Kraftwerk Appreciation Thread

[Winston]

I just recently began listening again to this band and I'm really enjoying their powerful music and the innovative use of electronic sounds, even by today's standards. I also picked up som remixed versions of a number of their most catchy tunes, originally from the late 70's/early 80's (Der Robotmix and Toccata Electronica), those mixed versions are very recommendable as well. My favourite albums are Die Mensch Mascine and Computerwelt from 1978 and 1981 respectively, but pretty much all of their music that I've heard appeals to me.

What do you think of Kraftwerk, and do you have any favourite albums or tracks?

[monolith94]

Heh, just as I saw this thread, Kraftwerk's "Numbers" came on.

Really, the whole Trans-Europe Express album is terrific.

[Monk]

I don't listen to electronic music but I do listen to Kraftwerk. I guess it's the same mystery as how a lot of us like Johnny Cash but dislike country music as a genre.

They're cool because it seems that when a lot of artists across the genres were scared of progress and spent their days writing books about the horrors of technology, Kraftwerk seemed to embrace it. The robots are "programmed just to do/anything you want us to", as opposed to taking control of the world. That's my interpretion, anyway. Given Germany's huge guilt complex about their own history, it's a brave thing to do a song about the Autobahn, too - my favourite Kraftwerk song that I don't seem to get tired of, not even the weak parts of the 22 minutes.

So Winston, I assume you'll drop by KB-hallen in February and see them play (or whatever the hell they do)? I thought about getting a ticket, too, but I decided that charging 350 DKR was too much, especially since it's the old stuff that constitutes the raison d'être of Kraftwerk, even if they've got a new album out.

[Pekka]

Exactly what monolith said. Kraftwerk is throwing a gig here very soon, but I can't go.. too bad. Once in a lifetime...

I'm not a big fan of their new stuff, but the old stuff.. definitely groundbreaking stuff.

[Az]

I'd say they invented electronic music.

[chequita guevara]

Winston, you know Kraftwerk is progressive music, don't you? And progressive = left wing.

[Jac de Molay]

The only song I remember is Tour de France, and that's because I used to breakdance to it.

[Buck Birdseed]

Big fan. Can't see what all the synth-lovers ee in them since their natural successors are in Hip-Hop, not Synth-Pop.

[Pekka]

True. Afrika Bambaataa was inspired by trans-euro express.. planet rock is basically the same, except some added stuff in it. And Afrika Bambaataa was one of the big influences on hip hop and whatnot.

[Buck Birdseed]

Yup. The timeline I find the most convincing is Kraftwerk -> Electro -> Bass -> Dirty South + Variants.

[Az]

Originally posted by Buck Birdseed
Big fan. Can't see what all the synth-lovers ee in them since their natural successors are in Hip-Hop, not Synth-Pop.

That's unfair. The one doesn't exclude the other.

[Buck Birdseed]

Kraftwerk do way too funky sheeeiit to be even vaguely synth.

[Winston]

I wasn't aware they were giving a concert in KB-Hallen, Monk, I'll have to check whether tickets are still available. Heck I live just a stone throw away.

Thanks.

[MRT144]

the new album is crap. i guess they were alright. To be honest i think its kind of cliche to be a huge fan of kraftwerk. I find a lot of their work boring at times, and i think because i have listened to a lot electronic music, the fact that they were the first is not really that important.

[Buck Birdseed]

They weren't the first, they were just the first to do proper pop music in an electronic way. Not avant garde classical ho-hum but real, soulful pop music with their own brilliant flavour. That your electronic "music" friends immediately turned it into monotonous, tuneless crap again is probably why you don't like them.

[Chemical Ollie]

The soundtrack to "Das Boot" is great. Also "Tour the France".

Rammstein made a cover of "Das Modell", which the Kraftwerk guys think is crappy. I think Rammstein was to a large extent influenced by Kraftwerk, despite being in a completely differnt genre. And Rammstein is the best contemporary German band in my opinion.

[MRT144]

despite the fact i dont listen to tuneless, monotonous (ok to an extent electro is very monotonous at times but thats the point) crap.

and buck, dont try and give me an education in music history. for all intents and purposes kraftwerk were the first because they were popular. people arent going to remember musique concrete as being the first. People like to break down everything into one singular thing, in this case kraftwerk. people arent going to remember wendy carlos even as being a pioneer. but people will remember kraftwerk.

and also dont label electronic music as all bad. there is a lot of good in it, like boards of canada, aphex twin, squarepusher. Im sorry you live in a place where eurotrance and hard dance are the most common form of electronic music, but youre all just a bunch of pasty white europeans with no soul.

[Winston]

After having listened extensively to both, Jean-Michel Jarre is also heavily influenced by them, but I don't recall him ever having credited them for said influence. It is quite obvious to me that he is, but then he created his own personalized style from it, along with numerous other elements of influence or inspiration, like all artists. It's just that basic themes of his like Oxygene and especially Equinoxe seem to resemble Kraftwerk sounds a lot.

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by Pekka
And Afrika Bambaataa was one of the big influences on hip hop and whatnot.

.....especially whatnot!

[Buck Birdseed]

Originally posted by MRT144
for all intents and purposes kraftwerk were the first because they were popular...

So The Eagles were the first Country-Rock band then?

Anyway I was thinking of various 20thC classical electronic composers like Schtockhausen etc.

I don't dislike all electronic music, far from it. I just supposed you were a house kid from your comment, if you listen to electro all is forgiven.

[MRT144]

The eagles might be remembered that way

and i dislike most house, except for what i would consider italo disco, or electro house, like legowelt and bangkok impact and orgue electronique.

recently all ive been able to listen to is electro, and italo disco, i think its since i moved to seattle...

mostly american efforts too...like drexciya, dopplereffekt, japanese telecom, dynamix II, etc etc

[Buck Birdseed]

I enjoy new electro too but for purely electronic music I mostly listen to Ghetto-Tech and Brazilian Funk now, maybe with some VGM on the side... Plus of course various hip-hop variants but that's a slightly different continuum.

Been meaning to get into it more. http://www.di.fm/edmguide/edmguide.html has given me a lot of leads.

[MRT144]

lmao, the god father? detroit grand puhbahs? Dj assault? they make me laugh because they are so bad theyre good.

[Buck Birdseed]

I know. It's awful!