EXPERIENCE 1970’s PROG ELECTRONICA SYNTH EXPERIMENTAL KRAUT ROCK HISTORY!
The Martial Arts film genre came on the scene in the early ’70s spurned on by Bruce Lee’s The Big Boss (1971), Fist of Fury (1972), Way of the Dragon (1972) and Enter the Dragon (1973) and by the extremely popular TV series, “Kung Fu” (1972-1975). Hundreds of “Chop Socky” films were made in Hong Kong and aired on ’70’s late night TV across the U.S. Of these entertaining flicks there was a singular exception that rose to cult status; Writer, Director, Actor (the One-Armed Boxer) Jimmy Wang Yu’s “Master of the Flying Guillotine”.
“Master of the Flying Guillotine” delivered with arena fights, revenge/avenge storylines, and a whole lot of super-human Martial Arts and aerial leaps and bounds that were the basis for most of the genre. But MOTFG transcended into something unique with whacked arena fights pre-dating Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter by nearly two decades, and . . . a Flying Guillotine!
But that’s not all!
While the premise of a “Flying Guillotine” was novel enough, the juxtaposed addition of Kraut Rock band’s tracks from their albums (used without consent – but well chosen) created a weird but near psychedelic cool.
MOTFG‘s always deadly serious portrayal of the characters matched the synth-heavy soundtrack highlights and actually deepened the overall weird cosmic feel of the movie and made it a further trip to watch.
NEU! tracks; “Super” (Opening theme) and “Super 16” (Master Fung’s theme) from Neu!’s second studio album, Neu! 2 are used to dynamic effect.
Tangerine Dream’s sixth studio album, “Rubycon” title track “Rubycon, Part One” (The One-Armed Boxer’s theme) is another strange choice that really works.
A decade later, Tangerine Dream created a genre with the soundtrack to William Friedkin’s 1977 “Sorcerer”: and Michael Mann’s excellent 1981 “Thief”.
Kraftwerk’s “Mitternacht” (Suspense theme), “Morgenspaziergang” (courtyard music) and “Kometenmelodie 2” (End credits) were also a trip to hear. This last track was used to great effect over the end credits as a whacked uplifting ditty after all of the mayhem. All are from Kraftwerk’s fourth studio album, “Autobahn”. (“Fon, fon, fon, on thee Autobahn.”)
Here’s the more fun part – for 00individual, and Kraut Rock fans who had overdosed on all four of these albums years before seeing the 1976 movie – they got the unexpected rockin’ fun thrill of well-known electronica as background soundtrack music for an ancient China Martial Arts Mayhem movie – Cosmic Rockin’ fun on top of Martial Arts fun!
And besides, individuals and groups of the Counter-Culture were known to get high, crank music volume up and TV volume down, and let real-time synchronicity happen – and enjoy the Trip.
NEU! https://youtu.be/vQCTTvUqhOQ
1. Hallogallo, 2. Sonderangebot, 3. Weissensee, 4. Im Gluck, , 5. Negativland, 6. Lieber Honig, Michael Rother – guitar, bass guitar, Klaus Dinger – drums, guitar, koto, Konrad “Conny” Plank – producer, engineer.
NEU! 2
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=neu+21. “Für Immer” (“Forever”) 11:17, 2. “Spitzenqualität” (“Top Quality”) 3:35,
3. “Gedenkminute (für A + K)” (“Minute’s Silence (For A + K)”) 2:06, 4. “Lila Engel” (“Lilac Angel”)
4:37, 5. “Neuschnee 78” (“Fresh Snow 78”) 2:32, 6. “Super 16” 3:39, 7. “Neuschnee” (“Fresh Snow”) 4:07, 8. “Cassetto” (“Cassette”) 1:48, 9. “Super 78” 1:36, ,0. “Hallo Excentrico!” (“Hello Excentrico!”) 3:44, 11. “Super”. Michael Rother – guitar, bass guitar, Klaus Dinger – drums, guitar, koto, Konrad “Conny” Plank – producer, engineer.
TANGERINE DREAM – Rubycon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd6XL_IOS3I&t=1s&ab_channel=AuroBoris
1. “Rubycon, Part One” (Composed and played by: Edgar Froese: mellotron, guitar and VCS 3 synthesizer; Christopher Franke: double Moog synthesizer, Synthi A, organ, modified Elka organ and prepared piano; Peter Baumann: organ, EMS Synthi A, electric piano (Fender Rhodes) and prepared piano) 17:18
2. “Rubycon, Part Two” (Composed and played by: Christopher Franke: double Moog synthesizer, gong, Synthi A, and organ; Edgar Froese: organ, mellotron, guitar, gong and VCS 3 synththesizer; Peter Baumann: electric piano (Fender Rhodes), organ, EMS Synthi A, voice and ARP 2600)
KRAFTWERK- Autobahn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-G28iyPtz0&t=278s&ab_channel=ik127 1. “Autobahn” (“Motorway”) 22:43, 2. “Kometenmelodie 1” (“Comet Melody 1”) 6:26,3. “Kometenmelodie 2” (“Comet Melody 2”) 5:48,
4. “Mitternacht” (“Midnight”) 3:43, 5. “Morgenspaziergang” (“Morning Walk”) 4:04
Ralf Hütter – vocals, electronics, Florian Schneider – vocals, electronics, Klaus Röder – violin, guitar, Wolfgang Flür – percussion, Konrad “Conny” Plank – sound engineer.
The Psychedelic Blend was ubiquitous, an experienced eye saw and appreciated the Law of Attraction; strange attracts strange, deep thoughts attract deep thoughts, synchronicity attracts synchronicity.
There was a time once, not so much now, when all 00individual had to do was subconsciously ask – and usually very quickly an answer would be heard on TV, the radio, seen in print, or overheard in a crowd. This isn’t crazy talk, this is the Law of Attraction. When one maintains focus or interest in something, but lets go, answers come. A definite benefit of an experienced mind is the occurrences of meaningful coincidences; of synchronicity.
Synchronicity, in its highest form, is pure magick.
But not impervious to The Flying Guillotine!
