Kraftwerk's Greatest Clips

1:25 PM GMT 23/09/2009

GREAT MUSIC, NOT MUCH to look at: that's the great fallacy about Kraftwerk. They may move about slightly less frenetically than Oasis, but their visual imaginations far outstripped those of their contemporaries and set the tone for pop in the '80s and beyond. Here, then, are 15 examples of their visionary oeuvre, selected and annotated by MOJO's Danny Eccleston. Oh, and don't forget to pick up the latest MOJO magazine, for an exclusive interview with Kraftwerk overseer Ralf Hütter...

1. Truckstop Gondolero, 1971

With Neu!'s Rother and Dinger providing motorik undercarriage and Florian looking a bit Village People in a pair of dungarees. And Ralf on sabbatical.

2. French documentary, 1973

A special on Kosmische Music featuring Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, bizarrely introduced from a building site soundtracked by Little Walter. Nice footage between 1.50 and 6.00.

3. Tanzmusic, 1973

Dig the Werk's Open University lecturer chic, Wolfgang's moustache and the earliest evidence we can find of the neon signs.

4. Autobahn, 1975

Tomorrow's World's Raymond Baxter introduces the future of music. Kraftwerk promise jackets with electronic lapels that can be played by touch. Teasers!

5. Radioactivity

Kraftwerk's techno chic grows in sophistication, although the silver-gloved robot hands are a tad more Cyberman than Deep Blue. Still, what a heartbreaking tune.

6. The Robots

WATCH VIDEO

Delightfully camp promo, which sparked LED tie envy in my Middle School. Karl Bartos says he never really loved this look, the madman.

7. Neon Lights, 1978

A song of such melodic perfection that covers by Simple Minds, U2 and, er... Love Tractor cannot besmirch it.

8. Showroom Dummies

Hilariously literal promo for the Trans Europe Express tune. Best bit: "We look around... and change our pose", but is that Florian flicking us the vees?

9. Pocket Calculator, Live in Utrecht 1981

Groinal thrusting from the quartet, mocking the edge-of-stage posturing of guitar rock groups.

10. And lest we forget, from the movie, Breakin'

"Turbo" does his broom dance to Francois Kevorkian's mix of Tour De France. Launched a thousand provincial shopping centre breaking "crews" of dubious skill.

11. The Telephone Call

See, Electric Café wasn't so bad at all. Although some kind of post-apocalyptic techno-meltdown had clearly occurred since Computer Love. Bakelite phones? Circular dialing? Manual typewriters?

12. Kraftwerk documentary, 2001

Flür, Bartos and Stockhausen expound on the weird world of 'Werk. No Ralf or Florian, obviously.

13. Duran Duran - Showroom Dummies, 2007

WATCH VIDEO

Possibly the worst thing you've ever, EVER seen.

14. Robots, live Coachella 2008

Ralf's android pals get funky. Face it, they're slightly more animated than Oasis.

15. And, behind the mask!

Well, sort of...

Posted by Ross_Bennett at 1:25 PM GMT 23/09/2009

Comments

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Hello everybody!

I am very happy to see this collection of electronic musical master pieces. These pioneers truly own their respect as the scene for alternative and electronic music developed.

Share more of this!!!! Let the world know that they have set marks in the ground forever....

Sincerely,
Tom

Posted by Anonymous at 12:02 PM GMT 13/11/2009 Report Abuse

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