Biografia
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Anni di attività
1966 – oggi (57 anni)
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Luogo di fondazione
Berlin, Germania
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Componenti
- Bernd Koschmidder (1966 – 1973)
- Bernd Noske (1968 – 2014)
- Bruno Frenzel (1969 – 1983)
- Dirk Steffens
- Hartmut Schölgens (1972 – 1972)
Formed in 1968 as a Cologne student rock-band, Birth Control chose their name as a stab at Pope Paul's anti birth control policy. In their early days, dogged by military service commitments, and ideological differences, the line-up was in flux for many years. In fact, only two original members remained by the time of their first album, at which time they had moved base to Berlin for a while.
Their debut was released with a special mock birth control pill case type cover, and introduced them as an original hard-rock band with a classical edge, extensively featuring the keyboards of Reinhold Sobotta. Highly progressive (with a psychedelic edge) and with an original sound, they also paid homage to one of their influences with a highly creative version of The Doors' "Light My Fire". Comparable to many British bands of the era, Birth Control were accessible and creative, yet rarely on their studio albums did they ever show how talented they really were. The album OPERATION was much more conventional than their debut, and they also released a lot of singles at this time. This was Birth Control the underground pop band, with a hard-rock based style. Birth Control were the straightest of rock bands on the Ohr label!
Strangely, after moving to CBS, the third Birth Control album HOODOO MAN took them to very different realms. It's surprising that the same album that spawned a hit single could also be their most experimental, the creativity in HOODOO MAN ranges from sublime to outrageous. But, ever unpredictable, the album REBIRTH was not so hot. It seemed that CBS wanted Birth Control to become a German Chicago type brass-rock band. Yet, the double album LIVE revealed their talent as superb musicians and improvisers, showcasing Zeus B. Held as a major new asset.Moving away from 60's influences, the concept album PLASTIC PEOPLE had its moments, with a move to more sophisticated mid-70's progressive styles, and complexly composed works featuring synths, winds and guitars. It was BACKDOOR POSSIBILITIES that saw their final creative peak, being a surreal concept work, with a move into more instrumentally complex progressive-rock, like a hybrid of all they had done before, embellished with Gentle Giant type multi-vocal cannons and keyboard stylisms. All change in 1977, adding two ex-Message members, and subsequent albums moved to a funky pop-rock, becoming less interesting with each release. A minor highlight was the LIVE '79 album, which recaptured some early magic. Since this, Birth Control have reformed many times without any real success.
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