by Mikey (
[email protected]) - The legendary electronica pioneers from Dusseldorf indeed appear as Asimovian robots in disguise to the untrained, pre-1974 eye. But there's more than meets the eye, or rather, the ears. According to Kraftwerk, the future is here, it is now. It has always been now, whether that "now" was in 1974 or 2003. It is the "now" predicted in Autobahn almost 30 years ago by the foreseeing German androids of Krafwerk. But strangely, it all still seems futuristic This is the age of robotics and electronics, yet Kraftwerk's ultra-visionary sound through laptops continues to fascinate. Maybe next time they'll be making music through mobile phones.
Kraftwerk Discography:
10 May 1975 Autobahn, peaked at No.11
28 October 1978 Neon Lights, peaked at No.53
9 May 1981 Pocket Calculator, peaked at No.39
11 July 1981 Computer Love / The Model, peaked at No.1*
20 February 1982 Showroom Dummies, peaked at No.25
6 August 1983 Tour De France, peaked at No.22
1 June 1991 The Robots, peaked at No.20
2 November 1991 Radioactivity, peaked at No.43
23 October 1999 Tour De France (Re-Issue), peaked at No.61
18 March 2000 Expo 2000, peaked at No.27
19 July 2003 Tour De France 2003 (Re-Issue), peaked: Unknown
*The Song Computer Love / The Model was originally released 11 July 1981 and then re-entered the chart in December 1981 which it slowly climbed (as in those days, singles used to climb to reach the No.1 spot) and finally on 6 February 1982 peaked at No.1 this song spent a total of 21 weeks in the Top 75.
Computer Love / The Model was the only Kraftwerk's masterpiece of all of their singles, and at the time, it was the rage.
THE YEAR 1982 - HIGHLIGHT OF KRAFTERK'S FINEST ACHIEVEMENT
The year bared such No.1 classics, Jam - A Town Called Malice, Madness - House Of Fun, Captain Sensible - Happy Talk, Nicole - A Little Peace (Eurovision Winner), Irene Cara - Fame, Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me (my favourite single of the year, without a doubt), Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder - Ebony & Ivory, Adam Ant - Goody Two Shoes and the awful record of the year The Goombay Dance Band - Seven Tears, Tight Fit - The Lion Sleeps Tonight (how cheesy) & many more� The best selling single of the year was Dexy's Midnight Runners with The Emerald Express - Come On Eileen and the Xmas No.1 single Renee & Renato - Save Your Love (how awful, does anyone remember it).
The music at the time was all punk rage, reggae for example the legendary Bill Marley, The Mods - Madness, Sham 69, new romantics, Ultravox, Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, Spandau Ballet, do I need to go on, the list is endless. Nobody cared about single sales back then, but these days to make a hit record producers want a hit or else you are dropped. That was the year that was and some people regard them as classics, and pop songs were non-existent at the time.
