Kraftwerk

Yeah, it's 'Talk' from X&Y.

I remember reading somewhere about how Coldplay wrote a long and grovelling letter to Kraftwerk, asking if they could use the melody from 'Computer Love'. Kraftwerk's Ralf's Hutter apparently wrote them a succinct reply: 'Yes.'

It was not a grovelling letter.

They asked nice?

The computer could of said No cough.

Stu.

Oh, and some of this Jon Hopkins number is on a couple of tracks on Coldplay's Viva La Vida album...

...and there's some of Sigur Ros's Takk and some of a Leonard Cohen track on their last album.

Clare, I am glad you found Kraftwek. I found the band a major inspiration when I was growing up. Early albums like Kraftwerk / Kraftwerk 2 / Ralph and Florian/ Radioactivity  and Autobahn were/are mesmerising. The band also designed and made some of thier electronic instruments (as there was no real alternative) .. Again fantastic and something I copied too when a teenager with varing degrees of success (or failure &nbsp  in a few 'bands' making cassettes, singles and fanzines (ahh the days before mp3, Internet and social media).

Kraftwek were a significant influence to the industrial synthetic and / or repetitive  rhythms used in a lot of the early synth band /  new romantic stuff in the UK and electro/hip hop in the US. Truly that band has had a major influence on many current music genres. Genius.

Simon

+1

Some of the most interesting and original sounds from the '70's and early '80's vs some of the most dire and derivative noise of the last few years is no contest.

The live Minimum-Maximum album is just brilliant and the Hot Chip remixes are well worth a listen.

Jono

Always happy to hear someone is enjoying the music of Kraftwerk. They are a fantastic live band too, with a great sense of humour, self depreciation and spectacle.

Clare I hope you enjoy discovering their music, there are quite a few threads on here about them if you have look, and many bands influenced by them, especially the techno scene in the 90's and the electro pop of the 80's.

Their website is great fun too, especially if you navigate to the old version.

+2 and then some

I love Kraftwerk's music; however some of the bands that cite them as an influence are not for me. A keyboard player being able to press one key on a Fairlight is a bit like brown shoes, they don't make it for me. The Synclavier is a different matter though and in the right hands an amazing synth. 

The spin off band from Kraftwerk, Neu! are also excellent. Wallenstein, Ash Ra Temple, and of course, Tangerine Dream made some superb records. 

There are number of superb German electronic bands and if you want to look beyond Germany then T.O.N.T.O Expanding Headband and, our very own, BBC Radiophonic Workshop (led by one of the greatest figures of 20th century music: Delia Derbyshire) produced some magnificent recordings (White Noise: An Electric Storm being a work of undoubted genius in my view) and forget not the Silver Apples or the pioneering  Paul Beaver and Bernie Krause.   

A number of groups successfully mixed electronics with conventional sounds: Barclay James Harvest, the Moody Blues, King Crimson and the wonderful Emerson-Lake-Palmer (although there are some nay-sayers hereon - well each to his own, as long as its not PC), 

All the best, Guy 

If they never put out another tune their output to date will be sufficient to see me out. They have been a mainstay in my collection since the 70s. Often a pointer to where mass popular rubbish will be going 5-10 years into the future. Copied, sampled, imitated but never equaled. More clever than it often sounds on first listen and surprisingly timeless. I just hope they put out some HiRes.

The MIx. A nice and nicely remixed cross section, mostly of their mid era output. Minimum Maximum - excellent concert, excellent live recording. Or you could just shell out for The Catalogue - job done and not a duffer in it. 

Just to second Harry's suggestions 'The Mix' and 'Minimum Maximum' are a brilliant place to start. If you are coming from music from the last couple of decades, then they offer a more modern feel to their songs as well as an overview of their output from 1975 onwards.

Although 'Minimum Maximum' is live, the sound is so clear, and the versions so sharp, there is no loss of quality or performance by getting this live album.

'The Mix' is an interesting album, as the technology had changed so much since many of their albums had been recorded, they decided that rather than releasing a 'best of' album, they would re-record a studio album of how those tracks would sound using current technology (in 1991).

Guido' suggestions are good if you are coming from 60's and 70's music, but if not, the sounds might be a bit alien at first., but they are good choices if that is how you wish to explore their music.

The quality of recording is also something that is likely to appeal to Naim fans, I use several of their albums for demo music.

I do envy you a little, the thought of discovering the music of such a wonderful band for the first time is something to savour.

Have fun.

Two good points above. Coming into Kraftwerk afresh in 2012 is a voyage with very little (if any) disappointment. And sound quality wise it's all good. It's not often you get both together. Prepare to be spoilt.

> Guido' suggestions are good if you are coming from 60's and 70's music, but if not, the sounds might be a bit alien at first ... 

Very fair point - I grew up in 1960/70s so I tend to think of Kraftwerk as a very good band grew up with - at the time the jury at college was out, but I definitely liked them as they were excitingly different - not as accessible as guitar orientated groups like Amon Duul or Can (two very fine bands).

For me Kraftwerk changed (progressed though I think change because it was different rather than drastically better, but certainly very good) from their experimental beginnings to a more commercial sound - I remember buying Man Machine when it first came out and thinking ... hmm The Model sounds like a hit single. It was some years later that happened when I least expected it. You could never identify a potential hit single on the first three albums. Authobahn was a massive hit, of course, and probably a transitional point for the group. 

My favourite Kraftwerk albums are probably Computer World and Trans-Europe-Express - you can listen to lots of Kraftwerk on YouTube and you'll soon pick out the albums you like best. 

If you try some Delia Derbyshire, which pre-dates, much of Kraftwerk then it is different. It is pre-synth electronic music, but I'm sure Delia would have been enamoured by the pocket calculator. Delia created the theme to Doctor Who (although this is officially credited to Ron Gainer, much to his embarrassment and protestations as he didn't feel it was his, but the BBC decided it was better to have a man's name in the credits) - however, that theme is more melodic than most of her output.