Edgar Froese, a student in painting and sculpture in Berlin was highly influenced by the expressiveness of the paintings of Salvador Dali, with whom he met personally for 2 years in Port Lligat/Cadaques (Spain), as well as Picasso's works and those of the early French Surrealists in the Twenties. Such artists would create a desire to transfer the visual arts to music and hugely shape his later musical direction. Froese’s first professional group was The Ones, a conventional rock group formed in 1965. Their only single was Lady Green Grass/ Love of Mine released in 1966. Several private concerts between 1966 and 1967 at Salvador Dali's villa in Cadaques (Spain), created in Froese a desire to transfer the visual arts to music. The Ones made music to accompany Dali’s Christ statue as well as the soundtrack to a film by J.C. Avery about Dali in 1967 before disbanding that year.

In September 1967 Froese formed Tangerine Dream, initially a rock group but often fluctuating inside and outside convention. The line-up was Edgar Froese (guitar), Kurt Herkenburg (bass), Lanse Hapshash (drums), Volker Hombach (violin, sax, flute) and Charly Prince (vocals), and their first performance was in 1968 at The Berlin Technical University. The student uprisings in Paris and Berlin influenced many underground artists to abandon form and structure as bourgeois, and the group developed a strong underground following producing free music that was loud and aggressive. Many of their concerts were at the Zodiak Arts Lab, Berlin, a highly influential club founded by Hans-Joachim Roadelius and Konrad Schnitzler, as well as galleries, at openings and accompanied art happenings for various national and international artists e.g. Joseph Beuys, Bernhard Hoeke, John Cage, Salvador Dali. In September 1968 they played at the Internationalen Essener Song-Tagen, the biggest rock festival in Germany, before Swedish jazz drummer Sven Ake Johansson replaced Hapshash. Tangerine Dream split up in March 1969, Hombach becoming a cameraman for Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

The group reformed and Edgar played for about four months with 16 different musicians from around the world, such as Paul Wheeler, a drummer from Liverpool, Sven-Ake Johansson, Al Akhbar, a young drummer from Ghana, Steve Leuwen, a bass guitar player from Holland, Steve Jolliffe, later to return for one album, and Nik Turner, who later became the sax player for Hawkwind. At that time, Edgar scored his first feature film for the German director, Jurgen Polland: ”Never shoot the Bathroom Man,” a black and white avant-garde  movie.  He also composed a track for a German television programme called “Sobomost” about a community of musicians living on a farm.

The group again disbanded and Froese reformed the group in the autumn of 1969 with Klaus Schulze from Psy Free and Konrad Schnitzler who shared a similar vision for creating experimental music. Tangerine Dream’s first album was Electronic Meditation, released in 1970.

Schulze left, briefly joining Ash Ra Temple before becoming a hugely significant solo artist, whilst Schnitzler left to form Kluster and make solo albums as well as. They were replaced by Christoph Franke from Agitation Free and Steve Schroyder, and released Alpha Centauri in 1971 with guests Udo Denneborg and Roland Paulyck. Schroyder was replaced by Peter Baumann from The Ants but returned briefly for Zeit in 1972 with guests Florian Fricke from Popol Vuh, Joachim von Grumbkow, Hans Joachim Brune, Johannes Lucke and Christian Vallbracht.

Around this time they were discovered by British DJ, John Peel, who gave the group extensive airplay and made their 1972 album Atem his album of the year. The line-up of Froese/ Franke/ Baumann remained stable for several years. Tangerine Dream were signed by Virgin records and recorded Phaedra in 1973. John Peel was the only DJ playing Phaedra on his show, but his enthusiasm for it led to it reaching no.15 in the UK album charts. It became successful in many other countries, going Gold in Australia.

In 1974, Tangerine Dream recorded incidental music for a production of Sophacles’ Oedipus Tyrannus at the Chichester Festival, and later played at unusual venues such as Rheims Cathedral, a Roman amphitheatre in Southern France, and Coventry Cathedral. Michael Hoenig from Agitation Free briefly stood in for Baumann for some of the 1974-5 tour before becoming a solo artist himself and collaborating with others such as Philip Glass on Koyaanisqatsi.

The 1975 album, Rubicon reached no.12 in the UK and was followed by Ricochet and Stratosfear, with Froese releasing Aqua, Epsilon in Malaysian Pale, an album admired by David Bowie who planned a collaboration that never reached fruition, and Macula Transfer as solo albums.

In 1977, William Friedkin, director of “The Exorcist” and “The French Connection,” asked the group to compose the soundtrack to the movie “Sorcerer.” The album Sorcerer reached no.25 in the UK and also created lots of exposure in the USA, leading to sell-out tours, material from which was used on the live album, Encore. Peter Baumann brought out a solo album, Romance ’76, an album claimed as an important early influence by Björk, before leaving the group. Baumann released more solo albums before founding the Private Music record label.

For 1978, Franke and Froese were joined by drummer, Klaus Krieger and singer, flautist and saxophonist, Steve Jolliffe from Steamhammer who had also been in an early line-up of Tangerine Dream. The introduction of singing was not well received and Jolliffe left to become a solo artist. Krieger played on Froese’s solo album, Ages and on the Tangerine Dream album Force Majeure , which reached no.26 in the UK charts.

Krieger left to join Iggy Popp’s band and Johannes Schmoelling joined, his first album with the group being Tangram in 1980.

During the 1980s Tangerine Dream toured extensively, often in unusual places. They became the first Western rock group to play in East Berlin at the Palast der Republik, January, 1980 and played in front of 80,000 people at a peace concert for nuclear disarmament at the Berlin Reichstag in 1981. They also performed in live TV concert with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra that year as well as a tour of communist Poland in 1983 in sub-zero temperatures.

During the 1980s they were heavily involved in composing soundtracks for Hollywood movies and TV series as well as many European films. Some of these include Risky Business, Thief, Near Dark, Shy People, The Keep, Firestarter, Street Hawk and Legend. A single, “Daydream” from “Tatort” reached the top 10 in West Germany.

Schmoelling left in 1986 to become a solo artist and was replaced by Paul Haslinger, whilst Franke left in 1987. Franke altered his name to Christopher Franke and later founded the Berlin Symphonic Film Orchestra and the Sonic Images record label in Los Angeles and became a hugely successful film composer, his most famous work being for Babylon 5.

During the 1990s a number of albums e.g. Rockoon and Canyon Dreams have been nominated for Grammy Awards, and the group have continued to compose soundtracks for movies and TV series such as Zoning, Deadly Care and Catch Me If You Can.

Edgar Froese’s son, Jerome first appeared on the 1989 album, Lily on the Beach, and became a regular member after Paul Haslinger went solo in 1991.

Other regulars have included from 1990 to 1995 saxophonist and former model, Linda Spa and guitarist, Zlatko Perica from 1991 who has been a member of Swiss gold and platinum awarded group Goelae. Percussionist, singer and dancer, Iris CAMAA Kulterer has worked with Michael Jackson and Dionne Warwick, and has been performing with Tangerine Dream since 2001.

Discography

Singles:

Ultima Thule Part 1/ Part 2 (1972)

Stratosfear/The Big Sleep in Search of Hades promo, vinyl only (1977)

Betrayal (Sorcerer Theme)/ Search promo, vinyl only (1978) 

Encore/Hobo March regular release, vinyl only (1977)

Choronzon/Network 23 regular release, vinyl only (1981) 

Dr. Destructo/ Diamond Diary promo, vinyl only (1981)

Daydream/ Moorland (1982)

Das Mädchen auf der Treppe/Flock/Katja/Speed regular release, vinyl only (1982)

Warsaw in the Sun (pt. 1&2)/ Polish Dance/ Rare Bird regular release, vinyl only (1984) 

Dolphin Dance/Dolphin Smile/Song of the Whale regular release, vinyl only (1986)

Tyger/Tyger (7" version)/21^st Century Common Man Pt. II regular release, vinyl only feat. Jocelyn B. Smith (1987)

Oranges Don´t Dance promo CD only (1990)

I Just Want to Rule my Own Life Without You regular release, CD feat. Chi Coltrane (1991)

Rockoon / Oriental Haze + Interview regular release, CD (1992)

Dreamtime (radio edit/ vocal version) / The Blue Bridge/ Treasure of Innocence / Purple Haze regular release, CD feat. Jayney Klimek (1993)

Turn of the Tides / Story of the Brave regular release, CD (1994)

Midwinter Night / Jungle Journey / Turn of the Tides regular release, CD (1994)

Catwalk / Little Blonde in the Park of Attractions / Living in a Fountain Pen / Birdwatcher´s Dream / Quasar promo CD only (1995)

Shepherds Bush (Eleanor Rigby / Thief Yang) limited edition CD (1996)

Towards the Evening Star (radio edit) promo CD only (1996)

Towards the Evening Star (remixed by the Orb) regular release, CD, 12" vinyl (1997)

Limited World Tour Edition limited edition CD (1997)

Dream Dice Bonus Single (ca va-ca marche-ca ira encore) limited edition CD (1998)

Meng Tian (Smart Machine Remix) / Diamonds and Dust limited edition 12" vinyl (2000)

Stereolight / Maedchen on the Stairs limited edition 12" vinyl (2000) 

Astrophobia (Red Supernova Remix) / The Spirit of the Czar limited edition 12" vinyl (2000)  

Astoria (From Kiev With Love/ Gate Of Saturn/ Meta Morph Magic) (limited edition, 2003)

Albums:

Electronic Meditation (1970)

Alpha Centauri (1971) 

Zeit (Largo in 4 Movements, 1972)

Atem (1973)

Phaedra (1974) 

Rubycon (1975) 

Ricochet (1975) 

Stratosfear (1976) 

Encore (1977)

Cyclone (1978) 

Force Majeure (1979) 

Tangram (1980) 

Quichotte (Live in East Berlin, 1980) 

Tangerine Dream '70-'80 (4 LP box set, 1980) 

Exit (1981) 

White Eagle (1982) 

Sohoman (live in Sydney, 1982) 

Logos - Live at the Dominion (1983) 

Hyperborea (1983) 

Poland - The Warsaw concert (1984) 

Le Parc (1985) 

Dream Sequence (3 album compilation re-released as CD 1985) 

Pergamon - Live at the Palast der Republik (1985) 

In the Beginning (6 LP Boxset, 1986) 

Green Desert (recorded in 1973, released 1986) 

Underwater Sunlight (1986) 

The Collection (dble. compilation, 1987) 

Tyger (1988) 

Livemiles (1988) 

Optical Race (1988) 

Lily on the Beach (1989) 

Melrose (1990) 

Rockoon (1992)

The Story of Tangerine Dream 2 CD-set (1992)

220 Volt Live (1993) 

Turn of the Tides (1994) 

Tangents (5 album box set with booklet 1994) 

Tyranny of Beauty (1995) 

Book of Dreams (2 CD set 1995 Europe, 1996 USA) 

The Dream Mixes (1995) 

The Dream Mixes Special 2 CD Edition U.K. (1996) 

Goblins Club (1996)

The Dream Roots Collection - 5 CD box set (1996) 

TimeSquare – Dream Mixes 2 (1997) 

Tournado (live 1997) 

Valentine Wheels (live 1997) 

Ambient Monkeys (1998) 

Atlantic Walls (compilation 1998) 

Atlantic Bridges (compilation 1998) 

Dream Encores (compilation 1998) 

The Hollywood Years 1 (soundtrack compilation 1998) 

The Hollywood Years 2 (soundtrack compilation 1998) 

Quinoa Extended CD (1998)

The Dream Dice (13 CD-set contains TDI CD001-12 plus "ca va..."-maxi 1998)

The Holiday Season Booster (box set containing TDI CD013 plus T-shirt and autographed card 1998)

The Dream Triplets (box set containing autographed TDI CD016 plus T-shirt and scuba watch 1999)

Mars Polaris (1999) 

Tang-Go (compilation 2000) 

Soundmill Navigator (live) 

Antique Dreams (compilation 2000 

The Seven Letters from Tibet (2000)

i-Box (6 CD-set 2000)

Dream Mixes 3 – The Past Hundred Moons (2001) 

Inferno (Dante Alighieri – La Divina Commedia) 2002 

The Melrose Years (2003, contains re-recordings of Optical Race, Lily On The Beach and Melrose)

Dream Mixes 4 - DM4 (2003)

The Bootleg Box Set Vol.1 (2003 Castle/ Sanctuary Records box set of live recordings from Sheffield City Hall, 1974, The Royal Albert Hall, London, 1975 originally transmitted on BBC Radio 3, Croydon Fairfield Halls, 1975, Pabellion de la Casilla, Bilbao, Spain and Berlin Philarmonie, 1976, Includes material recorded with Michael Hoenig)

Rockface (2004, live in Berkeley, 1988)

Purgatorio (Dante Alighieri – La Divina Commedia) 2004

East (Live in East Berlin 1990) 2004

Arizona (Live in Scottsdale 1992) 2004   

Soundtracks:

Sorcerer (1977)

Sorcerer (1993) 

Thief (1981) 

Wavelength (1983) 

Risky Business (1983) 

Firestarter (1984) 

Flashpoint (1984) 

Heartbreakers (1984) 

Legend (1985, 1995 re-issue) 

Near Dark (1987) 

Three o'clock high (1987) 

Shy People (1985) 

Miracle Mile (1989) 

Destination Berlin (1990) 

Dead Solid Perfect (1988) 

The Man Inside (1990) 

Canyon Dreams (1989) 

Catch me if you can (1994)

Dream Music – Compilation 

Heartbreakers (1995 re-issue) 

Flashpoint (1995 re-issue) 

Deadly Care (1995) 

Zoning (1995 - Germany) 

Oasis (1998) 

Transiberia (1998) 

Architecture in Motion (What a Blast minus two tracks 1999) 

What a Blast (1999) 

Great Wall of China (1999) 

Mota Atma (2003)

Edgar Froese Solo*: 

Aqua (1974) 

Epsilon in Malaysian Pale (1975) 

Electronic Dreams (comp. 1975) 

Macula Transfer (1976) 

Ages (dble. 1978) 

Stuntman (1979) 

Solo 1974-1979 (1982) 

Kamikaze 1989 (soundtrack 1982) 

Pinnacles (1983) 

Beyond the storm (2CD 1995) 

Introduction to the Ambient Highway (compilation, 2003)

Ambient Highway Vol. 1-4 (2003)

Jerome Froese Solo*: 

Serenely Confident/ Vivid Scarlet Hue (12” 2000) 

Freeze Framez/ Ground Clearance (12” 2000) 

Vermond Curry/ Babe Soda (12” 2001)  

Rome/Ethereal 77 - Unpleasant Poems - A Compilation (2004)

Peter Baumann Solo*:

Romance ’76 (1977) 

Iris CAMAA Kulterer Solo*:

CAMAA Kult (2001)

Chameleon (2003)

Live-Recordings Iris Camaa and Band (2005)

Straight From The Shoulder (2005)

Videos/ DVDs:

Canyon Dreams (1987)

Three Phase (live in Seattle1992)

The Video Dream Mixes (1996)

Oasis (1996)

Luminous Visions (computer animations with TD-music 1998)

Architecture in Motion/ What a Blast! (1999)

* only solo albums released whilst artist was a Tangerine Dream member are listed.