In 1967, two Berlin rock bands got together and founded Agitation Free. After various line-up changes, a quintet of Lutz Ulbrich (g, zit, org), Jörg Schwenke (g), Burghard Rausch (dr, mar, voc), Uli Pop (perc), Michael Hoenig (synth, keyb), Michel Günther (b) was established. At the invitation of the Goethe Institute, they travelled to the Middle East in April 1972. The musical impressions from Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus and Greece had a lasting influence on their first album Malesch, which was recorded that summer with the support from guest musician Peter Michael Hamel (keyb). It was released on 1 August 1972 on the Vertigo label. Numerous tours in the following years made them famous throughout Europe. However, after the second and final album and numerous other tours and television appearances, the band disbanded in 1974.

This mixture of psychedelic, experimental krautrock with elements of ambient, electronic and world music is now considered as a highlight of the krautrock genre and sought-after by world-wide collectors.