La Duesseldorf

Artist: Die Engel des Herrn (La Düsseldorf)
P: 1992
After years without a sign of life Klaus Dinger returned with Gerhard Michel and Klaus Immig as "Die Engel des Herrn" with their self-titled debut in 1992. This album was released in self-distribution then. It starts with the title track, a true heavenly experience. I never heard such a softly gliding song, the synthesizers sound like a choir of angels. After that there is a bunch of short rock alike songs, some of Dinger's best. "Sunlight" offers a fantastic singalong chorus. "Little Angel" is even stronger, it feels like you have to dance with the angel. "S.O.S." is a very short energizer, a lightning of sound. "Bitte, bitte!" has some sort of folk feel with Michel's great violin playing. "Tschüs" is one of Dinger's most emotional songs, full of melancholy. It describes his feelings for his father who died in 1990, a musical farewell, one of my favorite Dinger songs ever. After that Die Engel des Herrn give us a new interpretation of La Düsseldorf's "Cha Cha 2000". Here you can hear the song in a more acoustic style, a wonderful piece. It reaches its height in the finale "Cha Cha 3000" in which Yvi sings a duet with Dinger.
The CD offers a bonus track, a 20 minute improvisation that shows the darker side of the band. "Die Bengel des Herrn" (a wordplay with the band name, the angels turned into rascals) shows that this trio also could play music spontaneously.
So this whole album is musically very manifold. It remained undiscovered for much too long and it's a shame so many people don't know this band. Everyone who loves inspiring music (especially every fan of La Düsseldorf) should give them a try.
Recorded 1988 - 1991 at Dingerland by Klaus Dinger & Gerhard Michel.
All tracks composed by Klaus Dinger except 04 & 05 composed by Klaus Dinger & Gerhard Michel and 09 composed by Klaus Dinger, Gerhard Michel & Klaus Immig.
Klaus Dinger - voice, guitar, keyboards, piano, harmonium, tambourine, clapping, drums on track 1,7 and 8, OB8 bass on track 4, bass on track 8.
Gerhard Michel - Voice, guitar, bass, violin, tambourine, Schellenbaum, tubular bells, Maultrommel, clapping.
Klaus Immig - Drums, percussion.
Yvi - Voice on track 8.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Klaus Dinger + Japandorf
P: 2013
“Japandorf” is the last album production of Klaus Dinger (1946-2008). In fact “Japandorf” is the perfectly accomplished third album of a series of three albums in total, which were produced since 2000 by the likewise named project Japandorf.
The two predecessors of “Japandorf” are called “pre-Japandorf” and “VIVA Rimix 2010” and are yet to be released.
According to the manifesto like character of his song CHA CHA 2000 (1978), Klaus was even in the beginning of 2000 still after a special kind of musical collaboration to attain a unique sound, which would suit the upcoming millennium. For his new project, he opened his studio in 2000 to various fine artists and musicians for spontaneous recording-sessions. Through an artist friend Nakao, Klaus got introduced to Japanese musicians and artists living in Düsseldorf, especially the sessions together with them had a dense and exciting atmosphere. “Nakao opened the door to Japandorf” Klaus said. From these sessions the new project, “Japandorf” emerged.
On from the beginning of their partnership Klaus, Kazu, Nakao, Miki and Satoshi besides playing music, had spent a lot of time together camping, cycling, being close to nature, discussing, in order to slowly broaden the musical scope.
Klaus ́ basic idea for these recordings was to be working together with a collective of collaborators who would have a background in fine arts rather than being technically skilled instrumentalists. This process of developing music took some time, but the results are surprisingly fresh and unique.
Klaus once said, he would like to pass on his artistic experience to younger generation. Although Klaus has been pressured by financial needs during the 7 years of “Japandorf” production, he would devote all his passion and time to the project and also cared about the members, let them challenge and gain experiences through the creative process.
Lyrically and musically the album “Japandorf” focuses on the city of Düsseldorf and specially on its Japanese community, which Düsseldorf is internationally well known for since the early 70s.
All rehearsal and recording sessions from 2000 until 2006 took place at either Klaus ́ Zeeland Studio at the seaside in the Netherland or at his Düsseldorf Studio which were located nearby the airport. Most of the songs on “Japandorf” were finally recorded in 2007 at Zeeland Studio. Another few recording sessions took place in February and in March 2008, with only Klaus, Kazu and Miki. On 21. March, just before the album was to be finished, Klaus suddenly passed away due to a heart attack. Miki, Klaus ́ partner, became his heiress and finished the three albums together with Kazu in 2010.
“Japandorf” is a uniquely magical, optimistic, refreshing and beautiful album. Definitely another manifest of Klaus Dinger.

Artist: La Düsseldorf
P: 1980 / 2008
Individuellos, originally released in 1980, is the third and final release from these German proto-punk/Krautrock legends. Featuring Klaus Dinger (Kraftwerk, Neu!), La Dusseldorf is one of the most important progressive bands to come out of Germany in the second half of the 70s. Ranging from ambient to sound collage to motorik synth and guitar workouts, Individuellos is reissued for the first time ever outside of Germany.

Artist: La Düsseldorf
P: 1976 / 2008
Upon the breakup of legendary Krautrock duo Neu!, drummer Klaus Dinger formed La Düsseldorf with his brother Thomas and keyboard player Hans Lampe. This, their self-titled debut, was recorded in 1975 and is a staggering mix of Dinger's trademark motorik rhythms, glammy synths, pulsing organs, and urgent guitar work that altogether create a sound that, at times, predates both punk and post-punk, no small feat. Featuring their European hit single Silver Cloud, La Düsseldorf's debut record is classic Krautrock on par with the best offerings of Neu!, Kraftwerk, and Can.

Artist: La Düsseldorf
P: 1978 / 2008
Viva is the second studio album from Klaus Dinger's La Dusseldorf. Klaus was the second half of the motorik based German band Neu! and this album is similar to the album Neu! 75. With Viva, some of the songs still are driven by the trademark motorik beat of Dinger, such as Rheinita and Geld. It seems that the subject of this album is Dinger himself. We get to learn about his fashion sense in White Overalls, his disdain for money in Geld, and his hopes for the future with Cha Cha 2000. Even the title of the instrumental track Rheinita is a reference to Dinger and a girl (Anita) being separated when he was younger. So what's the music like? Driven by the drums and layered with somtimes multiple guitars and synths, the music has a full somtimes majestic sound. White Overalls and Geld even have a punk feel to them. Cha Cha 2000 does drag on a bit (the track is 20 minutes), otherwise a very enjoyable album if you are into Krautrock.

Artist: Thomas Dinger, La Düsseldorf
P: 1982 / 2000
Late drummer from Krautrock band "La Dusseldorf"'s first,and only,solo album. You would describe this as sounding quite similiar, with that La Dusseldorf motorik beat but with a more somber,contemplative mood. The overall tone reminds a bit of Michael Rother's solo output that more or less came out during the same time period (early 80's). Not so much in sound (Rother's is very much guitar driven), but in the slighly melancholic mood that they both share. If you're a La Dusseldorf fan check this out, it's a great release. Rest in peace, Thomas Dinger.

Artist: Eno, Moebius, Roedelius, Rother,
La Düsseldorf,NEU,Streetmark u.a.
P: 2013
Grönland Records releases a 4 disc CD Box called 'Who's That Man - A Tribute To Conny Plank' as a tribute to legendary German producer Conny Plank. It includes a selection of Plank's most iconic work, along with a series of productions that exemplify his unique sound design. CD 3 features reworks by a host of contemporary artists of the original 24 track magnetic tapes found in the Plank archives. As a previously unreleased gem, the box also contains a live concert by Moebius/ Steffen/ Plank recorded on tape while touring Mexico in 1987.