Guru Guru

Formed in Heidelberg in 1968 around drummer Mani Neumeier, originally under the name The Guru Guru Groove, Guru Guru belongs to the first generation of German krautrock. The band sits at the crossroads of experimental rock, psychedelic rock, jazz-rock and a very free progressive approach. After initial line-ups that included Uli Trepte and Eddy Naegeli and a brief stint by Jim Kennedy, the group assumed its most recognisable profile with Ax Genrich around the album UFO (1970), followed by Hinten (1971) and Känguru (1972). From that period onward, Guru Guru developed a sound based on improvisation, long forms, rhythmic ruptures and a taste for the absurd, linked to the German free-jazz scene and exchanges with musicians such as Irène Schweizer. Over the decades the personnel changed frequently, but Mani Neumeier remained the constant; his drumming and voice provide continuity. The discography spans several phases, from the abrasive krautrock of the early years to looser or off-kilter approaches on Tango Fango (1976), Wah Wah (1995), PSY (2008), Doublebind (2011), Electric Cats (2013), Rotate! (2018) and Incredible World Of Guru Guru (2023). On stage, Guru Guru long operated in contexts that mixed underground rock, alternative festivals and the European psychedelic legacy.