The Chinese are known for their flowery and descriptive language. Kin Ping Meh means plum blossom branch in a golden vase, and the band borrowed its name from a novel of manners from the Ming Dynasty (16th century), which is known for its erotic and pornographic passages.
The progressive krautrockers from Mannheim were founded in 1969. The five musicians were discovered by the record company Polydor at a competition organized by Bild am Sonntag (biggest German weekly newsletter) on Hamburgs Reeperbahn, and after two single releases, their first album followed in 1971.
The sales figures spoke for themselves, the band toured diligently, but Kin Ping Mehs line-up soon changed, with singer Geff Harisson (formerly Twenty Sixty Six And Then) joining the band from album 3 onwards. From then on, his raspy voice, reminiscent of Rod Stewart, had a decisive influence on the bands musical image. Between 1971 and 1977, Kin Ping Meh released six long-playing records. Two of these, No. 2? from 1972 and 3 from 1973 are now being re-released in a revised and remastered version.
The band was also the springboard for further careers in the music business for some of its members: keyboardist Chris Klöber joined the Berlin band Curly Curve and was a member of the new wave combo Sechserpack, Geff Harrison, for example, released his highly acclaimed album Salford in 1976 and landed a respectable hit with the single Death Of A Clown, while guitarist Gagey Mrozeck played in the bands of Edo Zanki and Herbert Grönemeyer, where he played a key role as co-producer and songwriter in the success of million-selling albums such as 4630 Bochum, Sprünge, Ö and Luxus.
no 2 & 3