Date of the first publication - 2005
/ Last update - 2021
_____ Mammut Story _____
by
_________________ Tilo Herrmann ___________
Now here is the story of Mammut as far as I know it.
First I would like to say that all details on the dates aren't exact . It has been a very long time ago.
It was the 1.April 1969 when my friend Dietrich Danksin (guitar) and I (bass) met Rainer Hoffmann (piano, organ) and Volker Hirt (drums). Together
we formed the band, "Those". Together with several bands from Villingen, Aki Kienzler recorded the LP "Under party Ground" into the MPS Studios,
Villingen. Unfortunately, I don't have any copy of this disk. The Bands were: "The Rope Sect", "The Be Nice", "Those" and "The First Decision" (I joined
this Band later for a while). "Those" had two titles: KING BILL and STARSHIP ORION. The second was the title melody of a German SF television series
on wich Eva Karl joined the Band to help with the background Vocals. "Rope Sect" had the extraordinary DÄ DU DÄ. Peter and Klaus Schnur were in "The
Rope Sect". By the way, Rope is the english word for "Schnur" and thats were the name Rope Sect is from. "Those" dissolved about one year later and was
reborn in 1970/71 with Eva Karl (vocals), Gunter Seier (drums), Rainer Hoffmann (keyboards, guitar, vocals) and Tilo Herrmann (bass, vocals). Definitly
we played together with "Rope Sect" on a kind of multimedia event with music, lyrics and an exhibition of paintings. In The Summer of 71 Klaus Schnur
called Rainer Hoffmann to work with him on a new LP that has been initialized by Aki Kienzler again. Rainer asked me to join and with Gunther Seier on
Drums and Peter Schnur the brother of Klaus the Band was complete. The nickname of Peter is "Mammut", so you know where the Band's name is from.:-)
The Band existed only for the time of the two or three weeks studio work. Usually the Ideas of the songs were born in the morning or the early afternoons
and the songs were arranged, rehearsed and recorded in the late afternoon and somteimes in the night.
After this everyone finished school or his army time ends and most were scattered into different towns to study. We had a farewell concert with Rope Sect
and Those together on Stage and a concert played 1972 as Those played at a high school party in Villingen again:
RAINER HOFFMAN, keyboard TILO HERRMANN, bass , vocals and recorder (Flute)
GUNTHER SEIER, drums WOLF BAUMANN, guitar
Klaus Schnur and I lived for some times in Ludwigsburg and Rainer Hoffmann studied in Stuttgart so that we still fairly often played in sessions together. We
had a big party later with old friends in the Jazz Club in Villingen too, were Those played with Klaus Schnur as special guest and a female singer.
TODAY:
Klaus Schnur lives in Villingen for a longer time again, he gives guitars lesson and has a blues band.
Peter Schnur lives in Schwenningen (now united with Villingen called Villingen-Schwenningen) he plays in two Bands.
Gunther Saier lives in Villingen and with an old classmate plays in a Jazzquartett.
Rainer Hoffmann works for the southwest broadcast in Stuttgart and he s making no longer any music but is envolved in film.
I live in Backnang as a teacher at the local music school for the youth and have played in many different bands since then. Be sure we had much fun and it
was an intersting time with new music, a little revolution and a new way of living.
Tilo Herrmann
(01.01.2005)
LP "Mammut" Mouse Trick Track Music TTM 5022 (1971)
1. Bird Mammut 2. Classic Mammut 3. Mammut Ecstasy 4. Footmachine Mammut 5. Short Mammut
6. Schizoid Mammut 7. Nagarn Mammut 8. Mammut Opera
"Cosmic Dreams at Play - A guide to German Progressive and Electronic Rock" by Dag Erik Asbjornsen
This group made one of the most legendary German private pressings. It is now incredibly rare. The album is a thematically linked "Mammut Opus", with the
word "Mammut" included in all the track titles ....Good production as well, considering it was a private release, so I can recommend this album to you with
great enthusiasm!
"The Crack In The Cosmic Egg-Encyclopedia of Krautrock" by Steven and Alan Freeman
Born out of the jazz scene in Villingen (near Stuttgart, Southwest Germany) from musicians formerly of the bands The Rope Set and Those. Mammut were an
obscure underground band, whose sole album was the result of no-holds-barred late night jam sessions at the MPS studios. Although the band themselves
quoted Deep Purple's IN ROCK as a major influence, their spirit was purely Krautrock. Their sole album is a legendary rarity, and rightly so.
The LP reissued on CD: 1) in 1993 and 2000 by Ohrwaschl Fuzzy's Records (no. OW 013) 2) in 2003 by Expertize Record (no.EXCD-9918-FF) with two
bonus tracks (Da Du Da by The Rope Sect and King Bill by Those; the both songs you can find on CD called "Exploiting Plastic Inevitable.Lesson 2:
Globular Lightning") that were orginally released on LP "Under Party Ground", 1971 (Mouse Trick Track Music-TTM 5021). Both CDs are reprinting in
orginal cover. The Album reissued on vinyl in 1996 by Little Wing of Refugees (no. LW 1048) in limited edition (only 500 copies) with new cover.
Who is Tilo Herrmann? Born 23.6.51 in Villingen in Schwarzwald (the Black Forest). At the age of approx. 7 years, recorder lessons and guitar lessons
afterwards. Joined the recorder circle of the protestant church. At the age of 14 cello lessons to join the school orchestra. When he learned about beat music,
guitar became more inmortant than cello. At the age of 17 he joined a school band as bass player, as the guitars were already occupied. So he changed to
doublebass for the school orchestra and soon became a member of the jazz combo of his highschool and they participatedat a couple of school concerts in
the area of pop, spirituals and jazz. Member of numorous local bands. Prior to starting his studies at the padagogical highschool, recording of the long play
record "Mammut" in the MPS studios in Villingen. Studies for musical education for young people and recorder at the accademy for "musical youth
education" in Trossingen. Since 1979 teacher at the "Youth Music School" in Backnang for musical education for young people, recorder, guitar (all styles)
and e-guitar (preferably blues & rock). He plays with group called 4 Each Other (left in august 2005). Some times ago I wrote to T.Herrmann. In January
2005, I received e-mail with informations and photos from him (the text and photos above).
What did we know about Mammut to this time, in 2005 ?
__________________________________________________________________
Informations and photos I got 1st January, 2005 from
Tilo Herrmann
It is generous of you to give me so much of your time !U
*** Unfortunately
Tilo passed away in 2018
***
_________________________________________________________________
I wish to express my sincere appreciation for help:
Peter and Klaus Schnur - for friendly permission
Jochen Laschinsky - for help in German text
Arzachel - for "two bonus tracks"
_________________________________________
If you'd like to read an interview with K.Shnur,
please click on the link below
It's
Psychedelic Baby Magazine
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Peter Schnur Klaus Schnur
Gunther Seier Rainer Hoffman
In December, 2008, I got e-mail from Tilo Herrmann:
We (the members of Mammut) are trying to launch a legal CD of our LP.
An old friend of ours, formerly member of Rope Sect is helping.
If the CD is out you will get the news.
In 3rd June, 2009, German record company Longhair Music reissued first and only Mammut's record with one bonus track - DÄ DU DÄ by
The Rope Sect - on CD (LHC 70) and DLP (LHC 77).
*** In 2021, the same recordlabel, reissued LP (LHC 77) as colored
vinyl (Coke bottle green transparent)***