  Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 240 Registered: 03-2006 |
Kraftwerk in Detroit- June 1998  (Message edited by Catman_Dude on October 18, 2007) | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1836 Registered: 12-2005 |
perhaps Thursday June 11th, 1998 at 7:30PM? | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 241 Registered: 03-2006 |
Yes, 56packman, right after I posted it I realized the date on the marquee and I quickly edited it. Durn, I wasn't fast enough! lol | ||
Islandman Member Username: Islandman Post Number: 1032 Registered: 08-2004 |
So, what was the question? Kids in the early 80's had dance routines to Numbers. Great to watch. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 6138 Registered: 11-2004 |
I look at my pocket calculator fondly now. It really made me think though... people really did put calculators in their pockets back then, didn't they? | ||
Davetroit Member Username: Davetroit Post Number: 33 Registered: 03-2007 |
That was a great show. Meeting a couple of the guys at Oslo after their most recent appearance a couple years back was awesome. They definately were a strong force of influence on Detroit's Techno and Electro pioneers. Also interesting are the parallels between Detroit and Kraftwerk's hometown of Dusseldorf. | ||
Tigers2005 Member Username: Tigers2005 Post Number: 149 Registered: 02-2005 |
I believe that Derrick May started his DEMF set off with Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" before the hail started a few years back. | ||
Tigers2005 Member Username: Tigers2005 Post Number: 150 Registered: 02-2005 |
Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman has credited Kraftwerk as one of his influences | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1510 Registered: 07-2004 |
They used to mix it up on Detroit radio and play Kraftwerk right after the Fat Boys. Wild times on the radio dial... | ||
Toolbox Member Username: Toolbox Post Number: 1111 Registered: 10-2003 |
Just ask The Electrifying Mojo how Kraftwerk influenced Detroit music. You can also hear a ton of Kraftwerk samples in early Electro too, find some Afrika Bambatta and The Soul Sonic Force and give it a spin. | ||
Dannyv Member Username: Dannyv Post Number: 28 Registered: 08-2007 |
I believe Kraftwerk played the Eastown in 1975 for the Autobahn tour. | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 242 Registered: 03-2006 |
For those who don't know Kraftwerk, here is one of their hits from 1977, "The Robots" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =VXa9tXcMhXQ | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1511 Registered: 07-2004 |
Is there anybody who DOESN'T know about Kraftwerk? Hell, I even heard some guy doing covers of Kraftwerk with an accordion. Try playing "Showroom Dummies" on the squeezebox. It ain't easy. | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 535 Registered: 08-2007 |
I'm surprised Kronos Quartet hasn't recorded a cover album. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4249 Registered: 10-2003 |
Near the top of my Detroit 101 reading list is Dan Sicko's "Techno Rebels" that is ~the~ book on Detroit techno. Kraftwerk's influence is clearly credited. | ||
Islandman Member Username: Islandman Post Number: 1034 Registered: 08-2004 |
Tigers, That was Juan Atkins playing before the hail. There is no other band that had a bigger influence on Detroit techno. | ||
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj Post Number: 407 Registered: 11-2003 |
I attended that Thursday June 11th, 1998 7:30PM Kraftwerk show. I believe that photo is on the Kraftwerk website. You will not see any photos that are noticeably from Chicago, NYC or any other large city in the world. Just a small payback for the respect they have received from Detroit, a subtle tribute in their own quiet way. If I remember correctly, that show was sold out with a great mix of people that never stopped dancing. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3545 Registered: 12-2005 |
I used to play an 8-track tape of Autobahn in my Volkswagen beetle driving down I-75 every day. What a trip. quote: | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1376 Registered: 02-2006 |
I guess you just had to be there at that time. To me, that music sounds like kids playing around on a Casio keyboard. | ||
Jazzstage Member Username: Jazzstage Post Number: 139 Registered: 08-2007 |
Speaking of tribute albums....here is one of my favs: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg .dll?p=amg&sql=10: Artist: Señor Coconut y su Conjunto Album: El Baile Alemán Rating: AMG Pick 4.5 Stars Release Date Jul 4, 2000 Review by John Bush Upon the American arrival of El Baile Alemán, the first record from Señor Coconut Y Su Conjunto, listeners were forced to contemplate the notion that a traditional Latin group from South America had organized a tribute album to Germany's favorite futurists, Kraftwerk. Even given the comparatively close ties between the two regions ever since World War II, it's a ludicrous proposition and turns out to be the work of Frankfurt native Uwe Schmidt, who has recorded his Atom Heart material in Chile since 1997. El Baile Alemán is that rare humor LP that succeeds on its musical merits as well. Beginning with a short vocal intro on which Señor Coconut himself introduces the record with appropriately comic English, El Baile Aleman presents remarkably faithful covers of Kraftwerk classics ("Showroom Dummies," "Trans Europe Express," "The Robots," "Autobahn," "Tour de France") with the stark percussion and effects of the originals replaced by just slightly less rigid Latin rhythm presets. Latin music can be a surprisingly precise genre of music, and Schmidt walks the verge between Latin and techno with a special genius that would be practically impossible for other electronic producers. Far more than just a novelty record (though many will see it that way), El Baile Alemán accomplishes an excellent Latin-electronic fusion. | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 204 Registered: 05-2006 |
Focusonthed, it is true that Kraftwerk is an acquired taste, but many people in the hip hop community give them MAJOR props. They are true innovators of electronic music. The interesting thing about the group that many people do not know is that they used to customize the equipment that was currently available, or better still, invent their own musical instruments. These guys were so WAY ahead of the curve. I saw them in 1981-2 when they played at Uncle Sam's. I think that was the name of it. Yellow flourescent lights came on and the music started, and you saw these four guys standing behind this huge bank of electronic gear. Then, the REAL four guys came out on stage and you realized that the ones you thought were the band were actually robots. EFFING incredible. eech nee sahn shee | ||
Civilprotectionunit4346 Member Username: Civilprotectionunit4346 Post Number: 547 Registered: 06-2007 |
Kraftwerk is good...Im more into the industrial scene now...Assemblage 23, Apoptygma Berzerk, VNV Nation.... | ||
Iaintgotnostyle Member Username: Iaintgotnostyle Post Number: 47 Registered: 10-2007 |
Kraftwerk were very innovative and changed the entire 80's scene. They most likely influenced Thomas Dolby, Herbie Hancock and the guy that did that song "19" I think it was Paul Hardcastle. Not too mention the hip hop bands iof the era. I still love'em | ||
Krawlspace Member Username: Krawlspace Post Number: 329 Registered: 04-2004 |
My introduction to Kraftwerk came from Mojo's constant spinning of Tour de France ca. 1983. I was lucky enough to attend their last two shows at the State. Saving up some $ to drop on the two DVD live set. Yummy. In case anyone might be interested, there is an internet radio service called Live365 which has an all Kraftwerk all the time station. The free service has commercials, which is a bother, the paid version has no interruptions for $7 a month. I pay it just for this one station. I'm actually listening right now. Check it out: http://www.live365.com/station s/kraftwerknonstop MUSIC NON STOP | ||
Krawlspace Member Username: Krawlspace Post Number: 330 Registered: 04-2004 |
Oakmangirl & Jazzstage: Another "kind of" cover album that is really interesting is by The Balanescu Quartet, and is done in classical style. To hear a cello play the back beat to "Robots" is amazing. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll ?p=amg&sql=10:dpfwxqwgldte Review by Jason Ankeny Although there are three original compositions, including the title track, featured here, the majority of Possessed is made up of string quartet remakes of Kraftwerk songs. Given that the precision of the German electronic band's songs bear no small resemblance to Baroque classicism, the Balanescu Quartet needs to do little to make their covers work than to play them straight. | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 537 Registered: 08-2007 |
Jazzstage, that album cover is truly frightening. I'd love to hear a "lighter" cover by Kid Creole & the Coconuts, and a serious bossa nova style (if possible). Krawlspace, I've heard Balanescu but not the Kraftwerk tribute; you're right about the Baroque classicism though I hadn't thought of it before. Thanks, both, for the leads. | ||
The_ed Member Username: The_ed Post Number: 205 Registered: 10-2007 |
"Jazzstage, that album cover is truly frightening. I'd love to hear a "lighter" cover by Kid Creole & the Coconuts, and a serious bossa nova style (if possible)." I really like Kid Creole & the Coconuts He has a very interesting background | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 538 Registered: 08-2007 |
Kid Creole...what a sense of humor. He covered a Barry Manilow tune; I'm assuming "Copa Cabana"? | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1515 Registered: 07-2004 |
Endicott! | ||
The_ed Member Username: The_ed Post Number: 218 Registered: 10-2007 |
Endicott! My all time favorite Kid Creole tune He's a great lyricist | ||
Macknwarren Member Username: Macknwarren Post Number: 2 Registered: 10-2007 |
The early '80s Kraftwerk concert was indeed at Uncle Sam's, in the mini mall in the northeast corner of I-96 and Telegraph. I think the club later became La Chambre strip club. Great show. The audience was thunderstruck. | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 539 Registered: 08-2007 |
Endicott is fantastic, though a little obvious. For some reason, it reminds me of J. Alfred Prufrock. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1522 Registered: 07-2004 |
Yeah, maybe. But they were snazzy. I loved the video for their clothes! They dressed like what I imagined a "house band" for Joe Porter's Menswear would. | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 541 Registered: 08-2007 |
I'm sure they all sported Stacy Adams too! | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1523 Registered: 07-2004 |
Haha. I bet.  "Does that come in wintergreen?" | ||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 5069 Registered: 10-2003 |
When I think of German electronic music I think of Sprockets from Saturday night Live. | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 245 Registered: 03-2006 |
Wikipedia: "The [Sprockets] theme song for the sketch as heard on SNL is Kraftwerk's 1986 song Electric Café. The track was sped up by playing the 33 1/3 rpm album at 45 rpm, then it was remixed." "Karl-Heinz, you are beautiful and angular; and if you were a gas, you'd be inert"- Sprocket's Dieter | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3561 Registered: 12-2005 |
Sprockets | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 4319 Registered: 10-2003 |
"My introduction to Kraftwerk came from Mojo's constant spinning of Tour de France ca. 1983." There you have it. Mojo played Kraftwerk and other cutting edge music on his show, exposing it to the masses, influencing a handful of people who went on to form the nucleus of Detroit Techno... | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 6153 Registered: 11-2004 |
Barnesfoto- it really speaks of a wonderful era when we speak of Mojo, the MFA and his Mothership. Those were the days when we actually admired and respected a guy with broad musical knowledge to bring some of that expertise to the radio listening masses. Now it's all corporate radio where a band like Kraftwerk wouldn't even get a sniff at commercial radio. It really makes me wonder where our next generation of musicians will get their influences from. | ||
Crash_nyc Member Username: Crash_nyc Post Number: 1038 Registered: 08-2004 |
Barnes & Smog: ALL HAIL THE MFA! Blinkin' headlights atcha// One of the coolest moments in a music doc film ever, from "Better Living Through Circuitry", the best electronic music doc in existance: Kraftwerk's Wolfgang Flur describing their nucleus, stemming from a moment when he was playing with a small, rudimentary electronic box (what could be a considered a pre-cursor to the modern drum machine), and how the sounds that came out of it inspired him, and ultimately formed the core for Kraftwerk's trademark sound. As a huge fan of electronic music, I gotta say BLTC is a solid and well-crafted doc -- nearly brought a tear to my eye the first time I saw it. Definitely worth checking out. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0207998/  | ||
Tigers2005 Member Username: Tigers2005 Post Number: 151 Registered: 02-2005 |
I'm listening to "Computer Love" right now, which was ripped off by Coldplay on their track "Talk". I haven't checked if they gave Kraftwerk any credit, but it sounds an awful lot like Computer Love | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 4323 Registered: 10-2003 |
"Now it's all corporate radio where a band like Kraftwerk wouldn't even get a sniff at commercial radio." Yes and no...We were lucky to live in an era of local radio, when a few visionaries like Mojo could play whatever they wanted at night. But most radio already sucked in the early eighties...Fortunately we who grew up in Detroit could listen to CBC at night, and if you lived downtown, there was CJAM (which is still broadcasting but is filled with boring special interest talking heads)... Then there was WDET, which had all kinds of amazing shows in the evenings and wee hours. Of course today, there are far fewer innovative radio programs on, as Clear Channel takes over the airwaves,(Anybody remember the early days of WLLZ and their canned "more rock and less talk" format? They were 25 years ahead of their time!) but we have internet access, which means that I can listen to an obscure community college radio station that broadcasts from new jersey as I sit and sip my coffee in Los Angeles. | ||
Krawlspace Member Username: Krawlspace Post Number: 331 Registered: 04-2004 |
It is indeed Computer Love, and Kraftwerk do get props in the liner notes and on the bands web site. I picked that up right away too and wanted to see if Coldplay gave them the nod... | ||
Islandman Member Username: Islandman Post Number: 1042 Registered: 08-2004 |
BLTC looks mighty interesting Crash. Another good doc is with Bob Moog: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt03 78378/ | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3564 Registered: 12-2005 |
Youtube's kraftwerk- autobahn. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3565 Registered: 12-2005 |
Here's another one: Kraftwerk - Autobahn. From where did this video come? I recall seeing it long before internet so I think it may have been on broadcast TV, but where? | ||
Crash_nyc Member Username: Crash_nyc Post Number: 1039 Registered: 08-2004 |
Islandman: Another good doc is with Bob Moog I watched it a few months ago, I think on IFC or Sundance. GREAT doc! Side note: I noticed your mention that you were at DEMF 2001, when an electric hail storm closed the festival prematurely, just as Juan Atkins was delving into his headlining set. Scary moment for my then-girlfriend and I (she was a techno DJ in NYC and we flew in for the event). When the hail started coming down, we were caught in a crowd-crush of people trying to run for shelter in one of the lower-level exits within the Hart Plaza bowl. I remember about 5 minutes of near-panic, during which there were hundreds of people in front of us yelling to "back up! stop pushing! back up!", while there were thousands behind us, with one-track minds to find shelter from the hail through the bottle-necked exit, oblivious to the fact that there was no room left for anyone in there. For a few moments, the crush of bodies was so tight against us that we were constricted, couldn't get a breath in, and were literally suffocating. I had flashes of news headlines going through my head of people who had died in crowd-crushes at European soccer matches... Thankfully, people came to their senses a few moments later, and the crush let up a bit. It was still a nightmare getting out of Hart Plaza, and we were soaked through our underwear, but we came out OK. We were so soaked that we couldn't even think about going to a club, so we "dried out" in Greektown 'til 2am, barefoot, with our socks hanging off the bottoms of our bar stools. Things could have much worse, and we're thankful that no one was seriously hurt in Hart Plaza that evening. I'm still bummed-out to this day that Juan was forced to cut-short what might have been one of the most legendary sets in the history of Techno. | ||
Islandman Member Username: Islandman Post Number: 1043 Registered: 08-2004 |
Crash, That was a crazy day. I was actually living in NYC at that time and flew in too. I took my friend Adam X (a techno DJ from Brooklyn) to check out St. Cyril church on the east side. We were on the roof when the sky turned purple and green and we saw that storm coming from the east. We took off and headed downtown to check out Juan's set; we arrived just in time for the hail to start coming down, but luckily hadn't entered Hart Plaza yet. That was a mess! I have a feeling we may have many friends in common. | ||
Jazzstage Member Username: Jazzstage Post Number: 141 Registered: 08-2007 |
Mojo and Cjam weren't the only good game in town in the 80's. We also had Brave New Waves with Brent Bamberry (spelling?). Mike Halloran bounced around a few stations until he left for California. Don't forget how amazing WDET used to be. Besides the unbelievable jazz programing (props to people like Jim Gallert, Nkenge Zola, W. Kim Heron), there was also Ralph Valdez and Martin Bandykes program together. Was it called Radio's in Motion? Dave Dixon and so many more played music worth hearing. Plus the club scene was eally going on at the time. Todds, Bookies, The Alcove, The City Club and the early Majestic shows all contributed to the sounds. Kraftwerk was great and often cited as an influence to techno but so much more was involved. | ||
Islandman Member Username: Islandman Post Number: 1044 Registered: 08-2004 |
Jazz, I would equate BNW with Mojo, IMHO. I used to have to turn my radio upside down to get BNW from my house in the Northwest side. It was the first place I heard Depeche Mode, still one of my favorite bands. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 6170 Registered: 11-2004 |
Let's not forget WLBS there for a little while. It's where Mike Halloran really sank in and made a mark. | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 208 Registered: 05-2006 |
^^All were trying to rip off the Electrifying Mojo, Detroit's only REAL Mojo!••••• BTW, Krawlspace, the 2-disc live set is incredible IF you are a fan. It looks as though everything is sequenced and they just stand their looking like they're either surfing the web, or they're faking it. I'm not an electronics wiz, but it sure looks (and sounds) like it to me. | ||
Spaceboykelly Member Username: Spaceboykelly Post Number: 254 Registered: 04-2005 |
Hey, lovers of Kraftwerk + Detroit techno/house/electro please check out this halloween party I'll be DJing at: flyer: http://i18.photobucket.com/alb ums/b112/spaceboykelly/hallowe enflyer.jpg myspace: http://www.myspace.com/out_man _odd BTW, I missed that Kraftwerk show because I was a kid who lived in Saginaw and my mom wouldn't let me tag along with older friends. | ||
Hamtragedy Member Username: Hamtragedy Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2007 |
As a teenager in the DPS, a freind loaned me his tape of Computer World. Mojo wasn't the only WGPR dj playing, but the rest of the staff was too. I'm still convinced that the second break on track 6 (Home Computer) of that album was the best break that never had to be mixed out, and it led directly into "More Fun To Compute", of which the first 24 measures got played by everyone from the Wizard to Marvelous Marv. The aliens had landed, not just the mother ship, and all you had to do was listen to Cybotron (Magic Juan) and later his teamwork with Derrick May on "Nightdrive" (Time Space Transmat), which I believe was the B side of No UFOs. | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 209 Registered: 05-2006 |
And if "Technicolor" is not directly influenced by Kraftwerk, I don't know what is. About the time Detroit was pushing Techno, Chicago started with House, and Techno got lost in the maze of beats that followed... BTW, anyone know whatever happened to Marvelous Marv? I worked with him from '86 - '88. | ||
Hamtragedy Member Username: Hamtragedy Post Number: 4 Registered: 10-2007 |
Back in those days we never really knew what to call it. Most of us called it "prep music" becuz all the preppy snobby kids from sherwood or Uniuverslty district seemed to have a corner on it. We also it "progressive", but that moniker may have been more directed at the WLBS influence, which one could hear in the Renaissance High Lunch room @ 83-84. Same group of kids controlled the radio. Eventually DJ services like Direkt Drive (mike Clark?) and other djs like ray berry or james wells from Redford took the parties into peoples basements - house parties- to more of the masses without the damn preppies. I remember one summer maybe 82 83 all you could here from all the Young Boys cars was Cybotron, (allelys of your mind or Clear). Once Cybotron was on "The Scene" I don't think the name techno came into play untill 87 or even 88 & was named after Kraftwerk's "Techno-pop) |
