Phallus Dei

The original Amon Düül saw its beginning in 1967 as an art commune in Munich, albeit one of a more socio-political nature than that of a musical group. Most of their recordings stem from two jam sessions recorded in 1968-69 and were mainly released posthumously, after 1969's Psychedelic Underground. Led by Chris Karrer, Amon Düül II formed in 1968 as a live band, featuring the more "musically proficient members" of the commune: Karrer, John Weinzierl, Falk-Ulrich Rogner, Renate Knaup, Peter Leopold and Dieter Serfas comprised the original lineup. However, stability would not be one of the band's strong suits, as personnel changes as well as numerous guest musicians, would plague the band's existence. Here, both Christian "Shrat" Thierfeld on bongos and Brit Dave Anderson on bass drifted in. Jazz saxophonist Olaf Kübler was another key player; as the band's manager, he signed them to the United Artists/Liberty label and produced the band's first several albums. They released their debut album, Phallus Dei, in 1969. Though sharing a chronology with the acid rock of the Grateful Dead or psychedelia of Pink Floyd, what's inside is much more bizarre. Knaup's voice is immediately recognizable. It's the antithesis of her British counterparts; in fact, so is Amon Düül II. Their compositions are based on improvisations, with an emphasis on the raw freak out of psychedelia, yet with a hint of (perhaps deliberate?) amateurism. The opener "Kanaan," however, remains the archetype, brooding under a near-tribal beat. As much of a groundbreaking example of German "krautrock" as the album would become, it's also known for its rather controversial title, which translates from Latin to "God's Penis."