Agitation Free - Momentum (2023)

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Agitation Free - Momentum (2023)

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Agitation Free was one of the leading representatives of German experimental rock music in the early 1970s - The Berlin band developed long, for that time unusual, free instrumental improvisations from the end of 1967. They achieved cult status as early as 1972 with an independent mixture of improvised rock paired with electro, ethno, jazz and trance elements.

Extensive live activities gave the band a steadily increasing level of recognition throughout Europe. For example, the group performed in the cultural program of the Olympic Games in Munich in the summer of 1972, toured France for two months in early 1973, performed at the "German Rock Super Concert" in Frankfurt in May, produced the second album "2nd" and then went on tour through France and major German cities. In 1974, the band began to show signs of fatigue, which led to their temporary breakup at the end of the year after a farewell concert.

Although a number of albums (with recordings from 1972 to 1974) were released after the group's breakup and the studio album "River of Return" was released in 1999, it took almost 35 years for the original band to reunite for concerts. In February 2007, Agitation Free, with the original lineup from 1974, gave a series of concerts at Tokyo's "Shibuya O'West."

In retrospect, it became clear that the experimental circle Agitation Free was one of the important bands of the "Berlin School" and furthermore a career springboard for several German musicians. Christopher Franke, for example, helped the band Tangerine Dream achieve worldwide recognition. Michael Hoenig worked with Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream before he became known as a film composer in Hollywood after a solo album (among other things, the film music for the blockbuster "9 1/2 Weeks" with Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke). Axel Genrich moved to Guru Guru, Burghard Rausch became a founding member of Bel Ami. Gustl Lutjens, toured with Shirley Bassey and Nena and later found a large audience with his new age band Living Mirrors, especially in the USA. Lutz "Luul" Ulbrich joined Ashra, worked with ex-Velvet Underground singer Nico, produced solo records in addition to theater music, and has enjoyed success with the 17 Hippies since the late 1990s.

In the line-up Michael Hoenig (keyb, syn, el. perc), Burghard Rausch (dr, el. per), Lutz Graf-Ulbrich ((git, acc. git, bj), Gustl Lutjens (git acc. git, vocals) and Daniel Cordes (b, syn) the new studio album "Momentum" was recorded.