exmagma - goldball

For this album we also had "normal" rehearsals in our Wäscherhof studio (which was actually quite large, but never came to an end constructionwise). You'll find tunes composed to the last note, others partly composed, partly improvised, and some which are creations of complete improvisation. Surprisingly vocals emerge here and there, even with lyrics.

The production took place at the legendary Conny's Studio near Cologne. After Conny had listened to a live tape he asked us to record our new material at his brand new studio. This was the second production ever made at Conny's. The first was ‚Andy Nogger' of Kraan who became good friends of ours.

‚Marilyn F. Kennedy'
Basic tracks are drums, bass and Hohner clavinett recorded simultaniously. Overdubbed hammond. Tommy sometimes changes the harmonies by switching the organ off and on while playing. Great! The title is an idea by Conny.

"Da da"
The beat switches back and forth from 7/8 to 9/8. Conny is hand-panning the guitar while the beats are on 5, 6+ in 7/8th, on 6, 7+ in 9/8th. "We thought of dadaism and entfant chanting."

"Adventures with long. S. Tea 25 two seconds before sunrise"
Long S. Tea 25 is a synonym for LSD. There are a lot of different rhythms in this tune. If you can't count it, feel it!

"Groove"
This is what this piece does. The rhythm guitar plays the same riff all the way thru. The recording is a sandwich procedure: rhythm guitar, fender rhodes and drums as basics in one take. Then all three together overdubbing the bass, organ and percussion. At last Andy's solo guitar.

"Tango Wolperaiso"
This one's got three parts. The first is played by Andy, the second by Tommy and the third by Fred. Each part begins simple with one instrument. After each circle there is one more overdub. So everyone has his own little tune getting more and more complex merging in a kind of strange rondo. No cutting of tapes is involved. In the very end they all play together. The title is Conny's idea. Wolperaiso is derived from Wolperath, the name of the little village where the studio is located.

"Jam factory" (for people insane)
Lead vox by Andy. Backings by Tommy and Fred. Rhythms are very complicated. The A part: 30/8. 3 bars 8/8 plus 1 bar 6/8, sounds quite easy but try to count it! The B part features Fred's extraordinary drumming. The rhythm pattern has a mindbaffling matrix. Each cycle consists of 10 bars. The first, second, third, fifth, seventh and nineth bar is in 8/8, the fourth in 7/8, the sixth in 6/8, the eighth in 5/8 and the tenth in 4/8 to the bar. The piano and guitar beats are on one in the first and second bar, on one and eight in the third, on one and seven in the fifth, on one and six in the seventh, on one and five in the nineth bar. Sounds complicated but it's not providing you count it right. If that's too fuzzy to figure out, just listen and enjoy.

"Habits"
Basics played simultaneously: bass, drums, fender rhodes. Overdubs: second bass, two guitars, two more rhodes pianos, organ and percussion. "For us it's ‚normal' to play like that and we don't want to sound complicated."

"Dance of the crabs"
This is a strictly composed title. "Everyone of us has had these creepy little critters at least once. The subtitle could be called ‚Cuprex and Jakutin'."

"Greetings to the Maroccan farmers"
is totally improvised. No overdubs. "Conny sent a great mix thru the headphones. These kind of sounds for our accoustic instruments completely turned us on. Probably we also smoked some Maroccan hashish." Andy plays accoustic guitar, alto-sax, rubber hose, toy cow ‚muh', and kindda ‚sings'. Tommy on grand piano which he prepared with different metalic and paper devices. He also plays flute and trumpet. Fred on drums. His tom-toms are inflatable. He's one of the greatest drummers of this planet.

"Last but one train to Amsterdam"
Tommy on rhodes and organ, Andy bass, Fred on drums. It's a composition with a great arrangement. Check out the instruments on which parts they do play and on which they don't.

Produced by Conny Plank. All music by exmagma.

Album first released in 1974 on Disjuncta Records.