Amon Düül II

Celebrated as a pioneering band in German krautrock, Amon Düül II combined structured songwriting with avant-garde improvisation, spacey textures, and prog-rock psychedelia. The group formed in 1968 in Munich, Germany, taking its name from the Amon Düül commune where co-founders Chris Karrer, Dieter Serfas, Falk Rogner, John Weinzierl, and Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz all lived together as college students. Phallus Dei, the band's debut album, was released in 1969. Records like 1970's Yeti, 1971's Tanz der Lemminge, and 1972's Carnival in Babylon followed, with Chris Karrer and John Weinzierl emerging as the most consistent members of the band's ever-evolving lineup. Although Amon Düül II's heady, experimental sound never translated into significant commercial sales, the group enjoyed international acclaim as a must-see live act and remained together through the beginning of the 1980s. Following 1981's Vortex, Amon Düül II took an extended hiatus as its members pursued other projects. 1995's Nada Moonshine brought the band back together, and the musicians continued to collaborate throughout the decade's latter half, releasing the album Kobe (Reconstruction) in 1996 and the concert recording Live in Tokyo in 1997. Another lengthy break followed, with Amon Düül II reuniting in 2010 to independently release the digital album Bee as Such. Four years later, the record was reissued in CD and vinyl formats as Düülirium.