Kraftwerk

[hippypants]

What are your Kraftwerk albums?

I only have Autobahm, but still enjoy it time to time.

[Mister Triscuits]

I've always been especially fond of Ralf and Florian, which is a transitional album between the avant-garde experiments of the first two albums and the emerging synth-pop of Autobahn. Very fun album.

[dropforge]

The Man-Machine, easily.

[Rarebird]

Autobahn is a favorite of mine

I also have
Trans Europe Express
Radioactivity
Man Machine
Tour de France (Which I like less)

[battema]

I love almost all of them but the ones I revisit most often are Radio Activity, Man Machine and Computer World.

[Rarebird]

I try to give them an equal amount of plays.

[Halmyre]

Autobahn, Radio-Activity and Trans Europe Express.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Autobahn is all I really need, but I do love it.

And no Kraftwerk thread should be without this:

[hippypants]

^^ S Lawyer--Pretty funny, I had a friend that saw Kraftwerk when they came thru the states. He saw them when they played in Phoenix, must have been five or ten years ago (time flies at times), but said they were great. He's not a huge electronic fan or at least never said much about any of those musicians, so I was surprised he went to see them. I'm wondering now if he every picked up anything by them.

I have the Kraftwerk mix as well on cassette. I haven't heard it in years, and should try and find it and give it another listen. I'll check into your other recommendations. Thanks.

[GuitarGeek]

I still think one of the funniest things I saw was a BBC interview, where this woman presenter interviewed the Ralf-bot (since Ralf Hutter himself 'doesn't do interviews" anymore, or whatever). It was actually kind of funny. They kept cutting this shot of the Ralf-bot turning his head toward the interviewer whenever she asked a question, and the expression on his face made me think maybe the Ralf-bot thought her questions were stupid or soemthing. And if I remember correctly, they were supposed to be playing a velodrome, which is like an indoor bicycle racing track, so she asked if Ralf-bot would trying out the track and he responds, "Ve can not do this, ve have to play a soundcheck!"

[Shadow]

I bought a couple in the early to mid 70's. I know I have Autobahn and Ralf and Florian. I bought a lot of electronics back then.

[Trane]

never liked the post-Autobahn stuff

TBH, all I have from thel are the Orange Cone and the Green Cone.

Still wondering if I should try to find Tone Float

[spacefreak]

What are your Kraftwerk albums?

I only have Autobahm, but still enjoy it time to time.

The first three mostly. And "Tone Float". Own them all up to (and including) "Computer World" however.

[Steve F.]

I've always been especially fond of Ralf and Florian, which is a transitional album between the avant-garde experiments of the first two albums and the emerging synth-pop of Autobahn. Very fun album.

My favorite by far.

and cool identifying neon lights too!

[Zappathustra]

I am also on the "first 3" boat. And I don't know if my opinion sounds heretic, but I believe their reputation as incredible innovators is a bit exaggerated. I was just reading Wiki, and they were named there as the most innovative band of them all, along Beatles. Others were working on the same direction too at that time, but somehow Kraftwerk reaped all the harvest. My opinion - which isn't a strong one, more of an attempt to open a discussion - is possibly colored by the godlike status they have in my country, Greece. From people who are completely unawares of names like Faust, Neu, Can - to mention just the obvious suspects.

Listening to Kraftwerk II right now, and that second side is pretty majestic.

[spacefreak]

I believe their reputation as incredible innovators is a bit exaggerated

They are incredible innovators, for the mainstream crowds. That was also my opinion in the early 80s. Being familiar with all things krautrock early enough, I never bought the story... After Autobahn they went the easy listening electronic path (but in more interesting ways than Jean-Michel Jarre or Vangelis f.e.).

They have a godlike status in Greece among the new wave crowds and the generation of listeners that listened to electrowave or minimal synth in the mid-80s. All these people were completely unfamiliar with artists like Neu, Faust, Popol Vuh etc. Only 1-2 Can albums had caught their attention (usually Ege and Landed) but not on a level to start digging a scene that got the stigma of being progressive.

PS. Back at the times, local TV used to broadcast what they called "Musical Intermissions". 30 minutes of music loops, between the time zones for kids and the one for teenagers. I remember oftenly that "Robots" was played between Magazine's "Feed the Enemy" and "Awaken" by Yes. These were the days...

[Zappathustra]

^ Thanks Spyros. Good to know that someone with a superior knowledge on the subject feels the same way.

[hippypants]

I don't find Kraftwerk all that innovative either, although at the time, yeah, maybe. I prefer Tangerine Dream, and something less beat oriented, and no singing unless it's held to a minimum. But I'll give them their due.

[soundsweird]

Just listened to my Germanofon CD of Ralf & Florian a few days ago. My favorite is the track that translates as "Pineapple Symphony". Had the first two LP's back in the 70's, would love to get all three officially released on CD, but looking unlikely now. Autobahn, Trans-Europe Express and Computer World round out my collection, all very good albums. Had Tone Float on CD for a few years back in the 90's, but only liked a couple of tracks.

[Bake 2]

I guess it was pretty easy to overlook Kraftwerk as kind of sterile and limited back in the 70's. Electrical Roulette and Pineapple Symphony from Rolf and Florian seemed like real high points, but was surprised recently at what came across when re-listening to Autobahn. For sure, there are also some haunting and iconic tracks on Man Machine, Computer World and Trans Europe Express. Stuff that maybe has more weight now than it did 40 years ago.

[dt2]

I only really care for the first two & Tone Float. The rest don't really do anything for me.

[Trane]

Busy relistening the two cone-albums: I've got the Crown Records (boots of course, but I have no qualms since Ralf Und Florian had decaddes to rissue those albums). Amusingly enough, the Crown releases tend to obscure the fluo highlighter-Stabylo colours of the traffic cones, as opposed to the Germanofon boots.

I am also on the "first 3" boat. And I don't know if my opinion sounds heretic, but I believe their reputation as incredible innovators is a bit exaggerated. I was just reading Wiki, and they were named there as the most innovative band of them all, along Beatles. Others were working on the same direction too at that time, but somehow Kraftwerk reaped all the harvest. My opinion - which isn't a strong one, more of an attempt to open a discussion - is possibly colored by the godlike status they have in my country, Greece. From people who are completely unawares of names like Faust, Neu, Can - to mention just the obvious suspects.

Yup, Harmonia and Cluster (Zuckerzeit & Sowiesoso) were also treading the very same waters, but Kraftwerk ran away with the laurels.

Looks like the success of Ralf & Florian wasn't going to happen to Dieter (Moebius) and Hans-Joachim (Roedelius), though. Even the help of Rother (Neu!) and Eno didn't help them gain equal status

They are incredible innovators, for the mainstream crowds. That was also my opinion in the early 80s. Being familiar with all things krautrock early enough, I never bought the story... After Autobahn they went the easy listening electronic path (but in more interesting ways than Jean-Michel Jarre or Vangelis f.e.).

They have a godlike status in Greece among the new wave crowds and the generation of listeners that listened to electrowave or minimal synth in the mid-80s. All these people were completely unfamiliar with artists like Neu, Faust, Popol Vuh etc. Only 1-2 Can albums had caught their attention (usually Ege and Landed) but not on a level to start digging a scene that got the stigma of being progressive.

To be fair, of those you cite, only Neu! & Can's minimalist approach are pertinent to Kraftwerk 's all synth success, but both were rocker and not as pure-pop once Autobahn hit the waves in 74.
The others you cite were avant garde, much like early Kraftwerk and Kluster were

I don't find Kraftwerk all that innovative either, although at the time, yeah, maybe. I prefer Tangerine Dream, and something less beat oriented, and no singing unless it's held to a minimum. But I'll give them their due.

Yup, TD got big as well, but their wider successes happened once they integrated sequencers as well.

I guess it was pretty easy to overlook Kraftwerk as kind of sterile and limited back in the 70's. Electrical Roulette and Pineapple Symphony from Rolf and Florian seemed like real high points, but was surprised recently at what came across when re-listening to Autobahn. For sure, there are also some haunting and iconic tracks on Man Machine, Computer World and Trans Europe Express. Stuff that maybe has more weight now than it did 40 years ago.

I guess I'll have to Yoot for R&F, cos I never owned it- I remember being less impressed with it, but it's time for a revisit some 25 years later and almost 50 after original release.

[markwoll]

Kraftwerk's influences are wide reaching

[Trane]

OK now

It looks like I will order (from Greg, most likely) both Tone Float and Ralf & Florian to fit alongside the two cone albums.