Sunday 29 March 2015

Deep Distance Manuel Göttsching book - In stock and available now

Deep Distance - The Musical Life of Manuel Göttsching is now available to order.

- Update: Mar '23 - Still in stock (down to the last few boxes). Please note that due to changes made to Blogger since this site was set-up the payment menu is not viewable from mobiles. Please use a desktop computer to order. -

Well over six years in the writing, this has been painstakingly pieced together but was also a real labour of love for me.

Here's some information about the book:
-156 pages
-95,000 words
-Four pages of colour photographs
-12 black and white photographs/images throughout the text
-Limited edition print run

Covers the early years, Ash Ra Tempel, The Cosmic Jokers, Ashra and Manuel's solo career to date.

Includes exclusive contributions from Harald Grosskopf, Lutz Ulbrich, Steve Baltes, Joaquin Joe Claussell, Steve Hillage and concert recollections from fans.

Here is a section from the back cover: 
 Sample pages: 
The book is priced:   

UK: £11.99 + £3.00 p&p   Total = £14.99
Europe:  £11.99 + £5.00 p&p   Total = £16.99
USA and Rest of World: £11.99 + £7.00 p&p   Total = £18.99

Unfortunately posting items from UK to the USA and rest of world these days is an expensive business but I have tried to keep the cost down as much as is possible.

Don't forget to select the correct payment option for you from the drop-down near the top of the page. Once you have made a payment you should be directed back to the blog homepage.

This will be a limited print run so make sure you don't miss out.
Happy reading. Hope you enjoy.

Christian

Update: here are some customer reviews of the book...
 
Thanks Christian for the book. It's great! Nice memories... (Lutz Ulbrich - Ashra)

It is obvious to me that from the first two chapters what you have here is an extremely well researched tome. It shows the passion of the writer, Christian Wheeldon, for his subject's work. That this passion is equally shared by thousands of fans all over the world almost guarantees that this new book will fulfil many sales. From early days through the emerging german underground music scene and beyond through the techno age and ambient, Manuel is now being recognised as one of the fathers of techno dance music, mainly through his influential album E2-E4. It's this very same album that Manuel is recreating at Hebden Bridge Picture House later this year. Details to be announced soon we hope. In the meantime buy the book, limited edition only. It's a superb slice of musical history, the very presence of it is almost miraculous in itself! (Paul)

Read about half now and believe me I have read a million music bios. This one is of extremely high quality. First of all it is extremely well-written, which almost never happens in music bios and the research is high quality. One can feel everything has been researched as far as one could. What happened to Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser, I beg you?

Descriptions of albums remind one of listening to a tennis match on the radio. You have to sonically fill in the blanks but it somehow works.

Praise needs to be heaped here. (Shan CyberShan)

Hi Christian, I just wanted to thank you for your excellent MG biography. I've just finished it, and it was most enjoyable. It encouraged me to revisit some areas of Manuel's music which I hadn't heard in a good while, and also made me determined to track down a few releases that I haven't got around to hearing yet. Cap doffed, sir! (Charlie)

Wheeldon’s is the first proper book to examine the life of Manuel Göttsching, and is an absolute triumph at the task. He provides an historic account of the socio-cultural circumstances surrounding each album’s production and descriptions of the music, which will undoubtedly inspire readers to seek out and enjoy these albums for themselves. (James)

Mr. Fujita has read and really enjoyed the book. Thank you again for your kind arrangements. (Takuya)

I started it last night and it's a difficult book to put down. (Mick)

Hi Christian, just to let you know I'm knee deep (distance) into the book, and it's just wonderful. Congrats, you can be proud of your baby! (Johan)

This is fantastic...a young lad from the UK is writing about our very own music...KRAUT. This book is very good researched...empiric and written with much love. Anybody who wants to know more about this part of German culture must have this book! (Lutz Ludwig Kramer)

I can recommend it thoroughly.... Well done!!! Only problem is you cost me money. I just had to chase up some albums you reviewed in it. Not complaining though! (Dean)

I just received the book this afternoon. I took it with me and went in a park and in the shadow of a tree I began the reading.

It looks very, very interesting. I only read the introduction and chapter one but it's reading like a novel where you want to know what is following. In the first pages you talk about "man on the moon" during summer '69. It means something to me: at that very same time I was hitchhiking in Germany and the driver tried to explain me that event (but he wasn't speaking French nor English), but at last I understood. I was going to...Berlin!

What a surprise also to see some pictures of Paris concert in '73 and '74. I think I still have paper cuttings!

You have done a superb job. You can be proud! (Michel)

Photos of Deep Distance sent from Manuel Göttsching fans around the world with one or two familiar faces...
 


Thursday 26 March 2015

Whoopee!


Six years on my Manuel Göttsching book is finished and will be going to the printers soon. Watch this space to find out how you can get hold of a copy!

Saturday 29 November 2014

Ash Ra Tempel - Friendship CD reissue

Ash Ra Tempel's Friendship album has been given a CD reissue and below is some info from the Manuel Göttsching Fan Group about how you can get a copy. Stay tuned for another exciting announcement about my MG book. Coming soon!

TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE
of Ash Ra Tempel`s CD - Friendship
This is only a little reminder to all fans of the music from Manuel Göttsching to
buy this CD for a price only EURO 16,00*
Previously available on Manikin in 2000, this wonderful recording has been out of print for many years, but it is now remastered for your pleasure in 2014!
Track List:
01. Reunion (30:40 min)
02. Pikant (21:40 min)
03. Friendship (26:30 min)
Label: MG.ART
Cat. No.: MG01222 / MG.ART 121
digi pak release
*The Price excl. shipping and possible paypal costs is: EURO 16,00
(This offer is available from Nov 14 till - Dec 31, 2014)
Please order your CD at: order@ashra.com
MG.ART`s complete catalogue find at: http://www.ashra.com/shop/shop.htm
Payment information:
It is possible to pay with paypal or with European banktransfer to our account.
Shipping costs for one or two items:
Germany: EURO 2,00
Europe: EURO 4,00
Outside Europe: EURO 5,00
Paypal fee: EURO 2,00

Saturday 25 October 2014

Finish line no longer in the Deep Distance...

Hi there. Here's another progress report regarding my forthcoming Manuel Göttsching book and a few words from a fellow music writer. There are a total of 15 chapters and Stephen Iliffe, who is currently proofreading the text (and is now deep into chapter 12), has this to say: "This is going to be the ideal guide to Manuel's life and music. I've already purchased an additional three albums of his as a result of reading it, which is exactly what a good music book should do, and it has deepened my appreciation of the Manuel Göttsching and Ashra albums that I already own."

Given that Stephen's Hans-Joachim Roedelius biography, Painting with Sound is one of the finest books I have ever read I'm very heartened by his words. I'm also very grateful indeed for his work with the proofing.

I will let you know when this process is complete as we head towards the finish line. Stay tuned.

Sunday 21 September 2014

Nearly there now

Hi everyone. I'm busy working on the final stages of the book. Today I'm sending the photographs with credits to the graphic designer over in Australia. The reference section is checked and complete and the finish line really doesn't seem so far away now.

In the meantime here's a cool clip of Walter Wegmuller, presenting some of his art. Enjoy! More soon.

http://www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=ZeduPJ1VbHI

Sunday 8 June 2014

Coming soon!

It has been a while so here is an update on my Manuel Göttsching book in progress. We are all systems go and approaching a finished product. Over the last few weeks I have been busy checking that all of the names in the book (whether those belonging to people, places or pieces of music) are correct. Soon I will be doing the same with all of the dates. I have just completed the references section and this afternoon I will be double checking that this is all correct. In the meantime my good friend Stephen Iliffe (Hans-Joachim Roedelius biographer and CD sleeve note writer extraordinaire) is proofreading my draft chapter by chapter at a rate of knots, as and when time allows. Thank you, Stephen!

Whilst all of this is going on I have enlisted the services of a graphic designer for the cover and all of the layout. Believe it or not he lives in Australia (thank goodness for e-mail communication). His work is excellent and I look forward to sharing it with you when it is available. The link with this graphic designer was forged by a mega Manuel Göttsching fan, who fortuitously also happens to be a book publisher. While my book doesn't fall within the genre categories that his inprint deals with he has been incredibly helpful in linking me with the aforementioned contact but also with organising links to printers that I will need to get the book self-published. Thank you also, Robert!

When everything is checked and the layout is complete and spot on I will probably be setting up a Kickstarter account with a view to funding a limited print run of the book. You will be able to see the cover art, perhaps a few sample pages and bag yourself a copy by pre-ordering. 

There have been a few slow laps along the way but I can promise you that this is the last one. After what I can honestly tell you amounts to well over five years of writing during weekends and holidays Manuel Göttsching book is almost there and I'm getting rather excited about it. If I had to predict when you will be able to get your mitts on it I'd say the final quarter of this year. I'm moving house soon, which may slow things slightly for a month or two but this is almost there. Coming soon...

Thursday 2 January 2014

MG live in Gorlice, Poland 2013

Hello everyone! Firstly, here's wishing you a Happy New Year! Hope you had a great Christmas and I also hope the year ahead is a fantastic one for you too. 

This is just a quick message to let you know that MG's July 2013 show live in Gorlice, Poland will be available to watch online, courtesy of the Polish station RTVG until 6th January 2014. This is a really fantastic show (the best MG concert I have seen) with a nice mixture of the contemporary and the classic, the analog and the digital. Great guitar playing, nice keyboard work. Extra special and a must see! Check it out here while you can:


Enjoy!

More news on the book as and when I get it. Things are moving forward....