The 90's electro dance act U96 who made prominence in the early 90's with "Das Boot" and other string of hits have united with Wolfgang Flur of the classic Kraftwerk line up to and recorded an album together. Their first single is out now and pretty much "Transhuman" pretty much resurrects the Kraftwerk sound introducing it to the new decade. The album of the same name was released in early September through Radikal record label.
Karl Bartos, the well known one quarter of the classic Kraftwerk line-up has announced the release of his second album 'Off The Record' for March 15th. After leaving Kraftwerk in 1990, Karl Bartos was still involved with electronic music forming Elektric Music, collaborating with OMD and Electronic and recording solo. Ten years ago he released his debut solo album 'Communication' which featured the single "I'm the Message". "Off The Record" will be preceded by a new single "Atomium" which will be released on February 1st 2013.
After New York and Düsseldorf, Kraftwerk have announced eight live performances in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in London. 'KRAFTWERK - THE CATALOGUE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8' is a chronological exploration of the group’s sonic and visual experiments and presents eight classic master works from across their celebrated repertoire with spectacular 3D visualisations and effects.
The shows will kick off on Wednesday 6th February till Thursday 14th February 2013. Tickets go on sale Wednesday 12th December 2012 at 07:30 GMT.
From 11th - 20th January 2013 the Electro Pioneers Kraftwerk will present their complete catalogue at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Düsseldorf. Within the framework of the concert series „Der Katalog – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8“ Kraftwerk will perform at eight nights.
Each night consists of a live performance and 3-D visualization of one of Kraftwerk's studio albums – Autobahn (1974), Radio-Aktivität (1975), Trans Europa Express (1977), Die Mensch-Maschine (1978), Computerwelt (1981), Techno Pop (1986), The Mix (1991) and Tour de France (2003) – in the order of their release.
The program ‘Der Katalog – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8´ at the Kunstsammlung NRW is Kraftwerk’s first performance since 1991 in Düsseldorf. On the occasion of the concert series in Düsseldorf, the photo exhibition KRAFTWERK / ROBOTER / FOTOGRAFIE PETER BOETTCHER will open on 11th January 2013 at the Forum NRW. Furthermore a limited edition of Kraftwerk’s catalogue in a black box will be released: `Der Katalog – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8´ in the German version and digitally remastered.
Official pre-sale for all the concerts will exclusively be operated via kraftwerk.tickets.de.
Kraftwerk will give a series of eight performances, each devoted to one of its albums, as part of a Museum of Modern Art retrospective of the electronic music pioneers in April, museum officials said. The performances during “Kraftwerk-Retrospective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8,” on consecutive evenings starting April 10, will not only feature tracks from one of Kraftwerk’s albums, but also other original compositions intended to showcase the group’s influence on contemporary culture. Projected images, including 3-D ones, will accompany the music. The albums will be performed in chronological order, one each night, starting with “Autobahn” from 1974 and working up through “Tour de France” from 2003.
Kraftwerk have recently played three 3D concerts in Munich which was a small introduction to their 3D video Installation exhibition in the Kunstbau at the Lenbachhaus in Munich. Kraftwerk’s programmed world of images and sounds, an immersive total work of art, will for the first time be experienced outside the concert hall. A multi-channel 3D video installation specially developed for the Kunstbau will make for a worthy presentation of Kraftwerk’s unique and influential position within the history of the fine and the performing arts. The exhibition will be opened from October,15 till November 13, 2011.
The year 1980 was marked by a profound sense of loss with the tragic death of John Lennon in December. The music world mourned the passing of one of its most influential figures, and Lennon's iconic hits like "Woman" and "Imagine" reappeared on the charts as a tribute to his enduring legacy. Roxy Music also paid homage with a cover of "Jealous Guy."
Despite the somber atmosphere, the charts were still lively with the sounds of rising stars like Adam and the Ants, while The Police continued to dominate. Human League made a notable return, emerging from a dark phase and releasing "Don't You Want Me Baby." This, coupled with Soft Cell's "Tainted Love," played a crucial role in defining the emerging genre known as Synth-pop.
Simultaneously, the New Romantic movement began to gain traction, with young artists embracing synthesizers and distinctive fashion choices, including lipstick. A groundbreaking moment in the music industry occurred with the launch of MTV, featuring "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles as its inaugural video. This song became a symbol of the new platform that would reshape the music industry, ushering in a new era of visual storytelling and musical dimension.
"Kraftwerk: Publikation" is a new and major biography of the first-ever all-electronic pop group and one of the most influential bands in popular music history. David Buckley examines the cult enigma that is Kraftwerk, including their beginnings in the avant-garde musical terrain of late-Sixties Germany and their Anglo-American breakthrough with "Autobahn" in 1975, as well as their astonishingly prescient work, which drew the musical template for techno, ambient, dance and all manner of electronic pop.
The inner workings of this most secretive of bands are revealed through interviews with friends and close associates, whilst the story of their incredible impact on modern music is traced up to the present day using interviews with a host of musicians, from original electro pioneers such as Gary Numan, the Human League, OMD and John Foxx, to contemporary acts still in awe of the original Man Machines.
'Kraftwerk: Music Non Stop' is the new book about one of the most influential bands in the history of electronic music. This book is a collection of original essays looks at Kraftwerk - their legacy and influence - from a variety of angles. It was written and edited by Sean Albiez and David Pattie and published by Continuum Books. 'Kraftwerk: Music Non Stop' is also available via amazon.com
Kraftwerk have released the long awaited 8-CD boxset entitled 'The Catalogue'(der Katalog) containing digitally remastered editions of the classic albums 'Autobahn', 'Radio-Activity', 'Trans Europe Express', 'The Man Machine', 'Computer World', 'Techno Pop', 'The Mix' and 'Tour De France'. All albums on this compilation were released from 1974 to 2003, they are digitally remastered, with most of the cover art redesigned, including rare photographs in the liner notes that were not part of each album's original release.
Simple Minds and OMD will appear on stage together for the very first time when they perform Kraftwerk's "Neon Lights" on their forthcoming UK tour which kicks off at the Newcastle Metro Arena on 30th November.
The news follows OMD's recent appearance in the BBC 4 television documentary 'Synth Britannia' that chronicled the rise of electronic and industrial pop music in the mid 70s and early 80s. "Neon Lights," originally released on Kraftwerk's 1978 album "The Man Machine," will be performed together by OMD and Simple Minds during Simple Minds' set on every date of their UK tour. Both bands have previously performed Neon Lights in their own right.
Propaganda was a German New Wave group from Düsseldorf which was formed in 1982. During 1984 and 1985 they released three singles and one album. Beside Kraftwerk, Aplhaville and Nena they are one of the few German New Wave groups that have gained commercial success outside Germany.
Propaganda was formed in Düsseldorf in the early 80’s by a former Krupps member Ralf Dörper. He decided to go on with new musical ventures and left his group. Ralf’s new project also involved new musical partners, Andreas Thein, a part- time DJ and their mutual friend Suzanne Freytag who was recruited as a vocalist. Propaganda was born and as a trio they began recording music. Their first musical venture was the cover of a song “Disziplin” which was originally performed by Throbbing Gristle which also gave them a TV airing. “Disciplin”, tough was never released as a single because Gristle refused to allow it.
Following the whole “Disziplin” project the band took new members, musician and composer Michael Mertnes and 19 year old vocalist Claudia Brücken. The band moved to UK and it was signed to ZTT records label. The new Propaganda line up was marketed as a twisted hellish version of Abba leaving Mertens in the background as the invisible fifth member. "Dr.Mabuse" was released in 1984 and short time after Thein left the group not satisfied with the record company which delayed the release of the Propaganda material.
1985 saw the release of Propaganda’s most successful single “Duel” which reached no 21 in the UK charts as well as the release of their debut album “A Secret Wish”. After their second appearance on ‘The Tube’ things went quiet for Propaganda, Claudia Brücken left the group in 1986 and the remaining members of the group took ZTT to court to release them from their contract.
In 1988 a new Propaganda line up gathered and began recording new material. Alongside Michael Mertens were the new line-up vocalist Betsi Miller, bassist Derek Forbes and drummer Brian McGee. The result was a new contract with Virgin and a new album release. The album ‘1234’was released in 1990 as well as the single “Heaven Give Me Words” which actually sounded more like Wilson Phillips than the old Propaganda material. It did not get much airplay either.
The original line-up of Propaganda met once more in 1998 with a new deal to record a new album which was never released until some songs from the album leaked via file sharing networks. In 2005 Mertens and Freytag resurrected the name Propaganda again while Claudia Brücken teamed up with Paul Humphreys of OMD for the Onetwo musical project.
One of my favorite New wave bands is turning 30 this year. Back in 1978, they had their debut performance at Eric's club in Liverpool. Since then they have had numerous hits at both sides of Atlantic, they were innovative, futuristic, experimental, they have been formed and reformed and in October they celebrate their 30th anniversary. These are the most significant moments and facts in the OMD's musical history.
1. Liverpool
In 2001 the Guinness Book of Records declared Liverpool 'City of Pop' due to the many number one records to have emerged from the city. The most famous band to have come from Liverpool is The Beatles, who played many of their early gigs at the Cavern Club. During the late 70's and early 80's many great bands emerged including OMD who were formed in the second half of the 70's out of the ashes of few local bands who used to experiment with electronic and guitar driven music.
2. German Electronics
The founders of the group Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys both shared their love for early electronic music produced by Kraftwerk and Neu!. These two bands made a great impact on their early records. Even their side project was named after a valve from the diagram on the back cover of Kraftwerk's Radio- Activity album.
3. Eric's Club
Eric's club was a music club in Liverpool which opened in 1976 in a building basement on Mathew Street. It became notable for hosting early performances by many punk and post-punk bands including Elvis Costello, Buzzcocks, The Clash, Joy Division, Ramones, Sex Pistols, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Slits, The Stranglers, Ultravox, Wire, XTC and many other contemporary acts of that time. OMD had their debut performance in this club in October 1978.
4. "Enola Gay"
"Enola Gay" was one of the best selling singles released by OMD in the European countries. It reached number one in France, Portugal and Spain. The song appeared on OMD's second album 'Organisation' which was released for Virgin in 1980. The song also caused some contraversary as it was named after a plane which dropped the first atomic bomb in an act of War on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 to bring an end to the Second World War.The song was also released during a major controversy surrounding then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's decision to allow US nuclear missiles to be stationed in Britain.
5. Artwork
The key figure of the artwork design of OMD's record sleeves was Peter Saville. The legendary cover of the New Order single "Blue Monday" (1983) and for example, the sleeve of the Joy Division album 'Unknown Pleasures' (1979) were to bring the Manchester graphic designer worldwide renown. Using a reduced, Modernist style Peter Saville has made key innovations in the field of visual communications, and in recent times he has had a profound effect on the interplay between art, design and advertising. He created the visual design for all OMD's record releases.
6. The Architecture of Sound
In 1981 OMD released their third album entitled 'Architecture and Morality'. It's considered as the group's landmark album which sold over 3 million copies and reached No.3 in the UK and No.1 in Belgium and Holland. The album is gloomy, synth-driven and it struggles with new techniques in sound. Two of OMD's best selling singles were taken from the album including their most successful single in the UK "Souvenir", the first song to feature Paul Humphreys on vocals, as well as "Maid of Orleans" which was their biggest hit in Germany.
The album was reissued last year in May(2007) and it includes a remastered CD and DVD.
7. OMD's Musique Concrete
1983 saw the release of OMD's fourth album 'Dazzle Ships' whose title and cover art alluded to a painting by vorticist artist Edward Wadsworth based on dazzle camouflage. Dazzle Ships was OMD's musical experiment which took them to a whole new level of musical creation. The album contains sound collages, shortwave radio recordings, the sound effects of ships and submarines, speaking clocks and eastern bloc themes. "Genetic Engineering" and "Telegraph" are the only songs that were released as singles.
The album was reissued on 3rd March 2008. The new release featured remastered tracks, bonus tracks and sleeve notes along with new sleeve art which recreates the original 1983 vinyl sleeve.
8. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Pink
In 1984 OMD released their fifth album 'Junk Culture' which marked their return to a poppier sound. They adopted of a classic verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure again and their songs were returning to the charts in UK and they had their first hits in America. The single "So In Love" entered the American Top 40 establishing the group success in the US. In 1985 the band wrote the song "If You Leave" for the John Hughes movie 'Pretty in Pink'. The song was featured on the soundtrack and was a major hit, notably in the US and Canada where it reached the Top 5.
During 1988 the band appeared poised to consolidate their US success. But despite a support slot at Pasadena Rose Bowl with Depeche Mode, a top 20 US hit with "Dreaming" and a successful "Best of" album, OMD split.
9.The New 90's Line Up
While Humphreys, Cooper, and Holmes left OMD to form The Listening Pool, McCluskey recruited Liverpool musicians Lloyd Massett and Stuart Kershaw and continued under the OMD moniker. Initially successful with hits like "Sailing on the Seven Seas" and "Pandora's Box" from their critically acclaimed 'Sugar Tax' LP in 1991, the new line up would release Liberator (1993), Universal (1996), before splitting up in 1996, due to lack of public interest. After the definite split in 1996 the band members were involved in different music projects including songwriting, management and recording with other bands.
10. Reformation
On January 1 2006, Andy McCluskey announced plans to reform OMD with the McCluskey, Humphreys, Holmes and Cooper line up. The original plan was to tour the album 'Architecture & Morality' and other pre-1983 material, then record a new album.
The band released the remastered 'Architecture and Morality' CD with a DVD featuring the Drury Lane concert from 1981 that had previously been available on VHS and 'Dazzle Ships' album's 25th anniversary was celebrated.
The original line up is currently on tour celebrating 30 years of Orchestral Manoevrues in The Dark.
Electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk will be celebrated in a documentary DVD release this September. As MVD visual has announced the upcoming September second the release date of "Kraftwerk and The Electronic Revolution", a documentary featuring rare performances and photographs, obscure footage, exclusive interviews and more. The film promises to feature rare performances and exclusive interviews. In so doing, it will explore their entire career, with a particular focus on how the Düsseldorf group emerged out of the nascent Krautrock scene and eventually transcended it.
Bonus Materials:
* Special Feature 'The Dusseldorf Scene Vs. The Hamburg Scene'
* Extended Interviews
* Full Contributor Biographies
Propaganda was formed in Düsseldorf in the early 80’s by a former Krupps member Ralf Dörper. He decided to go on with new musical ventures and left his group. Ralf’s new project also involved new musical partners, Andreas Thein, a part- time DJ and their mutual friend Suzanne Freytag who was recruited as a vocalist. Propaganda was born and as a trio they began recording music. Their first musical venture was the cover of a song “Disziplin” which was originally performed by Throbbing Gristle which also gave them a TV airing. “Disciplin”, tough was never released as a single because Gristle refused to allow it.
1985 saw the release of Propaganda’s most successful single “Duel” which reached no 21 in the UK charts as well as the release of their debut album “A Secret Wish”. After their second appearance on ‘The Tube’ things went quiet for Propaganda, Claudia Brücken left the group in 1986 and the remaining members of the group took ZTT to court to release them from their contract.
The original line-up of Propaganda met once more in 1998 with a new deal to record a new album which was never released until some songs from the album leaked via file sharing networks. In 2005 Mertens and Freytag resurrected the name Propaganda again while Claudia Brücken teamed up with Paul Humphreys of OMD for the Onetwo musical project.
