Eloy Are the Great Prog Band That Slipped Through the Net, Failing To
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FANTASY & REALITY n the late 60s and early 70s, Germany album for Harvest, ’73’s Inside, included the chart-oriented non-album single Wings Of had a burgeoning rock music scene that 17-minute Land Of No Body and sounded Vision. Both pleased the critics, but split fans. many associate with what would later like a mix of Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Bornemann’s reaction to this was to write become known as krautrock. Many get Pink Floyd (some would add Yes and Jethro another concept album and he soon had confused over the distinction, but Tull) with spaced-out guitar and swirling enough material for a double album, mixing krautrock was frequently too electronic, keyboards, plus the aggressive edge of Led the new more electronic sound with the prog experimental,I ambient or alternative to be Zeppelin. The band gigged heavily and started of old – think 80s Yes meets IQ. And with considered prog. One German band played a to find a degree of success. Hannes Arkona handling both guitar and more traditional form of progressive rock (if With new bassist Luitjen Janssen on keyboards, the band had plenty of options. there is such a thing) and were overlooked board, Eloy cut Floating in 1974, which Until then, many of Eloy’s albums had because of it. That band, Eloy, took their cemented their success in their homeland. been released in Germany only, with piecemeal influences from the British scene of the time A little heavier than Inside, the band didn’t releases in the US (on Janus) and in other and had more in common with Genesis, Yes consider it a development; wanting to stretch European territories (usually EMI Electrola and King Crimson than Neu, Amon Düül or themselves further, they added second guitarist and Pathé Marconi in France). A couple of Can. And with lead guitarist Frank Hannes Arkona for live purposes. Their first albums reissued on EMI’s Fame label found Bornemann a confirmed David Gilmour fan, concept set, Power And The Passion, soon their way into the UK market in the early 80s. it’s no wonder that Eloy are sometimes followed. It demonstrated just how good Eloy There was also a compilation issued in North referred to as the German Pink Floyd. were at telling a story, musically and lyrically. America using a variation of the Ocean sleeve. When Eloy formed in the late 60s, many Sadly, this line-up didn’t last; tensions within This limited exposure changed with the young German bands were playing covers of the band came to a head through some pretty new album, which was released as two single Top 40 hits and songs by British bands – a disastrous management and Eloy split. albums at the record company’s insistence. trend rooted in British rock’n’roll groups The label, however, kept faith with These LPs, 1981’s Planets and the following playing German clubs. So when Hannover- Bornemann, who rebuilt the band from year’s Time To Turn, were issued in the UK on born guitarist Frank Bornemann put the band scratch. He was joined by keyboard player the Midlands-based Heavy Metal Worldwide together in 69 to play original material, it was Detlev Schmidtchen, bassist Klaus-Peter label, with new and far more glorious artwork considered a brave move. Joining Bornemann Matziol and former Scorpions were drummer Helmut Draht, vocalist/ drummer/songwriter Jürgen keyboard player Erich Schriever, bassist Rosenthal. This new line-up “Sci-fi and fantasy makes Wolfgang Stöcker and guitarist Manfred released Dawn in 1976 and the Wieczorke. Taking their name from the Eloi, a concept album Ocean the following our music more colourful race of futuristic humans from HG Wells’ The year; the latter went gold and ” Time Machine, the band started playing live became the band’s magnum opus. and won a regional talent contest. This led to It featured a string orchestra, which added an from fantasy illustrator Rodney Matthews. For the release of their self-financed debut single extra dimension to their spacey progressive the latter, the track Magic Mirrors was Eloy 2009: Frank Day Break/Walk Alone on a private label. rock. Boasting just four tracks, ranging from dropped from the UK release and replaced Bornemann has his A deal with Philips followed, who released eight to 15 minutes apiece, the album was epic with Illuminations, from Colours. In terms of hands on the controls the band’s eponymous LP in 1971. Receiving in every sense. The following double live music, concept and packaging these two mixed reviews, the original sleeve had album, however, saw so many aggressively albums represented a highpoint in the band’s a gatefold dustbin lid, which revealed its negative reviews that opinion between fans and career, but sadly they got lost amid a trend in contents when opened. This version now critics was divided. In an era drowning in Germany for new wave and German lyrics. fetches over £100, though Philips issued double live sets (think Kiss, Thin Lizzy, UFO, The radio-friendly title track, featuring a choir a limited numbered replica, distinguishable Rainbow and Genesis) this was a surprise. and searing slide guitar did, however, win chart Eloy are the great prog band that slipped through the net, failing only by a number appearing inside the Arkona rejoined as a touring second success. Time To Turn saw the return of gatefold, on the rear of the lid. guitarist, but musical differences between drummer Fritz Randow (who had been to achieve due international acclaim, perhaps because their Following its release, Schriever left the Bornemann and Rosenthal, who had written a playing with Epitaph), as McGillivray had left band, citing musical differences, and guitarist lot of the band’s lyrics since he joined, meant midway through the sessions. records mostly came out in Germany. But they rock on, and it’s Bornemann took over lead vocals. Drummer that Eloy fractured again after 1979’s Silent In comparison, 1983’s Performance sold Draht was involved in a serious car accident, Cries And Mighty Echoes. badly. Friction within the band over direction forcing him to stop playing, and the band Bornemann, Matziol and Arkona recruited saw Bornemann take more of a creative back about time we got in tune with their concept, says Joe Geesin replaced him with Fritz Randow. new drummer Jim McGillivray and keyboard seat and the band experimented with a This new line-up signed a deal with EMI player Hannes Folberth. The direction for contemporary sound which alienated some Germany, on the famed Harvest imprint. 1980’s Colours was slightly more keyboard- fans. The following year’s Metromania again Their music took a new direction, heavily oriented and more rock than prog, with the featured artwork from Matthews and its influenced by UK progressive rock. The first songs tighter and shorter. There was also the atmospheric sounds and pulsating rhythms were well received. While Bornemann was Eloy, 1977-style, proudly musicians in my hometown of Hannover who RODNEY MATTHEWS ON HIS AMAZING ELOY SLEEVES finishing the production, the rest of the band ignoring German new wave were perfect for Eloy; Klaus Peter Matziol cut the soundtrack to the film Code Name: fashion. Frank Bornemann [bass], Jürgen Rosenthal [drums] and Dtelev In 1982 I was asked by the Heavy Metal imprint to design a cover for the Planets album. Wild Geese. The band played two nights at the is wearing the black cap Schmidtchen [keyboards and guitar]. This was to be a reissue of an existing album. Upon hearing the music for the first time I was Marquee in London, with one show broadcast most impressed, and set about the task with conviction. by the BBC. In the UK, Metromania was The late 70s saw a more grandiose orchestral space Planets is the first of two related concept albums in the fantasy genre, the other being apparently released on CD (it must be quite an rock sound, had that been a long-term plan? Time To Turn, which also came my way for design and illustration. When I’m designing for early example). Just as things were looking It was always my dream to work with a real record packaging it helps if I like the music – and in this case I did. It seemed to me that good for Eloy, the band split again. orchestra in the studio, but it hadn’t been lyric writer Frank Bornemann was conveying – across these two albums – a parallel to Earth, The former members continued to play possible for financial reasons. In 1976, with the a sort of parable dealing with war, peace and spiritual freedom, in which the inhabitants of and record, notably Fritz Randow who would band’s return with a new line-up, we got the planet Salta were caught between spirits of light and of darkness. I tried to remain true to go on to join Victory and Saxon. chance and I was ecstatic. Dawn is still one this concept in my design for a planet, which is divided into light and dark areas featuring an During the band’s inactivity, Frank of my favourite albums and it was the angel (right) and demon (left). Bornemann struck up a friendly working breakthrough album in the German market. For Time To Turn I depicted Ion, the hero of the story, contemplating a mystical partnership with keyboard player Michael landscape with a bridge over a “space pool”. Gerlach and the resulting album, 1988’s Ra, Ocean is considered the band’s magnum opus. What The third Eloy album I was involved with was Metromania, and a second rights agreement saw Eloy reduced to a duo with a host of inspired the concept? (licence of existing artwork).