The Shiver - Walpurgis (1969/GoD 2004)
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Artist: The Shiver
Album: Walpurgis
Released: 1969
Garden of Delights (CD 096)
Genre: Krautrock, Psychedelic
"Cult underground psychedelic 60's legends from Switzerland related to Toad, Brainticket, Deaf, and Les Sauterilles . This is their one and only album from 1969, containing a wide range of psychedelic and progressive styles. With dark passions and melancholic moods "Hey Mr Holy Man" is outstanding.Contains 3 bonus tracks. Sinister artwork illustration is the first record cover work of H.R. Giger." (Freak Emporium)
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"The Shiver were very much a mystery band, until recently, when all was revealed. They were Swiss, formed in May 1967 by blues singer (and guitarist) Dany Rühle, and were originally called Der Seiger. They were the roots of Island, via another band called Deaf. In January 1969 they recorded their sole self-produced album, which sported a sinister H.R. Giger cover, contained a wide range of psychedelic and progressive styles. Crudely recorded, and often shoddily played, it seemed to be an anthology recorded over a much longer period. The Shiver were nonetheless constantly surprising. A curious point is that the track "Hey Mr. Holy Man", a version of "Dies Irae", is very close to the version by Golgatha! Apparently the single was a big seller in the "Schweizer Hitparade". (The Crack In The Cosmic Egg)
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"Official reissue of the one and only album (1969) by Swiss underground cult legends; a heavy album, covering a variety of crude and sloppy psychedelic styles, and one of the rarest in the world, thanks very much in part to its sinister and sexually explicit H. R Giger cover; this issue has three bonus tracks, two from a rare compilation LP, and one from an even rarer split single from 1968." (Bomp!)
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"The Shiver are for sure the most renowned psychedelic band of Switzerland. Their one and only LP "Walpurgis" is legendary and hardly affordable. So, evidently, a lot of bootleg versions appeared on the market over the years, but all of them very poorly done. The CD on Garden of Delights is produced, as usual, with a detailed band story, a lot of illustrations, a detailed discography inclusive label and cover repros, and, last but not least, three bonus tracks. Two of those are taken from the very rare compilation "1. Schweizer Rhythm and Blues Festival". The early version of "Repent Walpurgis" comes from a so-called split single from 1968, where you can find The Etc on its flip side. Thus, the complete released works of The Shiver can be found on this CD. The fold-out cover artwork designed by HR Giger was taken over unchanged." (green-brain-krautrock.de)
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The only album from Swiss group Shiver is, in all honesty, not one of the great albums of all time, no 'lost treasure' of psychedelia or anything. It is probably most notable for having the first album cover designed by H.R. Giger. A lot of it sounds terriby dated to my ears, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It is, after all is said and done, a very interesting slice of late sixties bluesy psychedelia. The first track is a respectful cover of Procol Harum's "Repent Walpurgis", there is also a cover of The Animals' "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" that is very, uh, dramatic! "Hey Mr. Holy Man" is a great little ballad that has "Late Sixties" written all over it, with a Hammond organ and choir, and some guy making an earnest narration on top of the music. According to the liner notes the master tapes have been lost and this was mastered from a pristine LP by Dany Rühle.(me)
Track List:
1. Repent Walpurgis
2. Ode To The Salvation Army
3. Leave This Man Alone
4. What's Wrong About The Blues
5. Hey Mr. Holy Man
6. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
7. No Time
8. The Peddle
9. You Don't Love Me
10. Hear My Plea
11. Repent Walpurgis
Dany Rühle - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
Jelly Pastorini - Organ, Piano
Mario Conza - Bass, Flute, Vocals
Roger Maurer - Drums, Vocals
Peter Robinson - Lead Vocals
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