I think the "motorik beat" is a red herring. A motorik feeling is just as much about what the bass is doing, the actual sound of the drums (dry and tight), limited harmonic movement, and how the guitar, synths, or vocals are floating on top, as it is about the basic drum pattern. You can play that same drum pattern in a way that doesn't sound motorik at all, or you could make a song with a different drum beat that still sounds very motorik.
+1
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 15:34 (eleven years ago) link
i've always thought about it in terms of dancing and being able to play off of different instruments instead of being dependent on a changing beat or vocal changes for changing movementsnot that it matters, but there you go
― game of crones (La Lechera), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 15:43 (eleven years ago) link
Jumpin jack Flash & Street Fighting Man are kind of motorik. I read a Fall review in the Wire that said the Johnny Burnette Trio's version of "Train kept a Rollin" was motorik too, but I couldn't confirm that.
― robert mcnamara in reverse (loves laboured breathing), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 15:50 (eleven years ago) link
No, that song is locomotorik
― Stumpy Joe's Cafe (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 16:04 (eleven years ago) link
I see that Death in Vegas are already represented but for my money 'Hands Around Your Throat' is more representative of the motorik beat than that track that namechecks Rother.
Also, I think there's a place for Radiohead here; in particular Amnesiac b-side 'Cuttooth'.
― AnotherDeadHero, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 16:07 (eleven years ago) link
A few people have mentioned the Gary Glitter beat, but that's a shuffle. Unless there was an actual motorik Gary Glitter song I don't know about, but I'm assuming people mean the R&Rpt2 beat.
― wk, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 16:30 (eleven years ago) link
yeah, too much stomping in that one.
― Stumpy Joe's Cafe (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 16:32 (eleven years ago) link
locomotorik
irl lol.
― Mafia-owned bar for transvestites (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 16:37 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah that shd be excelisor'd (by someone other than me)
― robert mcnamara in reverse (loves laboured breathing), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 16:42 (eleven years ago) link
I guess I don't understand people's obsession with this term. It's a nice way to describe a few Krautrock bands and bands who were influenced by them, but I don't see why it has to be applied to any song with a driving beat. And I really don't get the connection to songs that predate krautrock like Heroes and Villains.
― wk, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 16:43 (eleven years ago) link
One of the tracks on Yoko Ono & The Plastic Ono Band has Ringo laying down a pretty motorik groove. I don't have the record to hand. Rhythm section on that album amazing across the board.
― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 17:27 (eleven years ago) link
The last 45 seconds or so of Turtle Turtle Up by Four Tet.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 4 July 2012 14:46 (eleven years ago) link
It's kind of mental, you've got all these jazzy, glitchy drum rolls for about 90 seconds, and then it just falls into motorik loveliness.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 4 July 2012 14:47 (eleven years ago) link
Orchestral Manoeuvers in the dark - Electricity
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 5 July 2012 15:37 (eleven years ago) link
was listening to B-52's "Aint it a Shame" and that almost makes the cut, surprisingly...
― t. s. idiot (loves laboured breathing), Monday, 9 July 2012 14:02 (eleven years ago) link
2. [04:37] Velvet Underground - I’m waiting for the man (1967)
Totally disagree with this one. It doesn't have a backbeat at all, just a steady, even pulse on every beat.
― click here if you want to load them all (Hurting 2), Monday, 9 July 2012 14:15 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah it's not Motorik, but I can see a case for it being proto-Motorik. The insistent evenness I think is the key.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Monday, 9 July 2012 14:38 (eleven years ago) link
^yeah I agree with this post. "Waiting for the Man" is too much of an important first step, even though it probably predicts "It's a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl" more than anything Neu! did
― t. s. idiot (loves laboured breathing), Monday, 9 July 2012 14:41 (eleven years ago) link
contemporary motorik beat: beak, the band of portishead's geoff barrow (btw they have a new album out). somehow i have the impression they bring something new to the table. they are obviously heavily influenced by neu etc, but they have their sound and lots of interesting ideas. the motorik beat is also played by the bass here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoKWLo_f-rA
― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 9 July 2012 21:53 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI2o-BuQ8eE
― am0n, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 19:03 (eleven years ago) link
Can I nominate this as the post-speeding-down-the-autobahn version of the motorik, very definitely in an unexpected place (the very underrated Francisco's 'Cosmic Beam Experience')?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IouesruWdVI
― Soundslike, Sunday, 15 July 2012 01:29 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LsPyuUHeNU
― dsb, Sunday, 15 July 2012 02:45 (eleven years ago) link
Beak! Bought >> and it is pretty awesome. It is just krauty grooves for the sake of it, seemingly, but oh wow.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 6 September 2012 16:52 (eleven years ago) link
^^ it is awesome
― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 6 September 2012 21:22 (eleven years ago) link
Kraftwerk, "Ohm Sweet Ohm"
... could this be deliberate on their part?
― Tom D is secretly an important person (Tom D.), Thursday, 13 December 2012 11:58 (eleven years ago) link
!
― willem, Thursday, 13 December 2012 21:37 (eleven years ago) link
Portishead - Chase the Tear
― anonanon, Thursday, 13 December 2012 22:10 (eleven years ago) link
http://thequietus.com/articles/01702-motorikpop-a-secret-history-spotified
― mookieproof, Monday, 1 July 2013 02:08 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr7mo4AdqBE
― Tommy McTommy (Tom D.), Monday, 1 July 2013 10:08 (ten years ago) link
Röyskopp, Alpha Male
(close enough)
― ledge, Friday, 19 July 2013 13:57 (ten years ago) link
Espanto - Rock'n Roll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhIJ1if08VM
"I Feel Love" with a motorik beat + fuzz guitars? this is glorious
― when skrillex just stood there (unregistered), Thursday, 9 January 2014 04:44 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c77zfF3u98Q
― andrew m., Monday, 27 January 2014 17:42 (ten years ago) link
yessss
― charitable remainder unitrust (crüt), Monday, 27 January 2014 17:43 (ten years ago) link
The vid's rip doesn't really do it justice. On my copy the drums are so big. Caveman style.
― andrew m., Monday, 27 January 2014 17:47 (ten years ago) link
more more more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
― sexy dander (Stevie D(eux)), Friday, 15 April 2016 01:45 (eight years ago) link
15-60-75 - Animal Speaks (????? might only be motorik in my memory)
― lute bro (brimstead), Friday, 15 April 2016 02:54 (eight years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q4aM61Lcnk
― stirmonster, Friday, 15 April 2016 10:16 (eight years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDHUtZ4WoE4
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 15 April 2016 14:49 (eight years ago) link
thank you for posting that! it led me to read this, and the special note to drummer is so awesome, esp "anyway, you get the idea, you'll do great"http://www.rhyschatham.net/g3english/GuitarTrioScore.pdf
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Friday, 15 April 2016 15:57 (eight years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRUkLnsRWBc
― andrew m., Thursday, 18 August 2016 15:02 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4PGlThRRMQ
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 18 August 2016 15:04 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgcSWqlWoD8
― andrew m., Thursday, 18 August 2016 15:55 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhlSvVxLYjw
― Non-Stop Erotic Calculus (bmus), Thursday, 18 August 2016 16:53 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOiqWLyGgnI
― everything, Wednesday, 8 March 2017 21:27 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJBQlesGPXk
― MaresNest, Sunday, 30 September 2018 12:43 (five years ago) link
so good
― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Sunday, 30 September 2018 13:43 (five years ago) link
oh ok wow
― vision joanna newsom (Stevie D(eux)), Monday, 1 October 2018 04:41 (five years ago) link
songs with a "motorik" beat that aren't by either Neu! or Stereolab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym8JTVNXNCQNot entirely Stereolab-free tbh.
― oder doch?, Friday, 5 April 2019 10:56 (five years ago) link
That is a really excellent band and this song is amazing!
― flamboyant goon tie included, Friday, 5 April 2019 16:08 (five years ago) link
Tried it (on) here:
https://constantlight.bandcamp.com/track/nothings-left
― S-, Tuesday, 7 January 2020 03:39 (four years ago) link