![Image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Tangerine-dream-ebw-2.jpg/275px-Tangerine-dream-ebw-2.jpg)
When Edgar Froese passed away in 2015 I thought that it was the end of Tangerine Dream. Finito. Over and out. Not so, the continuance of the band name had been planned and prepared for with long-term sideman Thorsten Quaeschning, solo EM star Ulrich Schnauss and Japanese violinist Hoshiko Yamane. Their releases so far under the TD banner have been a revelation - proving that the style and innovation that the band was originally known for still lives on, with renewed power and passion.
The 'classic' phase of TD's output is based on their first 20 albums from 'Electronic Meditiation' (1970) up to the end of their Virgin contract with 'Hyperborea' (1983). Since then there have been more that 100 releases under the Tangerine Dream name and this abundance of music is both bewildering and discouraging, For a while I helped out on an EM fanzine and every issue carried reviews of the latest couple of TD discs, which were usually met with 'On no - not again' noises. Not very encouraging.
A large proportion of this later work is soundtrack albums which sometimes recycled material from studio albums (and sometimes not), a serious number of live albums (TD were always known for putting on a good show with excellent live musicians) and Edgar appeared to be VERY fond of compilation/remix albums of which there are plenty.
So, I have decided to drop my preconceptions (anything after Christopher Franke left is crap!) and begin to explore the jungle of music that TD have produced. There must be some good stuff in there somewhere! I now look back at Edgar and wonder what he was really interested in doing after the band became, effectively, a solo vehicle for his talent.
Now I'm hoping that fellow TD afficionado's out there in forum-land will be able to help in highlighting the hidden gems that really should be heard AND exposing the shallow clunkers that had better been left lying in the studio cupboard. It could be a long hard trawl but it might well be worth it.
Time to start ...