Pilz (German for ‘mushroom’) was a German record label, set up in Berlin in 1971 by German music mogul

Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser (born June 18, 1943) is a German writer and record producer. He is best known as the founder of the Ohr, Pilz, and Cosmic Couriers record labels. These labels released many of the earliest Krautrock albums in the early 1970s, a ...

, who also established the label

Ohr ''Ohr'' ("Light" he, אור; plural: ''Ohros/Ohrot'' "Lights" ) is a central Kabbalistic term in the Jewish mystical tradition. The analogy of physical light is used as a way of describing metaphysical Divine emanations. ''Shefa'' ("Flow" and ...

History

Pilz was a sublabel of

BASF BASF Societas Europaea, SE () is a German multinational corporation, multinational chemical company and the List of largest chemical producers, largest chemical producer in the world. Its headquarters is located in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The ...

, a major record company in Germany at that time. A number of artists who released records on Pilz, such as Witthuser & Westrupp, also put out music on Ohr and/or

Cosmic Couriers Cosmic Couriers / Cosmic Music (also known as by its German name Kosmische Kuriere / Kosmische Musik) was a German experimental/space-rock label set up by Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser in 1973 following his association with Ohr and Pilz. A number of influen ...

, another of Kaiser’s record labels. The label’s logo was a mushroom, found on the sleeves and on the labels of the records. In all, there were 20 albums and 7 singles released on Pilz. Most were psychedelic or cosmic rock with folk influences. Lyrics/vocals were sometimes in German, although some of the albums were purely instrumental.

Popol Vuh ''Popol Vuh'' (also ''Popol Wuj'' or ''Popul Vuh'' or ''Pop Vuj'') is a text recounting the mythology and history of the Kʼicheʼ people, one of the Maya peoples, who inhabit Guatemala and the Mexican states of Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Q ...

are probably the best known of Pilz artists, having released numerous albums during their career, including several film scores, many of them highly regarded by critics and fans. ‘In Der Garten Pharoas’ is considered a classic by many.

Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein () (24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634), also von Waldstein ( cs, Albrecht Václav Eusebius z Valdštejna), was a Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Th ...

had some success during the 70s and in more recent years with reissues, while Witthuser & Westrupp’s albums remain cult favourites. Popol Vuh’s ‘Hosianna Mantra’ was the final release before the label folded in 1972. ‘Hosianna Mantra’ has been covered in its entirety by

Kawabata Makoto Kawabata Makoto ( ) is a Japanese musician and founding member of the band Acid Mothers Temple. He was part of one line-up of Gong when Acid Mothers Temple and Gong briefly fused into one group. Band history Kawabata is chiefly famous for his l ...

Acid Mothers Temple Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., commonly shortened to Acid Mothers Temple or AMT, is a Japanese psychedelic rock band, the core of which formed in 1995. The band is led by guitarist Kawabata Makoto and early in their career feat ...

Discography

* Catalog number - Artist, ''Title'', Year ;Albums * 15 21114-2 - Various Artists, ''Heavy Christmas'', 1971 * 20 20114-7 - Dies Irae, ''First'', 1971 * 20 21088-2 - Flute & Voice, ''Imaginations of Light'', 1971 * 20 21090-1 - Joy Unlimited, ''Schmetterlinge'', 1971 * 20 21095-2 - Ardo Dombec, ''Ardo Dombec '', 1971 * 20 21098-7 - Witthüser & Westrupp, ''Der Jesuspilz - Musik vom Evangelium'', 1971 * 20 21099-5 - Rufus Zuphall, ''Phallobst'', 1971 * 20 21100-2 - Bröselmaschine, ''Bröselmaschine'', 1971 * 20 21102-9 - Virus, ''Thoughts'', 1971 * 20 21103-7 - McChurch Soundroom, ''Delusion'', 1971 * 20 21276-9 -

, ''In den Gärten Pharaos '', 1971 * 20 21314-5 - Hölderlin, ''Hölderlins Traum'', 1972 * 20 29064-6 -

, ''Blitzkrieg'', 1972 * 20 29077-8 - Emtidi, ''Saat'', 1972 * 20 29097-2 - Anima, ''Anima'', 1972 * 20 29113-8 -

, ''Mother Universe'', 1972 * 20 29115-4 - Witthüser & Westrupp, ''Bauer Plath'', 1972 * 20 29116-2 - Various Artists, ''Rapunzel - Neue Deutsche Volksmusik'', 1972 * 20 29131-6 - Jerry Berkers, ''Unterwegs'', 1972 * 20 29143-1 -

, ''Hosianna Mantra'', 1972 ;Singles * 05 10147-3 - Elga, ''Cajun Man / Streets of London'', 1971 * 05 11101-0 - Virus, ''King Heroin / Take Your Thoughts'', 1971 * 05 11106-1 - Dies Irae, ''Lucifer / Tired'', 1971 * 05 19041-7 - Witthüser & Westrupp, ''Die Erleuchtung / Die Aussendung'', 1971 * 05 11556-3 - Joy Unlimited, ''Early Morning Moanin' / Proud Angelina'', 1972 * 05 19128-6 - Jerry Berkers, ''Na na na chu chu chu / Es wird morgen vorbei sein'', 1972 * 05 19134-0 - Witthüser & Westrupp, ''Bauer Plath / Das Lied der Liebe'', 1972

External links

midsuffolk.unisonplus.net
discography

another Pilz Records Discography * {{Authority control German record labels Progressive rock record labels Record labels established in 1971

History

Discography

See also

Further reading

External links