Bureau B

Last updated
Bureau B
BureauB-Logo.jpg
Founded 2005
Founder Gunther Buskies
Distributor(s) Indigo Musikproduktion + Vertrieb GmbH
Genre Krautrock, avant-garde Electronics, Post-punk
Country of origin Germany
Location Hamburg
Official website www.bureau-b.com

Bureau B (sometimes quoted as Bureau-B) is an independent record label, music publisher and booking agency from Hamburg, Germany, founded in 2005 by Gunther Buskies (B for Buskies) as a sister label to Tapete Records. The label releases varieties of electronic, free-spirited music, with the spectrum ranging from pop to avant-garde. The label has amassed an extensive catalogue of reissues and new productions, including classics from the genre of electronic music in the 1970s and early 1980s popularly classified as Krautrock (Cluster, Roedelius, Moebius, Plank, Schnitzler), alongside new recordings by such formative artists as Faust, Kreidler , Roedelius, Tietchens, Moebius.

An independent record label is a record label that operates without the funding of major record labels. Many artists begin their careers on independent labels.

In the music industry, a music publisher is responsible for ensuring the songwriters and composers receive payment when their compositions are used commercially. Through an agreement called a publishing contract, a songwriter or composer "assigns" the copyright of their composition to a publishing company. In return, the company licenses compositions, helps monitor where compositions are used, collects royalties and distributes them to the composers. They also secure commissions for music and promote existing compositions to recording artists, film and television.

Hamburg City in Germany

Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany with a population of over 1.8 million.

Contents

History

The label started with (re-)releases of quality-rated recordings of German Schlager artists like Gitte (with Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band), Mary Roos (a chanson album), Heidelinde Weis, or James Last (a 1975 jazzy Easy Listening session in Los Angeles) and compilations like Achtung! German Grooves, Sprechen Sie Pop? or Easy Beatles . [1] [2]

The Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band was one of the most noteworthy jazz big bands formed outside the United States.

Mary Roos German singer

Mary Roos is a German singer and actress.

A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specializing in chansons is known as a "chanteur" (male) or "chanteuse" (female); a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.

In 2008 Bureau B re-issued one 7" by Neue Deutsche Welle band Palais Schaumburg, and two 7" by Klaus Dinger's la Düsseldorf, and from 2009 began to exploit the catalog of Sky Records, [3] focussing on albums of musical genres like electronica, avant-garde, krautrock: e.g. recordings by Cluster, Conny Plank, Brian Eno, Roedelius, or Dieter Moebius considered as landmark albums. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Neue Deutsche Welle is a genre of West German rock music originally derived from post-punk and new wave music with electronic influences. The term "Neue Deutsche Welle" was first coined by a Dutch radio DJ Frits Spits on popular nationwide radiostation Hilversum 3, which was very popular among German listeners. Soon after that it got used in a record shop advertisement by Burkhardt Seiler in the West German magazine Sounds in August 1979, and then coined by journalist Alfred Hilsberg whose article about the movement titled "Neue Deutsche Welle — Aus grauer Städte Mauern" was published in Sounds in October 1979.

Palais Schaumburg (band) band

Palais Schaumburg was a new wave band from Hamburg. The style was classified as Neue Deutsche Welle, and strongly characterized by their avant garde music and dadaistic attitude.

Klaus Dinger German musician

Klaus Dinger was a German musician and songwriter most famous for his contributions to the seminal krautrock band Neu!. He was also the guitarist and chief songwriter of new wave group La Düsseldorf and briefly the percussionist of Kraftwerk.

In 2012 Bureau B expanded its repertoire by re-releasing a series of important out-of-print albums by Conrad Schnitzler [11] [12] as well as recordings out of the catalog of legendary Neue Deutsche Welle label Ata Tak, like D.A.F., Andreas Dorau, Der Plan, or Pyrolator. [13] [14] [15]

Conrad ("Conny") Schnitzler was a prolific German experimental musician. Schnitzler's father was German, his mother was Italian. He had a wife and they had three children, one of whom is son Gregor Schnitzler, who was born in 1964 in Berlin and who is a film director.

Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft German band

Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft or D.A.F. is an influential German electropunk/Neue Deutsche Welle band from Düsseldorf, formed in 1978 featuring Gabriel "Gabi" Delgado-López (vocals), Robert Görl, Kurt "Pyrolator" Dahlke, Michael Kemner (bass-guitar) and Wolfgang Spelmans (guitar). Kurt Dahlke was replaced by Chrislo Haas in 1979. Since 1981, the band has consisted of Delgado-López and Görl.

Der Plan is a German electronic music group from Düsseldorf, formed in the earlier months of 1979 by Moritz Reichelt, Kai Horn, and Frank Fenstermacher, originally under the name of Weltaufstandsplan . This group is considered the pioneer of Neue Deutsche Welle.

Original releases by contemporary artists include Karl Bartos, [16] Faust, Kreidler, Like a Stuntman, Pyrolator, Qluster, Ulrich Schnauss, or Tarwater.

Karl Bartos former member of Kraftwerk

Karl Bartos is a German musician and composer.

Faust (band) German krautrock band

Faust are a German krautrock band. Formed in 1971 in Wümme, the group was originally composed of Werner "Zappi" Diermaier, Hans Joachim Irmler, Arnulf Meifert, Jean-Hervé Péron, Rudolf Sosna and Gunther Wüsthoff, working with record producer Uwe Nettelbeck and engineer Kurt Graupner.

Kreidler (band) German band

Kreidler is a German band from Düsseldorf, which was founded in 1994. The band combines electronic and analog instruments, and is categorized by critics, depending on the publication, as electronic music, pop, avant-garde, post rock, IDM, ambient, neoclassical, krautrock, or electronica.

To provide an overview of the various musical styles in which Bureau B specializes, the label launched a compilation entitled KOLLEKTION in 2014. Each release in this series is curated by a musician. So far, artists like Tim Gane, Lloyd Cole, Holger Hiller, Richard Fearless and Thomas Fehlmann have participated. The latest release in this series is KOLLEKTION 05, released in July 2015.

Tim Gane English musician

Timothy John Gane is an English songwriter and guitarist who co-founded Stereolab with his former partner Lætitia Sadier.

Lloyd Cole English singer and songwriter

Lloyd Cole is an English singer and songwriter, known for his role as lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989, and for his subsequent solo work.

Holger Hiller is a German musician.

All in all, there have been over 200 releases on Bureau B so far (as of November 2015). The label is internationally distributed, with the overseas sales being considerably higher than the sales in Germany.

List of artists with original releases

List of artists with re-releases

Releases

All the records are printed on high-quality 180g vinyl. [17] [18] [19]

The re-issues contain new liner-notes, e.g. Schnitzler and Sky Records re-issues by Asmus Tietchens, [20] [21] Andreas Dorau re-issues by Carsten Friedrichs. [18] [19] [22] Some of the re-releases contain bonus.

The vinyls additionally include a download code for the album as a digital file or the whole album as a CD. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Cluster & Eno</i> 1977 studio album by Cluster and Brian Eno

Cluster & Eno is a collaborative album by the German electronic music group Cluster and English ambient musician Brian Eno. The style of this album is a collection of gentle melodies: a mixture of Eno’s ambient sensibilities and Cluster's avant-garde style.

Cluster (band) German experimental musical group

Cluster were a German experimental musical group consisting of Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius. They recorded albums in a wide variety of styles across electronic, avant-garde, and rock music, and influenced the development of contemporary popular electronic and ambient music. Cluster was active from 1971 until 2010, releasing a total of 15 albums, including collaborations with Brian Eno, Conny Plank, and Michael Rother. Musician, writer and rock historian Julian Cope places three Cluster albums in his Krautrock Top 50 and The Wire places Cluster's debut album Cluster '71 in their "One Hundred Records That Set The World On Fire".

Dieter Moebius Swiss musician

Dieter Moebius was a Swiss-born German electronic musician and composer.

Kluster is a German experimental musical group whose work often resembles later industrial music.

<i>Begegnungen</i> 1984 compilation album by Eno Moebius Roedelius Plank

Begegnungen is a Sky Records 1984 collection of music by Brian Eno, Dieter Moebius, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Conny Plank, compiled from these seven solo and collaborative albums released by Sky between 1976 and 1983:

<i>Begegnungen II</i> compilation album by Brian Eno

Begegnungen II is a Sky Records 1985 compilation album with recordings by Brian Eno, Dieter Moebius, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Conny Plank, Cluster, from solo albums, and from various collaborations between the artists. All of the tracks had been previously released elsewhere. The albums these tracks were drawn from are: Material by Moebius & Plank, Zero Set by Moebius, Plank, Neumeier, Durch Die Wuste and Lustwandel,both Roedelius solo albums, After The Heat by Eno, Moebius, Roedelius, Tonspuren, the first solo album by Moebius, Sowiesoso by Cluster, and the eponymous Cluster & Eno. These albums were released by Sky between 1976 and 1983.

<i>Grosses Wasser</i> 1979 studio album by Cluster

Großes Wasser is the seventh album by the electronic music outfit Cluster. It was co-produced by former Tangerine Dream member Peter Baumann. Großes Wasser marked the return to Cluster working as a duo of Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius after two albums collaborating with Brian Eno.

Hans-Joachim Roedelius German musician

Hans-Joachim Roedelius is a German experimental, ambient and electronic musician and composer. He is best known as a co-founder of the krautrock groups Cluster and Harmonia and for his work in the ambient jazz trio Aquarello.

<i>Klopfzeichen</i> 1970 studio album by Kluster

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<i>Zwei-Osterei</i> 1971 studio album by Kluster

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<i>Eruption</i> (album) 1971 live album by Kluster

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<i>Sowiesoso</i> 1976 studio album by Cluster

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<i>Cluster</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Cluster

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<i>Curiosum</i> 1981 studio album by Cluster

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<i>Live in Vienna</i> (Cluster album) live album

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Moebius & Plank was a German electronic music duo consisting of musicians Dieter Moebius and Conny Plank. They recorded three albums between 1979 and 1986 as well as two additional albums, one a collaboration with Mani Neumeier and the other with Mayo Thompson. Plank died of cancer in 1987. Their final two albums were released posthumously in 1995 and 1998 respectively

<i>Durch die Wüste</i> album by Hans-Joachim Roedelius

Durch die Wüste is the first full-length solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, best known for his work with Cluster, Harmonia, and Aquarello. The title is German for "Through the Desert."

Sky Records was a Hamburg, Germany-based independent record label specializing in krautrock/Kosmische Musik and electronic music. Some of their releases could be classified as progressive rock or art rock, experimental music, industrial, ambient, or new age. No new releases appeared after 1998.

York House Recordings, also known as YHR or YHR Tapes, was a small British independent label which released 31 original cassettes of industrial, electronic, experimental, avant-garde, and dark ambient music between 1979 and 1983.

<i>Wasser im Wind</i> 1982 studio album by Hans-Joachim Roedelius

Wasser im Wind is the tenth solo album by keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, best known for his work with Cluster, Harmonia, and Aquarello.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/label/Bureau+B Discogs
  2. ↑ http://www.grosse-freiheit-music.com/
  3. ↑ http://wasistdas.co.uk/news/2009/10/bureau-b-re-release-sky-records-releases/ Bureau-b re-release Sky Records releases, Was ist das co.uk, October 18, 2009
  4. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/sowiesoso-mw0000651409 Cluster - Sowiesoso, John Bush, Allmusic ****
  5. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/eruption-mw0000258043 Kluster - Eruption, John Bush, Allmusic ****
  6. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/jardin-au-fou-mw0000767570 Roedelius - Jardin Au Fou, François Couture, Allmusic ***-****
  7. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/wenn-der-südwind-weht-mw0000182565 Roedelius - Wenn der Südwind weht, John Bush, Allmusic ****-*****
  8. ↑ http://soundcolourvibration.com/2011/11/21/roedelius-wasser-im-wind/ Bureau B opens the vaults back up on the 1982 electronic and ambient record “Wasser im Wind” from Cluster’s Roedelius, Sound Colour Vibration
  9. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/durch-die-wüste-mw0000186228 Roedelius- Durch die Wüste, Keith Farley, Allmusic ****-***** Album pick
  10. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/cluster-eno-mw0000647074 Cluster & Eno, Michael Waynick, Allmusic ****
  11. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/rot-mw0000376319 Conrad Schnitzler - Rot, John Bush, Allmusic ****-***** Album pick
  12. ↑ http://www.factmag.com/2013/05/23/bureau-b-to-reissue-pair-of-vintage-conrad-schnitzler-lps/ "His thrumming electronic music is often fingered as a crucial link in the DNA of techno and synth wave, and celebrated electronic artists have correspondingly paid tribute" Fact Mag
  13. ↑ http://www.factmag.com/2012/11/30/the-40-best-reissues-of-2012/23/ Pyrolator - Ausland & Pyrolator - Inland, the 40 best reissues of 2012, Fact Mag
  14. ↑ http://www.factmag.com/2013/02/27/bureau-b-to-reissue-a-k-klosawski-and-pyrolators-manic-1985-lp-home-taping-is-killing-music/ Pyrolator/Klosowski - Home Taping Is Killing Music "In other words, very highly recommended", Fact Mag
  15. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/normalette-surprise-23-elektronische-schlager-mw0000889329 Der Plan - Normalette Surprise, Peter Schaefer, Allmusic ****
  16. ↑ http://www.factmag.com/2012/11/27/kraftwerks-karl-bartos-announces-first-album-in-nine-years-off-the-record/ "Kraftwerks Karl Bartos announces first album in nine years" Fact Mag, November 27, 2012
  17. ↑ http://wasistdas.co.uk/news/2009/10/bureau-b-re-release-sky-records-releases/ "Bureau B reissues more than 20 of the most exciting SKY albums on CD and on 180 g heavy vinyl"
  18. 1 2 http://www.discogs.com/label/Bureau+B detailed infos in Discogs entries
  19. 1 2 3 http://www.bureau-b.com/ detailed infos on label site
  20. ↑ http://www.factmag.com/2013/05/23/bureau-b-to-reissue-pair-of-vintage-conrad-schnitzler-lps/ "with liner notes from fellow Krautrock traveller Asmus Tietchens" Fact Mag
  21. ↑ http://wasistdas.co.uk/news/2009/10/bureau-b-re-release-sky-records-releases/ "Bureau B reissues more than 20 of the most exciting SKY albums on CD and on 180 g heavy vinyl – all include rare photos and liner notes by Asmus Tietchens"
  22. ↑ http://www.bureau-b.com/dorau.php
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