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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Rainbow Generator, Australia


Rainbow Generator - Dance of the Spheres. 1978 Fission Chips.

Well, I'm finally back here. Seems spending time with the stereo is getting harder and harder to do. Unfortunately my job is highly transactional and social, and when not onsite, is entirely conducted by phone. Not a conducive environment to solo pursuits like listening to music that's for sure. I try to reserve evenings for a little solitude and music. The wife has other ideas sometimes.

The other day I mentioned 3 unknown monsters and one goodie to report. This is the goodie. I've heard about Rainbow Generator for years, but somewhere along the line I either read or understood that they were a mechanical Systems styled electronic band. That peculiar genre of minimalistic sound sculpturing is way too static for me. However, Rainbow Generator is no such thing. They are in fact a highly inventive electronic meets space rock band. In some ways, they're like fellow countrymen Cybotron, though Rainbow Generator do not pursue the obvious Tangerine Dream temptations. With the electric guitar explosions, female and male semi-singing/narrations, didgeridoo, and synthesizer solos - Rainbow Generator conjure up images closer to that of the Cosmic Courier clan. They do use a very primitive drum machine, but it oddly recalls Klaus Schulze's "Picture Music" than anything associated with the cheesy 1980s experiments that were to be hoisted on us. Really swell stuff here for old school space rock heads like me.

See the comments for updates from the band!

Priority: 2

7 comments:

spacefreak said...

Worth of mention is the 1984 Rainbow Generator release (on their private Fission Chips label), Krozier & the Generator "Tranceformer" album. Geoff Crozier, was a psychedelic icon like a cross between Arthur Brown and a demented Alice Cooper. He was doing the "out-there" stuff since 1969 with The Indian Medicine Magik Show. "Tranceformer" is otherworldly, sometimes glacial inner-space synth of the highest caliber.

spacefreak said...

"Dance of the Spheres" was released on 400 copies (399 official run) just like any other Fission Chips vinyl run. I have never heard of a CD of it and I highly doubt its existence. Normally I would have stumbled upon it. None of my Aussie connections have ever heard of it. Probably a limited CDR run directly from the own band (they used to have something like a website some 10 years ago) but very difficul to be traced.

Purple Peak Records said...

I was going to mention the Krozier album as well. I have it here to check out.

Looks like we're on the same page with regards to a CD issue.

Thanks for the comments Spyros!

Rob Greaves said...

Hi, I am one of the two founding members of Rainbow Generator. It is pleasing to see that we are still being discussed. The Generator in fact continued on until circa 2004 when the other founding member David Labuschagne (nee Mow) formally closed down the studio after 30 years of operation, and moved to Slovenia. Since then an enormous backlog of Rainbow Generator material has been released on CD, including the original release of 'Dance of the Spheres'(on CD), and 'Tranceformer' (as Krozier and The Generator (also on CD). There have also been three subsequent new releases on CD of material by Krozier & The Generator - "Kroziers Krusade"; "Hannibal's Skull" and "Signs and Symbols". A complete discography can be obtained through media@dragonhelp.com.au

Cheers,
Rob

Rob said...

Since posting on this site, i have received numerous requests for material, however some purchasers seem to be put off by the fact that we (the band) have taken control of our releases and burn our own CD's. Those folk who have purchased them have never come back with a complaint - and they wouldn't. Every care has been taken with them and the quality is every bit as good as 'commercial' releases. They are burnt and printed on Taiyo Yuden Gloss disks (the highest quality)in full colour. One things is for sure, there are some cruddy nth generation tapes floating around - and i know which i would prefer. The band was recently approached by Warner Music (Australia) in regard to licensing some of its music. So it may come out on 'commercial releases', but at a higher cost!

There is no web site anymore, frankly we really were more interested in playing & recording than selling! Last release as a group was 2009 - About Time (a fully digital production), and since several solo works have been produced. As before, contact can be made through - media@dragonhelp.com.au
Cheers,
Rob

Purple Peak Records said...

Thanks Rob for the update!

Anonymous said...

I've bought some of Rob's Generator CDs and can vouch for them!

Chris