Grobschnitt were one of the most beloved, entertaining and theatrical bands of the German prog and Krautrock scene — a group who paired ambitious symphonic music with absurdist humour and legendary live shows. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their albums.

The short version

For the heart of Grobschnitt, start with Rockpommel’s Land, Ballermann and their self-titled Grobschnitt debut — the symphonic masterpiece, the great ‘Solar Music’ double, and the Krautrock classic that started it all. The full ranking is below.

Krautrock’s great entertainers

Formed in Hagen in 1970, Grobschnitt stood apart from the seriousness of their Krautrock peers with absurdist humour, marathon live shows full of pyrotechnics and comedy, and ‘Solar Music’ — a sprawling, ever-changing improvised epic that became their trademark. Musically they blended psychedelic rock, Krautrock and the English-style symphonic prog of Yes and Genesis, reaching a glorious peak with the concept album Rockpommel’s Land (1977) before turning towards harder, more commercial German rock in the 1980s. Like fellow Germans Eloy, they were among the most internationally successful prog acts their country produced. A note: the seven albums here are a selection of their studio catalogue.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing ambition, songwriting and the band’s own evolution. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate — especially given how much their sound changed across the years.

The essential three

At the top sits Rockpommel’s Land (1977), their symphonic masterpiece — a concept album about a boy’s journey to a fantasy world, crowned by its sweeping twenty-minute title suite and wrapped in a Roger Dean-style sleeve. Beside it sit Ballermann (1974), the sprawling double album whose second half is given over entirely to the definitive studio ‘Solar Music’, and their self-titled Grobschnitt (1972) debut, one of the pinnacle underground Krautrock albums of its year.

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Reliably great

The next tier is well worth your time. Jumbo (1975) pushes furthest into Yes- and Genesis-style symphonic prog, with a fine run of epic tracks, while Merry-Go-Round (1979) is a harder-rocking but still adventurous record from the band’s long-running classic lineup.

For completists

Two early-1980s albums round out the seven. Illegal (1981) leans into a sleeker, new-wave-tinged sound that became a big success at home, and Razzia (1982) — sung largely in German and recorded as the band’s prog era wound down — sees them furthest from their symphonic roots. Both are for dedicated fans.

A selection, in order

The albums covered here, in chronological order — a selection of their studio catalogue rather than their complete output. Click through to the full write-up on any record.

Where to start

Begin with Rockpommel’s Land — their most accomplished and accessible album, and the perfect introduction to symphonic Grobschnitt. From there, Ballermann and the self-titled debut show the wilder, more improvisational side of the band.

The players

Grobschnitt were as famous for their pseudonyms and their theatrical, three-hour live shows as for their music. The classic lineup centred on singer-guitarist Stefan ‘Wildschwein’ Danielak, lead guitarist Gerd-Otto ‘Lupo’ Kühn, keyboardist Volker ‘Mist’ Kahrs and the drummer, electronics wizard and producer Joachim ‘Eroc’ Ehrig, with bassist Wolfgang ‘Popo’ Jäger. Their signature was ‘Solar Music’, an improvised epic that grew and changed with every performance. Popo died in 2007; Eroc, Lupo and Wildschwein have since reunited for acoustic shows, and the band celebrated fifty years in 2021.

Why they still matter

Grobschnitt brought a rare sense of fun and theatre to progressive rock, proving ambitious music need not be solemn. Alongside German peers like Novalis, Jane and Triumvirat, they helped define the symphonic end of the Krautrock scene — and in Rockpommel’s Land and ‘Solar Music’ they left behind some of its most loved music.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: read about the best Grobschnitt songs. You can also place them in the bigger picture with our list of the best progressive rock albums of all time.

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