Week of December 21, 1997
Karthago were founded in Berlin by Joey Albrecht (guitar, vocals, originally
from Hannover) and Gerald Luciano Hartwig
(bass).
Since 1968, they had performed together in clubs as the duo Blues Machine.
In 1970, they engaged the Bolivian percussionist Thomas Goldschmitt (mainly
hand percussion) and soon landed a recording contract with BASF. Just a month
before the recordings of their first album began, two additional members
were added to their line-up: Ingo Bischof (keyboards) and Wolfgang Brock
(drums). "Karthago" was recorded in October 1971 at Audio Tonstudio,
Berlin with Dieter Zimmermann producing and Stan Regal engineering. It was
released in a spectacular, inventive and expensive six-part fold-out cover
with several die cuts! Certainly a lavish package, recalling the multi-coloured
and psychedelic Santana album designs - but actually outdoing diem!
Karthago's sound was graced with excellent heavy guitar work and the
funky, gutsy vocals of J. Albrecht, recalling the Jimi Hendrix Experience
and the heavy progressive funk band Funkadelic. The best tracks
in this style were "Why Don't You Stop Buggin' Me Babe" and "String
Rambler". Others, like the catchy little instrumental "Nos Vamos",
had a more distinct Latin character, very much like early Santana.
This is a very underrated album! Few other German bands recorded music in
this particular style.
More Santana-esque instrumental work was present on "Second Step",
recorded at Windrose Dumont Time, Hamburg, May 1973, with C. & M. Hudalla
producing. This was much more of a joint group effort, balanced between jazzy
keyboards, heavy guitars and South American rhythms. Most of the material
was great, but Ingo Bischof's compositions were a bit out of place - his
songs were almost singer-songwriter type of ballads! Original drummer W.
Brock had left for The Rattles in February 1973 and was replaced by
Norbert 'Panzer' Lehmann on this album. Then within months Lehmann departed
to the heavy progressive band Epitaph. Into
Karthago
came
Konstatin Bommarius (ex-2066 & Then,
Abacus). The bass player Gerald Luciano Hartwig also left - in the
Summer of 1974. His replacement was something of a sensation at the time
- Glenn Cornick (ex-Jethro Tull,
Wild Turkey) joined the band in October 1974.
A revamped five-piece Karthago (now comprising Albrecht, Bischof,
Cornick, Goldschmitt and Bommarius) signed with Bacillus and relocated to
Oxford, England, in November 1974, where they recorded "Rock'n'Roll
Testament" in the Chipping Norton Studios. The producer of this album
was Peter Hauke, manager of the Bacillus label. About the same time, another
of his German signings, Nine Days' Wonder, recorded in England, although
his British signing
Nektar
recorded in Germany for years! Karthago's new album did quite well
and many people consider it to be their best. It marked a change of style
towards a smooth, well-produced rock with some minor symphonic
touches.
Karthago had become another purveyor of the characteristic 'Bacillus
rock' - a trademark of Peter Hauke and Dieter Dierks. Concerts in Berlin
and Hamburg in January 1976 were recorded and released as the double album
"Live At The Roxy" (1976). As Glenn Cornick had quit the group, Gerald
Hartwig was now back in action again. Albrecht, Bischof and Goldschmitt were
also helped by Reinhard Bopp (guitar, vocals, ex-Hardcake Special)
and Ringo Funk (drums, ex-Atlantis,
ex-Jeronimo). This record literally became the 'Karthago testament', as the
group disbanded in the Spring of 1976. However, Albrecht later assembled
Ringo Funk, Chico de los Reyes (piano, vocals), Jochen Roth (guitar) and
Ernst Keinz (bass) in the studio in the Summer of 1977 for the forgettable
"Love Is A Cake" - a commercial disco, pop - rock disaster!
Albums:
Karthago 1971 BASF 20 21118-5 Second Step 1973 BASF 20 2178-0 Rock'n'Roll Testament 1974 Bacillus 19201 Live at the Roxy 1976 Bacillus BDA 7506 Love Is A Cake 1977 Crystal 64CRY 32769
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