This came as a slap in the face yesterday, the news that Florian Schneider, co- founder of Kraftwerk and as a result one of the most influential musicians in post- war Europe, has died at the age of 73. Kraftwerk's importance cannot be overstated. Their pioneering music, use of machine rhythms, synths and keyboards, vocoders more or less invented the genre of electornic music. That they then popularised it with a mass market and continued to experiment makes their achievements even greater. Their influence on other artists from the 1970s onward is immeasurable. Florian Schneider met Ralf Hutter when both were students in Dusseldorf. It was Schneider who first purchased a synthesiser and said that was the direction they should pursue. Autobahn. Radio- Activity. Trans- Europe Express. The Man Machine. Computer World. Tour de France.
I saw them play at the Apollo in March 2004, one of the most memorable shows I've ever seen, from the four men- machines in lit up suits at their work stations across the front of the stage to the films projected onto three giant screens behind them, to the run through their greatest songs and the robots appearing from behind the curtain for the encore.
This is an impossibly beautiful song, the topline melody is heartbreakingly gorgeous. It is even better sung in German.
Neonlicht
R.I.P. Florian Schneider.
Equally sad (and equally pioneering) Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen died on April 30th of Covid 19 symptoms. I meant to do something about him sooner but things kept getting in the way so I'll pay tribute to him here. His work with Fela Kuti in the 1970s combined his Nigerian native music, Juju, with jazz and highlife. Fela's music and stance became increasingly militant especially with the Africa '70 group which Tony was the bandleader of. Brian Eno and Talking Heads were in awe of him. This one is from 1973 Tony drumming with Fela Kuti. I can't really do this music justice with a simple description. Just listen to it.
Jeun Ko Ku (Chop And Quench)
In recent times he worked with Damon Albarn in his The Good, The Bad And The Queen supergroup, his Africa Express project and Gorillaz. Following his death Damon released this Gorillaz song in honour of him, Tony Allen still the bang on those rhythms aged 79. This quote was put out with it-
“I want to take care of youngsters – they have messages and I want to bring them on my beat.” Tony Allen
R.I.P. Tony Allen
All dreadful news. 2020 is turning out to be worse than 2016 was for hearing about deaths of people in the music field who have made the world a more interesting place. Kraftwerk genuinely did change music, a claim not many others can truly make.
ReplyDeleteThe year has just been made even more depressing (and scary) on hearing that it looks like our incompetent PM is bowing to his billionaire puppet masters and easing the lockdown from Monday, way before the evidence would seem to suggest safe. What awful times we are living in.
Sadly ironic that Florian and Tony should pass so close together, so different yet both immense cornerstones (along with the JB's rhythm section and Tubby) of dance music and all future thinking music for the last 40 plus years. In fact the Derrick May track, that you posted yesterday is a fine example of one of their 'children'. Great loss. RIP
ReplyDelete-SRC
From hearing Kraftwerk on the radio as a little kid, to hearing their influence and inspiration in Hip Hop and electronic music. Such an important band in many ways.
ReplyDeleteDave Greenfield and Millie Small too. RIP.
ReplyDeleteAgree Nick L, Johnson needs certifying if he thinks it's time to loosen lockdown. We'll pay the price if there's a sharp second wave of infections. But hey, the economy!
Like many I'm sure, been listening to TransEurope Express playing in full on 6Music today. Will never forget seeing Kraftwerk at Hammersmith Odeon 1981, such a fantastic experience and so glad I got to witness them live too. with the other recent musical losses and all that's going on it's all feeling pretty shit at the moment. It's taking a lot of effort to keep the melancholy at bay. But a great tribute post, SA.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if BJ would be so keen to ease the lockdown if he and his partner hadn't already had it and are thus likely to be immune to it now?