Eela Craig

Eela Craig was an Austrian rock band that made a 1971 post-psych album and the 1974 single “Stories.” They reemerged on Vertigo with the 1976–78 symphonic-rock albums One Niter and Hats of Glass, followed on different labels with the 1978–80 albums Missa Universalis and Virgin Oiland.

Members: Hubert Bognermayer (keyboards, vocals), Harald Zuschrader (guitar, keyboards, flute), Wil Orthofer (vocals, saxophone, drums), Horst Waber (drums, percussion), Heinz Gerstmair (guitar), Gerhard Englisch (bass), Fritz Riedelberger (guitar, vocals, piano), Hubert Schnauer (keyboards, Mellotron, flute), Joe Drobar (drums, percussion), Frank Hueber (drums, percussion)

Background

Eela Craig formed in early 1970 in Linz, Austria, when keyboardist Hubert Bognermayr teamed with bassist Gerhard Englisch, guitarist Heinz Gerstmair, and multi-instrumentalist Harald Zuschrader—three classmates with backgrounds in beat and blues bands. Drummer Horst Waber and saxophonist–vocalist Wil Orthofer soon joined, completing a lineup versed in jazz, classical, and R&B idioms.

Their first live appearance, broadcast by ORF from Rosenstüberl Linz, demonstrated an ambitious repertoire of original material informed by psychedelic rock, Hammond-driven jazz-blues, and symphonic form. The group rehearsed intensively with high-grade gear—including custom rigs and imported British equipment—and gained management under avant-garde composer Dr. Alfred Peschek, who supported their blend of experimentalism and structure.

Eela Craig

Eela Craig released their self-titled debut album in 1971 on Pro Disc.

The album explores longform thematic development with an emphasis on instrumental layers and dynamic contrast across its four extended tracks. Guitarist Heinz Gerstmair and keyboardist Hubert Bognermayr trade electric textures against shifting organ voicings, while Harald Zuschrader moves between flute, saxophone, and acoustic guitar, adding timbral variance to the ensemble passages. Rhythm section players Gerhard Englisch and Horst Waber underpin the broader movements with a steady fulcrum, adapting their pace and phrasing to accommodate changes in volume, tempo, and density.

Eela Craig opens in slow motion with “New Born Child,” where ambient organ and dissonant vocal cries yield to interlaced sax and electric piano over a staggered pulse. The midsection tightens into clipped bass runs and sharp guitar phrasing, then trails off in an abrupt shift. “Selfmade Trip” unfolds across ten minutes with reverb-drenched guitar, rolling percussion, and vocal lines that taper into silences before regrouping around flute cascades and feedback distortions. “A New Way” adopts a looser pace with circular flute lines above restrained vocals and electric piano. “Indra Elegy” stretches the album’s dynamics further, shifting from sparse piano–flute pairing into saturated organ passages and layered guitar saturation, threaded by tempo breaks and dense rhythm surges. 

Chapter One – Gerstmair
A1. “New Born Child” (7:45)
A2. “Selfmade Trip” (10:29)

Chapter Two – Bognermayr
B1. “A New Way” (7:04)
B2. “Indra Elegy”  (11:43)
— a. “1st Movement: From Nowhere”
— b. “2nd Movement: Burning”
— c. “3rd Movement: Elegy”
— d. “4th Movement: To Nowhere”

Sessions spanned fourteen days in the summer of 1971 at Pro-Disc Farm Studios with producer Claude Swieger and engineers Dick Swerof and Jeffrey Fuller. The album appeared in a laminated gatefold sleeve printed by HofmannDruck. Pro Disc pressed 1,000 copies of Eela Craig. Reissues include the 1972 bonus tracks “Yggdrasil” (3:40) and “Irminsul” (2:10), both excercises in atmospheric percussion and filtered electronics.

Tensions over musical direction led to a 1972 split: Waber, Gerstmair, and Orthofer favored blues-rock and departed to form Ice Planet, which never recorded. Bognermayr, Zuschrader, and Englisch retained the Eela Craig name and brought in drummer Joe Drobar, performing Peschek’s Dimensionen zwischen Pop und Klassik with state sponsorship. By 1973, Zuschrader stepped down from the band.

“Stories” / “Cheese” 

In 1974, Eela Craig released a standalone single: “Stories” backed with “Cheesa,” a Hubert Bognermayr number.

The single presents a reconfigured lineup with bassist Gerhard Englisch, drummer Joe Drobar, and two new members: flutist and Mellotron player Hubert Schnauer and pianist, guitarist and singer Fritz Riedelberger, who wrote the a-side. Both tracks feature string-organ washes with symphonic ornamentation and dual vocals.

A. “Stories” (4:42)
B. “Cheese” (4:40)

Sessions occured at Eela Craig Studios, the band’s Linz facility where sound mixer Joe Drobar engineered the session under producer Klaus Schwaiger.

Eela Craig self-pressed 5,000 copies of the single in a plain pink sleeve. In 1975, they landed a new deal with Vertigo in a revised sextet iteration comprised of Bognermayr, Riedelberger, Schnauer, Englisch, new drummer Frank Hueber, and returning original member Harald Zuschrader, who now functioned as a second guitarist–flutist and third keyboardist. ORF granted the band a unique 20-minute weekly radio slot, further expanding their reach.

One Niter

Eela Craig released their second album, One Niter, in October 1976 on Vertigo.

The album presents extended suites with interwoven instrumental textures that move between layered keyboard landscapes and shifting ensemble interplay. Guitarist Fritz Riedelberger and keyboardists Hubert Bognermayr, Harald Schnauer, and Harald Zuschrader exchange lines and timbres across passages, while the interplay among flute, piano, and electric keys energizes the shifting structures; underpinning these interactions, Gerhard Englisch and Frank Hueber provide a steady rhythmic foundation that adapts fluidly to variations in density and pulse.

One Niter centers on two extended multi-part suites framed by sharp instrumental transitions, contrasting textures, and tightly woven keyboard passages. The five-part “Circles” suite opens with brassy Mellotron bursts before retracting into quiet flute and synth figures, then pivots into clavinet-driven syncopation under clipped guitar phrasing and sweeping Mellotron accents. A midsection ballad introduces voice and subdued organ before accelerating into a closing section marked by fluid drum motion and layered synth-brass interplay.

“Loner’s Rhyme” alternates restrained vocals and delicate flute lines with percussive breaks shaped by clavinet, Moog, and electric piano, building to a reprise marked by string textures and held guitar lines. The “One Niter Medley” layers harpsichord and phased textures into tightly segmented sections, moving from rapid electric passages to calm synth overlays, ending with a full ensemble convergence. “Venezuela” hinges on acoustic guitar and flute phrasing over a light rhythmic base, while “Way Down” combines spacious flute over drone textures with a mid-tempo pulse that crests in a final stretch of Mellotron brass and rhythm section lift.

A1. “Circles” (13:59) – Englisch / Schnauer / Zuschrader
— a. “The Mighty” (5:41)
— b. “The Nude” (2:00)
— c. “The Curse” (5:05)
— d. “The Blessed” (1:13)
A2. “Loner’s Rhyme” (9:23) – Bognermayr

B1. “One Niter Medley” (11:03) – Bognermayr / Englisch / Riedelberger / Zuschrader
— a. “Benedictus” (1:54)
— b. “Fuge” (0:47)
— c. “V.A.T.” (3:17)
— d. “Morning” (1:47)
— e. “One Niter” (3:18)
B2. “Venezuela” (3:30) – Riedelberger
B3. “Way Down” (7:16) – Bognermayr

Sessions spanned April through June 1976 at Arco Studios in Munich with engineer Jürgen Koppers. One Niter features artwork by Alois Janetschko and photography by Wolfgang Kraml.

One Niter displays a surrealist painting of a reclining nude figure in a contorted pose, rendered in dual tones: icy blue on the left side and warm red on the right, suggesting division or duality. Her body lies across a surface of converging striped planes, with hard shadows and flattened space creating a theatrical, disorienting perspective. The art contrasts sensual vulnerability with stylized abstraction, conveying a cool detachment beneath emotional surface.

The lineup stabilized through their 1976–78 period, which saw the return of original singer Will Orthofer and the reintegration of Zuschrader.

Hats of Glass 

Eela Craig released their third album, Hats of Glass, in January 1978 on Vertigo.

The album centers on multi-keyboard arrangements, blending synth layers and acoustic-electric textures across ensemble-driven themes and episodic forms, lyricized by English poet Martin Hall.

Guitarist Fritz Riedelberger alternates between rhythmic patterns and phrased leads, intersecting with the tonal contrasts of keyboardists Hubert Bognermayr, Harald Zuschrader, and Hubert Schnauer, who shift roles across piano, organ, synths, and flute. Will Orthofer leads the vocal passages, while Gerhard Englisch and Frank Hueber underpin the album’s pacing with an anchored pulse that supports sudden dynamic shifts and sectional transitions.

Hats of Glass opens with a reserved reinterpretation of “A Spaceman Came Travelling,” layering vocoder accents and airy synthesizer lines beneath the lead vocal, then broadening into an extended outro with arcing guitar phrases and rising harmonic density. The title track begins on flute and electric piano before shifting into a darkened middle section with downcast tonal voicings and drum weight, then resets for a long guitar solo under soft Mellotron lift.

“Grover’s Mill” features sustained electric piano lines, clustered synths, and light percussion under curving vocal lines. “Holstenwall Fair” builds from a sparse vocal-led section into mid-tempo interplay between organ, Mellotron, and drums, before breaking open into a layered sequence of synth leads and rapid guitar figures. “Cheese” recasts the band’s earlier single into an instrumental frame with Moog leads and vocoder shading over a steady rhythm bed, ending with a climbing guitar solo against synth-bass pulse.

A1. “A Spaceman Came Travelling” (4:49) – Chris De Burgh, originated on the Irish singer-songwriter’s 1975 second album Spanish Train and Other Stories.
A2. “Hats of Glass” (10:25) – Bognermayr; includes “Grover’s Mill” (3:41), listed as a separate third track on reissues.
A3. “Chances Are” (5:26) – Schnauer

B1. “Heaven Sales” (2:53) – Zuschrader / Riedelberger
B2. “Holstenwall Fair” (8:10) – Bognermayr
B3. “Caught on the Air” (3:52) – Riedelberger
B4. “(Remove Another Hat of Glass and You Could Easily Find Assorted Kinds of) Cheese” (3:30) – Bognermayr / Zuschrader

Sessions ran from August to November 1977 with production credited to the band and Ulli A. Rützel. Chris Evans co-produced and arranged the opening track.

Heide Bußler illustrated the Hats of Glass cover art: a dense surrealist collage that places the band’s faces inside a transparent, domed helmet resembling a glass diving bell. Inside this helmet, a grid structure overlays spectral figures and religious iconography, including Buddha-like forms. On the left, an astronaut with a glowing heart symbol hovers above crystalline terrain, beneath a flying saucer casting a beam of light. To the right, a sleek red spaceship flies over angular green mountains. Below, a stairway leads to the helmet’s doorway, guarded by a hybrid angel-woman-serpent figure with a mirrored visor helmet. A dead or dreaming figure lies in the lower right corner, near a melted clock and warped terrain reminiscent of Dalí. The composition suggests a tension between cosmic exploration, internal reflection, and spiritual recursion.

Missa Universalis 

Eela Craig released their fourth album, Missa Universalis, in September 1978 on Philips.

This album presents a through-composed setting of the Latin mass, combining choral themes, electronic passages, and instrumental interludes into a continuous suite with shifting tonal and rhythmic contours. Keyboardists Hubert Bognermayr, Harald Zuschrader, and Hubert Schnauer form a dense harmonic framework that supports and contrasts the choral and lead vocal lines, while guitarist Fritz Riedelberger weaves sustained voicings and phrasal motifs through layered movements. Gerhard Englisch and Frank Hueber underpin the work with steady, centered patterns that support both ecclesiastic refrains and electronically treated segments.

Missa Universalis opens with “Kyrie,” a slow-motion procession built on layered string synths and choral repetitions that steadily intensify over a static harmonic base. “Credo (Part I)” frames its liturgical text in balladic pacing with tonal softness and light melodic turns, while “Credo (Part II)” introduces a brisker rhythmic undertow and syncopated accents. “Sanctus” quotes a Bruckner theme before breaking into a funk-tinged section that overlays sharp keyboard accents onto an increasingly syncopated framework. The album closes on “Amen,” which contrasts minimal phrasing with long synth swells and spaced dynamics reminiscent of contemporary Vangelis. Throughout, the vocal phrasing alternates between declarative and chant-like delivery in Latin, German, English, and French, woven through restrained arrangements built on sustained keyboard layers and intermittent guitar inflections.

A1. “Kyrie” (11:50) – Bognermayr / Schnauer / Karlberger / Orthofer
A2. “Gloria” (5:57) – Englisch / Karlberger / Orthofer
A3. “Credo Part I” (4:14) – Zuschrader / Bognermayr / Karlberger / Orthofer

B1. “Credo Part II” (3:30) – Zuschrader / Bognermayr / Karlberger / Orthofer
B2. “Sanctus” (8:27) – Anton Bruckner / Riedelberger / Schnauer / Karlberger
B3. “Agnus Dei” (5:20) – Schnauer / Karlberger / Orthofer
B4. “Amen” (2:00) – Englisch / Zuschrader

Eela Craig self-produced the album in the summer of 1978 at their Linz studio with engineer Alois Janetschko, assisted by Klaus Schwaiger. H. Schorn designed the gatefold cover.

Following Missa Universalis, Bognermayr exited in 1979 amid creative disagreements and Hueber departed shortly after due to hearing issues. Orthofer shifted to drums as the group entered its final phase.

Virgin Oiland

Eela Craig released their fifth album, Virgin Oiland, in June 1980 on Ariola.

The album emphasizes concise, song-based forms framed by interlocking keyboard motifs and tight instrumental exchanges. Guitarist Fritz Riedelberger alternates lead figures with keyboardists Harald Zuschrader and Hubert Schnauer, who cycle between electric piano, synth, and flute textures; vocal passages shift between sung and spoken lines, interspersed with rhythmic and tonal contrast. Gerhard Englisch anchors the arrangements with pulsing synth bass and electric patterns, while Wil Orthofer delivers clipped beats and percussive accents that shape the structural pacing.

Virgin Oiland opens with “Beecher’s Brook,” a layered track that pivots on syncopated clavinet and phased keyboard loops, shifting between clipped vocal refrains and open instrumental breaks. “Carry On” and “How It Started” move at mid-tempo with light piano textures, soft harmonies, and sparse rhythmic motion. “Love to Hate You, Baby” opens with electronic counterpoint before veering into a sharp-tempo disco segment under vocoder overlays and fragmented quotations, ending with layered DJ narration over looped refrains. “Still…” and “Lions Covering the Beaches” stretch softer phrasing across restrained synth lines and light rhythmic turns. “The Seven Minutes” closes with acoustic figures over steady pacing, culminating in a slow swell of ambient keyboard textures.

Riedelberger composed all ten tracks and co-penned the lyrics with Charly Hahn and Kai Harster.

A1. “The First Minute” (0:40) 
A2. “Beecher’s Brook” (6:40) 
A3. “How It Started” (3:50) 
A4. “Carry On” (3:50) 
A5. “Birds of a Feather” (4:14) 

B1. “Still …” (4:00) 
B2. “Pig City” (3:35) 
B3. “Lion’s Covering the Beaches” (3:20) 
B4. “Love to Hate You, Baby” (4:26) 
B5. “The Seven Minutes” (5:05) 

Sessions occurred at Studio Eela Craig, where the band self-produced with engineer Alois Janetschko.

Ariola lifted “Carry On” as a single backed with “We Found Daddy Hangin’ On the Xmastree,” a non-album novelty (3:27). “Carry On” reappeared on back of the 1981 standalone single “Mo-Bike Jive” (3:00).

Discography:

• Eela Craig (1971)
• “Stories” / “Cheese” (1974)
  
• One Niter (1976)
  
• Hats of Glass (1978)
  
• Missa Universalis (1978)
  
• Virgin Oiland (1980)
• “Mo-Bike Jive” / “Carry On” (1981)
  
• Hit or Miss (1988)

Sources:

• Discogs: Eela Craig
• ProgArchives: Eela Craig
• RYM: Eela Craig
• PsychBabyMag: Eela Craig