(KrautRock) The Pink Mice - In Action 1971, In Synthesizer Sound 1972, Germany - 1972, APE (image+.cue)

N ACTION

IN SYNTHESIZER SOUND

An incognito session band featuring Lucifer's Friend musicians, of the psychedelic party budget label exploitation type, marketed alongside the likes of Animated Egg, Blue Phantom, et al. The exact line-up of the band is unknown, except that keyboard whiz Peter Hecht was almost certainly in charge of twiddling the synthesizer controls.

IN ACTION adapted works of J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Haydn and Grieg, all in a very Ekseption like manner (sans the brass) in 6 extended medley suites. IN SYNTHESIZER SOUND, which was not synthesizer music at all, took this sound closer to The Nice, but in smaller chunks and with a deliberately catchy up-beat accessible style, topped by some twee wonky synthesizers that nowadays make it sound quite dated.

Another such Lucifer's Friend connected project was Electric Food.

The Pink Mice is a German band of the early 70’s clearly Symphonic and often accused of being clones of ELP, something that is not accurate, they were close to being clones of TRIUMVIRAT (Triumvirat is also known as The Rat, so the connection between Mice and Rat is easy to understand) in other words they were almost clones of a so called clone of ELP.

Some people may ask how they could follow TRIUMVIRAT if THE PINK MICE released their debut album in 1971 and The Rat in 1972, the reason is simple, TRIUMVIRAT was formed in 1969 and was already popular in Germany plus they had a lot of radio airplay with a 45 RPM released in January 1971 containing the songs “Dancers Delight” and “Timothy”..

But THE PINK MICE history gets more peculiar, their original lineup consisted of The keyboardist Peter Hetch, Peter Gesslein (Guitar & Vocals), Dieter Horns (Bass & Vocals) and the drummer Joachim Rietenbach is the exact same lineup of an already popular Hard Prog band called LUCIFER’S FRIEND but without the British vocalist John Lawton, seems that the members of LUCIFER’S FRIEND wanted to go for the Symphonic sounds with exclusively German members instead of the aggressive rock music created with Lawton as a member.

Their albums are clearly influenced by Classical Music and they don’t hide this fact, the titles of the songs include among others “Capriccio Italien op.45”, “Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr.3,1.Satz”, "For Elise”, Sonata for Klavier, etc.

During their short career they released two excellent albums “In Action” (1971) and “In Synthesizer Sound” (1972) both are highly recommended and a must have for any Symphonic proghead that loves Synth based albums, if you need more historical info about the band, check the page of LUCIFER’S FRIEND in Prog Archives.

In Action

Studio Album, released in 1971

Track Listings

Side 1
1. Italienisches Konzert in F (4:34)
2. "FYr Elise (9:32)
3. Konzert fYr Trompete und Orchester (4:17)

Side 2
1. Anitras Tanz (from Peer Gynt) (5:23)
2. Sonate fYr Klavier (6:45)
3. Brandenburgisches Konzert (1 & 3) (5:57)

Total Time: 36:30
Line-up/Musicians

- Peter Hecht / keyboards
- Peter Hesslein / guitar, vocals
- Dieter Horns / bass, vocals
- Joachim Rietenbach / drums
Releases information

LP Europa E456 (1971)

In Synthesizer Sound
Studio Album, released in 1972

Track Listings

Side 1
1. Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr.3
2. Capriccio Italien op.45
3. TrAumerei aus "Kinderszenen" op.15
4. Marsch aus "Der Nuuknacker"
5. Badinerie aus Suite Nr.2

Side 2
1. Sonate facile,KV 545
2. OuvertYre "Dichter und Bauer"
3. Ein MAdchen oder Weibchen,Arie des Papageno aus "Die Zauberfl?te"
4. Die Wut Yber den verlorenen Groschen, Rondo a capriccio,op.129
5. TYrkischer Marsch aus der Sonate A-Dur,KV 331
Line-up/Musicians

- Peter Hecht / keyboards
- Peter Hesslein / guitar, vocals
- Dieter Horns / bass, vocals
- Joachim Rietenbach / drums
Releases information

LP Europa E1011 (1972)

Tracklisting:
In Action:
1. Italienisches Konzert in F (4:34)
2. "FYr Elise (9:32)
3. Konzert fYr Trompete und Orchester (4:17)
4. Anitras Tanz (from Peer Gynt) (5:23)
5. Sonate fYr Klavier (6:45)
6. Brandenburgisches Konzert (1 & 3) (5:57)

Total Time: 36:30

In Synthesizer Sound:
1. Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr.3 (4:17)
2. Capriccio Italien op.45 (2:24)
3. TrAumerei aus "Kinderszenen" op.15 (3:05)
4. Marsch aus "Der Nuuknacker" (3:06)
5. Badinerie aus Suite Nr.2 (4:35)
6. Sonate facile,KV 545 (2:06)
7. OuvertYre "Dichter und Bauer" (4:00)
8. Ein MAdchen oder Weibchen,Arie des Papageno aus "Die Zauberfl?te" (2:41)
9. Die Wut Yber den verlorenen Groschen, Rondo a capriccio,op.129 (4:48)
10. TYrkischer Marsch aus der Sonate A-Dur,KV 331 (4:04)

Line-Up:
- Dieter Horns / bass, vocals
- Peter Hecht / keyboards
- Peter Hesslein / guitar, vocals
- Hans-Joachim Rietenbach / drums, percussion

EAC extraction logfile from 23. April 2007, 19:15 for CD
Pink Mice / In Action_and_In Synthesizer Sound

Used drive : MATSHITAUJ-840D Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Combined read/write offset correction : 0
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : Yes

Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo

Other options :
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Installed external ASPI interface

Range status and errors
Selected range
Filename E:\Fresh Kraut\Pink Mice\Unknown Artist - In Action_and_In Synthesizer Sound.wav

Suspicious position 1:11:42

Peak level 98.8 %
Range quality 99.9 %
CRC 942C2C59
Copy finished

There were errors

End of status report

------------------------------------------------------------

EAC extraction logfile from 23. April 2007, 19:15 for CD
Pink Mice / In Action_and_In Synthesizer Sound

Used drive : MATSHITAUJ-840D Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Combined read/write offset correction : 0
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : Yes

Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo

Other options :
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Installed external ASPI interface

Range status and errors
Selected range
Filename E:\Fresh Kraut\Pink Mice\Unknown Artist - In Action_and_In Synthesizer Sound.wav

Suspicious position 1:11:42

Peak level 98.8 %
Range quality 99.9 %
CRC 942C2C59
Copy finished

There were errors

End of status report