Ash Ra Tempel, Kluster, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream and many more musicians met and played together in The Zodiak Free Arts Lab. The club was initiated by Conrad Schnitzler (1937-2011). He was a prominent experimental musician who had before coming to Berlin studied sculpture with Joseph Beuys in Düsseldorf. The Zodiak became as he intented a scene where musicians, artists could improvise with psychedelic rock, experimental jazz and electronics. The stage had equipment and were used freely by the performers. There were two halls, one black and the other white. In this milieu visions met and expanded into new music that would arise. The Zodiak Free Arts Lab was short lived, between 1968-69, and still made a huge influence on music and art. The building is still active and beind used. Being a lover of kratrock and kosmische music I went for a visit.
*Post update: Video from the 2015 visit, 3 years after the first.
Where? …at Hallesches Ufer 32
Dhananjai Sinha
June 10, 2016Hi Sanjin,
Real nice piece of history you’ve left on your page right here.
Im researching for a story on “The history of people and music in post war Germany” and was wondering if there are any pictures of the Zodiak Free Arts Lab which you could share.
Much respect from Mumbai, India
-Dhananjai
Sanjin Đumišić
June 10, 2016Hi!
I have found no photos or such from this pioneering club. If there is something, it’s probably in some forgotten private collection somewhere. I’m glad you appreciated this post – Great music ideas were born there!
/All the Best