Today we learn the sad news that Florian Schneider has died aged 73, after a short battle with cancer. As co founder of Kraftwerk along with Ralf Hütter they pioneered electronic music opening the door for many artist that followed them. Highly influential their brand of digital music has been sample by various band throughout the years.
Their first incarnation was as
"Organisation" formed in 1968, releasing their first album the following year named Tone float. By 1970 they had found themselves and Kraftwerk (power station in English) were launched. Setting up their own studio called kling klang they shortly after released a self titled album.
Within a few years the band had become a major success with the release of hit albums
such as Autobahn (1974), Trans-Europe Express (1977), and The Man-Machine (1978) becoming household names in the process.
Autobahn the title track of their 1974 album is a masterpiece, designed to conjure up the feeling of cruising for miles on the German highway. It should be listened to in its's entirety, at nearly 23 minutes long, it's one to sink into and drift away. There's no video just build the image in your mind.
Jumping forward and we find on the Trans-Europe Express album one of their most recognized and commercially successful tracks, the model. A bit more of a pop song it found it's way into charts throughout the world.
In 1982 while recording their ninth album a single was released from the recording sessions which would again become a global hit, "tour de france". The idea for the song had come about off the back of the bands new found love of cycling as a means of fitness while touring. During these recording sessions Ralf Hütter had a serious accident on a bicycle and ended up in a coma.
After this point in their careers the band went through some line up changes and with the continued development of synthesizers started to use conventional instruments less. They continued to be prolific producers of music to this day and although the line up has suffered along the way the name Kraftwerk remains a shining light surviving for 52 years thus far. I'll finish this now as i'm no historian and my knowledge is some what limited, I just needed to pay my respects for a artist and band that were and are leagues above the rest. I think this is one of my favorite tunes of theirs and a nice one to play out with. RIP Florian.
