Lothar and the Hand People
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 in Denver, Colorado, United States |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Website | www |
Lothar and the Hand People were an American psychedelic rock ensemble from the late 1960s, distinguished by their groundbreaking incorporation of the theremin and Moog modular synthesizer into rock compositions.
The origin of the band's name lies in a theremin dubbed "Lothar," while the "Hand People" denoted its members: John Emelin (vocals), Paul Conly (keyboards, synthesizer), Rusty Ford (bass guitar), Tom Flye (drums), and Kim King (guitar, synthesizer).
As pioneers in utilizing synthesizers for live performances and recordings within rock music, they paved the way for future electronic musicians. Established in Denver, Colorado in 1965, they moved their base to New York City a year later. Their stage presence included sharing bills with notable artists such as Jimi Hendrix, the Byrds, Canned Heat, the Chambers Brothers, Grateful Dead, and the Lovin' Spoonful. Additionally, they composed music for Sam Shepard's theatrical work The Unseen Hand and served as an opening act at the 1969 Atlantic City Pop Festival.
Following three initial single releases, Capitol Records launched two albums: Presenting ... Lothar and the Hand People (1968), produced by Robert Margouleff, and Space Hymn (1969), with production by Nick Venet. In a review for Rolling Stone, critic Lenny Kaye characterized their style as "electronic country," highlighting its distinctive fusion of electronic sounds with approachable melodies.
Their standout composition was "Space Hymn," which received significant exposure on FM radio stations. The debut album featured an unusual rendition of Manfred Mann's British hit "Machines," also issued as a single through Capitol.
In 1997, their track "It Comes on Anyhow" was sampled by the Chemical Brothers in "It Doesn't Matter," found on the album Dig Your Own Hole. The video for "Space Hymn" was showcased at film festivals held in New York and Los Angeles in 2004.
The group served as inspiration for a Saturday Night Live sketch entitled "Lothar of the Hill People" and influenced a Boston-based theremin ensemble known as the Lothars.
Studio albums
- Presenting ... Lothar and the Hand People (1968, Capitol Records)
- Space Hymn (1969, Capitol Records)
Singles
- "Rose Colored Glasses" (1967, Capitol Records)
- "L-O-V-E" (1967, Capitol Records)
- "Comic Strip" (1968, Capitol Records)
- "Machines" (1969, Capitol Records)
- "Midnight Ranger" (1969, Capitol Records)
Compilation albums
- This Is It, Machines (1986, See for Miles Records)
- Space Hymn (The Complete Capitol Recordings) (2003, Acadia)
Live albums
- Come Along: The Exodus 1966 (2020, BeatRocket)
- Machines: Amherst 1969 (Live) (2020, Modern Harmonic)