''Fernwärme'' is the fourth studio album by the German solo artist
Michael Rother
Michael Rother (born 2 September 1950) is a German experimental musician, best known for being a founding member of the influential bands Neu! and Harmonia (band), Harmonia, and an early member of the band Kraftwerk.
Early life and educatio ...
. It was released in 1982 and includes the singles "Silberstreif" b/w "Erlkönig" and "Hohe Luft" b/w "Fortuna".
The album was recorded in 1981 in Germany at Rother's own studio Flammende Herzen Studio in Forst. Receiving positive reviews the album was released as an
LP and Cassette in 1982. In some English speaking territories, the album was retitled ''Silver Streak'', which is the English translation of track one, "Silberstreif". The album was reissued on CD in 1994 with bonus tracks and having been remastered. The artwork for the album was designed by Rike with photography by Ann Weitz.
Recording and music
Rother recorded ''Fernwärme'' augmented with
Jaki Liebezeit
Jaki Liebezeit (born Hans Liebezeit; 26 May 1938 – 22 January 2017) was a German drummer, best known as a founding member of experimental rock band Can. He was called "one of the few drummers to convincingly meld the funky and the cerebral". ...
from
Can
Can may refer to:
Containers
* Aluminum can
* Drink can
* Oil can
* Steel and tin cans
* Trash can
* Petrol can
* Metal can (disambiguation)
Music
* Can (band), West Germany, 1968
** ''Can'' (album), 1979
* Can (South Korean band)
Other
* C ...
on drums. Aside from Liebezeit, the entirety of the album was written and performed by Rother utilising guitar and electronic instrumentation.
The studio album was Rother's first without long-time collaborator Conny Plank, with whom he'd worked with on almost every project he had been involved in. The album was the final collaboration between Rother and the drummer Liebezeit. Liebezeit had played on each of Rother's first four solo albums. Rother predominantly utilised drum machines (already apparent on ''Fernwärme'') on his subsequent studio albums.
Releases
''Fernwärme'' was first released on
Polydor Records
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
as an LP and Cassette in 1982. In some English speaking territories, the album was retitled ''Silver Streak'', which is the English translation of track one, "Silberstreif" and released in 1986. In 1993, Rother secured the rights to his back catalogue and re-issued all of his solo albums with bonus tracks and remastered sound on his own label, Random Records.
''Fernwärme'' was re-released under Rother's new arrangement the following year in 1994. In 2000, Rother re-issued all of the albums again in partnership between Random Records and BSC Music.
Expanded editions include the 1994-era tracks "Silencio", "Underwasserwolken" and "The Doppelgänger". The album has since been released in the US on Water Records and as a heavyweight 180 gram LP on the 4 Men With Beards imprint.
Reception
''Fernwärme'' received positive reviews by the majority of critics.
Track listing
Personnel
* Michael Rother - Guitar, Electronics, Producer
*
Jaki Liebezeit
Jaki Liebezeit (born Hans Liebezeit; 26 May 1938 – 22 January 2017) was a German drummer, best known as a founding member of experimental rock band Can. He was called "one of the few drummers to convincingly meld the funky and the cerebral". ...
- Drums
* Ann Weitz - Rear Cover Photograph
* Rike - Design
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernwarme
1982 albums
Michael Rother albums
Polydor Records albums