Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk’s music was forever changing and evolving throughout their years of activity, but the one constant component to their creations was the use of electronic sounds. The two founding and leading members of Kraftwerk, Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter, factor heavily into the group’s music being labeled as “krautrock.” This distinction was given to German artists that didn’t have a particular sound; rather their music was considered experimental and didn’t fit one sole category. Rovi from Allmusic.com describes Kraftwerk’s versatility best, stating: “From the British new romantic movement to hip-hop to techno, the group's self-described "robot pop" -- hypnotically minimal, obliquely rhythmic music performed solely via electronic means -- resonates in virtually every new development to impact the contemporary pop scene of the late- 20th century, and as pioneers of the electronic music form, their enduring influence cannot be overstated.” When it came to the group’s appearance, they were rather plain and sort of gloomy. They would all dress in the same garb and play up to the scientific/mechanical themes of their songs; almost looking futuristic at times. The group enjoys staying enigmatic to the public, and their reclusiveness further disassociates them from the norm and aids in creating their own artistic impressions.

The great things about Kraftwerk’s albums are that they had themes built around the technological advancements of the time. In 1974 the group released Autobahn, in which the identically named lead single detailed the varied experiences of driving on Europe’s famed expressway and was influenced by the fun loving nature of the Beach Boys’ recordings. In 1975 the group released Radio-Activity. The 12 tracks were revealed to be a pun on the title of the album, as half of the songs actually dealt with radioactivity and the other half dealt with activity on the radio airwaves. At a time when factories and power stations were coming into prominence, Kraftwerk documented the surge of these new institutions in their music. Kraftwerk released Trans-Europe Express two years later and this album relied more on their electronic rhythms and less on abstract and improvised instrumental tracks. The album is similar to Autobahn where it deals with traveling and technology, but the album’s chugging train-like beats and innovative drum patterns set it apart from the previous two. Trans-Europe Express was a classic that set the gears in motion for the advancements of hip-hop, pop and rock.  The Man Machine was released one year later in 1978, followed by Computer World in 1981.  When describing The Man Machine sputnickmusic.com says, “this album successfully blends the boundaries between human and robot to the point where it's unclear quite exactly what Kraftwerk are.” The Man Machine contained the single “The Model” which was a rather odd fit on the album. Straying from their futuristic content, Kraftwerk composed a song that was inspired by the models that worked at a Cologne nightclub called The Bagel, and described to the listener how they got through their busy days. The song gained notoriety; giving Kraftwerk their only #1 hit and helped them earn the distinction of the first German group to top the UK’s charts. Despite their surprising success (the song was unconventional and didn’t have a catchy chorus), a majority of fans see this release as the lesser of the five albums released within that magical seven-year span; additionally fans felt this album lacked authenticity and didn’t deal with the subject matter or embody the sound Kraftwerk had been known for up to that point. While most of Kraftwerk’s music seemed ahead of its time, Computer World appeared to directly coincide with what was prevalent at that juncture. Some would say the reason for this is because the group had become mainstream and viewers, listeners and consumers alike had become very familiar with their sound. This had less to do with Kraftwerk’s efforts, and more to do with other artists emulating their style. In sticking with the popular concept album theme, Computer World represented the rise of computers within society.  Although their sound had been pegged, their content was still beyond anything the world was ready for. “Computer Love” is one song from the album that details finding a love connection through the computer, way before computers had become communicative devices. Kraftwerk had definitely set the world ablaze with their unconventional sounds, but their prognosticative lyrics are just as amazing as any manipulative technique they applied to their electronic instruments.

Kraftwerk’s influence on the music industry has made a resurgence of late. In the 80’s and late ‘70’s artists like Devo, Gary Numan and David Bowie used the electronic sound that Kraftwerk had been perfecting. David Bowie went as far as switching up his entire style for three albums during what would be known as his “Berlin Era.” Today you have many artists bringing electronic music back to the forefront; artists such as Chromeo and Calvin Harris keep the tradition alive. Kraftwerk’s influence is not only recognized in similar genres, but it’s reached a wide range of musical styles and groups. Artists like Madonna, Afrika Bambaataa, Bjork and Franz Ferdinand are from different walks of life and make very different music from one another, but are still encouraged and moved by Kraftwerk’s contributions. Digitaldreamdoor.com explains why Kraftwerk are considered innovators, despite other artists using similar techniques before and during their time: “Kraftwerk was a band that fully dealt with electronics and took it beyond human thought with their skills and music innovation, bridging the classical music of Karlheinz Stockhausen with electronic music and became important avant-garde enthusiasts. Therefore, they are the fathers of dance/electronica.” Another way the group influenced music was with the equipment they used. The vocoder has been utilized in several genres such as hip-hop, pop, R&B and of course electronica. Kraftwerk was similar to the Beatles with the way they used their Kling Klang studio as an instrument in itself. They created electronic drum kits, used a myriad of synthesizers and sequencers in ways never before imagined and even an instrument known as the Orchestron; an analogue sampling instrument which used optical disks to store the sounds of real voices and orchestral instruments. It’s as if Kraftwerk’s group members were scientists, their lab was their studio and “we” were the their test subjects.

The thing that amazes me most about Kraftwerk is there ability to stay so far out of the public eye. A few years ago the frontman from the band Coldplay reached out to Kraftwerk asking for permission to use a sample from one of their songs. Chris Martin said that it took weeks for a response, and when he received it, the letter simply said, “Yes.” Martin also said, “I love the idea that they're Kraftwerk but nobody really knows who they are. They're like the original GORILLAZ. Or the electronic BEATLES." My Mom is a huge fan of Kraftwerk but I didn’t immediately jump on the bandwagon. I was younger and I didn’t have dreams of being in the music industry at that time. As I had gotten older I realized that so many of the hip-hop songs that I loved (Jay-Z’s It’s Alright, Sunshine & Lil Cease 4 My N****s) sampled Kraftwerk, if not blatantly ripped them off beat for beat and note for note. I really enjoyed listening to the originals, especially one of the group’s most sampled tracks Trans-Europe Express. Being even older now and since I’m exploring a career in this business, I’m much more appreciative and grateful for their contributions. I am not a musician, nor am I a singer, but I have made songs and sang rather decently because of vocoders, drum machines and sequencers. Those innovations gave me the opportunity to be a part of something that I have a passion for, but may not necessarily have the talent equivalent of someone who’s been honing their craft for years. Some may see their contributions as a curse to the industry due to the overwhelming amount of computer musicians there are today, but I consider it a gift, as I am one of the many who weren’t blessed to have piano lessons, drum lessons or instruments period. I may never be as big of a fan as my Mom is, but the level of respect I have for the gentleman that comprised Kraftwerk has grown immensely.