Aston has that worried look that Ralf sometimes has, while Marvin seems more confident. Oritsé looks the youngest, so he's Karl, which leaves JB as Wolfgang.
― beanz meanz lulz (snoball), Friday, 6 April 2012 21:28 (eleven years ago) link
already? jeez. from Pithfork:
As part of Kraftwerk's eight-night retrospective New York museum residency this month, the band will release a limited-edition box set of all eight of their albums. 2,000 copies of the set will be sold on the Museum of Modern Art's website, and at gift shops in the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan and MoMA/PS1 in Queens. It'll include remastered versions of the set released in 2009 (the massive reissue The Catalogue).
are they already dated sounding or something?
― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Saturday, 7 April 2012 00:19 (eleven years ago) link
I love Kraftwerk but this stuff doesn't surprise me. They're in this for the $$ now it seems - much like any other self-respecting band looking to milk their back catalogue with a "reunion tour".
― Lawanda Pageboy (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 7 April 2012 00:54 (eleven years ago) link
Pitchfork's phrasing is kinda unclear - it's a limited edition, 2000 copies, numbered edition of the Catalogue box in a black sleeve (original was white). I'm a MOMA member, so I bought one - $175 after taxes and shipping.
― 誤訳侮辱, Saturday, 7 April 2012 01:41 (eleven years ago) link
yeah this really doesn't look like anything other than the 2009 version
― Estimate the percent chance that a whale has ever been to the moon? (frogbs), Saturday, 7 April 2012 07:12 (eleven years ago) link
Can't believe that a band 3/4 comprised of decades-long non-creative employees of Kling Klang Corp are now "in it for the money" *shakes head sadly*
― ┗|∵|┓ (sic), Saturday, 7 April 2012 07:49 (eleven years ago) link
Appalled that the ruthless director of Kling Klang is doing such grossly mercantile things as: diligently learning and rehearsing multiple arrangements of dozens of songs, to be performed once each, for a hugely remunerative audience of approx 10000 payers over a week
― ┗|∵|┓ (sic), Saturday, 7 April 2012 07:53 (eleven years ago) link
The MoMA set is going up now in the museum
― wrapped sausage stylus (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 7 April 2012 15:15 (eleven years ago) link
My guess is tha number is far far less than 10,000. I would the number is prolly around 3500.
― kwhitehead, Saturday, 7 April 2012 15:54 (eleven years ago) link
**guess the number is***
― kwhitehead, Saturday, 7 April 2012 15:55 (eleven years ago) link
Looks small:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/7m5lyld
― So Efficient! (doo dah), Saturday, 7 April 2012 16:11 (eleven years ago) link
i'd think if they wanted more money they'd just do more shows, these guys sell out everywhere
― Estimate the percent chance that a whale has ever been to the moon? (frogbs), Saturday, 7 April 2012 16:24 (eleven years ago) link
don't really think they need more money exactly, do think that they and their fans are obsessive audiophiles
― wrapped sausage stylus (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 7 April 2012 16:32 (eleven years ago) link
The exhibitions at PS1 and not MoMA, right? I think I'll be up to see it next week
― Time, a group with Jam and Lewis (Stevie D(eux)), Saturday, 7 April 2012 19:40 (eleven years ago) link
Set List: "We Are the Robots""Autobahn""Kometenmelodie 1 & 2""Mitternacht" / "Morgenspaziergang""Radioactivity""Trans-Europe Express""The Model""Man-Machine""Numbers" / "Computer World""Computer Love" (The Mix version) "Home Computer" (The Mix version) "Tour de France" / "Aerodynamik""Expo 2000""Boing Boom Tschak" / "Techno Pop" / "Musique Non-Stop"
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/12/arts/music/kraftwerk-retrospective-at-the-museum-of-modern-art-review.htmlhttp://www.spin.com/articles/kraftwerk-invade-moma-residency-byte-museum
Kraftwerk revisited the “Autobahn” album rather than reproducing its exact timbres and proportions. It held on to its instrumental passages and the generally somber melodic lines of the album’s other tracks but played them from a changed perspective — for instance, trading the album’s upbeat hints of 1950s and ’60s rock for something more steady-state. The most transformed track was “Morgenspaziergang” (“Morning Walk”), which in 1974 juxtaposed synthesized burbles and tweets — oscillator birdsong — with its tune played on a wooden flute. Now the tune came from a keyboard, true to the latter-day Kraftwerk.
― Milton Parker, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 17:01 (eleven years ago) link
I really, really hope someone is recording these
― Xerox of Fate, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 17:04 (eleven years ago) link
my ex is going tonight; i am not the plus one:/
― boy, was that Dan Fielding hungry for some cake! (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 11 April 2012 17:05 (eleven years ago) link
Got my copy of the box in today's mail. #0052 of 2000.
― 誤訳侮辱, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 17:13 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN44hS1_AmU
― Brakhage, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 17:38 (eleven years ago) link
Whoops this one is much better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j2V8bng6Zs
― Brakhage, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 17:41 (eleven years ago) link
I'm so curious as to what they'll do to Radio-Activity tonight... It's such a strange and singular record in their catalog. I still cannot believe I'm going!
― Clarke B., Wednesday, 11 April 2012 18:37 (eleven years ago) link
autobahn & radioactivity were the two I was most interested in going to precisely because they're the ones likely to sound the most different
seriously you guys, if any of you get a lead on even the most sawed-off room recording, drop me a line
― Milton Parker, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 18:39 (eleven years ago) link
Awesome couple of videos, but the first one demonstrates what it would be like to have a burst eardrum at a Kraftwerk gig.
― they do do doo doo sandwiches (snoball), Wednesday, 11 April 2012 18:47 (eleven years ago) link
milt, if you get one, hook up your old pal Xerox
― Xerox of Fate, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 18:47 (eleven years ago) link
so, my gf won tickets and I'm going to TEE... :-D
― original bgm, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 20:19 (eleven years ago) link
Apparently VW hung onto 25% of the tickets, wtf
― Time, a group with Jam and Lewis (Stevie D(eux)), Thursday, 12 April 2012 12:21 (eleven years ago) link
Hung onto? That's sponsorship. MoMa and Kraftwerk and VW must have agreed on that, so your wtf should be aimed at all parties.
― willem, Thursday, 12 April 2012 14:29 (eleven years ago) link
Went last night. Very well done by the MOMA. Ticket pick up was easy, the room wasn't crowded in the least (could have fit at least 100 more folks in there, if they wanted.) Radio-Activity pasrt of the shwo was the highlight (naturally) and they followed it up with a nice lengthy version of Autobahn where, I think, they mixed things up a bit from the original. Trans Europe Express was a standout as well.
Even though it was a great event I can't help thinking that there will probably be an SNL skit making fun of these shows. The teutonic seriousness in which they were presented could easily be seen as comic by some.
― kwhitehead, Thursday, 12 April 2012 14:30 (eleven years ago) link
sorta been done
http://www.popscreen.com/assets/thumbs/v/original/5661102ngO_o.jpg
― World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 12 April 2012 14:31 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah but if any of the SNL writers were there they have some new material to work with.
― kwhitehead, Thursday, 12 April 2012 14:40 (eleven years ago) link
The teutonic seriousness in which they were presented could easily be seen as comic by some.
yeah but Kraftwerk have always had a sly comic element to them. "The Robots" is really funny especially when the robots themselves appear onstage
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 12 April 2012 14:43 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD5P7RsC9TI
― koogs, Thursday, 12 April 2012 14:58 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K2bdJb_ewY
― Brakhage, Thursday, 12 April 2012 16:13 (eleven years ago) link
Fred Armisen was there last night, so maybe!
― prior, Thursday, 12 April 2012 16:21 (eleven years ago) link
One original member. This is like Wings performing the works of the Beatles, with Linda and Denny Laine squeezed into John and George's old Beatles suits.
― everything, Thursday, 12 April 2012 17:59 (eleven years ago) link
i'd argue that Kraftwerk and the Beatles have kinda different aesthetics at play
― Estimate the percent chance that a whale has ever been to the moon? (frogbs), Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:02 (eleven years ago) link
At this point they're essentially a tribute band to themselves ... which could only really work with them. They are machines after all. I would bet Ralf has plans to have himself replaced in the band eventually.
― Brakhage, Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:09 (eleven years ago) link
I can deal with the absence of Bartos and Flur but it's really not the same without Schneider, who I always thought was the soul of Kraftwerk. That ghost of a half-smile that he always carried was synecdoche for the sly humour I referred to above.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:10 (eleven years ago) link
Totally agree. Without Schneider it's not Kraftwerk. And Bartos and Flur are under-appreciated I think - after all, both were in the band for 15 years. Schneider and Hutter have done practically nothing without them.
― everything, Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:15 (eleven years ago) link
that's basically OTM, it's always been about Hutter and Schneider for me, though I'm reasonably certain that Bartos is responsible for a lot of their more brilliant melodic stuff, hence why I don't think new music coming out of these guys is going to sound like their glory years
but in a performance...ehhh, no biggie
― Estimate the percent chance that a whale has ever been to the moon? (frogbs), Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:16 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah impression I got was that Techno Pop was really the last gasp, since Bartos wrote the catchy melodies. Once he was gone there's only increasing production values. What Ralf can manage now is to tour a greatest-hits show in perpetuity - which I think is a bit sad when you consider that there are tons of younger people who would love to write pop material in a Kraftwerk style. Ralf doesn't have to be the sole writer in the band (along with his manager). But this is all just hope since I would love to have a new record that's better than Soundtracks.
I say all this but I'm still really excited about soundboard from these leaking!
― Brakhage, Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:24 (eleven years ago) link
there are tons of younger people who would love to write pop material in a Kraftwerk style.
yes there are, and plenty of them have released stuff too, but IMO what Kraftwerk did at their peak isn't easy at all to replicate
― Estimate the percent chance that a whale has ever been to the moon? (frogbs), Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:25 (eleven years ago) link
Just saying that Ralf doesn't have to do it all himself. A vague hope really, I know it's impossible to capture some past glory
― Brakhage, Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:26 (eleven years ago) link
the other thing, which I'm sure has been discussed upthread, is that the departure of Bartos and Flur more or less coincided with their live sets losing the elements of improvisation that they used to have and basically becoming reproductions of the records. there are bootlegs from 1981 and earlier that veer far away from the studio versions. this would also coincide with the stage set being reduced to laptops/workstations rather than keyboards.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:33 (eleven years ago) link
Flur was the techhead who was largely responsible for designing and constructing their studio gear and stage equipment. Apart from facilitating the recording of these albums, the aesthetic that he created is a massive part of the band's reputation.
I was never too comfortable with the post-1990 idea that Kraftwerk=Ralf, Florian and two goons in costumes but went along with it as the concerts were still good. But as decades passed by without almost nothing new creatively it became obvious that Kraftwerk were, and always will be, the four members from the classic line-up.
― everything, Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:35 (eleven years ago) link
some great footage here (incl. the band dancing) and a recent interview with Flur:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3yRXCnQvL4
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:43 (eleven years ago) link
xxpost - this is a good point, and it's interesting that a lot of times, the mid-70s albums actually sound like a live band - Radioactivity, side two of Autobahn and chunks of TEE for example. But later they got stuck in the "robot"-schtick, which they really did not acquire till late in their career. But it excused a lot of things, such as replacing members, not playing live at concerts, and using machine-like "perfectionism" as an excuse for what was really procrastination or lack of creative inspiration over the last 25 years.
― everything, Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:51 (eleven years ago) link
yeah, I feel like there's some revisionist history going on with these guys, but really, how concerned with music do you feel Ralf has been the last three decades? you've got Electric Cafe in 1986, a self-remix album in 1991, a single in 2000, Tour de France Soundtracks in 2003, then a live album in 2005. I mean I don't think Kraftwerk has really been a big priority for the guy for a while has it?
― Estimate the percent chance that a whale has ever been to the moon? (frogbs), Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:58 (eleven years ago) link
yep, cycling is what he really cares about these days
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:59 (eleven years ago) link
I'm really surprised at the universal boner regarding these shows. If they want to blow my mind ever again it would look something like Ralf playing (actually PLAYING) a keyboard, Florian on the flute and performing something (anything!) new. Accompanied with an excellent drummer. And wearing normal clothes.
― everything, Thursday, 12 April 2012 19:11 (eleven years ago) link