[Kraftwerk]

"The Big Bang explosion was caused by the sheer brilliance of a powerplant in Düsseldorf, Germany. Powerplant.....translated to german, is Kraftwerk" - Stephen Hawking



Formed in Germany by Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider, Kraftwerk is regarded by many as the "fathers of electronic music". Not just that, but many people in the music industry use Kraftwerk as a guide for creating beats and rhythms. This can be seen a lot in the hip-hop genre.

Kraftwerk - Godfather's of Electronic Music ( Interview with legendary musical icons talking about Kraftwerk' influence )

Kraftwerk has many different styles, therefore anyone can enjoy them. From Slow, relaxing rhythms, to chaotic and complex beats.

"The signature Kraftwerk sound combines driving, repetitive rhythms with catchy melodies, mainly following a Western Classical style of harmony, with a minimalistic and strictly electronic instrumentation. The group's simplified lyrics are at times sung through a vocoder or generated by computer-speech software."



where to begin?

As i stated earlier, Kraftwerk has something for everyone. If you want to play it safe and easy start with universal Favorites such as Autobahn and Trans Europe Express.

For heavier beats with elements of Hip-Hop try Techno Pop, Robots, Computer-World.

And lastly, my personal favorite from the Kraftwerk armada : The chaotic melodic albums.

These aren't very friendly at first, but give them a chance and listen well. Beautiful and complex. You can find thee songs in nearly all kraftwerk albums, but some are entirely dedicated to them. Kraftwerk 1, Kraftwerk 2, Ralf und Florian, Radioactivity.

Personal Thoughts

Favorites :

Kling Klang
- Takes me on a journey everytime.

Tanzmusik
SO ahead of its time. Listen to it, as all the chaos merges together in the end. When i heard the clapping for the first time, i chocked up.

Ruckzuck LIVE 1970
40 years ago. The audience is in complete shock and awe. Everyone is speechless. A few have even transcended.

Without hyperbole, and in my completely unbiased opinion 'cough' i can safely say that, Kraftwerk is the greatest musical achievement of mankind. I could be immortal, be on an island alone till the end of time, and only have an iPod full of kraftwerk. I would be happy.

They have taken me to so many journeys, made me experience so many emotions. Thank you Kraftwerk 'sniff'

In the end, here is some more Kraftwerk awesomeness.


What? you actually thought Kraftwerk members were normal humans? lolol crazy fool



Fuck, i would willingly sleep with all of these guys. SHIT just look at them.



Daft Punk Concerts are revolutionary? hush child :)



Kraftwerk was hipster before hipster was cool.



Thanks for reading and enjoy :D

[Juanadams]

Yes! Love kraftwork.

Definitely not for everyone, but they are one of my favorites, and there influence in the electronic music genre can not be said enough.

Awesome thread, I hope this gets more people here to get into them.

A personal favorite of mine is: Computer Love

Take a guess at what coldplay song stole it.

[Copernicus]

They're like daft punk, but not shitty.

[cultureculture]

If you're quite keen on Kraftwerk, The Catalogue (remastered box set) is definitely worth it. Nice, big sturdy box, giant artwork booklets and the cardboard slips for each CD feature both updated and classic artwork for the albums.

My personal favourite songs include The Model and The Hall of Mirrors.

[Kraftwerk]

If you're quite keen on Kraftwerk, The Catalogue (remastered box set) is definitely worth it. Nice, big sturdy box, giant artwork booklets and the cardboard slips for each CD feature both updated and classic artwork for the albums. My personal favourite songs include The Model and The Hall of Mirrors.

Mhmm very true. A very good investment for any Kraftwerk Enthusiast. I just cant wait till they remaster the first 3 albums.

[nitewulf]

as a wee kid, i grew up listening to "the model" cause it was used in one of the TV commercials in my country. most likely, completely unauthorized.

yeah, big fan. i should look into getting all the albums on vinyl.

[disco]

Numbers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdOX2mnMeUQ

Best video on Youtube.

[Judderman]

They're like daft punk, but not shitty.

[Tremas]

Bought Der Katalog on import when it came out. Heard a number of Kraftwerk songs here and there and liked what I listened to but didn't know where to jump in, so just went for the collection.

Schaufensterpuppen may be the greatest word in the history of language (and one of my favourite songs to boot!)

[Arjen]

They're like daft punk, but not shitty.

What, Daft punk shitty??

[leroidys]

They're like daft punk, but not shitty.

You brave man

[Sweedishrodeo]

i thought this thread was going to be about you, OP

[sooperkool]

Ah,music from my youth. I was always fond of "Numbers" and "Tour De France"

[broadwayrock]

I heard they borked the mixes on the new remastered cds:

Sadly, the remaster is a fiasco. The soft tones of “Computer Love” become sharp, the wide spaces of “Home Computer” contract into tunnels, and “Pocket Calculator” bears down on us like a spiked ceiling in a horror film. Equally poor is the remastered Radio-activity, where atmospheric crackles and hisses have been removed by noise reduction software. For pity’s sake, they’re part of the music! Autobahn, Trans-Europe Express and The Man-Machine have less sound-quality issues, but are all inferior to the original EMI CDs. Anyone planning to buy the 8CD …The Catalogue, would be well-advised to sample an individual remaster first.

http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/kraftwerk/reviews/13709

[bytesized]

I've never heard anyone call them Kraftwork but, whatever, one of the most important bands EVER.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T65NpyfPkQ MUST WATCH

I really hope to see them live some day.

[Chichikov]

Afrika Bambaataa approves of this thread.

They're like daft punk, but not shitty.

You are wise beyond your (neogaf) years.

[Kraftwerk]

I heard they borked the mixes on the new remastered cds: http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/kraftwerk/reviews/13709

Eh, It is a very good starting point for any young lad / lass who wants to experience something new.

[dogmaan]

I heard the remastered stuff was done badly, is that not the case?

Also my favourite album is In The Mix, my dad played that tape/Record/CD to me when I was a baby, I still listen to it today.

[Chichikov]

What, Daft punk shitty??

And how!

[7threst]

Afrika Bambaataa approves.

I heard Kraftwerk wasn't pleased with Planet Rock. One of the greatest electro/hiphop records of all time imo.

Kraftwerk is awesome. Especially the Man-Machine album.

[WorriedCitizen]

It's crazy to think how influential their music was. Without them whole genres wouldn't exist. No techno, no electro, no trance, no hip hop, no drum'n'bass. And that's just the electronic music that was inspired by them. Let's not forget that they were one of the leading Krautrock bands before they went completely electronic. So they had an influence on progressive rock, ambient and other stuff that came afterwards.

[Broseybrose]

Kraftwerk official thread? I must post in it. My personal favorite album is Electric Cafe. Also, the mix album they put out in the 90s with The Robots and Radioactivity is just awesome.

[Scarecrow]

After watching Tron, I imagined that getting Kraftwerk to do the soundtrack would have been considered just as inspired as Daft Punk if the sequel was made 10 years ago.

Love me some Computer Love.

[Chichikov]

I heard Kraftwerk wasn't pleased with Planet Rock. One of the greatest electro/hiphop records of all time imo.

As far as I know, Kraftwerk were originally quite pissed at their extensive use in dance music.
They thought the whole thing is demeaning to their art.

They were wrong.

Kraftwerk is awesome. Especially the Man-Machine album.

Yes they are, and yes it is, respectively.

[cultureculture]

I heard the remastered stuff was done badly, is that not the case? Also my favourite album is In The Mix, my dad played that tape/Record/CD to me when I was a baby, I still listen to it today.

The remastered CDs were my introduction to Kraftwerk outside of The Man Machine, and sounded pretty good to me - I wouldn't say that they ruined the music, but it does look like people miss some features of the older releases.

[hipgnosis]

Saw them live in 2009. Shit was pretty awesome, the concert was held at the backyard of an old power plant, pretty cool stuff.

[FloppyDelux]

friken love these guys. Hope to see them one day.

[SolKane]

Sweet band. also love Neu!, Cluster, Moebius + Plank (+ Neumeier), and Cluster + Eno:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgAhr0aEho

and of course we can contribute David Bowie and Brian Eno's best period to their influence

[Snuggler]

Yeah, Kratwork is pretty cool. I'm more of a Can-man, but I enjoy their sound. I'll have to delve deeper into their catalog someday, I've only listen to 2 or 3 of their albums.

[Willectro]

They are ok, but I think most people think more of them because they're German. Much like Rammstein. I've never understood the fascination.

[Chichikov]

They are ok, but I think most people think more of them because they're German. Much like Rammstein. I've never understood the fascination.

Huh?
Like them or not, there's no denying of their influence.
Fuck, if they were an American band I'm sure they would've been much more celebrated.

Also, LOL Rammstein.

[Kraftwerk]

They are ok, but I think most people think more of them because they're German. Much like Rammstein. I've never understood the fascination.

Heretic !

The first time i heard kraftwerk, i had NO idea they were german. All i knew at that moment, was that my life will never be the same again.

[Prez]

as a wee kid, i grew up listening to "the model" cause it was used in one of the TV commercials in my country. most likely, completely unauthorized.

East Germany?

[SolKane]

They are ok, but I think most people think more of them because they're German. Much like Rammstein. I've never understood the fascination.

Ah yes, the exotic appeal of Germans.

[lifa-cobex]

They're like daft punk, but not shitty.

grrr
Friend of mine got me into both. Iv never looked back.
I would love to see ether one live

[dvdjamm]

Computer World is in my all-time Top 25 albums list...I'm still hoping that they do 1 more album of new songs,but I figure that wouldn't come out for another 5 years.

[Funky Papa]

I got to see them live five years ago. Amazing, AMAZING experience.

[7threst]

They are ok, but I think most people think more of them because they're German. Much like Rammstein. I've never understood the fascination.

I really don't understand this, at all...

Kraftwerk are pioneers, the fact that they are German has nothing to do with it. It might even be that being a German band worked against them, since some of their tracks got translated. Like The Model for example.

[nitewulf]

East Germany?

nah, Bangladesh. yeah, I know.

[winter]

They are ok, but I think most people think more of them because they're German. Much like Rammstein. I've never understood the fascination.

Yeah, it has nothing to do with the fact that they are one of the first and most influential electronica acts in the history of music. I mean, david bowie and brian eno were only influenced by them because they loved them some german shit.

[VALIS]

Definitely one of the most unique bands of all time, but that whole "Krautrock" scene from 68-73 or so produced metric tons of mind blowing stuff.

[Art Teitlebaum]

Thank you for this thread, Kraftwerk.

When I was a kid in the 70s, the older guys in my neighbourhood introduced me to their music.
I think the first album that I listened to completely was 'TEE'. It totally blew me away and I was a Kraftwerk fan from then on for the rest of my life.
I never liked their Krautrock roots tbh, but for me they were the pioneers for every form of electronic sound design. In the 70s it was the prototype of the music for the future, some sort of science fiction soundtrack in an post-modernist ambience.

The quality of the 'Katalog' compilation is really brilliant and I can recommend it from the bottom of my heart.

[gnomed]

Does most of gaf prefer the English or German tracks? We are the robots...

[7threst]

The German tracks of course. The translated tracks sound kinda ridiculous...

[Art Teitlebaum]

Does most of gaf prefer the English or German tracks? We are the robots...

German.
I'm a native speaker, so I can't be really neutral, but I think the German lyrics are a brilliant addition to the musical experience. English translation sometimes sounds quite clumsy.
For me, it's very interesting to hear what non-Kraut-Gaf prefers.

[mattiewheels]

Sweet band. also love Neu!, Cluster, Moebius + Plank (+ Neumeier), and Cluster + Eno: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgAhr0aEho and of course we can contribute David Bowie and Brian Eno's best period to their influence

YES

Every one of these bands/colabs will blow your mind guys.

I'm actually worried that Kraftwerk's first three albums aren't getting remastered, it's been so long since they sort of promised them.

[Kraftwerk]

Does most of gaf prefer the English or German tracks? We are the robots...

Overall i prefer the German version, but certain songs in English have a unique charm. Neon Light is an example.

[swordfishtrombones]

Aweome band. I got the chance to see them in 2004 (I think? Around the Minimum/Maximum tour). I still get goose bumps when I think about how the first song started with Mensch-Machine in increasingly layered robotic voices. Also, the sound system/engineering was one of the best I have ever heard: loud, but crystal clear. Is there any news on possible new work?

[Xun]

An official thread for one of the greatest bands of all time.

Now time to make another OT for another great band (in my opinion THE greatest).

[Sweedishrodeo]

the neu! catalog stands up pretty well to kraftwerk songs today imo. like negativland!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23HfA...eature=related

but yeah they are both incredible bands.