Guru Guru

Infobox musical artist
Name = Guru Guru

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Img_capt = From left: Hans Reffert, Peter Kühmstedt, Mani Neumeier, Roland Schaeffer (2007)
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Background = group_or_band
Birth_name =
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Origin = Germany
Genre = Krautrock, Experimental rock, Psychedelic rock, Progressive rock
Occupation =
Years_active = 1968 - present
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.guru-guru.com www.guru-guru.com]
Current_members = Mani Neumeier Hans Reffert Peter Kühmstedt Roland Schaeffer
Past_members = Uli Trepte Ax Genric
and many others

Guru Guru is a German Krautrock band formed in 1968 as "The Guru Guru Groove" by Mani Neumeier (drums) and Uli Trepte (bass) later joining Jim Kennedy (guitar). In time for their debut in 1970, Ax Genrich had replaced Kennedy to solidify the classic Guru Guru line up.

Music

Guru Guru was both related to the free jazz music scene and both worked with Swiss female pianist Irène Schweizer. Neumeier already won several Jazz-prizes. The band was influenced by rock music, such as Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, The Who, Rolling Stones and early Pink Floyd.

Among the band's friends were Amon Düül, Can and Xhol Caravan, with whom Guru Guru played jam sessions.

Frontman Mani Neumeier (drummer and singer) has an original style of playing drums, and is known in the European jazz rock-scene. He was also involved in numerous other projects, as Tiere der Nacht, The Psychedelic Monsterjam, Damo Suzuki's Network, Globe Unity Orchestra, Harmonia, Acid Mothers Guru Guru, Voodootrance & Lover 303.

Social environment

Guru Guru's live performances in the late 1960es and early 1970es were politically left-oriented. They organized concerts together with the Socialist German Student Union, read political texts between the songs, and sometime played at the jails. Their shows were extravagant and anarchistic, some of the musicians lived together in a commune in German Odenwald region, experimented with hallucinogens (one of their songs is titled "The LSD March"/German: "Der LSD-Marsch"). Mani Neumeier is one of the organizers of the annual Krautrock-Festival "Finkenbach".

Publicity

Guru Guru released over 20 LPs, and over 500,000 copies of their records were sold (all releases together). The band played numerous live concerts, appeared in films, radio and television. In 1976 Guru Guru was the first German band to play live in the TV-show WDR-Rockpalast.

Discography

* 1970 "UFO"
* 1971 "Hinten"
* 1972 "Känguru"
* 1973 "Guru Guru"
* 1973 "Don't Call Us, We Call You"
* 1974 "Dance of the Flames"
* 1974 "Der Elektrolurch"(2 LP)
* 1975 "Mani und seine Freunde"
* 1976 "Tango Fango"
* 1977 "Globetrotter"
* 1978 "Live" (2 LP)
* 1979 "Hey du"
* 1981 "Mani in Germani"
* 1983 "Mani Neumeiers neue Abenteuer" (aka "Guru Mani ... ")
* 1987 "Jungle"
* 1988 "Guru Guru 88"
* 1988 "Live 72"
*'1992 "Shake Well" – MC
* 1993 "Shake Well"
* 1995 "Wah Wah"
* 1996 "Mask" (limited edition)
* 1997 "Moshi Moshi"
* 1999 "Live 98" (3 CD - Set, also on 2 LP)
* 2000 "2000 Gurus"
* 2003 "Essen 1970"
* 2005 "In the Guru Lounge"
* 2007 "Wiesbaden 1972"
* 2008 "PSY"

Mani Neumeier's discography: see "Mani Neumeier"

External links

* [http://www.guru-guru.com/ Guru Guru's official web site]
* [http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue19/guruguru.html Interview with Mani Neumeier]