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June 14, 2006
Retrohump Day - Kraftwerk
The influence of Kraftwerk is wide and varied. They made Bowie hole up in a German smack house, writing simple electronic soundscapes for some of his best albums . Inner city kids just heard the serious beat skills, looping them into oblivion in the house party petrie dish from which hip - hop was born. They practically invented techno, though we'll spare them the blame for all of it's dubious off shoots. To this day every time you see a website (names will not be mentioned) championing the mind altering power of guys pretending to be robots laying down a thick groove, Kraftwerk gets a nickel.
The original life changing dance robots in their super stiff prime.
Kraftwerk - "The Robots"
Almost nothing happens in this video, and there's still so much to like.
1: I like how the bots on the outer ends have schronized their sassy hand on the hip posture.
2: It reveals the band extending their influence shadow beyond music, by predating Conan O'Brien's appropriation of Clutch Cargo moving mouth on stationary picture technology.
3: I like how there are long segments given to things like, walking slowly through a doorway.
4: The chorus begs the age old question, if your robot talked to you in a German accent, wouldn't you be scared shitless?
Kraftwerk - "Showroom Dummies"
This one, for the Trans Europe Express song, makes good use of stop motion as well as dynamic lighting and make up. But the real draw comes at the 2:45 mark when the genesis of Mike Myers' old East German impression is quickly explained. Now is the time on Schprockets Ven Ve Dance!
Kraftwerk - "the Model"
Though their main focus is always on the clinical sound of beats and sythesizers, they had it in them to write a pretty decent pop song now and again. This prime example ended up at number one on the British charts. In keeping with the crowd pleasing, the video has a more equitable split of old time-y hot babe to ferret like Germans playing instruments you can't really indentify footage. Like 60 - 40.
As global as Kraftwerk's net of inspiration was, they also had a major impact on the scene in their own Teutonic backyard. I might have some more to say on that topic, later this very afternoon...
Tags: Kraftwerk, Bowie, Techno, Hip Hop
Posted by Jeff Klingman at June 14, 2006 09:15 AM
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