18A: Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is a German band, formed in the city of Dusseldorf in 1970. The literal translation of the band’s name is “power station.” (Question 1 — Can you find Germany on a map or globe?)
Kraftwerk is one of the early pioneers of electronica. They made music with synthesizers, old-school computers, and drum machines. They also used vocoders, which makes the human voice sound like a machine or robot. They had a modern, minimalist sound. (Question 2 — What does “minimalist” mean?)
They called their music “robot pop.” They used simple arrangements and repetitive rhythms, which gave their music an inhuman, machine-like quality. Take a look at their album covers. Does this art match the description of their music?
Now, let’s hear some of their music. Here’s “Das Model.” What do you notice about their expressions? Why do you think they do this?
Kraftwerk was very conscious about their image. They dressed alike onstage, with little movement. The lighting was high-tech. Here’s a video for the song “Roboter.” Note that there aren’t any guitars, horns, or other traditional instruments. And check out those drums! Do you think this sounds futuristic?
The band worked hard to maintain its image, even offstage. They wanted to be mysterious. They rarely gave interviews. In the early 2000s, Chris Martin of the band Coldplay wanted permission to use Kraftwerk’s melody from their song “Computer Love.” His lawyer sent a letter to their lawyer. Several weeks later, Coldplay received an envelope with the band’s reply. The letter contained one word: “yes.”
Here’s another song, from a concert.
It takes a lot of work — and the best technology — for Kraftwerk to pull off a show like that. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how it happens. Check out all these cool computers.
Kraftwerk is still together — they’ve been a band for fifty years! They have influenced a ton of artists over the years — David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Duran Duran, Joy Division. The list goes on and on. Here’s a song by Midnight Star from the 1980s called “Freak-a-Zoid.” It includes a vocoder, computer-generated music, and a machine-like beat.
There are three bonus videos below! But first, here are the answers to the questions:
Answer 1 — Germany is in Europe, northeast of France, just off the North Sea.
Answer 2 — “Minimalism” is an art form established in the 1950s, using simple, uncluttered forms. It’s used in furniture design, paintings, architecture, music, and more.
Okay, here are the bonus videos! First, check out the end of this sketch from the TV show Saturday Night Live. This is totally inspired by Kraftwerk. (Oh, and remember the guy in the funny bonus video from the lesson on Queen? That’s him again!)
Bonus video No. 2: Here’s a compilation of several Kraftwerk songs and 3-D images. It’s only a minute long.
Last bonus video! Want a deep dive into Kraftwerk? Here’s a 15-minute documentary about how they influenced modern electronica. It’s super cool.