Well, what can I possibly say... I've been collecting and listening to ~Tangerine Dream~
now for almost sixteen wonderful years. Simply put -- I've no plans to ever stop... My
TDC (the short list): 325 plus CDs (note: these are the official releases -- add several
hundred more for boots & CD-Rs), 400 plus albums, 200 plus fan tapes soundboards,
audience, Pre-FM & FM), with over 100 studio, live and OST published cassettes,
and lastly the customary TD diehard number of CD/vinyl/cassette boots & special CDRs.
Naturally, the usual number of suspects in 8-track, VHS, LD & DVD. Of course, I don't
count the total number of TD memorabilia in this recording group as it's all TD music
(both published & unpublished). A long time audiophile with an extensive system --
next upgrade Tascam Pro-CDR recorder. I've just recently informed Tom that I'll be-
come a TD (OneList: td), branch soon (having now completed my analog upgrades
with the one & only Nakamichi's). TD encompasses about 1300 - 1400 pieces with
some duplication, and is about a third or fourth (it's way too large to count now!),
of my entire recording collection. BTW, I have "classical musical" background! ~lol~
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Here's a little TD story I wrote about my chosen namesake and Ebay handle: Re:
"Mars Polaris" revisited // starting with Tadream OneList digest #151 (07/26/99):

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Hi All! Yesterday, a small package arrived from Switzerland with one cassette tape en-
closure... For me personally, I simply begin with the simple premise that "Tangerine
Dream" is the greatest electronic musical band on the planet. Following that, there is
little for me left to debate within myself. Never would I try to prove to anyone that
this is how one should also feel. As, I am only expressing a personal opinion of how
I feel as an individual. Additionally, knowing how fortunate I am to have the unique
specialized knowledge of almost all of their published works, rarities, and lastly the
voluminous amount of the unpublished recordings of the live TD concert material.

I made a bold statement on the KALX (90.7 FM) special TD radio show (10/20/94) in
reference to what it means to me to be a diehard. During the show, DJ Minor-Minor
asked me this thought provoking question and I responded something like this:

"It was from Bob that I learned what it meant to be a TD diehard. That it's the music,
and only the music which truly matters. And... to seek it out in whatever form one can
and must -- just to hear it."

That almost six years ago and I still firmly believe it to this very day. For me, the music
is enough...

However, getting back to that parcel from Switzerland mentioned above and its contents.
Sometime around 3 a.m. in the morning I began listening to "Mars Polaris" for five straight
hours. Reflecting just now to fully comprehend Rainer's comment when he said that he was
putting his headphones on for the tenth time (first posted Majordomo digest, V16, #676 &
reposted by John here in Tadream digest #115 on 06/20/99). With my trusty Sennheiser
headphones (the Jubilee Special Edition 580) firmly set into place literally pounding the
incredibly new TD pulsation's throughout my entire brain. As, it set sail over me ever so
delectably with its magical spell of never-ending ecstasy. It has been a long time since I've
been able to find that special TD groove (recovering from post knee surgery), but very late
last night, I found it once again and boogied the night away.

Clearly, just thinking about the fact that I'm going to have the original DQC digital copy
of this marvelous CD in less than two more days when it's world wide release positively
explodes. Now knowing full well that it will be, "Love at first byte" (he-he). Probably,
I'll be inspired to write yet another Ode to TD (or, at the very least, begin its rough
construction). I must have listened to "Comet's Figure Head" a dozen times or more.
IMHO "MP" is a keeper and I'm already referring to it as a masterpiece... Now, I
say to diehards everywhere, let us bring on the TD millenium! With Best Regards,
Al, Berkeley, CA / USA. ICQ# 38105655.

PS: I posted Re: D: Live Week 40 (SIR Theater, Hollywood, CA, 07/12/95) in the
Majordomo digest, V16, #709 on 07/23/99. This is a follow-up story to "Met Spa"
published exclusively here first in Tadream Onelist digest #112 on 06/17/99, in re-
sponse to Joe's query, "OK, I'll bite." Because it was solely a technical report it was
not published here in this newsgroup (runs about six pages typed). For those of you
that do not subscribe to Majordomo, please let me know if you'd like a corrected copy
(from the original post). It can also be retrieved in its original form via the newsgroup:
fa.music.tangerine-dream (or, on the web site "Deja News"). NP: "Mars Polaris" by
Tangerine Dream. :-)
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Re: "Mars Polaris" revisited // Tadream OneList digest #152 (07/28/99): Original Message.
Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999. From: John: Alan, right on Alan its the same feeling I got from the
soundtrack Thief and from there on it was history I can not get enough of TD may they go
on beyond the millennium. -- John
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Thanks! "Piano Man" (John). Having found myself in the unique situation of being allow-
ed to say something just moments before the TDI world wide release of "Mars Polaris" by
Tangerine Dream. Opportunities like this are very rare and I didn't want to miss my one
chance. I fell in love late that night (again!), and wanted to express it in the only way pos-
sible for me. Plus, I thought to alert to everyone's attention here on this list (members that
do not subscribe to both), that there is now a follow-up technical report (D: Live Week
40 SIR Theater, Hollywood, CA, 07/12/95) to the "Met Spa" story published exclusively
here first in the Tadream Onelist digest in my response to Joe's query ("OK, I'll bite").
And, even more importunately, I wanted in my own special way to thank a friend from
Switzerland (J. Gordon). Without which, I could not have written a single word of the
piece at all... Best Regards, Al, Berkeley, CA / USA.

PS: The glorious "Thief" was my 5th TD CD (6th: if I count the album of "Sorcerer").
See Re: New Interest (Tadream #137, 07/10/99). Here I give the list of my first eigh-
teen TD CDs acquired. I never stopped... And, I never will...
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Tadream digest 07/09/99 // On July 09, 1999 // "Carl the Preacher" wrote:
It would be interesting to know how many on the list have only been aware
of TD for say one year, and how many like myself have been listening to
them for ever. JUST A THOUGHT -- The Preacher.
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(Excerpt): Hi Carl (and everyone else!), Being somewhat of a pack rat (an understatement),
I somehow managed to keep all my old receipts for my first TD purchases (back in March
of 1987). The first CD purchased was "The Photographer" music by Philip Glass (still
follow him to this day). However, this is the "Tangerine Dream OneList Digest" and after
purchasing TD's "Risky Business" -- I simply went on an eternal quest to devour literally
everything that I could lay my hands on. Now, some fourteen years later and with over
1,000 pieces of TD in my collection this is how I began. Yes, I still have the original
3 x 5 index card listing the first seventeen (inserted: eighteen are now listed below as
I found one more receipt! ~lol~) CDs below:

1. "Risky Business" (03/13/87) Tower Records.
   
2. "Force Majeure" (03/15/87) Leopolds Records.
   
3. "Underwater Sunlight" (04/20/87) Tower Records.
   
4. "Stratosfear" (04/25/87) Tower Records.
   
5. "Thief" (05/01/87) North Side Records.
   
6. "Green Desert" (05/12/87) Tower Records.
   
7. "The Collection" (05/21/87) Tower Records.
   
8. "Le Parc" (06/05/87) Rasputin Records.
   
9. "White Eagle" (06/05/87) Rasputin Records.
   
10. "Dream Sequence" (06/06/87) Rasputin Records.
    
11. "Logos Live" (06/11/87) Rasputin Records.
    
12. "Hyperborea" (06/11/97) Rasputin Records.
    
13. "Encore" (06/11/87) The Wherehouse.
    
14. "Tangram" (06/13/87) Rasputin Records.
    
15. "Phaedra" (06/13/87) Rasputin Records.
    
16. "Ricochet" (06/13/87) Rasputin Records.
    
17. "Rubycon" (06/13/87) The Wherehouse.
    
18. "Exit" (07/03/87) Tower Records.

with much more to follow... (he-he!). Best Regards,
Alan Benson, TD Diehard / Berkeley, CA / USA
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Re: Re: "Mars Polaris" revisited // Tadream OneList #188 (09/04/99). From: j.gordon:
hey, alan, that was really a nice note you put together... 'preciate it bunches... i myself feel
as if i'm in a unique position, as my meager collection will rarely have something to offer
: you... so in a way, one could say that there remained a small but necessary gap in the
space/time fabric and it needed attention... i paid... so, until the next of the backlog,
here's wondering if there really is such a thing as Santa's Clause... j.g
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Re: Space time fabric & Santa Claus... (new title assigned) // Tadream Onelist #189
(09/05/99): Dear JG, That's mighty nice of you to say partner... The space & time fabric
is, of course, a very involved complicated thing. Even heard how it might of been done
recently: "God didn't create the world in seven days... He pulled an all nighter on the sixth."
LOL! Besides, we'll have to deal with all those spatial and metaphysical complexities at a
later time anyway. However, the Santa Claus part is a "piece of cake!" Just recently I was
scanning over the TDI guestbook web pages and found this marvelous entry submitted and
written by Jim Powell (posted 09/03/99):

"Someday musical scholars will be studying Tangerine Dream as they now do Bach,
Mozart and all the other now-famous classical composers and for the same reason:
the group defined a new art form that will forever shape the world of great music."

Couldn't have said it better myself. I firmly believe this will be true in the far distant future
long after we're gone... However, getting back to old Saint Nick, the sled, the reindeers and
all those hard working elves. Check your mailbox in a few weeks time. It might not say
"North Pole" posted on it, but you never really know. I firmly believe in the statement that
I made on the KALX (90.7 FM ) Special TD radio show on 10/20/94: "That it's the respons-
ibility for large collectors to share..." Included will be just a few of the unpublished "TD
'live' classics" for your consummate perusal. That special "MP" cassette tape you sent me
made my day! And, felt it was the very least that I could do was to feature a very special
TD story around it... With Warmest Regards, -- Al, Berkeley, CA / USA. (A lifelong TD
diehard).

NP: Paris, France (Palais du Sport), 11/22/76 (1st gen analogue) from the incredible
second set & encore. This a real TD masterpiece (IMHO) from their "Golden Years"
1975-1977.

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