Search - Ash Ra Temple :: Best of Private Tapes

Not what the title says

Mike Reed | 01/26/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Ash Ra Tempel were like a lot of 70s bands: brilliant in 1971 and 1972 and then soon changing to meet the mellower expectations of their audience and the "industry." I read (in Chris Stigliano's excellent magazine Black to Comm) that the Private Tapes had several long "jams" from 71 and 72 that sounded like the side-long epics on the first two ART albums. That's what I would consider the best of the Private Tapes. Not this, which is mostly Manuel Gottsching's home recordings and new age-type noodlings. Luckily I bought this cheap used. Unless you prefer later Tang Dream to the earlier, raw stuff with the guy from Kluster, stay away from this double CD."

Ash Ra Tempel-'The Best Of The Private Tapes'(Cleopatra)

Mike Reed | USA | 07/24/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I first got my hands on this 2-CD release,I was very impressed with what it had to offer.To best describe the Ash Ra Tempel is to say they're instrumental cosmic rock.I was sort of blown away with "Halensee","Der Lauf Der Giraffen",the 12-minute epic "Niemand Lacht",the inventive "Wall Of Sound" and the spaced out "Hausaufgabe"(this one's a classic).That's only disc one.On disc two,things tend to get a bit diverse."Lotus" and "Gedanken" are probably the better tracks,but "Deep Distance" is nothing short of pure brilliance.Ash Ra Tempel mainman/composer Manuel Gottsching has worked with Klaus Schulze(fellow Cosmic Joker) and Lutz Ulbrich(ex-Agitation Free)in the past.Another great collection of krautrock tracks to seek out.To this day,Ash Ra Tempel still exists."

Enjoyable for those who like a peek

fred udrah | south california | 06/09/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While not as hard edged as ART offerings....many cuts sound like earlier or redone excursions found on the side-long epics of the first 2 ART albums...(some of guitar solo parts are note for note). The "private tapes" certainly show how much influnce cofounder Manuel Gottschinginner had on ART. Enjoyable for those who like a peek into "the parts" of what makes a band."