Jürgen Krutzsch formed German band Tibet in 1972, having been inspired by the Eastern experimentation of groups such as the Beatles and Third Ear Band. Krutszch had spent the latter part of the sixties in cover bands (Fine Art, Nostradamus), and was interested in putting together a group that played native Tibetan instruments such as the tabla, violin, zither, and flute. He quickly abandoned this idea after recruiting former band mates Karl-Heinz Hamann (Fine Art, Teske) and Dieter Kumpakischkis (Nostradamus), as well as drummer Fred Teske and vocalist Kalus Werthmann, but the band did retain a certain pseudo-mystic feel to their music during their nine year existence.
The band toured extensively throughout the seventies, opening occasionally for fellow countrymen and friends of the band Kraan, but managed to release only a single album, their self-titled 1979 studio release. The tracks for the debut album were recorded in three separate sessions dating from December 1976 to September 1978. The band’s sound was a complex fusion of astral rock, jazz, classical music and Tibetan sounds, heavily keyboard-driven (Hammond, mellotron) and compared to the likes of Eloy, Amenophis, and even Uriah Heep although most of their studio release consists of tracks that are similar in style but more reserved than any of those bands.
Tibet deserves recognition for having been a small part of the progressive music scene with their extensive live performance history throughout the seventies, and for the eclectic and ambitious style of music for which they were known by their small but persistent fan base.
Tracks
1. Fight Back (Dieter Kumpakischkis, Fred Teske, Jürgen Krutzsch, Karl Heinz Hamann, Allan Borel) - 4:59
2. City By The Sea (Kalus Werthmann, Deff Ballin) - 4:24
3. White Ships And Icebergs (Deff Ballin) - 6:15
4. Seaside Evening (Kalus Werthmann) - 4:13
5. Take What's Yours (Dieter Kumpakischkis, Fred Teske, Jürgen Krutzsch, Karl Heinz Hamann, Allan Borel) - 7:23
6. Eagles (Deff Ballin, Fred Teske, Jürgen Krutzsch, Karl Heinz Hamann) - 6:05
7. No More Time (Kalus Werthmann) - 5:30
Tibet
*Kalus Werthmann - Lead Vocals
*Jürgen Krutzsch - Guitar, Percussion
*Deff Ballin - Keyboards, Percussion
*Dieter Kumpakischkis - Keyboards
*Karl Heinz Hamann - Bass, Percussion
*Fred Teske - Drums