Lied des Teufels -

Lied des Teufels were a German jazz-rock band that released two albums between 1973 and 1975 on Kuckuck and Pläne.

Members: Peter Barth (flute, alto saxophone, vocals, 1972-), Jörg Hahnfeld (bass, 1972-), Thomas Holm (drums), Ralf Schultze (guitar, vocals, 1972-75), Peer Forsberg (bass, vocals, 1975)

Background

Lied des Teufels (Song of the Devil) formed in 1972 in Berlin when singer–reedist Peter Barth regrouped with fellow Hanuman members bassist Jörg Hahnfeld and drummer Thomas Holm. The trio recruited guitarist–singer Ralf Schultze to replace organist Wolf-Rüdiger Uhlig.

Barth and Hahnfeld came from respective backgrounds of free-jazz and blues. Holm played contemporary music, while Uhlig studied classical music for three years in Berlin. The organist recorded First Loss with the Berlin quartet Murphy Blend for Kuckuck. He joined the other three musicians in May 1971 at a Munich festival to form Hanuman. The quartet made a self-titled album that year for Kuckuck with German-language vocals by Barth and Uhlig.

The musicians named the new quartet after “Lied des Teufels,” a song on the Hanuman album. Lied des Teufels entered the studio in 1973 to record a self-produced debut for Kuckuck.

Discography:

Lied des Teufels (1973)
Lied des Teufels 2: Höllisch heiße Rockmusik (1975)

References and notes

Hanuman — POP, January 1972 — Contemporary notice identifies the free-jazz background of Peter Barth, the blues background of Jörg Hahnfeld, and the contemporary-music background of Thomas Holm. (Bravo-Archiv)
Hanuman — Lion Productions archival note — Account reproduced by Bomp identifies the May 1971 Munich festival formation and the subsequent departure of Wolf-Rüdiger Uhlig. (Bomp Records)
Murphy Blend — Cosmic Dreams at Play — Extract covers Uhlig’s classical studies in Berlin and the First Loss recording. (Alex Gitlin)
Lied des Teufels — Cosmic Dreams at Play — Extract identifies the 1972 name change and the four-member lineup; the album date given here conflicts with the 1973 date in label and discographic records. (Alex Gitlin)
Lied des Teufels — Ohrwaschl reissue description — Identifies the departure of Uhlig and the Hanuman song that supplied the new band name. (Rockadrome)
Lied des Teufels — Missing Vinyl label description — Confirms the 1973 recording for Kuckuck. (Forced Exposure)
Lied des Teufels — original album credits and booklet — Reproduces the four-member personnel and the collective production credit. (Sammelsurium)