Voices In The Net -Atem (original) (raw)

Tangerine Dream- Studio, released March 1973 -
Covers CoverCD release Europe 1996Artwork: Edgar Froese Photo: Monique FroeseCoverCD release UK 1987CoverCD release Japan 2004Artwork: Edgar Froese Photo: Monique FroeseCoverCD pirate release Russia 2001
Tracks
Details Recording dateDecember 1972 - January 1973Recording site(s)Dierks Studio (Cologne)Recording engineer(s)Dieter DierksComposer(s)Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, Peter BaumannMusician(s)Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, Peter BaumannProducer(s)Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, Peter Baumann
Notes Tangerine Dream's final album for Ohr Records, Atem, released in early 1973, was much more accessible than Zeit. The British DJ John Peel was a big fan of Atem and wrote and phoned Edgar Froese to tell him how much he loved their music. Atem became his album of the year 1973, and this might be the reason TD got a contract with the London-based Virgin Records.
From _30 Years Of Dreaming_In December 1972, Tangerine Dream recorded what was to become the album Atem. This time it was done without any help from guest musicians. The result was released at the beginning of 1973.The music still had this "cosmic" atmosphere, but with a lot more dynamics and structure. Especially the vocal (!) track Wahn stands out -- even today. It sounds something like "Stockhausen meets Pink Floyd"...The [...] American John Schaefer, [...] a very active and passionate spokesman for every kind of new music, wrote about this phase in Tangerine Dream's career: "Here were three young German rock musicians (Klaus Schulze briefly among them) playing music that sounded as bizarre and self-indulgent to pop listeners as Eminent or Stockhausen sounded to much of the traditional classical audience. Often without any recognisable melodies or harmonies, the early Tangerine Dream recordings, such as the two-record set Zeit (Time), took the listener on a flight through a chemical wonderland. Spaced, occasionally abrasive, at times completely adrift from conventional musical forms..." _(New Sounds -- John Schaefer, 1987, Virgin)_Edgar Froese: "Atem was the beginning of an adventure. For the next few years, we were constantly improving and experimenting and, although it wasn't perfect -- we didn't always make great music -- it was a period which brought me richer experiences than any other" (Melody Maker, 8th October 1994)Atem was the last album Tangerine Dream made with Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser for the record company Ohr. As it often happens in the music business, disagreements between the artists and the record company evolved. They parted, but only after a lawsuit, and Froese, Franke and Baumann were now looking for a new recording label. Before the final break, Tangerine Dream played at a remarkable concert arranged by a magazine in Paris. Among others Tangerine Dream were playing together with Ashra Temple, Kraftwerk and Klaus Schulze, who have all gained a lot of recognition and almost cult-like status in their genre through the years.With Atem, Tangerine Dream got some success abroad for the first time, when the English DJ, John Peel, chose Atem as the best album of the year! He often played it on his radio program and was thereby contributing to making Tangerine Dream popular in England. It was especially the English who opened their eyes to that special kind of progressive rock music, which came from West Germany. The psychedelic wave -- with Pink Floyd in front -- had cleared the way for a new way of thinking in music.There was a strong underground scene, which had also revealed itself as having a big commercial potential. As is well known, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells was a very big success even though it was considered a strange album at the time with no traditional vocals or drums. The enormous success of Tubular Bells was forming the financial basis for this little new record company called Virgin Records. A record company, with the eccentric adventurer Richard Branson in the forefront, which has now evolved into becoming one of the world's biggest multimedia companies and now also an airline company. It was also Virgin Records who promoted Tangerine Dream on a global level for many years and -- to some degree -- still do.Legend has it that "on sunny afternoon in August 1973, Richard Branson and Edgar Froese sat on the small wooden stairs in the hallway of Virgin Records store in Nottinghill Gate, London. Both were negotiating the first deal for Tangerine Dream in England. Branson only had a small office above the store. As they agreed upon the main points, Branson pulled out a demo cassette from a certain Oldfield, which he'd received. They gave the pre-prehistoric version of Tubular Bells a listen -- and the rest is history." _(TDIFC Newsletter #13, March 1991)_Well, anyway it's a good story.© 1999 by Kent Eskildsen
Re-Releases
In 1987 the album was released on CD for the first time. While the USA release featured the reworked original cover artwork, the UK release had a total different cover design, originating from the boxed set In The Beginning.
Nine years later, in 1996, the CD was re-released again. Though being remastered from the original tapes, this was not a perfect recording like under 1996 studio conditions, but probably the best version of Atem that would ever become available. The cover artwork was very similar to the original LP cover. The CD booklet features sleeve notes taken from the book "Krautrocksampler" by Julian Cope.
In 2001 are pirate CD release was issued in Russia, featuring totally different cover artwork.
In 2004 the album was re-released in Japan with a cardboard sleeve featuring the exact replica of the original LP sleeve.
A very special edition of Atem was released in August/September 2011 by the British Esoteric Records as part of a re-issue of the TD back catalogue of the Pink and Blue Years. The album was released as a double CD, the first disc featuring the original album, while the second one, titled "The Deutschlandhalle Concert", is a re-release of the fan release Tangerine Tree Volume 23: Berlin 1973, featuring a 1973 concert in West Berlin. Like all other re-releases of the Esoteric series, the discs come nicely packaged with a highly informative 16-page booklet, featuring the original artwork, credits, numerous photos and an essay by journalist Malcolm Dome.
In April 2012 the Japanese company Belle Antique re-released the remastered Esoteric version of Atem as double SHM-CD (Super High Material CD), including the bonus disc.
Releases Australia1975: PolydorLP [a]: 2383 297; red labelsEurope1996: Essential/CastleCD [a]: ESMCD3481999: Essential/CastleLP [a]: ESMLP348; picture label/white label2002: Sanctuary/CastleCD [a]: CMRCD495; standard jewel case with additional cardboard sleeve2011: Reactive/Esoteric2CD [b]: EREACD 21019; cardboard wrapper; slim double jewel case; multicoloured discs2012: Reactive/EsotericLP [a]: EREALP 1019France1973: Cosmic CouriersLP [a]: CLE 33003; yellow labels, foc1976: Virgin/CPFLP [a]: 940 526; multi-coloured labels1992: Jive/BMGCD [a]: 2111 334-2Germany1973: OhrLP [a]: OMM 556031; ear labels1992: Jive/BMGCD [a]: 2111 334-2Italy1973: PDU/EMI ItaliaLP [a]: Pld. A 5084; black/silver labels, focJapan1976: Virgin/Nippon ColumbiaPromo-LP [a]: YX-7126-AX; white/grey promo labels, focLP [a]: YX-7126-AX; white/grey labels, foc, 12-page booklet1978: Virgin/Nippon ColumbiaLP [a]: YZ-97-AX; white/grey labels2004: ArcàngeloCD [a]: ARC-7050; cardboard sleeve, obi, fold-out poster2008: ArcàngeloCD [a]: ARC-8009; cardboard sleeve, obi2012: Belle Antique2SHM-CD [b]: BELLE 121945-6; cardboard sleeve, obiPromo-2SHM-CD [b]: BELLE 121945-6; cardboard sleeve, obi; sticker "SAMPLE" on rear, print "LOANED SAMPLE" on inner CD ringRussia2001: SomeWaxPirate-CD [a]: SW077-2Taiwan19??: -LP [a]: NP-60067; blue/silver labels, black/white coverUK1974: PolydorLP [a]: 2383 2971987: JiveCD [a]: C TANG 2USA1987: RelativityLP [a]: 88561-8071-1; black labelsCD [a]: 88561-8071-21996: Sequel/CastleCD [a]: 1035-21999: CastleCD [a]: CMACD5512003: SanctuaryCD [a]: 06076-81245-2Atem was also released as part of the sets Alpha Centauri/Atem, In The Beginning and The Pink Years Albums.