Blue (Klaus Dinger album)
| Blue | ||||
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| Studio album by La! Neu? | ||||
| Released | 1999 | |||
| Recorded | 1984-7 | |||
| Genre | Krautrock, post-punk, pop | |||
| Label | Captain Trip Records | |||
| Producer | Klaus Dinger | |||
| Klaus Dinger chronology | ||||
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Blue is a 1999 studio album released under the La! Neu? name by Captain Trip Records. In most senses it is a Klaus Dinger solo album, as Dinger composed, produced, recorded and (mostly) performed the entire album alone. It was originally intended for release as the fifth La Düsseldorf album in 1987, but Dinger's contract with Virgin Records was terminated before the album's release. The 1987 rejection letter from Udo Lange is printed upside-down on the back cover of the CD.
The ambiguity of the album's name and artist on the cover has caused confusion amongst retailers as well as fans. Whilst "La! Neu?" is prominently displayed at the top-right corner of the artwork, the cover also features the legend "La Düsseldorf 5", referring to Dinger's band from the 1970s and '80s. Some have confused this legend with the album title - Blue - or been confused by references in the album booklet to "Five Pearls and a Hammer" - the album's original title. In fact, no members of La! Neu? or La Düsseldorf other than Dinger himself appear on the album, and the few extra musicians who do contribute come from Dinger's 1984 project Néondian. Some have argued that this makes the album - in effect - a Klaus Dinger solo album (like Néondian), but this is not referred to anywhere in the CD packaging.
The album was recorded over a period of three years spanning 1984, 1985 and 1986. The lengthy version of "America" which closes the album was recorded first, during the sessions for Neondian (which features a shorter, synthesizer-based version of the song). This is the only track on the album to feature instrumentalists other than Dinger; namely Rüdiger "Spinello" Elze (of Kowalski) on guitar, Manfred "Charly" Therstappen on drums and Raoul Walton on bass (both of Belfegore). All three appeared on Neondian and Elze also contributed to the La! Neu? albums Year of the Tiger and Live at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf. The track was recorded electronically at Dinger's studios in Kamperland, Netherlands. Some time after the original recording, Dinger added whispered lead vocals which are dubbed in and out throughout the track alongside the original sung lyrics.
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