Faust, which means “Fist” in English are a German rock band. Formed in 1971 in Wümme by producer and former music journalist Uwe Nettelbeck, the group was originally a seven-piece fusing conventional rock instruments with synthesisers and experimental electronics. Working with professional recording engineer Kurt Graupner, the band recorded three albums for Poydor which sold poorly but received critical acclaim for their innovative approach and established a devoted fan base.
Along with Can and Kraftwerk, Faust became one of the leading exponents of what became known as krautrock, and for their fourth album, Faust IV, released here at mid-price Faust became one of the early signings to Richard Branson’s Virgin label.
The album is regarded as a classic of the genre but despite a marketing campaign aimed at introducing the band to British record-buyers, it failed to make much commercial impact and the band broke up when Virgin rejected their fifth album. After a 15 year hiatus three of the original members re-united for some concerts and the band has continued to perform with a changing line-up since then.
