Kraftwerk are so influential! The much shorter single version of Autobahn was quite popular in the mid 70's and beyond! If I was to pick a favorite album by them it would be 1977's The Man Machine, with favorite cuts being the title cut and The Robots. 👌👌 Hey, if you could do me a favor in your spare time 😅 please give my channel a look if you can please? 🙏 You might find something you like since my content (over 650 videos now!) is mainly synthesizer related, either short to long gear tests, demos, and some "artsy" music videos. It's not synth-pop though, I lean towards ambient, space rock, prog rock, Berlin School, experimental stuff. I have several "shorts" which might be the quickest way to sample my content? If you dig it a "like" or two and a subscribe would be very much appreciated! 🤗 (yes, from all who read this 😁) OK, self promotion over! 🤭
@@JohnLRiceThank you John!I thought i was the only one in the world that adored 'Man Machine" album.Such a perfect production.Still sounds so fresh and "detaged"
Such beautiful music to describe motorway travelling, but so musically descriptive of the subject matter. A huge leap forward for popular (and of course, electronic) music in 1974. The years have perhaps softened just how amazing and innovative this music was in 1974, but testament to Kraftwerk that half a century later the music still sounds fresh and innovative.
"Wir fahr'n, fahr'n, fahr'n auf der Autobahn..." This apparently and deceptively simple song was one of the greatest landmarks in musical history. Brandon, you have no idea of the historic monument you've just listened to. And though it certainly wasn't intentional, a song about driving on high-speed roads ended up becoming highly symbolic of what happened afterwards, because it opened up a whole new road for popular music everywhere (I said "popular", not "pop", because even very culturally specific local music genres from just about every country and culture in the world eventually got influenced by it). Kraftwerk didn't invent electronic music, of course. As soon as electricity was discovered in the 18th century, there were already people experimenting with that in music. The theremin was invented in the 1920s, and by the 1950s Stockhausen was experimenting with electronics. By the late 1960s there was the seminal work of Wendy Carlos (well, her gender transition was still kept secret from the public at that time, so she was still known as Walter Carlos) with her "Switched-On" series, but she was still just transposing classical music to electronic instruments and seeing what it sounded like. (Not that she isn't a highly accomplished musician and scholar, in addition to being a complete polymath. I highly recommend exploring her personal Web site, wendycarlos.com, all still in vintage 1990s pure HTML design - you can get lost in it for HOURS enjoying every page!) But all that sounded very experimental, it was often boring or unpleasant to listen, and didn't attract much more than niche attention. Also, Kraftwerk itself had made three albums before "Autobahn", and other German "kraut rock" bands such as Tangerine Dream had been making electronic music at the same time. And of course Yes, The Who, Genesis, etc., all used moogs, electric organs, and other electronic instruments, but they all used them as just that - other instruments among many. It was Kraftwerk and specifically their work with the delightful and very successful "Autobahn" that brought electronic music to the mainstream, showed its possibilities, created a new musical language for it, and made it all delightful to listen. It was Kraftwerk that taught the world how to make music with electrons. The importance of this can't be understated. They not only opened a new path for music, they delivered it completely formed and paved, ready for high-speed driving as in a real Autobahn, created the rules for driving in it, and made the world aware of its existence in the first place. And the whole musical world has been riding on that path ever since. You can't turn on the radio or go to a dance club without listening to Kraftwerk's work assimilated by other artists. It is often said that the only other band that's as influential as Kraftwerk is The Beatles - and it's absolutely true, even though the general public may not be aware of it. And mind you, for years they were a small band with little money. You couldn't order a synth on Amazon back then. Synths were usually custom-made and could cost tens of thousands of dollars (which would be hundreds of thousands today, adjusted for inflation). Kraftwerk couldn't afford them. So, in the beginning they used to build their own analog synthesizers by hand out of cheap amateur electronics kits, the kind that you mail-ordered or even bought at newsstands. That often involved vacuum tubes, as transistors weren't all that common, and digital microprocessors hadn't been even invented yet. So, although they already used at least a Minimoog in "Autobahn", be careful when referring to their synths as "keyboards". Some of them might have been played through rotary dials and such... And they still revolutionized music with that! My recommendation is for you to proceed with "Trans Europe Express", their most commercially successful album and a masterpiece of its own. The title refers to a class of trains that offered greater comfort and higher speeds (with more expensive fares as well) between major European cities with few or no stops. It has now become obsolete and been retired due to the appearance of true high-speed trains like the French TGV and the German ICE, but TEE was a big thing in the 1970s and '80s. Within that album, my first recommendation is "Europe Endless", followed by the title song, then "The Hall of Mirrors" and "Franz Schubert", but the whole album is a masterpiece. It also has a lot of the mix of cynicism, wry humor, and ironical faked innocence that's the trademark of Kraftwerk's mood. THE biggest Kraftwerk masterpiece, however, is usually considered to be "Radio Activity". If "Autobahn" can be considered the first demo of mainstream electronic pop, and "TEE" an excellent example of a highly successful implementation, "Radio Activity" is the complete, detailed technical instructions manual. Its an album that sounds as if it was made for musicians and requires at least a trained ear and some cultural perspective to understand how it completely outlines, explores, and details the techniques and the musical language that are still used TODAY. Needless to say, it's an AWESOME album, but it does require a trained ear and is best appreciated after you're already familiar with Kraftwerk's work. I would never recommend it as a first listen. "Antenna" and the title song are good starting suggestions from this album (both are short and would make an excellent double reaction). On a side note... erm... I've studied some German (not to the level of total fluency, though), and although theoretically it belongs to the same language family as English (Germans can understand a bit of old medieval English, modern English speakers can't - there are videos of this experiment on TH-cam), the pronunciation is very different and highly incompatible. The letter "W" in German is ALWAYS pronounced like a "V" (and their letter "V" is always pronounced like an "F"), and the language completely lacks the English sound represented as "W" (which is why that's the telltale feature of a German accent in English). So, the name of the band is pronounced as something like "KRRAFT-vay-ahrrk", where "RR" is a guttural "R" and the last two syllables are joined and pronounced very quickly as if one. "Volkswagen" is pronounced "FAWLKS-vah-ghen".
Another legendary YT comment! Glad you found this one early. It definitely was a great place to start with Kraftwerk. Of course you captured their contribution to the music world in words perfectly. Thanks for all the additional info. Thanks for restating your recommendations. Very curious to see how big a part lyrics are in their music. I will check out Wendy's site. Enjoy the rest of the day 😊
@@retroreactions.... , glad you liked it. I forgot to mention for you to include "Geiger Counter" when you listen to the "Radio Activity" song. "Geiger Counter" is only one minute long and transitions into the title song, Alan Parsons-like, and it showcases how Kraftwerk could make a meta-album like this, an album of electronic music about the very electromagnetic phenomena that make it possible. Guess what they used to record "Geiger Counter"? An actual Geiger counter! I have no idea of what they used as the radiation source, though, because there clearly was one.
To make a slight addition as a german - our language is indeed sometimes a bit... well... special, lets say 😀 And we have to accept that pronounciations often are in every language a bit special and in some details hard to compare with pronounciations of other languages. "Volkswagen" in the beginning has a rather short "o" like in "hope" although the "o" in hope is pronounced slightly different. And yes - the "r" in Kraftwerk is a typical harsh german "r". This "r" is a such a great thing to have in your language 😇 Anyway - I write here cause I first wanted to make an own short comment about "fahr'n" which is a nice coincident that it sounds very close to "fun". "Fahr'n" is the colloquially form of "fahren" which just means "drive" (a car). And the german Autobahn was already in the early 70s a special "thing" in Germany. Although many german didnt quite know the song... the phrase "fahrn, fahrn, fahrn auf der Autobahn" almost every german knew in the 70s/80s. Thanks a lot for your reaction. Wish you all the best.
OMG! Thank you so much for covering Kraftwerk! While this wasn't the first album, but it was the first popular one, that kicked off a great career that is still going strong (new line up of course - RIP Florian)
Good morning haha (well here). Yes, easy to get lost in this one. Very excited to see what else they brought to the electronic table (I'm seeing everything like Tron today haha)
It's a truly original work for sure. The main theme is one that just makes you happy. The middle section from about 10 or 11 minutes definitely conveys a night time driving experience. The main theme is one that just makes you happy.
Krafterk's Autobahn was one of my first electronic purchases in my high school days back in the 1970s. I loved the "spacy" sounds of the synths and how much the song musically captured the sounds of driving on a highway without a care in the world. Particularly the slower, final movement, which, to me, reminds me of a sunset excursion. Truly a masterpiece. You said that you've heard lots of electronic compositions on your channel. I remember in high school, I didn't have a "favorite" band, and I spent many months trying to decide what I liked musically. Eventually, I discovered ELP and Rick Wakeman, and I told a classmate that I finally realized that I liked synthesizers and keyboards. My friend said that if I was so interested in synthsizers, I should check out a band called Tangerine Dream. He said the only non-keyboard instrument they play is the guitar. "Really?" I asked. "Not even drums?" He said, "Nope." I was especially intrigued because a new record store had opened up a few weeks before, and there in one of the racks was a beautiful, blue-green album labeled Tangerine Dream with the title "Rubycon." That's all. No song titles, no band personnel, just the band name and album title. I was hesitant to buy the record, as it was a couple of dollars more expensive than American albums. (This one was from Germany.) But my friend's description of their music was too tempting to ignore, so I bought it. When those sequencers kicked in at about the six-minute mark, I knew I had something unique. The band created a sonic landscape that was at once alluring and thrilling. If you ever want to experience another German synth band that demonstrates the full capabilities of the synthesizer like Kraftwerk, but in a completely different manner, this is one to consider. In any event, your musical trip down the Autobahn was wonderful to hear. Looking forward to more. Take care, my friend.
Kraftwerk, and this masterpiece in particular, has been among my favorites since I first heard this song on the radio late one night back in the mid 70s. I haven't yet watched this reaction but I'll definitely set the proper time aside later today to enjoy it with you. I hope you further explore their catalog as it's rich with both unique and influential music.
Hi there. Rock Class over here. Now that you are diving into german music, do not miss Popol Vuh. Something different you've been listening so far. Have a nice trip. Big hug and 100 blessings from this old grandpa, proud of his children of today, eager to dare to learn new tunes. Hasta la vista, kid.
Nice reaction Brandon. I've loved this song since the 70's. You have to check out their Computer World album too. It would be nice to listen to one side at a time as the tunes just flow together. Thanks man. Rock on.
Another all-time fave here, great pick, this doesn't tire after countless listens over half a century, it hypnotises me every time. Another one that always conjures up blue skies and bright sunshine... hot cars... more sunshine... it achieves what it sets out to do, perfectly, wonderful listen, thanks.
As you say it's a small pocket, motorway driving, but something we all know, it's universal, it doesn't matter which autobahn, highway, interstate, motorway, whatever it's called, at 70 mph it all looks the same, and it's so hypnotic. It works because it is so repetitive and monotonous while still changing colours over time and adding flashes and whizzes, and the length is all part of that, once you commit to the autobahn you're on for a long stretch. Kraftwerk had a No 1 in the UK a few years later, The Model, much more of a pop hit obviously, worth a listen.
Thanks! Hypnotizing for sure. Loved the "sunny drive" sections, but speeding in the night with electric lights streaming by was the favorite image that my mind conjured up 😊 You're welcome and thanks so much for stopping by Sophia..
If you ever get a chance to see Kraftwerk live, I saw them 3 years ago, it is one of the greatest sonic and visual experiences EVER!!! You will now and forever be a Kraftwerk fan. Thanks for this one Brandon
One of two songs that really got me into Electronic Music and synthesizers (the other being Stratsofear by Tangerine Dream). My favorite part is in the last section where it has the highest line, just the lead synth and the drums. Just a shot single line, but it always gives me the shivers.
Wir fahren fahren auf der Autobahn🎼😎 always melodious, sounds so vintage electronics but very slow in the past, they were for runners of electronic pop and industrial music (and Depeche Mode! 😅) I heard the short version before. There is obviously more happening here 😉 in these years I were trying the German krautrock music, Tangerine Dream and also Klaus Schulze, other masters at the synthesizer but more experimental. A lot of vocoder in Kraftwerk as usual, they were always heavy with that new comer effect. A old masterpiece that can put you into traffic Jam trance 😉
I heard some DM in here for sure! Glad you got to hear the long version today. Ah yes, still need to get to Tangerine and Schulze on the channel. I think Kraftwerk was the original Daft Punk!! Thanks bud
@@retroreactions.... Synth bass were sequenced, Kraftwerk were among the first to create simple loops with Synth after Pink Floyd "On the run" on DSOM 1973, Tangerine Dream on "Phaedra" and Klaus Schulze on "Totem" picture music in the same years. Next Kraftwerk albums will be more easy to listen, more concentred pieces on "Radioactivity" or "Trans-Europe express" but for me best albums were "Mensch Machine" and "Computer Welt" you can have German or English versions. 😎💻
Without Kraftwerk no Electro Pop no Techno no Rave no Synthesizer Pop - they are one of the most influencial bands in music history even more than the Beatles th-cam.com/video/1651r_oqy48/w-d-xo.html the only German band who is inducted in the Rock´n Roll Hall of Fame
Seeing them live has been an amazing experience. Especially when they improvise the in-between sections of this along with wonderful visuals of the VW campervan speeding along the Autobahn. You might have to check out Computer Love. Thanks as always
i used to dance in the same club ´RATINGER HOF ´; where the 2 main characters, Ralph + Florian of KRAFTWERK, hung up at the bar, at the weekend ... back then we boys and girls of the infantry were not at all aware , how great amd influencial our genius - contemporaries , sitting right next to us , really were ...
Kraftwerk with lunch?! Why not... As good a place as any to start with Kraftwerk. Autobahn is considered by many observers/critics to be their best work. " The Robots " and " Radioactivity " are excellent too. Forgot about that little bit of electric piano sprinkled in, superb You just wonder how many 80s synth-pop bands(and maybe Devo) were somehow inspired by this artist
Good combo! Added your votes for the 2. Countless bands, big and small, were surely inspired by Kraftwerk. Great to finally discover them, 48 years too late 😌
i'm glad you choose the one and only original version. cool reaction. early kraftwerk goes under the umbrella 'krautrock'. you should check out more krautrock, like 'cluster', 'neu!', 'tangerine dream' and 'can'.
I vaguely remember a butchered ‘single’ version of this was released in Canada. As Disco dominated the airwaves only CFNY Toronto would play Kraftwerk, the ‘underground’ station of the time. It’s hard to express how fresh and innovative this was. Trans-Europe Express, Radioactivity, The Robots still live in my milk-crate. Smoke one, spin one and dance a slow groove. Depeche Mode, Magazine, Orchestral Maneuvres in the Dark, Japan, so many more - were Kraftwerk’s children. The children were called New Wave and they burst forth into the 80s. Disco died.
I must say that part of the appeal of KW has been their stage performances which have evolved over the decades to embrace the latest technologies. If I may recommend another song with a video (to get the full effects): The Robots (I recommend "Minimum Maximum" version since it has both Ralf and Florian).
Much fondness because it was the first album I heard while stoned on marijuana. And was watching a TV show featuring motocross races so I had great additional visuals.
This odd piece had a short run on FM radio, but I never forgot it. Why, I don't know. Maybe because it's so unusual. I've never gone out of my way to play it, I admit. But I always seem to enjoy it when it did pop up.
Forgot How Much I loved this. Thanks. Reminds me I used to listen to Tomita's The Planets around the same time this showed up at the record stores. It is amazing the prog elements in the harmonies and how the themes are structured to come and go and reprise. Maybe its the opposite, tho, maybe prog artists took a lot of inspiration from this. I would recommend some Brainticket after this.
Happy Birthday Renee!! 🥳 🎂 🎈 I hope you are having a beautiful day. I knew you loved this band 😊 So much more to explore from them. Thanks again for the immeasurable amount of support, joy and light you have brought to me and this channel 💙 And thanks for being first!! 🥇
@3:56 A inguistic quirk. When you sang "wir fahren auf die Autobahn", using the accusative case, that means "we're driving ONTO the Autobahn". Kraftwerk's version is "... auf der Aurobahn", in dative, and means "we're dring ON the Autobahn". And while "wir fahren auf der Autobahn" can be translated as "we drive on the A.", I would say that the conext is better in the present progressive tense: We're drivING on the A." After Autobahn most, if not all, Kraftwerk's albums come in two version: one German for the German-speaking market and one in English for the rest of the world. To me, being a non-native speaker of both languages, the German ones still "flow" better than the Englsih ones. Melodically they're almost always identical - with at least one exception: Das Model has an extra (jokikng) effect as compared to The Model [on the Man Machine/Mensch Maschine album].
In this musical genre, 1978 was a great year: JEFF WAYNE releases his masterful 'Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds', JEAN-MICHEL JARRE released his major album 'Equinoxe' and KRAFTWERK, their monumental 'The Man-Machine'. Thanks.
Ahh, "Equinoxe"... So hypnotic! Tweet-tweet... Tweet-tweet-twoot-twoot... Tweet-tweet-twoot-twoot-twaat-twaat... Tweettweettwoottwoottwaattwaat... Tweettweettwoottwoottwaattwaattweettweettwoottwoottwaattwaattweettweettwoottwoottwaattwaat... Still gets me every time. But it's "Magnetic Fields"/"Les Chants Magnétiques" that I still use to test all new headphones today (along with Jon and Vangelis' "I Hear You Now").
Nice, have to hear more from them too. Ever hear bout Tangerine Dream? Another german Electronic music, ambient with a touch of prog, must hear definitelly, all of their albums are great.
They built and developed the electronic drums and other equipment themselves. The instruments didn’t exist at the time. Think about it. It was a homemade laboratory in parts. Kling-Klang Studio. No-one had even heard of video games or music like this. It was 1974, 50 years ago and it still sounds so great. Pioneers is a small word. th-cam.com/video/ZwQyUVqtIW8/w-d-xo.html
Hans Bathelt (their AWESOME drummer, one of the most criminally underrated drummers in rock history IMO) was at his best in "Spartacus". But I recommended Brandon to start with "Old Loves Die Hard". I think "I Believe" would be the best introduction to Triumvirat, because it showcases their style and talent very well and is about the right length for a reaction. "Spartacus" is excellent (especially "The Walls of Doom"), but it isn't very characteristic or complete, and "Illusions on a Double Dimple" is too long for a first reaction.
This is considered a historic and very influential recording back at a time when this kind of music wasn't really such a mainstream thing amongst teen music record buyers same way it resulted the years that followed with the synth pop explosion(1981-83).Even though it's not my favest by them i acknowledge their monumental contribution and confess that my fave album is still 'The Man machine" from 1978.I still got Kraftwerk singles from the '80s btw.Would you consider doing some Vangelis/JMJarre or even some Space(French electronic instrumentalists led by Didier Marouani) stuff in time?
A completely original electronic sound journey down the vivid highways of Germany! Thanks for watching! 🛣
Kraftwerk are so influential! The much shorter single version of Autobahn was quite popular in the mid 70's and beyond! If I was to pick a favorite album by them it would be 1977's The Man Machine, with favorite cuts being the title cut and The Robots. 👌👌
Hey, if you could do me a favor in your spare time 😅 please give my channel a look if you can please? 🙏 You might find something you like since my content (over 650 videos now!) is mainly synthesizer related, either short to long gear tests, demos, and some "artsy" music videos. It's not synth-pop though, I lean towards ambient, space rock, prog rock, Berlin School, experimental stuff. I have several "shorts" which might be the quickest way to sample my content? If you dig it a "like" or two and a subscribe would be very much appreciated! 🤗 (yes, from all who read this 😁) OK, self promotion over! 🤭
I'm going to watch this video, again.😀🥰 Somebody stop me! 🤣
Why thank you! I'm the gift that keeps on giving LOL....
haha lol
@@JohnLRiceThank you John!I thought i was the only one in the world that adored 'Man Machine" album.Such a perfect production.Still sounds so fresh and "detaged"
Such beautiful music to describe motorway travelling, but so musically descriptive of the subject matter. A huge leap forward for popular (and of course, electronic) music in 1974. The years have perhaps softened just how amazing and innovative this music was in 1974, but testament to Kraftwerk that half a century later the music still sounds fresh and innovative.
Hello! Everything you stated is so spot on! What a completely unique and groundbreaking rabbit hole I've entered. Thanks for watching!
So timeless, so influential, unrivalled.
Absolutely. That's evident just hearing this one song. Thanks!
"Wir fahr'n, fahr'n, fahr'n auf der Autobahn..." This apparently and deceptively simple song was one of the greatest landmarks in musical history. Brandon, you have no idea of the historic monument you've just listened to. And though it certainly wasn't intentional, a song about driving on high-speed roads ended up becoming highly symbolic of what happened afterwards, because it opened up a whole new road for popular music everywhere (I said "popular", not "pop", because even very culturally specific local music genres from just about every country and culture in the world eventually got influenced by it).
Kraftwerk didn't invent electronic music, of course. As soon as electricity was discovered in the 18th century, there were already people experimenting with that in music. The theremin was invented in the 1920s, and by the 1950s Stockhausen was experimenting with electronics. By the late 1960s there was the seminal work of Wendy Carlos (well, her gender transition was still kept secret from the public at that time, so she was still known as Walter Carlos) with her "Switched-On" series, but she was still just transposing classical music to electronic instruments and seeing what it sounded like. (Not that she isn't a highly accomplished musician and scholar, in addition to being a complete polymath. I highly recommend exploring her personal Web site, wendycarlos.com, all still in vintage 1990s pure HTML design - you can get lost in it for HOURS enjoying every page!) But all that sounded very experimental, it was often boring or unpleasant to listen, and didn't attract much more than niche attention.
Also, Kraftwerk itself had made three albums before "Autobahn", and other German "kraut rock" bands such as Tangerine Dream had been making electronic music at the same time. And of course Yes, The Who, Genesis, etc., all used moogs, electric organs, and other electronic instruments, but they all used them as just that - other instruments among many.
It was Kraftwerk and specifically their work with the delightful and very successful "Autobahn" that brought electronic music to the mainstream, showed its possibilities, created a new musical language for it, and made it all delightful to listen. It was Kraftwerk that taught the world how to make music with electrons. The importance of this can't be understated. They not only opened a new path for music, they delivered it completely formed and paved, ready for high-speed driving as in a real Autobahn, created the rules for driving in it, and made the world aware of its existence in the first place. And the whole musical world has been riding on that path ever since. You can't turn on the radio or go to a dance club without listening to Kraftwerk's work assimilated by other artists. It is often said that the only other band that's as influential as Kraftwerk is The Beatles - and it's absolutely true, even though the general public may not be aware of it.
And mind you, for years they were a small band with little money. You couldn't order a synth on Amazon back then. Synths were usually custom-made and could cost tens of thousands of dollars (which would be hundreds of thousands today, adjusted for inflation). Kraftwerk couldn't afford them. So, in the beginning they used to build their own analog synthesizers by hand out of cheap amateur electronics kits, the kind that you mail-ordered or even bought at newsstands. That often involved vacuum tubes, as transistors weren't all that common, and digital microprocessors hadn't been even invented yet. So, although they already used at least a Minimoog in "Autobahn", be careful when referring to their synths as "keyboards". Some of them might have been played through rotary dials and such... And they still revolutionized music with that!
My recommendation is for you to proceed with "Trans Europe Express", their most commercially successful album and a masterpiece of its own. The title refers to a class of trains that offered greater comfort and higher speeds (with more expensive fares as well) between major European cities with few or no stops. It has now become obsolete and been retired due to the appearance of true high-speed trains like the French TGV and the German ICE, but TEE was a big thing in the 1970s and '80s. Within that album, my first recommendation is "Europe Endless", followed by the title song, then "The Hall of Mirrors" and "Franz Schubert", but the whole album is a masterpiece. It also has a lot of the mix of cynicism, wry humor, and ironical faked innocence that's the trademark of Kraftwerk's mood.
THE biggest Kraftwerk masterpiece, however, is usually considered to be "Radio Activity". If "Autobahn" can be considered the first demo of mainstream electronic pop, and "TEE" an excellent example of a highly successful implementation, "Radio Activity" is the complete, detailed technical instructions manual. Its an album that sounds as if it was made for musicians and requires at least a trained ear and some cultural perspective to understand how it completely outlines, explores, and details the techniques and the musical language that are still used TODAY. Needless to say, it's an AWESOME album, but it does require a trained ear and is best appreciated after you're already familiar with Kraftwerk's work. I would never recommend it as a first listen. "Antenna" and the title song are good starting suggestions from this album (both are short and would make an excellent double reaction).
On a side note... erm... I've studied some German (not to the level of total fluency, though), and although theoretically it belongs to the same language family as English (Germans can understand a bit of old medieval English, modern English speakers can't - there are videos of this experiment on TH-cam), the pronunciation is very different and highly incompatible. The letter "W" in German is ALWAYS pronounced like a "V" (and their letter "V" is always pronounced like an "F"), and the language completely lacks the English sound represented as "W" (which is why that's the telltale feature of a German accent in English). So, the name of the band is pronounced as something like "KRRAFT-vay-ahrrk", where "RR" is a guttural "R" and the last two syllables are joined and pronounced very quickly as if one. "Volkswagen" is pronounced "FAWLKS-vah-ghen".
Another legendary YT comment! Glad you found this one early. It definitely was a great place to start with Kraftwerk. Of course you captured their contribution to the music world in words perfectly. Thanks for all the additional info. Thanks for restating your recommendations. Very curious to see how big a part lyrics are in their music. I will check out Wendy's site. Enjoy the rest of the day 😊
@@retroreactions.... , glad you liked it. I forgot to mention for you to include "Geiger Counter" when you listen to the "Radio Activity" song. "Geiger Counter" is only one minute long and transitions into the title song, Alan Parsons-like, and it showcases how Kraftwerk could make a meta-album like this, an album of electronic music about the very electromagnetic phenomena that make it possible. Guess what they used to record "Geiger Counter"? An actual Geiger counter! I have no idea of what they used as the radiation source, though, because there clearly was one.
And it means Power Plant.
Ok, noted..
To make a slight addition as a german - our language is indeed sometimes a bit... well... special, lets say 😀
And we have to accept that pronounciations often are in every language a bit special and in some details hard to compare with pronounciations of other languages.
"Volkswagen" in the beginning has a rather short "o" like in "hope" although the "o" in hope is pronounced slightly different. And yes - the "r" in Kraftwerk is a typical harsh german "r". This "r" is a such a great thing to have in your language 😇
Anyway - I write here cause I first wanted to make an own short comment about "fahr'n" which is a nice coincident that it sounds very close to "fun".
"Fahr'n" is the colloquially form of "fahren" which just means "drive" (a car). And the german Autobahn was already in the early 70s a special "thing" in Germany. Although many german didnt quite know the song... the phrase "fahrn, fahrn, fahrn auf der Autobahn" almost every german knew in the 70s/80s.
Thanks a lot for your reaction. Wish you all the best.
OMG! Thank you so much for covering Kraftwerk! While this wasn't the first album, but it was the first popular one, that kicked off a great career that is still going strong (new line up of course - RIP Florian)
I’m not that familiar with Kraftwerk, but did enjoy the experience! To me, it flew by for such a long piece. Another rabbit hole to follow….🐇🥕
Good morning haha (well here). Yes, easy to get lost in this one. Very excited to see what else they brought to the electronic table (I'm seeing everything like Tron today haha)
50 years! 🎉🎉
It's a truly original work for sure. The main theme is one that just makes you happy. The middle section from about 10 or 11 minutes definitely conveys a night time driving experience. The main theme is one that just makes you happy.
Hello. Love your username! Cool that you got some night vibes as well in certain sections. Thanks so much for watching!
Continue with Kraftwerk! This is just the beginning of their greatness!
Groundbreaking,amazingly futuristic at its release....Still sounds fresh......love it.
These guys were pioneers. They had a huge influence on the future of music.
Krafterk's Autobahn was one of my first electronic purchases in my high school days back in the 1970s. I loved the "spacy" sounds of the synths and how much the song musically captured the sounds of driving on a highway without a care in the world.
Particularly the slower, final movement, which, to me, reminds me of a sunset excursion. Truly a masterpiece.
You said that you've heard lots of electronic compositions on your channel. I remember in high school, I didn't have a "favorite" band, and I spent many months trying to decide what I liked musically. Eventually, I discovered ELP and Rick Wakeman, and I told a classmate that I finally realized that I liked synthesizers and keyboards. My friend said that if I was so interested in synthsizers, I should check out a band called Tangerine Dream. He said the only non-keyboard instrument they play is the guitar.
"Really?" I asked. "Not even drums?"
He said, "Nope."
I was especially intrigued because a new record store had opened up a few weeks before, and there in one of the racks was a beautiful, blue-green album labeled Tangerine Dream with the title "Rubycon." That's all. No song titles, no band personnel, just the band name and album title. I was hesitant to buy the record, as it was a couple of dollars more expensive than American albums. (This one was from Germany.) But my friend's description of their music was too tempting to ignore, so I bought it.
When those sequencers kicked in at about the six-minute mark, I knew I had something unique. The band created a sonic landscape that was at once alluring and thrilling.
If you ever want to experience another German synth band that demonstrates the full capabilities of the synthesizer like Kraftwerk, but in a completely different manner, this is one to consider.
In any event, your musical trip down the Autobahn was wonderful to hear. Looking forward to more. Take care, my friend.
So smooth so relaxing. Love to begin a long car ride with that tune.
Kraftwerk, and this masterpiece in particular, has been among my favorites since I first heard this song on the radio late one night back in the mid 70s. I haven't yet watched this reaction but I'll definitely set the proper time aside later today to enjoy it with you. I hope you further explore their catalog as it's rich with both unique and influential music.
Nice, hope you like the reaction. Clearly they are on rotation in the channel now...so much to explore and that's exciting!
SUPER video ☺♥♪
A musical masterpiece that transcends time.
Hi there. Rock Class over here. Now that you are diving into german music, do not miss Popol Vuh. Something different you've been listening so far. Have a nice trip. Big hug and 100 blessings from this old grandpa, proud of his children of today, eager to dare to learn new tunes. Hasta la vista, kid.
Nice reaction Brandon. I've loved this song since the 70's. You have to check out their Computer World album too. It would be nice to listen to one side at a time as the tunes just flow together. Thanks man. Rock on.
Thank you! Appreciate you watching and the suggestions.. 🙂
Another all-time fave here, great pick, this doesn't tire after countless listens over half a century, it hypnotises me every time. Another one that always conjures up blue skies and bright sunshine... hot cars... more sunshine... it achieves what it sets out to do, perfectly, wonderful listen, thanks.
As you say it's a small pocket, motorway driving, but something we all know, it's universal, it doesn't matter which autobahn, highway, interstate, motorway, whatever it's called, at 70 mph it all looks the same, and it's so hypnotic. It works because it is so repetitive and monotonous while still changing colours over time and adding flashes and whizzes, and the length is all part of that, once you commit to the autobahn you're on for a long stretch. Kraftwerk had a No 1 in the UK a few years later, The Model, much more of a pop hit obviously, worth a listen.
Thanks! Hypnotizing for sure. Loved the "sunny drive" sections, but speeding in the night with electric lights streaming by was the favorite image that my mind conjured up 😊 You're welcome and thanks so much for stopping by Sophia..
Perfect analysis there! Thanks for your thoughts. I will add your vote for The Model. The Robots has my interest peaked too!
The Model is awesome. The whole Man-Machine album is a great listen.
Adding your vote, thanks!
Well that was a fun ride! Love that are are finally covering Kraftwerk!
Yea, can't believe I ignored them for 48 years!! Thanks so much for watching 🙂
The ultimate synth jam of all time. There is a full old-school animation video for this tune which is really trippy too.
Oh nice, I will have to find those! See how it compares to everything I saw in my mind. Thanks for stopping by!!
Platinum for sure! 😊
If you ever get a chance to see Kraftwerk live, I saw them 3 years ago, it is one of the greatest sonic and visual experiences EVER!!! You will now and forever be a Kraftwerk fan. Thanks for this one Brandon
One of two songs that really got me into Electronic Music and synthesizers (the other being Stratsofear by Tangerine Dream). My favorite part is in the last section where it has the highest line, just the lead synth and the drums. Just a shot single line, but it always gives me the shivers.
💯👍👍 Stratsofear by Tangerine Dream is a top favorite of mine!
Wir fahren fahren auf der Autobahn🎼😎 always melodious, sounds so vintage electronics but very slow in the past, they were for runners of electronic pop and industrial music (and Depeche Mode! 😅) I heard the short version before. There is obviously more happening here 😉 in these years I were trying the German krautrock music, Tangerine Dream and also Klaus Schulze, other masters at the synthesizer but more experimental. A lot of vocoder in Kraftwerk as usual, they were always heavy with that new comer effect. A old masterpiece that can put you into traffic Jam trance 😉
I heard some DM in here for sure! Glad you got to hear the long version today. Ah yes, still need to get to Tangerine and Schulze on the channel. I think Kraftwerk was the original Daft Punk!! Thanks bud
@@retroreactions.... Synth bass were sequenced, Kraftwerk were among the first to create simple loops with Synth after Pink Floyd "On the run" on DSOM 1973, Tangerine Dream on "Phaedra" and Klaus Schulze on "Totem" picture music in the same years. Next Kraftwerk albums will be more easy to listen, more concentred pieces on "Radioactivity" or "Trans-Europe express" but for me best albums were "Mensch Machine" and "Computer Welt" you can have German or English versions. 😎💻
Without Kraftwerk no Electro Pop no Techno no Rave no Synthesizer Pop - they are one of the most influencial bands in music history even more than the Beatles th-cam.com/video/1651r_oqy48/w-d-xo.html the only German band who is inducted in the Rock´n Roll Hall of Fame
Seeing them live has been an amazing experience. Especially when they improvise the in-between sections of this along with wonderful visuals of the VW campervan speeding along the Autobahn. You might have to check out Computer Love. Thanks as always
i used to dance in the same club ´RATINGER HOF ´;
where the 2 main characters, Ralph + Florian of KRAFTWERK,
hung up at the bar, at the weekend ...
back then we boys and girls of the infantry were not at all aware ,
how great amd influencial our genius - contemporaries ,
sitting right next to us ,
really were ...
you are listening to an early version of music what is to become known today as techno but the term wasn't recongised until the 1980s
Was about to write similar and that so many DJ's and EDM artists of the 90's had Kraftwerk in amongst their top influences
Kraftwerk with lunch?! Why not...
As good a place as any to start with Kraftwerk. Autobahn is considered by many observers/critics to be their best work. " The Robots " and " Radioactivity " are excellent too.
Forgot about that little bit of electric piano sprinkled in, superb
You just wonder how many 80s synth-pop bands(and maybe Devo) were somehow inspired by this artist
Good combo! Added your votes for the 2. Countless bands, big and small, were surely inspired by Kraftwerk. Great to finally discover them, 48 years too late 😌
i'm glad you choose the one and only original version. cool reaction. early kraftwerk goes under the umbrella 'krautrock'. you should check out more krautrock, like 'cluster', 'neu!', 'tangerine dream' and 'can'.
I am a big fan of kraftwerk I have all there CDs and all there vinyl in all different colours 🎹🎹🎹🎹👍
GREAT song! but... the whole The Man-Machine album will hit you 10 times more, holy word of Jorge 😂
I vaguely remember a butchered ‘single’ version of this was released in Canada. As Disco dominated the airwaves only CFNY Toronto would play Kraftwerk, the ‘underground’ station of the time. It’s hard to express how fresh and innovative this was. Trans-Europe Express, Radioactivity, The Robots still live in my milk-crate. Smoke one, spin one and dance a slow groove. Depeche Mode, Magazine, Orchestral Maneuvres in the Dark, Japan, so many more - were Kraftwerk’s children. The children were called New Wave and they burst forth into the 80s. Disco died.
I must say that part of the appeal of KW has been their stage performances which have evolved over the decades to embrace the latest technologies. If I may recommend another song with a video (to get the full effects): The Robots (I recommend "Minimum Maximum" version since it has both Ralf and Florian).
Much fondness because it was the first album I heard while stoned on marijuana. And was watching a TV show featuring motocross races so I had great additional visuals.
In the beginning, there was Kraftwerk.
Depeche Mode ❤
The originals ❤
This odd piece had a short run on FM radio, but I never forgot it. Why, I don't know. Maybe because it's so unusual. I've never gone out of my way to play it, I admit. But I always seem to enjoy it when it did pop up.
Forgot How Much I loved this. Thanks.
Reminds me I used to listen to Tomita's The Planets around the same time this showed up at the record stores.
It is amazing the prog elements in the harmonies and how the themes are structured to come and go and reprise. Maybe its the opposite, tho, maybe prog artists took a lot of inspiration from this.
I would recommend some Brainticket after this.
next month (may 2024) Kraftwerk will perform live in the USA 11 times (Newport KY, Columbus OH, Los Angeles CA)
So cool!
I LOVE YOU!!
Happy Birthday Renee!! 🥳 🎂 🎈 I hope you are having a beautiful day. I knew you loved this band 😊 So much more to explore from them. Thanks again for the immeasurable amount of support, joy and light you have brought to me and this channel 💙 And thanks for being first!! 🥇
Wow!! You blow me away!! Thank you Brandon. Your the best!! 💙💙🚙🚙🚙🎵🎶🎶
😁😊
😄😍😃
I hope you get to do something nice today, big or small....
@3:56 A inguistic quirk. When you sang "wir fahren auf die Autobahn", using the accusative case, that means "we're driving ONTO the Autobahn". Kraftwerk's version is "... auf der Aurobahn", in dative, and means "we're dring ON the Autobahn".
And while "wir fahren auf der Autobahn" can be translated as "we drive on the A.", I would say that the conext is better in the present progressive tense: We're drivING on the A."
After Autobahn most, if not all, Kraftwerk's albums come in two version: one German for the German-speaking market and one in English for the rest of the world. To me, being a non-native speaker of both languages, the German ones still "flow" better than the Englsih ones.
Melodically they're almost always identical - with at least one exception: Das Model has an extra (jokikng) effect as compared to The Model [on the Man Machine/Mensch Maschine album].
I hear some Jan Hammer (sp?) here...I wonder who influenced whom? Probably coincidence...
Nice catch! Looks like they started around the same time. Thanks for watching!
In this musical genre, 1978 was a great year: JEFF WAYNE releases his masterful 'Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds', JEAN-MICHEL JARRE released his major album 'Equinoxe' and KRAFTWERK, their monumental 'The Man-Machine'. Thanks.
Ahh, "Equinoxe"... So hypnotic! Tweet-tweet... Tweet-tweet-twoot-twoot... Tweet-tweet-twoot-twoot-twaat-twaat... Tweettweettwoottwoottwaattwaat... Tweettweettwoottwoottwaattwaattweettweettwoottwoottwaattwaattweettweettwoottwoottwaattwaat... Still gets me every time. But it's "Magnetic Fields"/"Les Chants Magnétiques" that I still use to test all new headphones today (along with Jon and Vangelis' "I Hear You Now").
Now we need a blind-react to The Mix version from 1991! They also updated in in 2013ish for The Catalogue 3D!
Nice, have to hear more from them too. Ever hear bout Tangerine Dream? Another german Electronic music, ambient with a touch of prog, must hear definitelly, all of their albums are great.
EDM was handed down from the gods named Kraftwerk.....
Should see live video to see them on computors doing this
Nice, will have to look up some live versions of this. Thanks for watching!
They built and developed the electronic drums and other equipment themselves. The instruments didn’t exist at the time. Think about it. It was a homemade laboratory in parts. Kling-Klang Studio. No-one had even heard of video games or music like this. It was 1974, 50 years ago and it still sounds so great. Pioneers is a small word.
th-cam.com/video/ZwQyUVqtIW8/w-d-xo.html
Kraftwerk's best track is The Model :)
Another good German band is Triumvirat. Their "Spartacus" album is a classic. Tells the story of Spartacus.
Hans Bathelt (their AWESOME drummer, one of the most criminally underrated drummers in rock history IMO) was at his best in "Spartacus". But I recommended Brandon to start with "Old Loves Die Hard". I think "I Believe" would be the best introduction to Triumvirat, because it showcases their style and talent very well and is about the right length for a reaction. "Spartacus" is excellent (especially "The Walls of Doom"), but it isn't very characteristic or complete, and "Illusions on a Double Dimple" is too long for a first reaction.
This is considered a historic and very influential recording back at a time when this kind of music wasn't really such a mainstream thing amongst teen music record buyers same way it resulted the years that followed with the synth pop explosion(1981-83).Even though it's not my favest by them i acknowledge their monumental contribution and confess that my fave album is still 'The Man machine" from 1978.I still got Kraftwerk singles from the '80s btw.Would you consider doing some Vangelis/JMJarre or even some Space(French electronic instrumentalists led by Didier Marouani) stuff in time?
The single version goes for 3:30
Much of the technology that Kraftwerk uses had not yet been invented and was made by the band members themselves.
Plenty of LSD consumed during this one.
If its the first time your hearing it why are you reading off a printout or a laptop computer.