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Mind Blowing Surf Music

Kai | CA USA | 06/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I recently went on an Indonesian boat trip and brought this recording along, and I will tell you this: the music contained on this recording is a heavenly landscape beyond explanation. I cannot put into words what it made me feel, what it made me think about, or what it made me see. The Cosmic Joke, the main source of attraction for me, is quite simply one of the most profound satorical compositions I have listened to. From beginning to end, its liquid movements feel almost as if the band, led by Manuel Gottsching's fingers, are being propheticaly propelled into a subconscious realm we cannot completely understand. Very powerful, soul penetrating music. Themes of good and evil, light and dark, right and wrong, beginning and end, and other fundamental elements of existence radiate throughout. Whether you are a musician, a surfer, a philosopher, a tripper, a traveler, a stoner, a driver, or someone who just plain likes music with a higher force, I strongly recommend you check this out. Some will never "get it", and that thats ok."

Cosmic Jokers - self-titled (Spalax)

Mike Reed | USA | 06/20/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in 1974,as this was Cosmic Joker's very first release,out of five(5)lp's.Ironic enough,all five were put out that same year.Cosmic Jokers were a krautrock super-group.Made up of musicians Manuel Gottsching(Ash Ra Tempel),Klaus Schulze(Tangerine Dream),two members from Wallenstein and top-of-the-genre producer Dieter Dierks at the mixing board.CD has just two tracks.Both are lengthy spacy,cosmic,trippy freak-out pieces(call 'em what you will),"Galactic Joke"(22:30)and "Cosmic Joy"(19:24)should fully satisfy any fan hungry for this sort of music.To some of us,there IS no other music.None that matters anyway.Recommended."

Wonderful album from the supergroup that never was

BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 09/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cosmic Jokers were a series of late night jams from some of the finest in Krautrock: Manuel Göttsching (Ash Ra Tempel), Klaus Schulze (Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel, solo), Harald Großkopf (Wallenstein, Schulze), Jürgen Dollase (Wallenstein), and Dieter Dierks (studio engineer and producer for many acts). These albums were released without anyone knowing it, and it was Göttsching who found out in 1974 when he entered a Berlin record store and found out the music being played on the stereo was from those sessions. Schulze had been by far least pleased of these albums, he deemed them "Cosmic sh**", an embarassment, wished they were completely buried and forgotten. It's true that these albums caused lawsuits against Rolf Ulrich Kaiser (head of Kosmische Musik, formerly Ohr) and drove him out of Germany. Despite the controversy surrounding these albums, the Cosmic Jokers made some of the finest in Krautrock (even if Schulze would have you believe otherwise). I already got Galactic Supermarket (the second in the series) and was completely amazed, so I went and bought the first, self-entitled Cosmic Jokers offering. Well, what can I say: this album is truly a must have for those who enjoy Ash Ra Tempel and Schulze. "Galactic Joke" is most like Ash Ra Tempel, because it's mainly dominated by Manuel Göttsching's guitar work. You don't get to hear much keyboard, so Schulze and Dollase seem to be more in the background. "Cosmic Joy" is much more keyboard-dominated, allowing Schulze to really shine. It should not come as any surprise the music at time should resemble his own albums of the time like Cyborg or Blackdance, but with that Ash Ra Tempel sound thrown in as well. Throughout the the whole album you get a lot of phasing, which lead me to think that was an afterthought, once the album was mixed after the recording. To me, Galactic Supermarket might be an easier album to get in to, but this is another great album to have in your collection."