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Kraftwerk
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist
Kraftwerk was founded in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. The group began in the experimental German scene that English journalists called krautrock, alongside bands such as Can and Neu!. Where the others still used guitars and drums, Kraftwerk switched to synthesizers, drum machines and the vocoder. In this way the group became one of the roots of almost all electronic pop music.
Music and breakthrough
The breakthrough came with Autobahn (1974). The title track lasts almost 23 minutes and describes a drive along the German motorway, with a Minimoog, electronic rhythms and sounds of engines and tyres. A shortened version of about three and a half minutes became an international hit. Trans-Europe Express (1977), with a rhythm like train wheels on the rails, Die Mensch-Maschine (1978) and Computerwelt (1981) followed. Kraftwerk worked in a studio of its own in Düsseldorf, Kling Klang, and presented itself as a machine: silent behind the equipment, later replaced by robot dummies. Wolfgang Flür and Karl Bartos played the electronic drums. Schneider left in 2008 and died in 2020; Hütter still leads the group.
Influence
The influence ran via New York and Detroit. Afrika Bambaataa played Kraftwerk at his parties in the Bronx and in Planet Rock (1982) used the melody of Trans-Europe Express. The techno pioneers of Detroit heard the group on the radio. In London the New Romantics danced to Kraftwerk, and synth-pop by OMD and Gary Numan built on their sound. David Bowie honoured Schneider with the track V-2 Schneider. In 2021 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Listening
Autobahn · Kraftwerk, 1974Apple Music ↗
Trans-Europe Express · Kraftwerk, 1977Apple Music ↗
Numbers · Kraftwerk, 1981Apple Music ↗
Discography
Studio albums
- 1970Kraftwerk
- 1972Kraftwerk 2
- 1973Ralf & Florian
- 1974Autobahn
- 1975Radio‐Aktivität
- 1977Trans Europa Express
- 1978Die Mensch·Maschine
- 1981Computerwelt
- 1986Electric Cafe
- 2003Tour de France Soundtracks
In School of Rock
The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.
- Mixtape 4: When Rock Was Still PopNL Reader
- Mixtape 6: Fear of a Black PlanetNL Reader
- Mixtape 7: The 1980sNL Reader
- Mixtape 8: Electronic MusicNL Reader
Mentioned in other articles
- Krautrock Genre
and Kraftwerk sought a sound of their own, free of American and British rock; English journalists called it krautrock.
- Electro Genre
Afrika Bambaataa also played Kraftwerk at his parties in the Bronx.
- Kraftwerk and the man-machine Genre
Kraftwerk was founded in Düsseldorf in 1970 and left guitar and drum kit behind for synthesizers, electronic drums and the vocoder.
- Synthpop Genre
Synth-pop is the most poppy branch of new wave: Kraftwerk was the example for Gary Numan, OMD and The Human League, and later for the Pet Shop Boys.
- Detroit techno Genre
In Belleville near Detroit, Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson grew up with the radio show of The Electrifying Mojo, who played Parliament alongside Kraftwerk.
- Vocoder Technology
In the early 1970s, Wendy Carlos used the vocoder in the music of A Clockwork Orange, and Kraftwerk made the sound of the man-machine with it.
- Minimoog Technology
Bernie Worrell played the bass with it in the funk of Parliament, Kraftwerk used it on Autobahn, and Gary Numan brought it into synth-pop.