|
Peter Frohmader
Munich underground, Krautrock, Kosmische, &
electronics pioneer.
|
|
|
 
From The Crack In The Cosmic Egg...
One of the most innovative of musicians to emerge in the
1980's, Peter Frohmader's origins in music go back to the early-1970's. He
was in many bands during the Krautrock era, which included Alpha Centauri
(1971, reputedly a radical avant-garde band), Electronic Delusion (1973,
Tangerine Dream inspired electronic experimental), Kanaan (1975, jazz-rock
electronic), and he also got involved with the new-wave. But Peter was a
Krautrocker, so in 1979 Peter started two new projects: the hard-rock band
CIA, and the experimental solo/group project Nekropolis, to do his music.
His LP debut "Musik Aus Dem
Schattenreich" ("Music From The Darklands" in English), was
quite extraordinary, aptly as dark and abstract as the sinister cover: a
mysterious blend of electronics, guitars and percussives with rock
aesthetics, a weird concoction recalling early Cluster and esoteric Amon Düül
II. "Nekropolis 2" revealed a fascination with the music of Magma,
especially the development of Jannick Top inspired bass guitar work, and in
fact whole orchestras of bass guitars are used!
...most subsequent work has been
almost purely electronic. Though still, Peter has surprised on occasions with
the electronic rock of "Ritual", and other adventurous works, like
"Wintermusic" and his grandiose "bass symphonies" that
are devastating to behold. These evolved out of the bass works on
"Nekropolis 2" and amount to Peter creating orchestra's of bass
guitars all on his own!
Peter's synthesizer-based music
starts with the esoteric and hypnotic (very limited pressing) 10"
"2 Compositions", which set the trend for a new type of music, a
music further developed as abstract and visionary forms, on the cassettes
"Orakel / Tiefe" and "Jules Verne Cycle" (close to Conrad
Schnitzler in style). The later cassette "Spheres" was, in
contrast, an exercise in meditational new-age music.
Sad news: Peter Frohmader died on 2 May
2022 from an unexpected heart-attack. We don't know the full details of this,
which was at a time when he was planning on playing live again after the
pandemic restrictions were lifted in Germany. As we are no longer able to
renew any contracts, this means that our Peter Frohmader physical releases
will be deleted when current agreed pressings are complete. We will keep the
downloads active as long as we are able to.
|
|
NEKROPOLIS
"Music From the Dark Lands"
From Audion #1, page 3-6.
Interview with Peter Frohmader: questions by Alan Freeman,
article/transcription by Steve Freeman
Orakel/Tiefe review by Chris Bywater
Peter
Frohmader is one of the most prolific and inventive musicians working today,
having released numerous albums, each with its own characteristic individual
style. Born in Munich (9/5/58), he started getting interested in music at the
age of 13. During the seventies he has been involved with many styles of
music, and numerous bands. In 1979 he started up Nekropolis to pursue his own
musical ideas, often being augmented by friends he's made throughout his
career.
Here is an extract of this Audion interview, relevant to his
Auricle releases...
What
Your next work was ORAKEL/TIEFE, this was to have been released in the States
as a 'picture disc', what went wrong?
"The ORAKEL/TIEFE works are older than NEKROPOLIS LIVE. I quarrelled
with this company, so I had them send back the tapes."
This is I feel, one of your best and most important works. Was it generally
improvised or composed, and what is the general idea behind it?
"It's generally composed. Tiefe is also the soundtrack to my
film "Seelenwanderung". It's a mystic and dark world, very
atmospheric. I also think it's important."
There's a slight Heldon similarity on Orakel, have you ever heard
their music?
"I know some Heldon music, but it doesn't have much to do with this I
think, it's more organic, not so mechanical"
The two pieces you donated for our A CAGE WENT IN SEARCH OF A BIRD
compilation (Sepulchral Choirs and Pharonische Grabkammar) are
in a similar style to this, could you provide some background on these?
"Yes, these works are from the same period as ORAKEL/TIEFE and are
showing similar worlds. I'm very interested in the mysteries of mankind"
ORAKEL/TIEFE (Auricle AMC 011)
MC
Recorded in 1983, but only released this year, this tape
contains music realised almost entirely on PPG synths. On Orakel Rudi
Haunreiter and Stephan Manus from the FORGOTTEN ENEMY EP feature on drums and
violin respectively. This tape is however, nothing like that, his previous
release, due in some part to the dumping of Frohmader's lethal bass, but also
to a much more complex approach to the structure of each piece, and indeed to
the sounds themselves. After an initial rejection (due to a hangover) I find
myself putting this tape on almost constantly. This is not easy listening by
any means, but eventually much more rewarding than many more immediate
recordings due to its depth.
I'll not attempt to describe the
music itself (which would probably be a great disservice) except to say that
I listened to this without checking the packaging and found that Gigeresque
images (Giger of "Alien" fame) were being suggested by the music.
On opening the insert I found a photograph of Frohmader. Taken by?. . .H.R.
Giger himself!
|
|
Discography...
NEKROPOLIS '81, CASSETTE 1 - MC Nekropolis NC-1 (1981)
NEKROPOLIS '81, CASSETTE 2 - MC Nekropolis NC-2 (1981)
NEKROPOLIS '81, CASSETTE 3 - MC Nekropolis NC-3 (1981)
NEKROPOLIS '81, CASSETTE 4 - MC Nekropolis NC-4 (1981)
NEKROPOLIS "MUSIK AUS DEM SCHATTENREICH" - LP Nekropolis RP
10122 (1981), CD Ohrwaschl Records OW 042 (1998) CD inc.
4 bonus tracks
NEKROPOLIS 2 - LP Hasch Platten KIF 002 (1982), CD Spalax 14573 (2000)
2 Compositions - 10" Nekropolis 220171 (1983)
NEKROPOLIS LIVE - LP Schneeball 1037 (1983), CD Ohrwaschl Records OW
033 (1995) CD inc. 2 bonus tracks
The Forgotten Enemy - 12" EP Hasch Platten KIF 008 (1985)
CULTES DES GOULES - LP Nekropolis 220172 (1985), CD Spalax 14572
(2000)
ORAKEL / TIEFE (1983) - MC Auricle AMC 011 (1986), CDR Cosmic Egg UTCE
010 CDR (2014)
RITUAL - LP Multimood MRC-001 (1986)
JULES VERNE CYCLE (1982) - MC Auricle AMC 018 (1987), CDR Cosmic Egg
UTCE 012 CDR (2014)
HOMUNCULUS, VOL. 1 - LP Nekropolis 220173 (1987)
HOMUNCULUS, VOL. 2 - LP Multimood MRC-004 (1987)
Wintermusic - MLP Multimood MRC-006 (1987)
THROUGH TIME & MYSTERY-ENDING - 2LP Nekropolis 220174 (1988)
SPHERES - MC Nekropolis NC-7 (1988)
MINIATURES - CD Nekropolis NCD 001 (1989)
3RD MILLENNIUM'S CHOICE - VOL. 1 (1982-1990) - CD Nekropolis NCD 002
(1990)
MACROCOSM - CD Cuneiform RUNE 23 (1990)
ARMORIKA - CD Nekropolis NCD 003 (1991)
3RD MILLENNIUM'S CHOICE - VOL. 2 (1984-1991) - CD Nekropolis NCD 004
(1991)
STRINGED WORKS (1982-84) - CD Multimood Records Mrc 006 (1994) includes: Wintermusic
ADVANCED ALCHEMY OF MUSIC - CD Nekropolis NCD 007 (1994)
CYCLE OF ETERNITY - CD Cuneiform RUNE 59 (1994)
GATE - CD Atonal ACD 3018 (1995)
THE AWAKENING "NEKROPOLIS LIVE '79" (1979) - CD Ohrwaschl
Records OW 035 (1997)
PETER FROHMADER/RICHARD PINHAS: FOSSIL CULTURE - CD Cuneiform RUNE 123
(1999)
ARTEMIY ARTEMIEV & PETER FROHMADER: SPACE ICON - CD Electroshock
ELCD 015 (2000)
PETER FROHMADER & MICHAEL FUCHS-GAMBÖCK: DAS IST ALLES - CD
Nekropolis NCD 008 (2000)
KANAAN LIVE 1975 (1975) - CD Green Tree GTR 082 (2000)
2001 - CD Nekropolis NCD 009 (2001)
ARTEMIY ARTEMIEV & PETER FROHMADER: TRANSFIGURATION - CD Electroshock
ELCD 021 (2002)
EISMEER - CD Gazul GA 8664.AR (2002)
ANUBIS DANCE - CD Nekropolis NCD 010 (2003)
NEKROPOLIS 23, VOL. 1 - CD Nekropolis NCD 011 (2003)
NEKROPOLIS COMPILATION I (1988-2007) - DVD-R Nekropolis NDVD 002
(2007)
NEKROPOLIS COMPILATION II (1973-2007) - DVD-R Nekropolis NDVD 003
(2007)
THE EMPTY HOUSE SUITE (1984-1985) - LP Pure Pop For Now People NOW 05
(2010)
NEKROPOLIS STROM DEPT.: LIVE (1993) - LP Pure Pop For Now People PURE
06 (2010)
A couple of collections also exist...
HOMUNCULUS PARTS 1-4 + RITUAL - 2CD
Multimood Records MRC 020 (1995)
NEKROPOLIS 81 VOLUME I-IV - 2LP Vinyl-On-Demand VOD118 (2013)
unique Peter Frohmader tracks on various artists
releases...
 A CAGE WENT IN SEARCH OF A BIRD - 2xMC
Dark Star DS 1-2 (1985), CDR Auricle AMSCDR 006 (2002) tracks: Pharaonische Grabkammar,
Sepulchral Choirs
INTO THE UNDERWORLD (1990) -
CDR Auricle AMSCDR 008 (2002) track: Underground
ARCANA CŒLESTIA - LP Multimood Records MRC·007 (1989), CD
Multimood Records/Staalplaat MRC 007/STCD 055 (1993) track:
Change Of Spheres
ATTENTI AL TRENO! - CD Nekropolis NCD 005 (1992) tracks: Eight Works For Cinema And TV - Part 1-8
UNSETTLED SCORES - Cuneiform Records Rune 75/76 (1995) track: Ubik
HISTORICAL AURICLE - CDR Auricle AMSCDR 002 (2001) track: Untitled
|
|
Peter Frohmader articles and reviews in Audion -
#1/3-6+17, #2/21, #3/16-18, #4/27, #6/3+20, #7/3, #8/3, #9/21, #11/7, #14/21,
#15/25, #16/26, #19/29, #21/30, #23/4, #28/28, #29/4+28, #32/28, #36/15-16,
#38/33, #39/4+34, #42/31, #43/27, #44/19, #45/41, #47/23, #48/24, #52/23
|