Kollektiv is the first band in the series of SWF sessions on Long Hair who, at the time of the SWF recording on 06.07.1973, was relatively well known.

In March 1973 the band recorded its first LP, with Conny Plank as co-producer and sound-engineer, for the legendary Brain-Metronome Label. Acclaimed by progressive and krautrock fans and critics alike, it showed a different, more innovative style of playing contemporary German rock music and was honoured with a nomination for the German Schallplattenpreis. A re-release of the LP on Long Hair is planned. Kollektiv recorded new versions of two of the titles from the LP in SWF’s Studio U 1 in Baden-Baden. The SWF versions of “Baldrian” and “Gageg” demonstrate the band’s ability to improvise, its successful efforts to develop its best ideas and a dynamic handling of basic themes.  The other three titles are snapshots of songs subjected to continuous development, yet always revolving around a fixed framework, showing remarkable instrumental ability and the desire to experiment and explore the scope for development.

A glance at the bands evolution and musical roots of the individual musicians helps explain Kollektiv’s musical self-confidence.  

Waldo Karpenkiel remembers: “Influenced by Beat music coming from England we started a school band, The Generals, in 1964: My twin brother Jogi was on bass, Jürgen Havix played guitar and I was the drummer. We gradually got bored with Beat music and started listening to early Frank Zappa, Blodwyn Pig and King Crimson records. Jazz musicians like Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery and Cannonball Adderly also influenced us. Then Jogi started to experiment with the Phantoms, another Krefeld band with Ralf Hütter on organs, Klaus Dapper from Duisburg on the flute and saxophone. In 1968 Jogi returned to the Generals. We decided we should work together with a wind-player and contacted Klaus D. In the meantime, Ralf Hütter had founded Organisation, the forerunner to Kraftwerk.

In 1970 the Generals and Claus D. became Kollektiv. Our maxim: Everything is allowed! Music as experiment! Effect machines, sometimes homemade, were used: a Zither, with an electrical amplifier played with drum sticks, the bass played with a bow. Metal sheets and rotating metal discs were used, in addition to any type of exotic instrument or outlandish machine. The musical pieces are improvisations of minimal themes, often in excess of 10, 15 or more minutes. In 1971 we were ready to go on tour. The first concert was 400km away in Wilhelmshaven. On the day before the tour we hurriedly bought an old Volkswagen bus for DM 400. It had Campari-Bitter written on it and served us well for many years. We played in almost all the relevant music clubs, at university fests and small and large festivals. We often played with Sweet Smoke, who we had befriended.

After intensive practising and all the performances we felt ready to record an LP. My brother Jogi travelled to Hamburg to meet Conny Plank and make arrangements. In March 1973 we did the recordings that were released on the Brain LP. We sent SWF some demo cassettes and they invited us to a recording session. The SWF Studio was only available for one day. Our extensive system had to be set up first and then we had to sound check, so there wasn’t very much time left for the actual recording. Corrections and overdubs weren’t possible. We were happy with the recording though.

The first split in the band came in 1975. My brother Jogi and Jürgen H. left the band. Jogi joined Guru Guru, where he played bass until 1979. Jürgen dedicated himself to freestyle music. Jochen Schrumpf (guitar) and Detlef Wiederhöft (bass) joined the band. This line-up stayed together until 1978, then Kollektiv called it a day.

In 1979 I formed the rock-jazz big band Supersession and we recorded several LPs, Klaus was involved too. We features as guest musicians on numerous LP productions.”

Kollektiv reformed in 1987 with Waldo, Klaus, Jochen, the exceptional Swedish bassist Jonas Hellborgand and also as guest keyboarder Thomas Bettermann, they released a CD on ITM Records.

Back to the original Kollektiv line-up, to be heard on the SWF sessions and the Brain-Metronome LP:

They produced an incomparable, unmistakeable sound with echoes of Organisation and early Kraftwerk: spacey but melodic, elevated yet rocking, innovative: progressive in the best sense, consequent in the realisation of intent, forging new musical territory without denying its roots. Thanks to SWF titles from that extremely creative phase, not included on the Brain LP, can now be presented for the first time!

Manfred Steinheuer, February 2001

Translation: Annette Duffy

KOLLEKTIV "SWF Session Vol. 5"

TAMBOURA 04:36
SUBO 04:47
MOLLZITTER 11:14
BALDRIAN 05:15
GAGEG 08:00