Aera

In early September 1972, guitarist Muck Groh (German: Muck Groh) (previously playing in the Ihre Kinder ( German ) group) created the band Name, which consisted of 6 musicians:

• Muck Groh (founder) - guitar, Germany
• Heinz Schmitt - guitar, Germany
• Davy Crocket (Davy Crocket) - bass, England
• Steve Robinson (real name - Reiner Geyer, previously played in group 2066 And Then ( German )) - organ, Germany
• Martin Roscoe (previously played in 2066 And Then ( German ) and Nine Days Wonder) - drums, England
• Ditch Cassidy - Vocal, Ireland ^[1]

In October-November 1972, the group toured Ireland. At the end of the tour, Ditch Cassidy left the group and remained at home. Shortly afterwards, Davy Crockett also left the band, took part in the recording of the Midnight Circus album, and joined the Jesus People sect ( German ). This happened at the end of 1972. This was followed by a difficult period of long musical searches. At this time, the following musicians played in the group:

• Peter Malinowski - bass
• Carsten Bohn (Carsten Bohn) - drums; member of the Frumpy group
• Karl Mutchlechner (Karl Mutschlechner) - bass, Austria; member of Nine Days Wonder
• Sidhatta "Dada" Gautama Schwitzki - drums, Indonesia
• Paolo Grobben - bass guitar, Holland
• Dieter Bauer - bass, member of the band 2066 And Then ^[1]

Steve Robinson wanted to rename the group, and Mook Gro proposed the name Aera.

In 1973, saxophonist Klaus Kreuzeder ( German ) from the group Ex Ovo Pro joined the group. The musicians decided that their work needed an inspirational atmosphere, so for work they went to an old estate in Mechelwind, near the city of Erlangen . This formed the backbone of the Aera group ^[1] .

In 1973, Paolo and Sidatta were injured in a serious car accident in the city of Hochstadt . Paolo was in the hospital for 4 months. At this time, Dieter Bauer finally decided to join the group. In December 1973, Dada and Steve Robinson left the band and moved to Nine Days Wonder. Wolfgang Teske (drums) joined the band after seeing ads in Sounds and Riebe's magazines. In December 1974, a bus was purchased from the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, which became the legendary bus of the Aera group ^[1] .

The theme of man in the work of musicians was already reflected in the title of the first album of the band Humanum Est, which was recorded at the studio in Hiltpoltstein on November 8, 9 and 10, 1974. At that time, in addition to Gro and Kreutseder, the group included Wolfgang Teske (drums) and Dieter Bauer (bass). Periodically they were joined by bass player Peter Malinowski ^[1] .

After the next change in composition from September 14 to 18, 1976, the second album Hand und Fuss was recorded at the same studio. At that time, the group included Gro, Kreuzider, Malinowski, Christoph Krieger (violin), as well as Lucky Schmidt (drums) from the Wind group ( Erlangen city). Onkel Latzi also played on the baritone saxophone and oboe as a guest musician ^[1] .

Great success came to the group after another rearrangement, after which 3 (!) Drummers were in the group. In November 1978, at a youth competition at the German Academy of Music in Munich , the Aera group composed of: Lutz Oldemeier (drums) (previously played in the Missus Beastly ( German ) band), Freddy Setz (drums), Helmut Meier-Limberg (percussion), Matz Steinke (bass), Klaus Kreuzider (saxophone; lyrics) - won the first prize in the Jazz category. About 80 groups took part in the competition ^[1] .

In the same year and in the same line-up, the group released the third Turkes record with the participation of Mook Gro, Locko Richter (bass) and Achim Gieseler (keys).

In November 1979, consisting of: Klaus Kreuzider, Helmut Meyer-Limberg, Lutz Oldmayer, Loko Richter, Freddie Zetz and Roman Bunka (guitar; member of Embryo) - the album Live was recorded. Records of concerts in Kiel , Isselhorst, Herford , Berlin and Hamburg were used for this album ^[1] .

In the same month, Roman Bunka left the band again and joined Embryo again and the next year, together with Freddie Zetz and Gerald Luciano Hartwig (also from Embryo), he recorded Dein Kopf ist ein schlafendes Auto.

Then Aera continued its activities as part of: Kreuzider, Helmut and Ulrich Meyer-Limberg, Peter Kühmstedt (bass; previously played in the group Guru Guru ) and Toni Danner (drums; previously played in groups Joachim Kühn, Toto Blanque ( German ), Jasper Van't Hoof and the Cyklus group) ^[1] .

In 1982, the group ceased to exist ^[2] .

• 1975 - Humanum Est
• 1977 - Hand Und Fuss
• 1979 - Türkis
• 1980 - Live
• 1981 - Too Much
• 1982 - Akataki ^[3]

Sources

• http://www.musikgruppeaera.de/html/band.htm
• http://www.musikgruppeaera.de/html/DISCOGR.HTM
• http://www.allmusic.com/artist/aera-p15306

• The official website of the group in German
• Group page at http://allmusic.com