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Rating: Made in Germany by Gianluigi Gasparetti is undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive texts ever published on Krautrock. Gasparetti unfortunately left us a few years ago, and this hefty tome of 785 pages almost seems like his spiritual testament. Some may remember him as the tireless "editor" of the magazine dedicated to electronic and ambient music Deep Listenings or for being the soul behind the ambient music project Oöphoi. With Oöphoi, Gasparetti released numerous albums considered cult by fans of the genre. But he could also boast prestigious personal acquaintances such as with Klaus Schulze.
The volume opens with a nice introduction (with even biographical aspects) that explains how in the '70s it was very difficult to find these vinyl records in Italy since there was little talk about the German scene. The description of an adventurous trip to Koblenz (where, in moments, he spent all his money to buy the desired records, having not a single lira left for the rest of his stay) is truly amusing. The volume ranges from kraut to progressive to cosmic, with 562 musicians and groups evaluated. Famous groups such as Can, Faust, Eloy, Ash Ra Tempel, Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Kraftwerk, Novalis are discussed as well as a myriad of lesser-known groups. Great space is given to the Amon Düül (almost 30 pages) and Faust. For the former, it is highlighted by John Weinzierl, the historic guitarist of Amon Düül II, how the records of Amon Düül were published only to cash in on their success. Therefore, the value of various Psychedelic Underground and Disaster should be greatly downsized. Regarding Tangerine Dream, the author of the book saves their production only up to Stratosfear, rejecting Cyclone, described as the album marking the beginning of the band's decline. For the record, in the recent issue of Blow Up featuring a special on Krautrock, journalist Eddy Cilìa is even more drastic, pointing to Phaedra as their first false step towards commercialization. This is in part true: indeed the English Virgin adulterated their initial sound for commercial reasons. Moreover, the same thing happened for many other bands, both Italian and foreign, after the early '70s, like the Pink Floyd themselves.
Compared to the famous Krautrocksampler by Julian Cope, Made In Germany includes a greater number of groups and sheets. On the other hand, as he himself admitted, Cope did not like symphonic music and thought that the best Genesis album served as a support for the shaky leg of a table. Of course, I loved the book of "Saint Julian" and agree with many of the things written in that sacred book. I love prog, but it is undeniable that, starting from 1972, everyone more or less overdid it. Unfortunately, the downside of Made In Germany is the price: it costs 55 Euros and the book is quite difficult to find. Even the graphic design is a bit spartan, although there are numerous illustrations. For Krautrock enthusiasts and "cosmic travelers."
Gianluigi Gasparetti “Made In Germany – Psychedelia, Progressive Rock, and Cosmic Music. 1967-1979 – Edizioni Applausi – 785 pages – Euro 55
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