Rockpommel's Land
by Grobschnitt
Artist:
Grobschnitt
Label:
Brain
Catalog#:
60.041
Format:
Vinyl
Country:
Germany
Released:
1977
| Tracklist | |||
| A1 | Ernie's Reise | 10:56 | |
| A2 | Severity Town | 10:05 | |
| B1 | Anywhere | 4:13 | |
| B2 | Rockpommel's Land | 20:55 | |
Credits
Artwork By [Executive Realization Of The Cover-paintings] - Heinz Dofflein
Bass Guitar, Other [Ardent Advocate Of The Vegetable And Other Kingdoms] - Popo
Drums, Percussion, Effects [Electronic], Lyrics By, Other [Odd Divicy Brainwaves], Recorded By, Remix - Eroc
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals, Other [Beer Annihilation] - Wildschwein
Keyboards, Artwork By [Basic Cover-paintings], Concept By [Theme & Concept Of The Story] - Mist (10)
Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals [Duck-bum-like] - Lupo
Producer, Recorded By, Remix - Conny Plank
Producer, Written-By - Grobschnitt
Notes
The whole thing was done by composing and rehearsing for about 10 months and then recorded from Nov 1976 to Feb 1977 at Conny's Studio with the deserving help of a fully dBx'ed MCI 24-track tape recorder at 30 ips (76cm/S) on four AGFA "PEM 468 professional"-type 2" tapes. Therefore however, it deserves to be played LOUD...
Story & lyrics included
p. 1977
Im Vertrieb der Metronome
Made in W.-Germany
Strawberry Bricks Entry:
Concentrating more on arrangement and production, the Jumbo album, released in 1975, presented a more polished Grobschnitt on record. It was even successful enough to prompt a re-recording and release "mit deutsche texten" for their home country, where the band carried the zaniness of the album onto the concert stage. Meanwhile main man Eroc released his second solo album, just before the band reconvened in the studio for this, their fourth record. Here Grobschnitt take on symphonic proportions for the progressive fantasy of Rockpommel's Land. Sung in English, with German liner notes included inside (go figure), the fairy tale revolves around a boy daydreaming about his paper airplane. Ernie and a large bird, Maraboo, all travel to Severity Town where Black Shirts punish Mr. Glee for being nice to children... you get the drift. Inside the Roger Dean-like cover however is an equally illustrative record. "Ernie's Reise" sets the stage. The band sounds light and effortless, alternating between moments of gentle beauty and symphonic grandeur. "Severity Town" offers more of their romance with sound and oddly enough what might be the first "scratching" on record. The short "Anywhere" opens the second side that is dominated by the title track. "Rockpommel's Land" is again indicative of the band's tight execution and luscious melodies. The album again sports a slick production, courtesy Conny Plank and Eroc, and remains their classic statement. Grobschnitt's next record was the 1978 live album Solar Music, which attempted (and succeeded) to replicate the band's live set on vinyl. The band then promoted lighting man Toni Mollo to vocalist for the 1979 album, Merry Go Round. Another like-minded album followed but with continuing personnel and musical direction changes (including "Rock in deutsch"); Grobschnitt's best days were behind them.
