Wallenstein -

Wallenstein was a German symphonic-rock band on Pilz that released the 1972 albums Blitzkrieg and Mother Universe. On Kosmische Musik, they released the 1973–75 albums Cosmic Century and Stories, Songs and Symphonies. In the late 1970s, they cut three albums for RCA, followed by a final pair of titles on Harvest.

Members: Jürgen Dollase (keyboards, vocals), Harald Grosskopf (drums, percussion, 1971-75), Wolfgang Steinicke (guitar, 1971), Bill Barone (guitar, 1971-75), Jerry Berkers (bass, 1971-72), Dieter Meier (bass, 1973), Joachim Reiser (violin, 1973-76), Jürgen Pluta (bass, 1973–78), Gerd Kloecker (guitar, 1975-78), Nicky Gebhard (1975-78), Pete Brough (guitar, 1978-82), Michael Dommers (guitar, 1978-82), Kim Merz (vocals, 1978-82), Charlie Terstappen (drums, 1978-82), Terry Park [Kurt Schmidt] (bass, 1982)

Background

Wallenstein was formed in 1971 as Blitzkrieg by classically trained keyboardist Jürgen Dollase, a native of Viersen and student at the Art Academy Düsseldorf. Guitarist Wolfgang Steinicke, later a noted astronomer, played with the band in its formative stages. Months later, the lineup coalesced with Hildesheim-bred drummer Harald Grosskopf, Dutch bassist Jerry Berkers, and Philadelphia-born American guitarist Bill Barone.

Due to controversy over the name Blitzkrieg, they replaced it with the surname of 17th century Holy Roman military leader Albrecht von Wallenstein. In September 1971, they entered Dierks Studios in Stommeln and recorded their debut album with producer Dieter Dierks.

Blitzkrieg

Wallenstein released their debut album, Blitzkrieg, on March 23, 1972, on Pilz, a short-lived underground division of Breeze Music GmbH.

Blitzkrieg contains four extended compositions by Jürgen Dollase.

Dierks employed phasing effects on “Lunetic” for enhanced glimmer on Jürgen’s keyboards (organ, mellotron) and Bill Barone’s Gibson 335 guitar.

A1. “Lunetic” (11:55),
A2. “The Theme” (9:37)

B1. “Manhatten Project” (13:47)
B2. “Audiences” (7:38)

Dirks co-produced Blitzkrieg in sequence with 1971 Orh/Pilz titles by Broselmaschine, Epsilon, Gila, Hairy Chapter, Haze, Rufus Zuphall, Tangerine Dream, and Wind.

Blitzkrieg appeared in a gatefold with a riveted metal illustration that shows a detailed target point in the eye of a facial outline. The inner-gates give tinted peeks at each member through gaps in the metal. Illustrator Gil Funccius created the image in a style similar to period visuals for Annexus Quam, Witthüser + Westrupp, Embryo, Mythos, and Thirsty Moon.

Mother Universe

Wallenstein released their second album, Mother Universe, in November 1972 on Pliz.

Mother Universe contains six Jürgen Dollase originals, including “Golden Antenna,” “Dedicated to Mystery Land,” and “Braintrain.” He shares lead vocals with bassist Jerry Berkers, harmonized by guitarist Bill Barone. Musically, they purvey maximalist hard rock with grand keyboard passages.

A1. “Mother Universe” (8:30)
A2. “Braintrain” (8:33)
A3. “Shakespearesque” (4:20)

B1. “Dedicated to Mystery Land” (7:48)
B2. “Relics of Past” (6:18)
B3. “Golden Antenna” (4:15)

Sessions occurred at Dierks Studios, where Dieter produced and engineered the album in sequence with Electric Sandwich. Mother Universe gives co-production credit to Pilz director Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser, a soundman on 1972 Ohr releases by Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel.

Dollase’s grandmother appears on the album cover, photographed by Harald Grosskopf. The inner-gates feature lyrics on a celestial bluescale backdrop. “Relics of Past” appears on the 1972 Pilz compilation Rapunzel (Neue Deutsche Volksmusik).

Mother Universe is the final Wallenstein album with Berkers, who paralleled its release with an album of folk-rock originals, Unterwegs, produced by Dierks and released on Pilz. It features Dollase and Barone with additional backing by Bernd Witthüser (acoustic guitar) and Walter Westrupp (harmonica). Berkers and Dollase (along with Grosskopf) returned favors on the 1972 Witthüser + Westrupp release Bauer Plath. The three album’s marked the curtain call for Pilz, which concluded with the second Popol Vuh release, Hosianna Mantra.

Wallenstein continued on Kaiser’s next label, Kosmische Musik, an Ohr division distributed by Metronome Records GmbH.

Cosmic Century

Wallenstein released their third album, Cosmic Century, in October 1973 on Kosmische Musik.

The album contains six Jürgen Dollase compositions. Seite 1 forms a suite: The Symphonic Rock Orchestra.

Dollase’s arsenal includes grand piano, mellotron, synthesizer, and vibraphone. Cosmic Century presents a five-piece Wallenstein with Bill Barone, Harald Grosskopf, and two temps: violinist Joachim Reiser and bassist Dieter Meier (d. 1986; not the Yello singer). Relative Rolf Dollase guests on flute alongside the Torpid Little Hamlet Choir.

A1. “Rory Blanchford” (9:25)
A2. “Grand Piano” (2:11)
A3. “Silver Arms” (9:40)

B1. “The Marvellous Child” (6:10)
B2. “Song of Wire” (7:46)
B3. “The Cosmic Couriers Meet South Philly Willy” (7:24)

Dieter Dierks co-produced the album in sequence with titles by Demon Thor and Floh de Cologne. Dollase and Grosskopf played concurrently on Tarot, a 1973 Kosmische double-album by Swiss painter Walter Wegmüller.

Cosmic Century sports bluescale photos of Wallenstein situated between rows of power lines.

“The Cosmic Couriers Meet South Philly Willy” appears on Sci Fi Party, a 1974 Dutch Kosmische comp with cuts by the Cosmic Jokers (“Im Reich Der Magier”), Galactic Supermarket (“Kinder Des Alls”), and Asha Ra Tempel (“Interplay of Forces”).

Stories, Songs and Symphonies

Wallenstein released their fourth album, Stories, Songs and Symphonies, in April 1975 on Kosmische Musik (Germany), Cosmic Music (France), and PDU (Italy). Their official name for this album is The Symphonic Rock Orchestra Wallenstein.

The album contains five Jürgen Dollase originals, published by Cosmic News, including “Your Lunar Friends,” their lengthiest post-Blitzkrieg track.

Stories presents a reconfigured quintet with veterans Bill Barone and Harald Grosskopf, plus sophomore violinist Joachim Reiser and new bassist Jürgen Pluta, a pre-record Prosper member. Dollase again juggles grand piano, mellotron, vibraphone, and the Roland SH 1000 synthesizer.

A1. “The Priestess” (4:15)
A2. “Stories, Songs & Symphonies” (9:52)
A3. “The Banner” (6:00)

B1. “Your Lunar Friends” (11:20)
B2. “Sympathy for Bela Bartok” (5:18)

Wallenstein self-produced the album under their SROW moniker at Dierks Studio with English engineer Toby Hrycek-Robbins, a concurrent soundman for Birth Control, Can, Dzyan, Mythos, and Nine Days Wonder.

Stories, Songs and Symphonies appeared in a single sleeve with illustrations of a unicorn carriage on a comet trail under a cosmic rainbow arch (front) and a grand piano covered in giant flowers on a white plain with hovering orbs.

Bill Barone left Wallenstein and returned to the US, where he guested on The Uninvited, a 1978 private-press release by Mark Child & The Cottage Street Gang. Meanwhile, Harald Grosskopf backed Klaus Schulze on the synthesist’s 1976 Brain release Moondawn and five subsequent albums (preludes to Harald’s solo electronic career).

No More Love

Wallenstein released their fifth album, No More Love, in March 1977 on RCA Victor.

The album contains six Jürgen Dollase compositions, including one (“Backstreet Dreamer”) with lyrics by his only retained Symphonies bandmate, bassist Jürgen Pluta.

No More Love presents a reconfigured four-piece Wallenstein with guitarist Gerd Klöcker and drummer Nicky Gebhard, both newcomers.

A1. “Seventy Seven” (3:34)
A2. “Backstreet Dreamer” (7:31)
A3. “I Can’t Loose” (6:01)

B1. “No More Love” (8:27)
B2. “Jo Jo” (4:03)
B3. “On an Eagles Wing” (5:41)

Dollase reunited with producer Dieter Dierks for No More Love, which sports a white-back photo of a nude man and woman with erased nipples and privates. The photographer, Michael von Gimbut, snapped prior cover images for Joachim Kühn (Springfever), Udo Lindenberg, and Scorpions, including the latter’s controversial Virgin Killers cover.

Charline

Wallenstein released their sixth album, Charline, in 1978 on RCA Victor.

A1. “Charline” (4:04)
A2. “Fire in the Rain” (3:33)
A3. “Life Is True in London Town” (4:06)
A4. “Red Wine for the Judge” (4:35)
A5. “All Good Children – Part I (Parent’s Talks)” (3:10)

B1. “Midnight Blue” (3:14)
B2. “Sally Don’t Mind” (4:51)
B3. “All Good Children – Part II (Children’s Reply)” (3:15)
B4. “Strong and Steady” (4:06)
B5. “Oldtime Cafe” (2:36)

Discography: