Brain Records, how did you put out so many good records in the '70's? Free jazz inspired world music? We have Embryo for that. Hendrix inspired power trios? Listen to some Guru Guru. Experimental electronic music? Neu!, Cluster, Tangerine Dream and Harmonia would surely do the trick. German music of the 1970's was far reaching in scope and influence, and Brain Records was on the forefront of showcasing the talent and creativity of the area.
We love the German avant-garde scene at Huckleberry. On any given day you may hear Amon Duul II, Can, Kraftwerk, or Lucifer's Friend gracing our deck. The sounds are diverse (how anyone can label all these bands "Krautrock" and be satisfied is beyond me), but the common strain of experimentalism, individuality, and desire to break from "rock n' roll" convention is what ties these groups together. For a great primer on the German scene, I urge everyone to watch the BBC documentary The Re-birth of Germany.
Two of the more "organic" (see: "rock") selections from Brain are the Scorpions and Electric Sun. Yes, we are talking about that Scorpions. Before the Scorpions crafted their '80s anthemic rock sound, the band were a couple of young guys from Hanover (guitarist Michael Schenker was 15 at the time of recording their debut on Brain!). Their debut album, Lonesome Crow, recorded by the legendary German producer Conny Plank, is a ripping, shredding, example of '70's acid/space rock. Sure, the guitars are loud and crunchy, but they do not simply bludgeon the listener. Songs have atmospherics and vocal harmonies. When
