Week of June 23, 2002
Personnel:
Peter Braun - guitar, vocals
Luigi De Luca - bass
Holger Tempel - drums
Album:
Reaction (Polydor 2371 251) 1973
Re-issued in 1990 in different cover on Little Wing (LW 1009)
More recent CD reissue: Living In The Past, LITP 1971-001
A "no compromise" hard rockin' trio. Little Wing, which re-released their one and only album in 1990, claimed that
Reaction were a reaction against British bands like Agnes Strange and
Incredible Hog. This was hardly the case, as these bands issued their albums at the same time or after
Reaction (1972 and 1975). However, the German trio was an equally loud and aggressive band, eager to surpass the blues-based guitar rock of
Cream and Jimi Hendrix. If you're looking for refined, sophisticated 'art rock', please look elsewhere!
Reaction contained nine pieces of primitive blues-rock-boogie the way it used to be performed. Personally I think that Peter Braun's vocals are their weakest point. This album was hardly noticed in 1972, and it seems as if
Reaction soon disbanded. As a result, their album was quickly deleted and has become increasingly difficult to find. Originals now sell for 200 DEM or more. I advise you to buy the re-release with its great new artwork!
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
Early 70s boogie Krautrock, not different from the likes of Agnes Strange, I agree! If you like Status Quo and Black Sabbath, this, I suppose, would be within your general ballpark as well!
Alex G.
June 2002