couple of albums by the band "Epitaph" and "Stop, Look And Listen" and ,though I will have to refresh on them, my recollection is that were definetely better than average. I liked "Stop...." little bit better than debut. As you were saying rather proto-prog style with heavy guitars and longer jams, kind of progressive hard rock if you will. It is definetely not your traditional krautorck since the band is really British (mostly ex-military British guys residing in Germany).

I will have to check Outside the Law

[Jymbot]

If your asking for honest truth, band plain all-out sucks.

[Progmatic]

Yes, I like them. The twin guitar sound -playing in harmony-also recalls somewhat the sound of Wishbone Ash. It seems they're still active, judging from the big amount of recent videos on Youtube.

The Wishbone Ash was also what I was thinking, thanks for bringing it up

[Progmatic]

If your asking for honest truth, band plain all-out sucks.

spoken like true Progmaster :lol

[JeffCarney]

I think the first two albums are very good. Their ability to launch into Crimson-like, mellotron infused stuff after doing the twin guitar rocker thing is certainly unique.

I also like Outside the Law, though it's clearly a step down from the first two.

[Progbear]

All I have is Return to Reality, which is sort of a mix of Scorpions-lite and Jane. Nothing to write Mom about. Two guys from the original Eloy played on this.

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"Parece cosa de maligno. Los pianos no estallan por casualidad." --Gabriel Garcia Marquez

N.P.:“The Great Game”-Nine Days Wonder/We Never Lost Control

[Trane]

I only like their first two albums (though I don't have much memories of their later albums)... Typical Germa,n hard rock, like early Jane or early Birth Control

[strawberrybrick]

I love this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sAG_mzp7eI

[Supersonic Scientist]

Yeah, I like the first one also. Got a cassette of it back in the '80's from a friend.

[spacefreak]

Any other fans out there? Amazing how much rare proto-prog/proto-metal stuff from the '70s there is out there to be discovered.

Epitaph and their second Stop, Look and Listen are the only albums I kept as they proved to be of ageing interest to my ears. I 've always found Outside the Law (since the late 70s when I owned a copy) rather mediocre and never cared to revisit...

[Levgan]

I quite like the first one - enough to keep it and give it a spin every now and then, but not enough to investigate the subsequent albums. I may try them if I ever stumble upon a cheap copy, but don't see myself actively looking for them. The self-titled LP is a pretty nice period piece, could easily be a lesser Vertigo release.

[Big Ears]

I loved the bands on the Brain label in the late eighties/ early nineties. Epitaph's Return to Reality is pretty good in my opinion.

[Jymbot]

There were no Brain label lps in the 90s.
The green Brain lasted till '76 when Korber left to form SKY label.
I believe the last orange label Brain was '86.


Anyways, if you love that German 80s/90s, dont you think that would make an excellent thread?

[Progbear]

Epitaph and their second Stop, Look and Listen are the only albums I kept as they proved to be of ageing interest to my ears. I 've always found Outside the Law (since the late 70s when I owned a copy) rather mediocre and never cared to revisit...

I believe Outside the Law was actually recorded in Chicago. It was definitely a release on the short-lived “American Krautrock” label Billingsgate (based out of Chicago). Weirdly, it was not released on Brain in Germany but rather some small, obscure label I’d never heard of before. Incidentally, I’ve never owned Outside the Law, as pretty much every review I’ve read says it sucks. :lol

Cool thing about Billingsgate: their (poly-lined) innersleeves had their artists’ roster, which included bands they never actually released any albums by: Elias (presumably actually Grobschnitt), Jane and Guru Guru.

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"You can take the war out of the soldier, but you can't raise that soldier from the dead."
--Shona Laing

N.P.:nothing

[Jymbot]

I once had a North American press of the first Grobschnitt. (Foc cover was same as orig.)
Sorry I got rid of it because I have never come across another one.

Would really like to know what label that was on.
Could have been Billingsgate. Not sure.


Progbear: is there anything remotely a Billingsgate site on the web?

[Progbear]

Billingsgate discography (http://rateyourmusic.com/label/billingsgate_records/). Complete, as near as I can tell. I guess the albums they wanted to release were the first Grobschnitt, Here We Are (or Together) and Känguru, considering the time period the label existed.

The only Grobschnitt album I know that got a North American release was Rockpommels Land, which was released on the Canadian Bomb label, though I’ve never seen a copy of this release (My LP was the German release on Brain).

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"You can take the war out of the soldier, but you can't raise that soldier from the dead."
--Shona Laing

N.P.:“Space War”-Utopia/Disco Jets

[Jymbot]

Now that you say it, I think Grob -same copy I had WAS Bomb.

[spacefreak]

I believe Outside the Law was actually recorded in Chicago. It was definitely a release on the short-lived “American Krautrock” label Billingsgate (based out of Chicago). Weirdly, it was not released on Brain in Germany but rather some small, obscure label I’d never heard of before. Incidentally, I’ve never owned Outside the Law, as pretty much every review I’ve read says it sucks.

Yes, it was released on the german label Membran (which also issued few singer/songwriters as Otto Waalkes and Chris Norman). And it pretty much sucks, as most Membran albums...

[spacefreak]

Cool thing about Billingsgate: their (poly-lined) innersleeves had their artists’ roster, which included bands they never actually released any albums by: Elias (presumably actually Grobschnitt), Jane and Guru Guru.

They did something like seven LPs between 1973 and 1975 that they operated.

BG 1001 Neu! -Neu!
BG-1002 Lucifer's Friend -Lucifer's Friend
BG-1003 Frumpy -By The Way
BG-1004 Scorpions -Lonesome Crow
BG-1008 Lucifer's Friend -I'm Just A Rock'n'Roll Singer
BG-1009 Epitaph -Outside The Law
PPSD-98008 Lucifer's Friend -Where The Groupies Killed The Blues (jointly with Passport Records)

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

I think the first two albums are very good. Their ability to launch into Crimson-like, mellotron infused stuff after doing the twin guitar rocker thing is certainly unique.

Agreed. IIRC, this group was half-German, half Brit, which gave them somewhat of a unique spin on Krautrock.

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

We had a local store in L.A., Moby Disc, that stocked all the Billingsgate stuff, and by stocked, I mean 25+ copies of each, which they sold as sealed copies for $2 each. It was my intro to Krautrock, being a starving student at the time this was all I could afford.

[Progbear]

Now that you say it, I think Grob -same copy I had WAS Bomb.

According to Discogs, it was Brain (http://www.discogs.com/Grobschnitt-Grobschnitt/release/3488701). I had no idea there were any Brain releases outside of Germany (except for the Japanese ones). A pirate release, maybe?

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

‘“What blow, Goblin?” said Corinius.’ --E. R. Eddison

N.P.:“She Walked”-Bugs Tomorrow

[Bogdan]

According to Discogs, it was Brain (http://www.discogs.com/Grobschnitt-Grobschnitt/release/3488701). I had no idea there were any Brain releases outside of Germany (except for the Japanese ones). A pirate release, maybe?

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

‘“What blow, Goblin?” said Corinius.’ --E. R. Eddison

N.P.:“She Walked”-Bugs Tomorrow


SCORPIONS- Lonesome Crow, originally on Brain was released on BOMB Canada. ROCKPOMMEL'S ISLAND was also released on BOMB, but I don't think the S/T was released outside of Germany.

[Big Ears]

I loved the bands on the Brain label in the late eighties/ early nineties. Epitaph's Return to Reality is pretty good in my opinion.

Of course I meant late seventies/ early eighties. The doctor, optician and dentist seem to put everything down to my age, so it must be that.

[Jymbot]

ROCKPOMMEL'S ISLAND was also released on BOMB, but I don't think the S/T was released outside of Germany.


I am telling you it WAS.

You would dare attempt to smirch the repute of a Masterman?

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s145/baggra/Bitco/psych/oi.jpg

[nosebone]

I'll pass....

[CarvinAbuser]

Some very good proggy moments. My favorite track is Fly from Stop Look And Listen.

[ItalProgRules]

I'm with Jymbot, these guys just plain sucked IMHO.