D3U@PSUVM.BITNET (01/17/85)
Believe it or not, TD released a dance single in 1977 in Europe, taken from lp
Stratosfear. The title track has a several minute up tempo segment with repetat
ive strong rhythms and rock chord progressions and a lead guitar solo. There is
a section on the lp Force Majeur that is pop sounding, but not as rhythmic.
Ther may be appropriate music on Encore, which is an excellent album, but is
mostly journeys through music soundscapes. Madrigal Meridian from Cyclone may h
ave appropriate dance troupe sections, but the other side is two rock songs.
A possibility may be by Klaus Schulze, formerly of TD--1970. It is the album
Moogetique. Nowhere Now Here builds up slowly for several minutes to a rhythmic
section which developes to the end of the lp side. Stardancer should be good-
one of my friends arranged a belly dance to it although it is more like TD and
doesn't sound like belly dance music. Other K schulze possibilities may be the
lps Trancefer, X, Live (although I doubt that most of it is), Body Love vol II.
Other possibilities are by Ash Ra Tempel of which Schulze was a member:
New Age of Earth and parts of Inventions for Electric Guitar.
Maybe Departure from the Northern Wasteland by Micheal Hoenig, formerly of TD
and Ash Ra Tempel. Sun and Moon track should be great, but is only three minute
Maybe Hanging Garden track has possibilities, but is probably too heavy and too
much for people who are not predisposed to Space music.
The band Tantra is a European disco group that uses many influences including
Eastern and space music. I would recommend their doubl lpfor dance troupes.
The tracks The Hills of Katmandu and the other side lenght track I forget it's
name should be good. I used to play these on radio shows featuring space music
and did not get any flack from the disco haters who comprised most of the audie
nce, they just thought it a little too pop and boring. Some listeners called
the station to say they liked it and I know one taped it.
Patrick Cowley brough together TD, Schulze sounds to disco, but may have
lyrics about gay experiences.
Vangelis- some of his music is mechanical and machine like, but much of it
is pretty. Try lps Spiral, China. Heaven and Hell has nice sections and a mix
of rock, Mideval, choral. His latest, released at end of 1984 has pretty
sections. But I don't know of any upbeat dancable Vangelis.
Jean Michel Jarre--lps Oxygene and Equinox may be what you are looking for.
They are electronic, but less "absolute space" than most TD, Schulze, Hoenig
Berlin school music. Some of it sounds like pop meets Ravel's Bolero at the
synthi. Lots of wave sounds. Less serious sounding than most Berlin school alth
ough Magnetic Fields uses K Schulze structures.
from the Galactive archives of the cosmic RayD3U@PSUVM.BITNET (01/18/85)
I posted something on this 24 hrs ago but it seems to have disappeared already.
It was a couple pages of recommendations with commentary. Unfortunately I did n
ot save it. I will give only the basics.
In 1977 Tangerine Dream released a dance single from their lp Stratosfear.
The title track has a several minute excerpt that has strong rhythm and rock
progressions.
Other possibilities for dance troupe music are:
Jean Michel Jarre - Equinox these are pop, space, waves into a sort
Oxygene of Bolero for synth
Tangerine Dream Force Majeur has an up tempo light pop section
Michael Hoenig excerpts from lp Departure from the Northern Wasteland
Ash Ra Tempel New Age of Earth some up tempo sections, nice space for
relaxation, Eastern and S.Reich influence
Inventions for Electric Guitar has nice slow piece and
lengthy rhythmic sections; hot guitar, too
Change - Change (their first lp) part of it sounds like T.Dream space
meets disco. May have appropriate music on their 2nd, too
Tantra- Double Album "The Hills of Katmandu" has Eastern, space,pop,
disco, women's voices. The other side lenghth piace has
more rock influence. Tantra is popular disco/dance band
that sometimes uses strong rock sound
Klaus Schulze- lps Moogetique, Body Love II, Trancefer, X all have long
rhythmic sections like TDream
This list should be good for someone interested in electronic music
or for repertoire for modern dance choreography. Most are imports but the TD
and Change are domestics in U.S.
the cosmic Ray