
RELEASED ON 31.1.2025 ON MIG MUSIC VIA PROPER
CATALOGUE NUMBER MIG01390
He was in the midst of his 'digital phase', fascinated by sampling technology, and had
a clear idea of where he could go with the technology, which resulted in albums like
'Beyond Recall'; the Royal Festival Hall recordings; 'The Dome Event' and even to an
extent his opera "Totentag".
By contrast Peter Kuhlman aka Pete Namlook had just started. In 1992 he had
founded the seminal Fax label, which was both a vehicle for his own recordings and a
chance to collaborate and release recordings from like- minded musicians from
around the world: Robert Gorl of DAF; Geir Jenssen of Biosphere fame; the ever
eclectic Bill Laswell; Ritchie Hawtin; Lorenzo Montana; Gabriel Le Mar; Dr Atmo
and David Moufang to name just a few.
In an interview from 2002, Pete remembered:
"In fact, the detonation was 'Air II' - the spacey part of the track 'Travelling Without
Moving' enthused Klaus. He wanted us to start to work together at once. It was the
music that was of importance to him.
Although Klaus had had no interest in working together before on principle, I knew I
could convince him with my music. That was the key of our co-operation. The track
was in a sort of Schulze/ Tangerine Dream style with its analogue synthi- bass
sequences; it became apparent to both of us that we should approach things with
analogue tools frst of all. Although it wasn't so easy initially, the musical result finally
convinced him. I didn't want to do just a remake of seventies space-music - I intended
to meld it with the beats and sounds of today's electronic music, and I think we
succeeded."
Klaus Schulze: "The whole series was a very unpretentious project. Because I had
always kept total control with my own albums, I let Pete take it off my hands and
could make compromises. That was juicy for me, cause I don't work with other
electronic musicians usually. It was a total different chemistry compared to say
Manuel Goettsching, who I understand completely. From that point of view it was a
real challenge. I never could work with somebody like me, I'd rather do it on my own.
The few people I have worked with, like Rainer Bloss, had to have strong egos to
prevent themselves being dominated by me. Namlook once said, my music was often
too emotional from his point of view. Namlook is much more rational than me, that's
why I always kidded him with the nickname 'the banker' - but this oppositional aspect
made it exciting for me. I need people who work contrari-wise.
Work on 'Dark Side Of The Moog' started without any solid intention and wasn't
planned as a series at all. There was only the aim that it didn't sound like 'Schulze'
only, so I decided that Namlook had to make the final mix."
Work on 'Dark Side Of The Moog' started without any solid intention and wasn't
planned as a series at all. There was only the aim that it didn't sound like 'Schulze'
only, so I decided that Namlook had to make the final mix."
The influence Namlook had on Klaus's music in the middle of the nineties should not
be taken lightly, because although Klaus dearly loved those early-analogue elements
from his own music, they had become, to an extent, lost. It was Pete who fortified him
to go back to the analogue charm of his early albums and it was Pete who supported
him in the modification of his analogue instruments, leading finally to the epoch
making Schulze album from 1996 - "Are You Sequenced?"
For Namlook, the curiosity of Klaus Schulze and their collaboration on a level playing
field of mutual respect was inspiring:
And so a legendary series of recordings was born. 'Dark Side Of The Moog' grew more
or less unplanned to a sprawling, stately- sized series of eleven volumes recorded
between 1994 and 2008, only ending with the early, tragic death of Pete on November
8th 2012.
Tracks:
Disc 1
1. Psychedelic Brunch - Part I
2. Psychedelic Brunch - Part II
3. Psychedelic Brunch - Part III
4. Psychedelic Brunch - Part IV
5. Psychedelic Brunch - Part V
6. Psychedelic Brunch - Part VI
7. Psychedelic Brunch - Part VII
8. Psychedelic Brunch - Part VIII
Disc 2
1. The Final DAT - Part I
2. The Final DAT - Part II
3. The Final DAT - Part III
4. The Final DAT - Part IV
5. The Final DAT - Part V
6. The Final DAT - Part VI
Disc 3
1. Obscured By Klaus - Part I
2. Obscured By Klaus - Part II
3. Obscured By Klaus - Part III
4. Obscured By Klaus - Part IV
5. Obscured By Klaus - Part V
6. Obscured By Klaus - Part VI
Disc 4
1. Careful With The AKS, Peter - Part I
2. Careful With The AKS, Peter - Part II
3. Careful With The AKS, Peter - Part III
4. Careful With The AKS, Peter - Part IV
5. Careful With The AKS, Peter - Part V
6. Careful With The AKS, Peter - Part VI
7. Careful With The AKS, Peter - Part VII
8. Careful With The AKS, Peter - Part VIII
Disc 5
1. SQ 1
2. Voices In The Dark (Chill Mix)
3. SQ 4 (Short Cut)