Indian Rope Man

The Zoo Crew, those groovy hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are spinning the psychedelic vibes of "Indian Rope Man" by Frumpy from their 1970 album All Will Be Changed, and the Zoo Freaks are totally digging it. This track, a cover of the 1968 Richie Havens original written by Havens, Mark Roth, and Joe Price, is a standout on the album, clocking in at a tight 3:17. According to a 2013 interview with vocalist Inga Rumpf on Psychedelic Baby Magazine, the band chose to cover "Indian Rope Man" because its bluesy, soulful edge meshed perfectly with their progressive rock sound. Rumpf noted that the song’s cryptic lyrics, like “Fog dangling thick, can’t see the right road, streets are sick,” resonated with the band’s love for poetic, open-ended imagery, which they felt captured the era’s restless spirit.

Another tidbit comes from a rare 1971 German radio interview archived on the fan site Krautrock Musikzirkus, where keyboardist Jean-Jacques Kravetz shared that the organ riff in "Indian Rope Man" was inspired by their live jams in Hamburg clubs. The band would stretch the song to nearly ten minutes on stage, letting Kravetz’s organ and Rainer Baumann’s guitar trade wild solos while the crowd lost it. A post on the Frumpy Fan Community Facebook group from 2020 recalls a fan’s memory of seeing Frumpy perform the song live in 1971, describing Rumpf’s raw, Janis Joplin-esque delivery as “like a spiritual experience.” The song’s placement on All Will Be Changed, nestled between the experimental “Rosalie” suite and the sprawling “Floating,” highlights Frumpy’s knack for blending concise covers with their own sprawling compositions.

Frumpy got their start in Hamburg, Germany, rising from the ashes of the folk-rock outfit The City Preachers in 1970. Inga Rumpf, already a seasoned vocalist with a gritty, soulful style, joined forces with Jean-Jacques Kravetz, a French keyboardist with a love for jazz and classical, and bassist Karl-Heinz Schott, who brought a steady, groovy foundation. Drummer Udo Lindenberg (later a German rock icon) and guitarist Rainer Baumann rounded out the lineup. According to a bio on their official site, frumpy.de, the band formed after late-night jam sessions in Hamburg’s underground clubs, where they fused blues, rock, and psychedelic influences. Their big break came when they signed with Philips/Vertigo, releasing All Will Be Changed in 1970, which the German press, per Last.fm, hailed as a landmark, with Rumpf dubbed the “greatest vocal talent” in German rock at the time.

The band’s early days were marked by relentless gigging, often playing to packed venues across Germany and Europe. A 1990 interview with Rumpf, quoted on the fan site ProgArchives, revealed that Frumpy’s chemistry came from their shared obsession with pushing boundaries—whether through Kravetz’s intricate organ runs or Rumpf’s improvised vocal flourishes. After releasing four albums between 1970 and 1973, Frumpy disbanded in 1972 but reunited from 1990 to 1995, driven by fan demand. Their legacy endures among krautrock and prog-rock fans, with All Will Be Changed often cited as a cornerstone of the genre.

You can keep up with Frumpy through their official website, frumpy.de, where they share updates, discography details, and occasional tour announcements. Their Facebook page is active, posting throwback photos, fan memories, and news about reissues like the 2013 vinyl of All Will Be Changed. On Instagram, they share vintage album art and clips from live performances, giving Zoo Freaks a glimpse into their psychedelic heyday. Their X account is less active but occasionally retweets fan posts and krautrock-related content. For diehard fans, the Frumpy Fan Community on Facebook is a lively hub where Zoo Freaks can swap stories, share bootlegs, and discuss the band’s influence. Another great fan resource is Krautrock Musikzirkus, which offers detailed album breakdowns and rare photos.