I didn't mean to turn you on (to Kraftwerk)

Can anyone here help me understand the greatness of Kraftwerk? Apparently they're a huge influence on our lads (and every other techno outfit in existence as well), so this isn't too far off topic, I hope.

Obviously I've heard some of their music, but none of it has really caught my ear. So what am I missing? Please point me to a track or whole album and educate me.

computer world, trans europe express "i program my own computer, beam myself into the future" your silent face is influenced by kraftwerk. they were the first electronic band. karl bartos is on the second electronic album and he used to be in kraftwerk.i could write for days about how they are a MAJOR influence, but help me out fellow new order fans.....

I like New Order for the electronica. IMHO, no-one does electronica better than Kraftwerk. Seeing as some of their stuff is 25 years old, it still sounds as if it was written yesterday.

Autobahn is generally the critics choice, so you could maybe invest in that or The Man Machine for starters. If you don't fancy shelling out, I'm sure I could be persuaded to burn you something.

German guys. one of the earliest techno bands. ian curtis loved them. some of the most primitive robotic sounds i've heard.

My first Kraftwerk discovery was "Electric Café" from 1986 - I fortunately picked the CD of that up at a car boot sale a couple of years ago for only £1.00. Is that a bargain or what??! :D

Get "The Mix" or "Electric Cafe" and if you get the chance to see them live - go!

More difficult to comprehend their importance today, given the dance-saturated music climate. You have to consider the context- what kinds of music were prevalent when they pumped out their earlier stuff (early-mid 70s)? Very little resembled anything like what they were doing. They had to devise their own technology as they went along. They constructed avant garde minimalistic soundscapes, clean, precise sounds with distinct melodies and naff German vocals. Quite a combination.

BTW does anyone else collect Kraftwerk vinyl..? It's like bloody hens' teeth.

:\pimp2:

I'll give Kraftwerk another go. Do I need to feel guilty for liking early OMD better?

Same great electro taste, more nutritious songwriting. Maybe?

I am more Ronco Record Vacuum than Man Machine.

Originally posted by Allen Jarvis Get yerself 'The Mix' - it's all the classics brought up to date by the band themselves (well, it was 'up to date' in about 1990!).

That's what I was gonna say!

I would actually recommend one of the classic albums as a good intro to Kraftwerk, rather than 'The Mix"Cd. I really like the 'The Mix" for what it is, but I think that the original more analog versions of the songs are superior and definitely more historically important. My favorite albums by Kraftwerk are "Computer World" and "Trans Europe Express". "Electric Cafe" is really cool too, though I think that it is a much better album if you add "Tour De France" to it (which is easy to do on your own CDR if you own the album and the single). This track was originally supposed to be the first single from "Techno Pop", the album which was eventually released as "Electric Cafe".

i think radioactivity is the best of their coherent period--its very surreal

Originally posted by false head i think radioactivity is the best of their coherent period--its very surreal

I really like the idea of a band (or an invididual) having a "coherent period." Let me think about this one.