EELA CRAIG - Missa Universalis [1978] Japan Remastered / 2009 / FLAC [Austrian]

The band was founded in Linz in 1970, and recorded its first album entitled Eela Craig in 1971 with a circulation of 1,500. Critics compared this album with established bands such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, King Crimson, Gentle Giant and Colosseum. The band had a few onstage performances with the Zürich Chamber Orchestra in 1972, which led to more performances in well known opera houses of Italy, Germany and Austria, uncommon venues for a rock band at the time.The band signed a contract with Virgin Records in 1975, to release a number of singles and albums, including the Christian concept album Missa Universalis, and a signature ethereal style cover version of Chris de Burgh's A Spaceman Came Travelling, both released in 1978.

This often overlooked Austrian band epitomizes the whole Austrian progressive movement. The prime mover is Hubert Bognermayr (keyboards and vocals) who later became known because of his pioneering with the Fairlight computer and his 'electronic hunter's lodge' (blessed by international musicians and the famous Bob Moog). The other members were Hubert Schnauer (keyboards and flute), Harald Zuschader (keyboards, flute and guitar), Fritz Riedelberger (guitar, piano and vocals), Gerhard Englisch (bas and percussion) and Frank Hueber (drums and percussion). They released the eponymous first album ('71), "One Niter" ('76), "Hats of Glass" ('77), "Missa Universalis" ('78), "Virgin Oiland" ('80), "Hit or Miss" ('88) and "Symphonic Rock" (from '95 containing the 2nd and 3rd LP on 1 CD). I'm only familiar with the LP's "One Niter" and "Hats of Glass". The music on these albums is 24-carat symphonic rock but hard to compare, maybe some hints from RICK WAKEMAN solo, ELOY, PINK FLOYD and CAMEL can be traced. Progarchives

Tracklist:

1. Kyrie (11:50)

2. Gloria (5:57)

3. Credo Part 1 (4:14)

4. Credo Part 2 (3:33)

5. Sanctus (8:27)

6. Agnus Dei (5:20)

7. Amen (2:00) 

Personnel

- Hubert Bognermayr / keyboards, vocals

-Raoul Burnet / congas 

- Gerhard Englisch / bass, percussion

- Frank Hueber / drums, percussion

- Alois Janetschko / live mixing

- Fritz Riedelberger / guitars, piano, vocals

- Hubert Schnauer / keyboards, flute

- Harald Zuschrader / keyboards, flute, guitar

O Púbis da Rosa

EELA CRAIG - Hats Of Glass [1978] Reissue 2009 / FLAC [Austrian]

Released at the beginning of 1978 (recorded August to November 1977), there was one minor change in the Eela Craig lineup. And that was the return of vocalist Wil Orthofer, apparently because the band he was in between his absence with Eela Craig, called Ice Planet (a blues outfit that never recorded, that also featured two other ex-Eela Craig members, Heinz Gerstmair and Horst Waber) broke up due to the deaths from two non-Eela Craig members from two separate automobile accidents. The funk has more or less disappeared, going for a more conventional late '70s symphonic prog rock sound. Progarchives

Tracklist:

1. A Spaceman Came Travelling

2. Hats Of Glass

3. Grover's Mill (Bonus track)

4. Chances Are

5. Heaven Sales

6. Holstenwall Fair

7. Caught On The Air

08. Remove Another Hat Of Glass And You Could Easily Find Assorted Kinds Of Cheese

Total time: 39:49

O Púbis da Rosa 1

O Púbis da Rosa 2

EELA CRAIG - Eela Craig [1971] FLAC / Reissue 1997 [Austrian]

In the beginning of the seventies, the Austrian band Eela Craig performed pure progressive rock what their self-titled debut skillfully demonstrates. The five follow-up albums saw a change into a different direction and became a bit shallow. The first two bonus tracks are excerpts from "Dimensionen zwischen Pop und Klassik" ("Dimensions between pop and classical music"). It was written by Dr. Alfred Peschek and performed by Eela Craig with orchestra in 1972 and broadcasted by the ORF (Österreichischer Rundfunk, Austrian radio) but never officially released on CD. The full colored booklet contains, as usual in this series, a comprehensive band history as well as a discography and numerous pictures from Eela Craig’s beginnings.

Tracklist:

1. New Born Child

2. Selfmade Trip

3. A New Way

4. Indra Elegy

5. Irminsul (Bonus track)

6. Yggdrasil (Bonus track)

7. Stories (Bonus track)

8. Cheese (Bonus track)

Total time: 52:27

Credits

Bass – Gerhard Englisch

Drums, Percussion – Horst Waber (tracks: 1 to 4),

 Joe Drobar (tracks: 5 to 8)

Flute, Mellotron – Hubert Schnauer (tracks: 7, 8)

Guitar, Organ – Heinz Gerstmair (tracks: 1 to 4)

Guitar, Organ, Flute, Saxophone – Harald Zuschrader (1 to 6)

Guitar, Vocals, Piano – Fritz Riedelberger (tracks: 7, 8)

Piano, Keyboards, Vocals – Hubert Bognermayr

Recorded By – Alois Janetschko (tracks: 7, 8), 

Dick Swerof (tracks: 1 to 4), 

Jeffrey Fuller (tracks: 1 to 4)

Vocals, Saxophone – Wil Orthofer* (tracks: 1 to 4)

O Púbis da Rosa 1

O Púbis da Rosa 2