In the beginning of the 1980s, the duo of Robert Görl and Gabi Delgado formed Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF) and enjoyed success until the spilt and reunion that followed from 1982 onwards. Now, following tales of Görl’s misadventures and a botched attempt at emigration to name a few incidents, a cassette of the unfinished songs from a year in Paris that followed sometime in the decade after are set to surface for Record Store Day on 21 April.
Görl felt disenchanted with music following the project that was DAF, apparently ‘nearly losing all interest in music.’ It was at this time he turned to acting and headed for New York. Upon his return from home, he was interrogated in NYC before being notified a few days later that a breach of immigration laws by studying on a tourist visa resulted in his immediate departure from the State.
Since his love for New York had now taken an unprecedented turn, it would turn out only to be the start of his troubles. Detained back in native Germany at the airport, his dodging of ‘mandatory military service‘ meant he supposed to remain in the country for the foreseeable future. Of course, it did not pan out like this, as Görl fled on the night train from Munich to Paris with nothing but a suitcase and a new synthesizer to his name
On arrival in the City of Lights, He found a place in Levallois-Perret, a part of the now Nanterre district in the north-western suburbs. He would stay there until conscription was no longer necessary and reside as a reclusive figure.
Using his new synth (an ESQ-1), the endless days and nights were spent creating music from pre-programmed samples and sequences. The layering and intense nature of the recordings have been said to render ‘the songs ever more dramatic and personal, mirroring Görl’s life crisis’.
Following an itch that made him want to return home, plus subsequently relaxed attitudes of the authorities meant Görl could return to Munich, while also armed with a bunch of tracks from the French Capital. A trip to London soon followed and a rendezvous with prog-rock artist, Dee Long. An arrangement of the layers recorded began to form the desired album that Görl envisaged. On a final trip to Munich between the sessions, however, Görl hit a tree whilst driving which led to over a year in rehabilitation for relearning how to walk and to improve mobility in his shattered but now metal implant supported right arm.
In the years that followed, Robert Görl spent time in Asia discovering Buddhism, returned to German working as a techno DJ, and released previous work with Delgado under the DAF name occasionally.
The present day finds a number of unfinished songs from Görl’s time in Paris that turned up “years later in a suitcase he had deposited in his brother’s barn”, leading with the motto that ‘everything ends with something beginning.’
In the beginning of the 1980s, the duo of Robert Görl and Gabi Delgado formed Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF) and enjoyed success until the spilt and reunion that followed from 1982 onwards. Now, following tales of Görl’s misadventures and a botched attempt at emigration to name a few incidents, a cassette of the unfinished songs from a year in Paris that followed sometime in the decade after are set to surface for Record Store Day on 21 April.
Görl felt disenchanted with music following the project that was DAF, apparently ‘nearly losing all interest in music.’ It was at this time he turned to acting and headed for New York. Upon his return from home, he was interrogated in NYC before being notified a few days later that a breach of immigration laws by studying on a tourist visa resulted in his immediate departure from the State.
Since his love for New York had now taken an unprecedented turn, it would turn out only to be the start of his troubles. Detained back in native Germany at the airport, his dodging of ‘mandatory military service‘ meant he supposed to remain in the country for the foreseeable future. Of course, it did not pan out like this, as Görl fled on the night train from Munich to Paris with nothing but a suitcase and a new synthesizer to his name
On arrival in the City of Lights, He found a place in Levallois-Perret, a part of the now Nanterre district in the north-western suburbs. He would stay there until conscription was no longer necessary and reside as a reclusive figure.
Using his new synth (an ESQ-1), the endless days and nights were spent creating music from pre-programmed samples and sequences. The layering and intense nature of the recordings have been said to render ‘the songs ever more dramatic and personal, mirroring Görl’s life crisis’.
Following an itch that made him want to return home, plus subsequently relaxed attitudes of the authorities meant Görl could return to Munich, while also armed with a bunch of tracks from the French Capital. A trip to London soon followed and a rendezvous with prog-rock artist, Dee Long. An arrangement of the layers recorded began to form the desired album that Görl envisaged. On a final trip to Munich between the sessions, however, Görl hit a tree whilst driving which led to over a year in rehabilitation for relearning how to walk and to improve mobility in his shattered but now metal implant supported right arm.
Pop Culture Sidenote: One piece of Robert Görl’s work with Annie Lennox featured in the second season of Stranger Things.
In the years that followed, Robert Görl spent time in Asia discovering Buddhism, returned to German working as a techno DJ, and released previous work with Delgado under the DAF name occasionally.
The present day finds a number of unfinished songs from Görl’s time in Paris that turned up “years later in a suitcase he had deposited in his brother’s barn”, leading with the motto that ‘everything ends with something beginning.’
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