Kraftwerk: The BBC Documentary [VIDEO]

A Journal of Musical Things ^ | February 1, 2015 | Alan Cross

[Squawk 8888]

Got an hour? Then spend it watching this BBC Four doc on one of the most influential bands of all time.

[Squawk 8888]

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[Junk Silver]

If you aren’t familiar with Kraftwerk check out “The Man Machine”, an album they released in 1978. This where today’s Techno/EDM comes from, and I don’t think it ever sounded better.

[Squawk 8888]

I'm quite familiar with them- been a fan since Autobahn :)

[real saxophonist]

Bump

[freedumb2003]

Never heard of them.

Just wondering what they influenced...

[VictoryGal]

Thanks for this! I am a huge Kraftwerk fan... ever since high school.

[Slambat]

“Modern Music”

=

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD65uNthngs

The last of the real musical talent.

[PlateOfShrimp]

I have to admit, I did not fully appreciate them back in the day - the music sounded too nerdy at the time. Looking back, it is amazing how visionary they were.

BTW - check out Love Tractor’s version of Neon Lights.

[icwhatudo]

Hard rock from the 70’s was still in control, Disco was not yet born, and New Wave/techno was years away...

A Band Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ahead of its time.

[Skooz]

BFL

[Squawk 8888]

Virtually all techno and disco was influenced by Kraftwerk and/or Jean Michel Jarre. They brought synthesizers into the mainstream.

[freedumb2003]

>>They brought synthesizers into the mainstream.<<

Huh. I thought the Beatles, the Who, ELP and Yes had a hand in that.

[martin_fierro]

Used to zone out listening to Autobahn while watching my fish tank.

God times. Good times.

[martin_fierro]

Hard rock from the 70’s was still in control, Disco was not yet born, and New Wave/techno was years away.

And Sprockets wasn't even yet a twinkle in Mike Myers' eye.

[Slambat]

“Virtually all techno and disco”

And what doe’s virtually all “techno and disco” have in common?
Digital sampling, no real musicians to speak of just
ADAT, computers, turntables and what keyboards they have
are just triggers for sampled wave patterns. It’s like how
alternative music got it’s name, from alternate tuning.
They tune their guitars to open E and play with one finger.

[real saxophonist]

Love Tractor - Neon Lights

I was a DJ at GA Southern's radio station in the early to middle '80s, and I think I heard the Love Tractor version before I heard the Kraftwerk version.

[icwhatudo]

“only two albums of new material since 1981’s “Computer World”

..interesting

[southern rock]

They brought synthesizers into the mainstream.

I hate them already.

[raybbr]

Wir fahren, fahren, fahren, auf der autobahn...