Birth Control ~ Germany

Increase (1977)

Way back in my earliest used record collecting days, around 1984 or so, I had the opportunity to buy an original of this for a few bucks. Instincts told me to avoid (similar to Saga - Behaviour and many others), and so I preserved that precious cash for something better. When the internet boom happened in the mid 90s, no one talked this up and it remains to this day generally considered much lesser of an album than its predecessors. So I never bothered to pursue. Now that I'm out there crate digging, I turn up this version of the album, and pulled the trigger. My interest in the hard rock element of Birth Control has gone considerably up over the years. In essence they were always this way, not really Krautrock or prog, though they possessed elements of both. After nearly 40 years since that event above, this is the first time for me to hear Increase.

In reflection, both my instincts and the general internet perception were correct for my tastes... ...at the time. As I was digging deeper into the European underground, an album as straightforward as Increase would not have made the cut. And it certainly wasn't anything I needed to pursue for mail order. 

Today I have a different perspective. First off, I really appreciate the production that brings out the fantastic bass work. Keyboards and guitar are still front and center and are well played here. The songwriting is very good, and is inclusive of various outside influences like funk and disco, while not entirely letting go of progressive rock. As noted, those funk / disco influences are "outside" not "inside". Even if they were, I probably would enjoy the album with my current mindset. I found myself enjoying Increase as much as other Birth Control albums (not the best though), and it's better than at least a couple of their earlier works for my tastes.

Ownership: 1979 Brain (LP). Alternate cover. This is the Rock On Brain issue. I was first introduced to this series via the Scorpions Action LP way back in 1980. I was completely fascinated by the album itself, but I was also drawn to the other acts listed at the bottom. Who were these groups anyway? It would be a few years later that I would learn the music of Embryo, Jane, Satin Whale, and Guru Guru. For Increase, Guru Guru fell off and was replaced by Thirsty Moon (and Action replaced Increase). What a killer roster of albums the Brain label had in its heyday.

6/22/23 (acquired / review)

Hoodoo Man (1972)

I've never owned this title on LP,  and honestly that cover isn't inviting me to do so. But I will say that Birth Control's music continues to go up in my book. This, their 3rd album, takes the hard rocking first two albums to the next level. This really is heavy prog rock versus the simple music the band is often accused of. They were to regress on their next album, before really going all in for prog starting with Plastic People. That 2004 live album I went on about a few years ago tells me that Birth Control stayed relevant for many years. Still haven't heard anything else from that era of the band. Anyway Hoodoo Man is essential, and if I do find the LP in the wilds, I'll keep it. But I won't seek it out otherwise.

Ownership: 1994 Columbia (CD)

2/19/14 (acquired); 2/2/23 (review)

Birth Control Live (1974)

So let's get this straight: Five tracks over four LP sides. Almost all extended versions of previously recorded studio tracks. Organ and guitar as lead instruments, with plenty of instrumental improvisation - including unnecessary drum solos that you actually like. Yea, exactly. Deep Purple right? Bet your sweet bippy on it. Perhaps a bit more progressive (even some sax on one track), and sure, a little atmospheric Krautrock here for certain.

Ownership: 1974 CBS (2xLP). Gatefold. 

3/22/13 (acquired); 10/17/20 (review)

Backdoor Possibilities (1976)

One thing is certain: Birth Control are one of those bands that is likely to elicit plenty of polarizing opinions. It's odd that they seem to draw the ire more than others, as really Birth Control follow a very familiar path in Germany. If one is to study the German rock scene of the 1970s, a pattern emerges. Like many bands from there, Birth Control got started in the late 60s and began recording in the 1970 / 71 time frame. And like their fellow brethren, they started out more as a hard rock act. With Birth Control they were more geared toward a North American sound verse what we now would call Krautrock, but they weren't radically different either. Only a few bands from this initial explosion made it too far out of the gate before collapsing. And Birth Control were one of them.

So who were Birth Control's peers in both sound and success? Jane, Eloy, and Grobschnitt to name but a few. And each had a similar trajectory from hard rock in the early 70s (some with more Kraut-y aspects, especially Grobschnitt) to progressive rock in the mid 70s, and most of the bands then adopted a commercial sound by the latter end of the decade and the early 80s.

Birth Control were a little slower to embrace progressive rock, and stayed with hard rock longer than most. When one hears Birth Control Live from 1974, it appears Deep Purple was their blueprint. But prior to that - on Rebirth - Birth Control were dabbling with commercial music, even horn rock of all things. Then came Plastic People and the prog rock tendencies really started to come to the fore. The followup is Backdoor Possibilities, and it's here that Birth Control gave us their one and only fully fledged prog rock extravaganza. And they did not disappoint. It's an album that is disorienting more from the expectation one predicts from the band. This was certainly my own issue, not fully grasping where they were coming from. But had they been one of the countless German progressive rock bands that showed up in the mid 70s for the first time, then it would be easier to appreciate on initial impact. This isn't what we associate with Krautrock at all, but rather the symphonic prog of the era. Unfortunately Birth Control didn't enjoy great results real time, and did what everyone else was doing in Germany - they moved onto simpler more commercial realms. Eventually they recovered their Krautrock past some 25 years later, but by then they were remembered only by a loyal few.

I recently upgraded to the 2011 Boutique (UK) version that includes a full second disc dedicated to a live show in 1976. There's also three live tracks appended to disc 1 from another show in 1977. These latter tracks have appeared as various bonus tracks elsewhere, but it's nice to get them here in one place. To be honest, they are the better of the bonus tracks found here. The Sartory show, while certainly of interest musically, is not very well recorded. So I'd submit it's not worth getting only for this reason, but if you don't already own the CD, or it comes across cheap (as it did for me), it's worth upgrading - if only to get the three live tracks from 1977.

Ownership: 

1976 Brain (LP). Gatefold. Green label.

2011 Boutique (2xCD). Booklet contains photos, concert posters, and photocopies of reviews in German. Also has the original gatefold inner with lyrics (that you can barely see). There's no essay. 

1997 (acquired); 1/23/20 (review)

Operation (1971)

When I first heard Birth Control's second album Operation, I wasn't too impressed. This would go back to my original journey into the depths of Krautrock in the late 1980s. And why is that? Well... I had expected the album to fit the aesthetic of the Ohr label, and the cosmic and experimental Krautrock I had come to expect from groups like Ash Ra Tempel, Annexus Quam, and Guru Guru. Birth Control is nothing of the sort. Truth is, had Operation been on Philips, Polydor, or Bacillus, the album probably would be more well received. As I've written in many a place, Krautrock is a wide reaching term that can be interpreted in different ways. And in the world of the collector lists of the late 80s, Krautrock often meant "hard driving rock with organ and guitar". That was something I didn't understand back then, and honestly it wasn't much to my taste either.

About a decade later, when the hard-driving-rock-with-organ-and-guitar sounded good to my ears, Operation at that point found a comfy spot in the collection. And when one considers that particular genre, Birth Control shines quite bright. The first five tracks are similar in their high energy, heavy, but still progressive rock sound. The organ, clavinet, and guitars are raucous, and the vocals are rough - and ready for trouble. The final 11+minute track 'Let Us Do It Now' is a curve ball, offering up a different side of the band. More towards lounge and even classical - I still find it satisfying on many levels, though it remains the weakest cut. And out of place honestly.

Overall if you dig that 1971 German heavy organ/guitar lead styled Krautrock - and there are many of them - then add Operation to your list. Don't let that Ohr label moniker throw you.

Ownership: 1973 Ohr (LP). Gatefold. 556 press

2000 (acquired); 2/18/14; 7/18/19 (review)

35th Anniversary Live at Rockpalast (2005)

Birth Control are a band that is widely known among connoisseurs of Krautrock. 35th Anniversary Live at Rockpalast is an album by Birth Control that few have heard of... and even less have actually listened to it. Released under the cover of darkness in 2005, the album was likely only noticed by the few Birth Control die-hards left, and to everyone else it was either met with a yawn, or most likely not noticed at all. I mean, when was the last significant album from the band? 1976? I cannot say myself, as that's the last album (Backdoor Possibilities) I heard and enjoyed by the band, but I was always too chicken to try anything from Increase and beyond (ed: since rectified, see above). The only reason I have this album is because recently I purchased a large pile of sealed heavy metal (yes... heavy metal) CDs for less than a $1 each. Most of it wasn't even the kind of metal I like (lot of death, punk / hardcore, that sort of thing). Basically it was an investment. Except this CD was in the lot inexplicably (guessing the seller thought it was metal too given the band's moniker and not knowing any better). After seeing the (very few) high ratings and the track lineup - this was the one CD in the batch I was anxious to break the seal and hear (most I just left sealed and have since sold off for a tidy profit - or still have for sale).

It remains unclear from the CD exactly which year this concert was performed (this is the 2nd CD in recent months that I've reviewed that neglected the most important detail of a live concert: Exactly when did you play?). If you read the band history, they technically formed in 1966. Other websites place that date at 1968. And if you only consider release dates, then their debut was 1970. So we'll do that math here. 35 year anniversary could be 2001, 2003, or 2005. A Google search reveals... ta da... 2004. OK, then....

Next consideration: Who's in the band? Almost no one you have heard of, most having joined the group within a five year window. The glue here is long time drummer / vocalist Bernd Noske. While none of the original band members even made it to the debut album, one can easily make the argument that Noske was indeed the heart and soul of Birth Control. There is a guest appearance from vocalist Peter Föller, who was with the band from 1974 to 1976, though he's only on two tracks here.

Now that we have the forensic details out of the way, what of the music? Well you should know me well enough by now that I'm not going to dedicate three paragraphs to a clunker. I'm way too lazy for that. My initial response OH MY GOODNESS! If this album was heard by more folks, it would have 100's of ratings and dozens of reviews. The concert may have been from 2004, but honestly it's not much different than their live album from 1974! Except way better recorded and frankly, more interesting.

It doesn't take long to get hooked. 'Rock the Road' is a straight-up hard rocker. The guitar is heavy, but in the early 70s sense of the word (i.e. no metal here). And the best part... 10 seconds in.... wait for it.... the BIG FAT HAMMOND ORGAN is laid out (ah shoot, it's since been pointed out to be a facsimile thereof. They fooled me! Still sounds awesome...) . And it never goes away! It's the keyboard of choice for a one Sascha Kühn, who obviously studied at the University of Zeus B. Held, and graduated Magna Cum Laude. I didn't recognize this track, and that's because it was from their reformation album Alsatian (2003), which I now obviously need to hear. Believe me, I'm suddenly interested in all things Birth Control right now (I mean the band, I hasten to add...). 'What's Your Name' continues in a straight-up hard rock way. This was a 1972 single that originally ended up on the Believe in the Pill compilation.

And then the real party starts. From 'Trial Trip' to 'Gamma Ray', it might as well be 1975, and Birth Control are out there jamming in a hard rock meets progressive rock way. It's mostly instrumental. Guitarist Peter Engelhardt at times seems to conjure up Frank Marino even. So yea, imagine Frank Marino with Jon Lord on organ. If that isn't worthy of your time, not sure what is.

Here are the tracks and their origins:

Trial Trip (1975 Plastic People)
Hope (a rare single from 1970)
Just Before the Sun Will Rise (1971 Operation)
Like Nothing Ever Changed (2003 Alsation). Must hear this album...
Back From Hell (1974 Rebirth)
The Work is Done (1971 Operation) Wow, they hit this album hard. Good choice too!
Drum Solo... It was good of them to break this out so we could skip over it, and only two minutes too!
Gamma Ray (1972 Hoodoo Man)
She's Got Nothing on You (1974 Rebirth)

Those paying close attention will notice three of the above tracks were part of the original 1974 Live album. 'Gamma Ray' was also extended greatly there. 'Back From Hell' was 15+ minutes in 1974, now taken back to its original length. And 'She's Got Nothing on You' was also played straight from 31 years prior. The last track, it should be noted, brings us back to the opening two songs, and is a middle of the road hard rocker.

Despite the fact that much of this material existed prior, the exuberance of the occasion and the new players, make it sound new to my ears. Overall this is a great album, one that should not have been ignored as it was. But as mentioned in the prelude, who even knew of its existence? Not I...

Bernd Noske unfortunately passed away in 2014, and that would have seemingly been the end of the group. Fortunately key contributor Sascha Kühn has resuscitated the project, and brought along Peter Föller (see above) as the lead singer, thus keeping a tie to the past. I'm a big proponent of "bands as brands", and would like to see many groups continue on in a multi-generational way. It seems the younger generation still has the fire and imagination of their forefathers.

Ownership: 2005 Mr. D Music (CD). Lots of liner notes (in German and English - everything but when it was recorded.), and includes a handful of photos as well.

5/24/19 (acquired / review)

Plastic People (1975)

Birth Control were one of those bands that managed to survive the various musical movements of the 1970s and 80s. In order to do that, a group must be flexible and change with the times - for better or worse. Birth Control were always an outlier when discussing the best music of the Krautrock era. In reality they were more of a UK / North American styled hard rock band, one that avoided the trappings of phasing, cosmic tripping, and long psychedelic jams. By 1973, Birth Control tried their hand at more commercial material, including dragging along a horn section, to mixed results. Then the obligatory live album brought out the band's inner Deep Purple. And now it's 1975, it's Germany, and you do what?

You go prog. Not Krautrock styled prog mind you, but the UK variant of such. Eloy went forth with Power and the Passion, and Jane coughed up Fire Water Earth and Air. And so Birth Control came out with Plastic People. When considering their pedigree, and the fact they weren't really ever the best at what they did, one would presume Plastic People would fall on its face, in an almost laughable Spinal Tap way. Wrong again. Birth Control pretty much blew away the competition (it was Eloy who ended up with egg on their face). 

This is an album I'd owned for many years without much recollection, until about six years ago a focused listen while driving through South Dakota (there isn't really much else to do...) opened this up for me. Tonight's listen just reinforced that experience. It's a blend of their hard rock past, mixed in with solid songwriting and real progression in the compositions. The title track is 11 minutes, and seems half of that, which is a good sign. 'Tiny Flashlights' is brilliant, perhaps the best song in Birth Control's entire canon. There's some really great synthesizer work throughout the album in addition to the usual organ/guitar display. Even a track with a dumbo title like 'Rockin' Rollin' Roller' is much better than it seems at the beginning, and the song is memorable in a good way. I see some bellyaching around the band's use of commercial styled singing and "lounge" moves. To me, that's another half point positive, as I really appreciate the melodicism brought forth, and works well as a contrast to the otherwise mathematical complexity. It's not that dissimilar to how the American groups approached progressive rock in the mid 70s. BTW - there are only horns on one track for those who break out in hives at the mere sound of them.

In addition the album has excellent artwork and is featured on my "wall of albums".

Ownership:

1975 CBS (LP). Gatefold.

1995 Columbia (CD). For whatever reason, the CD switches the places of  'Rockin' Rollin' Roller' and 'Tiny Flashlights'. Odd. 

1997 (acquired); 6/8/06; 5/20/11; 10/14/17 (review)

10/14/17 (new entry)