Week of November 22, 1998

2066 & Then

Albums:
Reflections On The Future 1972 United Artists UAS 29314
Reflections On The Past (1.5 LP) 1991 Second Battle Treasures SBT 001
CD: Reflections! Second Battle SB025

The group created this uncommon name by adding thousand years to the historic battle of Hastings in 1066. 2066 & Then were: Geff Harrison (lead vocals, from England), Gagey Mrozeck (guitars), Steve Robinson and Veit Marvos (both on organ, electric piano, vibes, synthesizer, mellotron, vocals), Dieter Bauer (bass) and Konstatin Bommarius (drums). Unfortunately, their life span was rather short: from Spring 1971 to Summer 1972.

Their one and only album is nothing short of an all time classic: "Reflections On The Future" (1972), recorded during Autumn 1971 at the Dierks Studio, Stommeln near Cologne. This album contained five long heavy progressive tracks with a dramatic mood and a quite unique German styling. "At My Home", a fast tempo opener, kicked off the album with stunning heavy guitars, swirling Hammond organ and Geff Harrison's great, though slightly soul-influenced vocals. The next track "Autumn" brought in the topics of death and disintegration. The melancholic lyrics predated Pink Floyd's "Time":

"The clock is ticking faster, Life is getting shorter, Sands of time are running, The autumn of a lifetime Is when the sun is dying , Sands of time are running out With the wind" (From "Autumn").

"Butterking" had weird, trippy lyrics dealing with the arrival of the Butterking - the king of butterflies! The track is an uncommon masterpiece, featuring jungle sound effects, very slow and heavy organ and guitar riffs interrupted by perverted "ragtime" piano interludes. The 15 minute title track offered some great instrumental excursions, ending with a psychedelic space flight! "How Do You Feel" rounded off the album in a marvelous way, featuring a haunting vocal arrangement. The original version of this song (recorded some months prior to the album sessions) lasted for 13 minutes! The musicians of the group excelled throughout the album. Engineer Dieter Dierks ensured great sound quality and added his patented "cosmic" phasing effects. (Those who have heard the Kosmische Kuriere albums will know what I'm talking about!)  Due to poor sales and a ruined economy, one of Germany's best groups had a premature death only months after the album's release. A projected 1972 single was never released.  Their legacy is an album that should be in every serious German rock collection!

It's quite rare that so many talented musicians are assembled in one group. They were later involved in many other projects: Geff Harrison and Gagey Mrozeck joined Kin Ping Meh, in time for their third album (released on Zebra). Steve Robinson (his real name was Rainer Geyer!) played with Nine Days' Wonder and Aera. Veit Marvos recorded with Emergency, Tiger B. Smith and Midnight Circus. Konstatin Bommarius played drums for Abacus and on Karthago's "Rock'n'Roll Testament". None of these later projects have stood the test of time as well as "Reflections On The Future". United Artists originals sell for DM500 in mint condition!

The excellent company Second Battle (operated by a second hand record shop in Berlin) re-released the album in its original, psychedelic fold-out cover (a colourful painting by Gunter Karl) and all its glory in 1989. This was a numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies. Second Battle also released a three-sided LP set, named "Reflections On The Past" in 1991. This was a collectors item containing unreleased masters and practice sessions: three tracks from an early rehearsal session in May 1971, the original long version of "The Way I Feel Today", an alternative version of "At My Home" and the never-released "Spring" (considered for their album) and the A and B side for the unissued single, recorded in Spring 1972.

Taken from Cosmic Dreams at Play - A guide to German Progressive and Electronic Rock by Dag Erik Asbjørnsen, Borderline Productions, ISBN 1-899855-01-7