Manuel Göttsching’s Ambient Adventures
As Ash Ra Tempel man arrives in London, MOJO revisits his past…
ASH RA TEMPEL’S visionary guitarist and electronische pioneer Manuel Göttsching plays London tomorrow for the first time in 13 years, bringing a one-man live set to East London’s Oval Space venue, co-promoted by Need2Soul. After delivering brain-frying Krautpsych over five studio albums with Ash Ra Tempel, Göttsching changed down a gear for more synthy, meditative records as Ashra, before minting the ageless, chess-themed proto-techno benchmark, E2-E4, as a solo artist in 1984.
Here he is as Ashra in 1981 on prog-friendly Spanish TV rock show, Musical Express, helming a gorgeous, billowy soundscape with his trademark Gibson SG.
And just in case you were wondering if Göttsching had maybe adopted a more extrovert onstage presence in his advancing years, here he is in 2012, playing E2-E4 live, with appealingly analog vizhuwels by Rod Maclachlan.
And if you’re paying your respects tomorrow, do come back and tell us how it was for you…
Pictures © MG.ART