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Founded in Werdohl, Germany in 1972 - Disbanded in 1980
Jürgen Krutszch formed TIBET in 1972, having been inspired by the Eastern experimentation of groups such as the BEATLES and THIRD EAR BAND. Krutszch had spent the latter part of the sixties in cover bands (FINE ART, NOSTRADAMUS), and was interested in putting together a group that played native Tibetan instruments such as the tabla, violin, zither, and flute. He quickly abandoned this idea after recruiting former band mates Karl-Heinz Hamann (FINE ART, TESKE) and Dieter Kumpakischkis (NOSTRADAMUS), as well as drummer Fred Teske and vocalist Kalus Werthmann, but the band did retain a certain pseudo-mystic feel to their music during their nine year existence.
The band toured extensively throughout the seventies, opening occasionally for fellow countrymen and friends of the band KRAAN, but managed to release only a single album, their self-titled 1979 studio release. The tracks for the album were recorded in three separate sessions dating from December 1976 to September 1978,
The band's sound was a complex fusion of astral rock, jazz, classical music and Tibetan sounds, heavily keyboard-driven (Hammond, mellotron) and compared to the likes of ELOY, AMENOPHIS, and even URIAH HEEP, although most of their studio release consists of tracks that are similar in style but more reserved than any of those bands. Lyrics (when present) were primarily in sung English, but the band was known to play longer instrumentals in concert, and three such tracks appear on their studio release.
Rumor has it that when Musea Records decided to release the album on CD in 1994, the original master tapes were nowhere to be found, so the label arranged for the entire album to be re-recorded. It is unclear whether the original band members were the actual musicians who recorded the CD version of the album. The original vinyl release sold somewhere between 5,000 and 15,000 copies and is no longer available.
As an interesting side-note, Garden of Delight Records released a series of sampler recordings of early psychedelic and symphonic bands around the turn of this century, and volume 5 of that collection features two songs credited to TIBET. While the core membership of the band is the same as that one their 1979 studio release, the singer is listed as a 16 year-old girl known simply as Maggie. These tracks were believed to have been recorded by the band very early in their career, and prior to signing Werthmann as their permanent singer. Nothing else is known of the girl.
Having failed to make a commercial impression with their one record, TIBET decided to call it quits and disbanded following their final concert appearance on March 22, 1980.
TIBET deserves recognition for having been a small part of the progressive music scene with their extensive live performance history throughout the seventies, and for the eclectic and ambitious style of music for which they were known by their small but persistent fan base.
Bob Moore (ClemofNazareth)
The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra Records [Release date 29.03.24]
If this is “dark prog” then dark prog sounds to me like jazz/rock fusion. Once you are past the descriptors, a look at the cast list suggests this might be a rather tasty fusion fest.
The latest in a series put together by Yes bassist Billy Sherwood (who writes all the material and plays on all tracks) is mainly instrumental.
It’s a chance to hear various guitarists outside of the straitjackets usually imposed by their big name masters. So we have Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens on the opener ‘Darkest Hour’ setting the scene with a suitably dramatic and moody edge.
Steve Morse’s workout on ‘Ominous Signs’ will be recognisable to fans of his prime Dixie Dregs era whilst itinerant violinist David Cross provides a King Crimson/Mahavishnu vibe to ‘At The Gates’.
Bumblefoot Thal sings and plays on one of three vocal pieces – the standout ‘Dark Days’ - accompanied by Patrick Moraz and drummer Omar Hakim. Another highlight ‘Between Two Worlds’ features Steve Hillage.
And as if to confirm this is really jazz rock fusion in disguise John Etheridge crops up on ‘The 11th Hour’ which sounds like Allan Holdsworth in an unholy alliance with Hawkwind (Del Dettmar period).
The space keyboard vibe is repeated on several tracks, Sherwood evidently likes this effect but to these ears it can be intrusive and when a piece like ‘Distant Thunder’ also meanders the results aren’t convincing.
Tagged on to 13 tracks are two bonuses which don’t really sit with either the dark theme or the rest of the album. So, bizarrely, there’s an “instrumental version” of ‘I’m Not In Love’ with Rick Wakeman when it’s actually got a vocal (originally featured on a Nektar “covers” album in 2012), whilst Todd Rundgren reprises ‘I Saw The Light’ (previously part of a Todd “covers” release in 2022). To me this is lazy and sloppy programming and detracts from an otherwise consistent offering.
If you can dispense with that dark prog tag, this is still a satisfyingly dark album for lovers of the individual artists, Billy Sherwood, minor keys, or mainly instrumental fusion. ***
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Darkest Hour (4:01)
2. Ominous Signs (4:01)
3. At the Gates (3:55)
4. Dark Days (5:09)
5. Lonely Landscape (3:37)
6. The Long Night (4:01)
7. The Quasi Effect (3:32)
8. The 11th Hour (4:01)
9. Between Two Worlds (3:33)
10. Distant Thunder (3:41)
11. Dark Money (3:30)
12. For All to See (3:25)
13. Beyond Reason (3:29)
Total Time 49:55
Bonus tracks on CD edition only:
14. I Saw the Light (3:39)
15. I'm Not in Love (5:53)
- Billy Sherwood / bass, guitar (7)
With:
- Steve Stevens / guitar (1)
- Steve Morse / guitar (2)
- David Cross / violin (3)
- Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal / guitar (4)
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards (4)
- Omar Hakim / drums (4)
- Kasim Sulton / bass (5)
- Frank Dimino / vocals (6)
- Marco Minnemann / drums (6)
- John Etheridge / guitar (8)
- Steve Hillage / guitar (9)
- Gregg Bissonette / drums (9)
- Todd Sucherman / drums (10)
- Joe Bouchard / keyboards (11)
- Pat Mastelotto / drums (12)
- Chad Wackerman / drums (13)
- Todd Rundgren / guitar (14)
- Rick Wakeman / keyboards (14,15)
- Nektar / (15)
Cover: Javier Carmona
Label: Cleopatra Records
Format: Vinyl, CD, Digital
March 15, 2024
FreeForm Radio thanks Alex at Quiet Details for providing us with a copy of this release.
Delighted to announce that next up in the quiet details series, with an incredible interpretation of the idea, is Whettman Chelmets.
A singular artist, Whettman truly defies genre-boundaries, taking his experimental and visionary approach to music creation through many different guises.
Largely guitar-focused and broadly covering drone/shoegaze/ambient, yet deconstructing each of those generic terms into something truly unique and purely his own. With releases on such diverse labels as Flaming Pines, Submarine Broadcasting, Girly Girl, Strategic Tape Reserve and more - each new release promises something very special and unexpected.
A New Place is exactly that - originating from an improvised, deeply poetic song from his young daughter and extrapolated into his own improvisations, thoughts circling of yearning for new things and the nostalgia for the past - ultimately creating powerful and moving pieces that are utterly compelling.
Highly textural, the three tracks are each complete worlds of their own - using a palette of guitars, synths, field recordings and trumpet from Whettman, his two children, Lucy and Reese guesting on vocals and screwdriver guitar respectively - we hear the full range of sonic emotion.
Soft and gentle murmurations morph into walls of layered structures - always shifting and advancing into yet new scenes that elicit unpredictable feelings. The musicality is a match for the sound design, both so refined and precise while always feeling organic and natural - you can feel his hands making this music, the nuances come through perfectly.
Beautiful picked guitar evolves into heavily saturated washes which turn into vast open spaces - this is a true masterclass in using every corner of dimensional space and the complete frequency spectrum to say exactly what he wants to say in this time and place.
“There's a cyclical nature to the whole thing, and I'd like to highlight that with the words. We humans spend most of out time longing. It seems to be what drives us. Not inherently a bad thing, I don't think, but at the same time, takes us away from the Now. I think the work here focuses on that. We long for things. Then we find said things. Then we continue to long. Always on the precipice of fulfillment, but never actually there.”
At times light and expansive, at times dark and evanescent, Whettman Chelmets has taken the quiet details concept to a wonderful and extraordinary world - A New Place in every wonderful regard.
Huge thanks to Whettman for everything, a complete and gorgeous addition to the series.
The artwork was made as always influenced by the music and idea behind the album - originating from a photo from Whettman which was then captured with analogue photography and processed here at quiet details studios.
As usual, the album is presented on the physical edition, a custom 6-panel digipack with a separate fine art print too.
The CD also has a special long-form continuous mix of the album, representing the music in its purest form.
As a label we support the incredible Cancer Centre - Milton Keynes University Hospital and all their wonderful NHS staff.
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