Tangerine Dream

Bio

Founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese in Berlin.Tangerine Dream has progressed through a full three dozen lineups (Froese being the only continuous member with staying power) and four distinct stages of development: the experimentalist minimalism of the late '60s and early '70s; stark sequencer trance during the mid- to late '70s, the group's most influential period; an organic form of instrumental music on their frequent film and studio work during the 1980s; and, finally, a more propulsive dance style, which showed Tangerine Dream with a sound quite similar to their electronic inheritors in the field of dance music. Froese, born in Tilsit, East Prussia, in 1944, was little influenced by music while growing up. Instead, he looked to the Dadaist and Surrealist art movements for inspiration, as well as literary figures such as Gertrude Stein, Henry Miller, and Walt Whitman. He organized multimedia events at the residence of Salvador Dali in Spain during the mid-'60s and began to entertain the notion of combining his artistic and literary influences with music; Froese played in a musical combo called the Ones, which recorded just one single before dissolving in 1967. The first lineup of Tangerine Dream formed later that year, with Froese on guitar, bassist Kurt Herkenberg, drummer Lanse Hapshash, flutist Volker Hombach and vocalist Charlie Prince. The quintet aligned itself with contemporary American acid rock (the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane), and played around Berlin at various student events. The lineup lasted only two years, and by 1969 Froese had recruited wind player Conrad Schnitzler and drummer Klaus Schulze. One of the trio's early rehearsals, not originally intended for release, became the first Tangerine Dream LP when Germany's Ohr Records issued Electronic Meditation in June 1970. The LP was a playground for obtuse music-making -- keyboards, several standard instruments, and a variety of household objects were recorded and filtered through several effects processors, creating a sparse, experimentalist atmosphere. Both Schulze and Schnitzler left for solo careers later in 1970, and Froese replaced them the following year with drummer Christopher Franke and organist Steve Schroeder. When Schroeder left a year later, Tangerine Dream gained its most stable lineup core when organist Peter Baumann joined the fold. The trio of Froese, Franke, and Baumann would continue until Baumann's departure in 1977, and even then, Froese and Franke would compose the spine of the group for an additional decade. On 1971's Alpha Centauri and the following year's Zeit, the trio's increased use of synthesizers and a growing affinity for space music resulted in albums that pushed the margin for the style. Atem, released in 1973, finally gained Tangerine Dream widespread attention outside Europe; influential British DJ John Peel named it his LP of the year, and the group signed a five-year contract with Richard Branson's Virgin Records. Though less than a year old, Virgin had already become a major player in the recording industry, thanks to the massive success of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells (widely known for its use in the film The Exorcist). Tangerine Dream's first album for Virgin, Phaedra, was an milestone not only for the group, but for instrumental music. Branson had allowed the group free rein at Virgin's Manor Studios, where they used Moog synthesizers and sequencers for the first time; the result was a relentless, trance-inducing barrage of rhythm and sound, an electronic update of the late-'60s and early-'70s classical minimalism embodied by Terry Riley. Though mainstream critics were unsurprisingly hostile toward the album (it obviously made no pretense to rock & roll in any form), Phaedra broke into the British Top 20 and earned Tangerine Dream a large global audience. The follow-ups Rubycon and the live Ricochet were also based on the blueprint with which Phaedra had been built, but the release of Stratosfear in 1976 saw the use of more organic instruments such as untreated piano and guitar; also, the group added vocals for 1978's Cyclone, a move that provoked much criticism from their fans. Both of these innovations didn't change the sound in a marked degree, however; their incorporation into rigid sequencer patterns continued to distance Tangerine Dream from the mainstream of contemporary instrumental music. Baumann left for a solo career in 1978 (later founding the Private Music label), and was replaced briefly by keyboard player Steve Jolliffe and then Johannes Schmoelling, another important member of Tangerine Dream who would stay until the mid-'80s. In 1980, the Froese/Franke/Schmoelling lineup was unveiled at the Palast der Republik in East Berlin, the first live performance by a Western group behind the Iron Curtain. Tangerine Dream also performed live on TV with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra one year later, and premiered their studio work on 1980's Tangram. Mike Oldfield had shown the effectiveness of using new instrumental music forms as a bed for film on Tubular Bells, and in 1977 The Exorcist's director, William Friedkin, had tapped Tangerine Dream for soundtrack work on his film Sorcerer. By the time the new lineup stabilized in 1981, Hollywood was knocking on the band's door; Tangerine Dream worked on more than 30 film soundtracks during the 1980s, among them Risky Business, The Keep, Flashpoint, Firestarter, Vision Quest, and Legend. If the idea of stand-alone electronic music hadn't entered the minds of mainstream America before this time, the large success of these soundtracks (especially Risky Business) entrenched the idea and proved enormously influential to soundtrack composers from all fields. Despite all the jetting between Hollywood and Berlin, the group continued to record proper LPs and tour the world as well. Hyperborea, released in 1983, was their last album for Virgin, and a move to Zomba/Jive Records signaled several serious changes for the band during the late '80s. After the first Zomba release (a live concert recorded in Warsaw), 1985's Le Parc, marked the first time Tangerine Dream had flirted with sampling technology. The use of sampled material was an important decision to make for a group that had always investigated the philosophy of sound and music with much care, though Le Parc was a considerable success -- both fans and critics calling it their best LP in a decade. Tyger, released in 1987, featured more vocals than any previous Tangerine Dream LP, and many of the group's fans were quite dispirited in their disfavor. Schmoelling left in 1988, to be replaced by the classically trained Paul Haslinger and (for a brief time) Ralf Wadephul. Optical Race, released in 1988, was the first Tangerine Dream album to appear on old bandmate Peter Baumann's Private Music label. Several more albums followed for the label, after which Haslinger left to work on composing film scores in Los Angeles. His replacement, and the only other permanent member of Tangerine Dream since, was Edgar's son Jerome Froese (whose photo had graced the cover of several TD albums in the past). Another record label change, to Miramar, preceded the release of 1992's Rockoon, which earned Tangerine Dream one of their seven total Grammy nominations. The duo continued to record and release live albums, remix albums, studio albums, and soundtracks at the rate of about two releases per year into the late '90s. Meanwhile, the influence of Tangerine Dream's '70s releases upon a generation of electronica and dance artists became increasingly evident, from the Orb's indebted ambient techno to DJ Shadow's sampling of Stratosfear's "Invisible Limits," heard on "Changeling," from 1996's Endtroducing.... During the early 2000s, new material surfaced at a slightly slower rate. In addition to a handful of studio albums -- including 2005's Jeanne d'Arc, for which Froese was first joined by Thorsten Quaeschning, a musician who would figure into several subsequent TD releases -- and a couple soundtracks (Great Wall of China, Mota Atma), there was "the Dante trilogy" (Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, released from 2002 through 2006) and the five-part "atomic seasons" (with titles like Springtime in Nagasaki and Winter in Hiroshima, created for a Japanese man who survived the bombings of both cities). During these years, keeping tabs on archival releases, both live and studio, was more challenging than ever; most prominently, there was The Bootmoon Series, entailing audience and soundboard recordings of performances dating back to 1977, as well as reissues of the first four albums and several anthologies. Despite so much focus on the past, epitomized by 40th anniversary concerts that took place 2007, Tangerine Dream remained equally connected to the present. Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music group founded 1967 in West Berlin, Germany, by Edgar Froese. The band has undergone many personnel changes over the years, with Froese being the only continuous member. Drummer and composer Klaus Schulze was briefly a member of an early lineup, but the most stable version of the group, during their influential mid-1970s period, was as a keyboard trio with Froese, Christopher Franke, and Peter Baumann. Early in the 1980s, Johannes Schmoelling replaced Baumann, and this lineup, too, was stable and extremely productive. As of 2009, Tangerine Dream is comprised of Edgar Froese and Thorsten Quaeschning. For concerts and recordings they are joined mainly by Iris Camaa, Linda Spa and Bernhard Beibl. Tangerine Dream's early "Pink Years" albums had a pivotal role in the development of Krautrock. Their "Virgin Years" and later albums became a defining influence in the genre known as New Age music, although the band themselves dislike the term. Tangerine Dream’s music was first featured in Sorcerer, a William Friedkin film, and later in the Tom Cruise movie, Risky Business. Their track, "Le Parc" was also featured on the TV Series, "Street Hawk." . User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

Similar artists

Edgar Froese, Klaus Schulze, Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre, Ashra

Genres

rock,electronic,progressive rock,krautrock,ambient,german,new age,film score,european,progressive electronic,classic pop and rock,synthesizer,berlin school,lily,kosmische musik,iswcs pending,german prog,space music,space rock,

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On Tour: No

country: DE

City: 1967-09

Begin Date: 1967-09

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Tangerine Dream at Blå (February 6, 2026)

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2026

Videography

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Last FM

The Blue Years Studio Albums 1985-1987

The Blue Years Studio Albums 1985-1987

Jan/2019

Live At Augusta Raurica Switzerland 2016

Live At Augusta Raurica Switzerland 2016

Jan/2019

The Sessions I

Jan/2019

Live At Reims Cathedral 1974

Live At Reims Cathedral 1974

Jan/2020

Recurring Dreams

Recurring Dreams

Dec/2019

The Sessions V

Oct/2019

Oedipus Tyrannus

Oedipus Tyrannus

Jun/2019

Live at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London, 16th June 1974

Live at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London, 16th June 1974

Jun/2019

The Royal Albert Hall, London - 2nd April 1975

The Royal Albert Hall, London - 2nd April 1975

Jun/2019

In Search Of Hades - The Virgin Recordings 1973 – 1979

In Search Of Hades - The Virgin Recordings 1973 – 1979

Jun/2019

The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 3 (Live)

The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 3 (Live)

May/2019

The Official Bootleg Series Volume Three

The Official Bootleg Series Volume Three

May/2019

The Official Bootleg Series Volume Three: The Ford Auditorium, Detroit, March 1977 & The Regent Theatre, Sydney, February 1982

The Official Bootleg Series Volume Three: The Ford Auditorium, Detroit, March 1977 & The Regent Theatre, Sydney, February 1982

May/2019

The Sessions IV

The Sessions IV

Dec/2018

The Pink Years Albums: 1970–1973

The Pink Years Albums: 1970–1973

Oct/2018

The Sessions III

The Sessions III

Aug/2018

Run to Vegas / Leviathan

Run to Vegas / Leviathan

Apr/2018

Quantum Gate / Quantum Key

Quantum Gate / Quantum Key

Apr/2018

Grand Theft Auto V (limited series)

Grand Theft Auto V (limited series)

Mar/2018

The Sessions II

The Sessions II

Feb/2018

Pledge Access Pass

Pledge Access Pass

Dec/2017

Finnegans Wake

Apr/2022

Knights Of Asheville

Knights Of Asheville

Apr/2022

Strange Behavior: Original Soundtrack

Strange Behavior: Original Soundtrack

Mar/2022

Raum

Raum

Feb/2022

Portico

Feb/2022

You're Always on Time

You're Always on Time

Jan/2022

Probe 6-8

Probe 6-8

Nov/2021

Raum (Single Edit) - Single

Raum (Single Edit) - Single

Nov/2021

Raum (Single Edit)

Raum (Single Edit)

Nov/2021

Phaedra Farewell Tour 2014

Phaedra Farewell Tour 2014

Nov/2021

The Sessions VII (Live at the Barbican Hall, London)

The Sessions VII (Live at the Barbican Hall, London)

Aug/2021

The Sessions VII

The Sessions VII

Aug/2021

Live In Reims Cathedral 1974

Live In Reims Cathedral 1974

Jun/2021

Live in Reims Cathedral: December 13th, 1974

Live in Reims Cathedral: December 13th, 1974

Jun/2021

Cruise to Destiny

Cruise to Destiny

Apr/2021

Lost In Strings

Lost In Strings

Feb/2021

DM V - 2010: Ultimate Edition

DM V - 2010: Ultimate Edition

Dec/2020

8.17pm Session - Triangle

8.17pm Session - Triangle

Nov/2020

Logos (Live / Remastered 2020)

Logos (Live / Remastered 2020)

Oct/2020

Hyperborea (Remastered 2020)

Hyperborea (Remastered 2020)

Oct/2020

Strange Behavior

Strange Behavior

Apr/2022

Live In Reims Cinema Opera September 23rd, 1975

Live In Reims Cinema Opera September 23rd, 1975

Apr/2022

Live At Reims Cinema Opera 1975

Live At Reims Cinema Opera 1975

Apr/2022

The Park Is Mine (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The Park Is Mine (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Aug/2022

Strange Behavior (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Strange Behavior (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Apr/2022

Live In Reims Cinema Opera, September 23rd, 1975

Live In Reims Cinema Opera, September 23rd, 1975

Apr/2022

La Divina Commedia

La Divina Commedia

Apr/2022

Botanique Orangerie Session 2022

Botanique Orangerie Session 2022

May/2023

Three O’Clock High (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Three O’Clock High (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Apr/2023

Three O’Clock High

Three O’Clock High

Apr/2023

Live In Paris, Palais Des Congrès - March 6th, 1978

Live In Paris, Palais Des Congrès - March 6th, 1978

Apr/2023

Catch Me... If You Can (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Catch Me... If You Can (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Apr/2023

Silent Green Session 2022

Silent Green Session 2022

Apr/2023

Silent Green Session 2022 (Live At Krake Festival 2022 Berlin/Germany)

Silent Green Session 2022 (Live At Krake Festival 2022 Berlin/Germany)

Apr/2023

The Music of Grand Theft Auto V - The Score

The Music of Grand Theft Auto V - The Score

Jan/2023

The Sessions Box Set (United Kingdom & Ireland 2022)

The Sessions Box Set (United Kingdom & Ireland 2022)

Nov/2022

The Sessions Box Set: United Kingdom & Ireland 2022

The Sessions Box Set: United Kingdom & Ireland 2022

Nov/2022

Live In Reims Cathedral December 13th, 1974

Live In Reims Cathedral December 13th, 1974

Oct/2022

Botanique Orangerie Session 2022 (Live At Botanique Orangerie 2022 Brussels/Belgium)

Botanique Orangerie Session 2022 (Live At Botanique Orangerie 2022 Brussels/Belgium)

May/2023

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