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Kraftwerk: Future Music from Germany
'Highly stimulating ... Kraftwerk is a pleasure to read' Jon Savage, New Statesman
The story of the phenomenon that is Kraftwerk, and how they revolutionised our cultural landscape
'We are not artists nor musicians. We are workers.' Ignoring nearly all rock traditions, experimenting in near-total secrecy in their Düsseldorf studio, Kraftwerk fused sound and technology, graphic design and performance, modernist Bauhaus aesthetics and Rhineland industrialisation - even human and machine - to change the course of modern music. This is the story of Kraftwerk the cultural phenomenon, who turned electronic music into avant-garde concept art and created the soundtrack to our digital age.
The story of the phenomenon that is Kraftwerk, and how they revolutionised our cultural landscape
'We are not artists nor musicians. We are workers.' Ignoring nearly all rock traditions, experimenting in near-total secrecy in their Düsseldorf studio, Kraftwerk fused sound and technology, graphic design and performance, modernist Bauhaus aesthetics and Rhineland industrialisation - even human and machine - to change the course of modern music. This is the story of Kraftwerk the cultural phenomenon, who turned electronic music into avant-garde concept art and created the soundtrack to our digital age.
317 pages, Paperback
First published June 14, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
February 21, 2021
It’s become a cliché for people to say that when they first heard Kraftwerk they were struck by how “different” the group sounded, but I suppose statements like that become cliched because they contain an element of truth. The author of this homage to the band highlights that they not only pioneered electronic music, but also a sound that owed nothing to the jazz and blues rhythms that were the foundation of rock and roll. The book quotes Ralf Hütter as saying that Kraftwerk’s music belongs to industrial Düsseldorf in the same way that country music belongs to Texas. In their turn, Kraftwerk were immensely influential in the history of pop music, giving rise to the British synth-pop of the eighties, and influencing the House and Techno genres.
After the success of Autobahn in 1974, Kraftwerk released their albums simultaneously in German and English language versions, so the listener can take their pick. Since I speak English, I’ve used the English-language titles below.
The author makes it clear in his Foreword that this book is about the cultural impact of Kraftwerk, and it is a mostly thoughtful account of that. I say “mostly” because I felt he made some sweeping statements, particularly when he moved off the subject of music and on to wider social issues. Unsurprisingly, the author is a huge fan and gives the band the benefit of the doubt over any contentious matters, such as their reworking of the lyrics of Radioactivity from initial ambivalence to an openly anti-nuclear power stance. Cynics thought this change was motivated by commercial considerations, whereas the author credits it to a genuine political conversion.
The main argument in the book is that Kraftwerk must be considered not just as a pop group but as a Gesamtkunstwerk, a sort of integrated art project that combines audio, visual and theatrical elements. In their early years they drew inspiration from Italian Futurism and the culturally innovative aspects of the Weimar Republic, particularly The Bauhaus and the science fiction films of Fritz Lang. The group produced concept albums around the overarching theme of technology, and carefully linked the music with accompanying imagery, not just videos and album cover artwork but extending to things like typeface and the tickets printed for their concerts. Perhaps most famously, their concerts involve the group members dressing identically and standing rigidly on the stage, projecting a robotic image. When playing We Are The Robots , the band members are actually replaced on stage by robotic dummies.
Kraftwerk haven’t produced any new material since the nineties, concentring instead on reworking their classic tracks. Their video work is now however exhibited in prestigious art galleries, underlining the idea that they are a conceptual art project rather than a pop group.
I was interested in Kraftwerk during their “classic” period of the 70s and 80s. I hadn’t really thought about them much since those days, so this book opened up a lot of new information to me. It’s a decent read and a fitting tribute to the group.
Incidentally the book was first published in 2018 so doesn’t take account of the death of Florian Schneider in the summer of 2020.
After the success of Autobahn in 1974, Kraftwerk released their albums simultaneously in German and English language versions, so the listener can take their pick. Since I speak English, I’ve used the English-language titles below.
The author makes it clear in his Foreword that this book is about the cultural impact of Kraftwerk, and it is a mostly thoughtful account of that. I say “mostly” because I felt he made some sweeping statements, particularly when he moved off the subject of music and on to wider social issues. Unsurprisingly, the author is a huge fan and gives the band the benefit of the doubt over any contentious matters, such as their reworking of the lyrics of Radioactivity from initial ambivalence to an openly anti-nuclear power stance. Cynics thought this change was motivated by commercial considerations, whereas the author credits it to a genuine political conversion.
The main argument in the book is that Kraftwerk must be considered not just as a pop group but as a Gesamtkunstwerk, a sort of integrated art project that combines audio, visual and theatrical elements. In their early years they drew inspiration from Italian Futurism and the culturally innovative aspects of the Weimar Republic, particularly The Bauhaus and the science fiction films of Fritz Lang. The group produced concept albums around the overarching theme of technology, and carefully linked the music with accompanying imagery, not just videos and album cover artwork but extending to things like typeface and the tickets printed for their concerts. Perhaps most famously, their concerts involve the group members dressing identically and standing rigidly on the stage, projecting a robotic image. When playing We Are The Robots , the band members are actually replaced on stage by robotic dummies.
Kraftwerk haven’t produced any new material since the nineties, concentring instead on reworking their classic tracks. Their video work is now however exhibited in prestigious art galleries, underlining the idea that they are a conceptual art project rather than a pop group.
I was interested in Kraftwerk during their “classic” period of the 70s and 80s. I hadn’t really thought about them much since those days, so this book opened up a lot of new information to me. It’s a decent read and a fitting tribute to the group.
Incidentally the book was first published in 2018 so doesn’t take account of the death of Florian Schneider in the summer of 2020.
March 13, 2020
Overall enjoyable, I never need to read the word “gesamtkunstwerk” ever again though
June 14, 2020
More of an academic study or these than a new reference work (which is perhaps unsurprising given the author’s background) this is nevertheless an interesting read. It does however suffer from jarring bursts of the author’s own opinions (for example, he insults Daft Punk on more than one occasion) which are presented as facts.
September 1, 2021
This was like reading a college term paper on each of Kraftwerk's albums.
May 13, 2020
interesting book looking at the career of kraftwerk from their origins in dusseldorf to the modern day and looking at the cultural societial of the modern industrial music of the rhineland from experimental to the techno pop and the technological changes and the modern german sound of post second world war
April 13, 2020
Shame he dies in the end.
May 8, 2022
Yeaaaaah, this book was a little hard to take at times. The author is clearly a huge fan, but the hyperbole is endless and eventually becomes very tiresome. Another reviewer said the book reads like a college paper on the author's favorite band - a very apt description indeed. I'd maybe even say it's college-level prose with high-school level objectivity and insight.
August 29, 2020
I picked this up on impulse just before closing time on a rare visit to a high-street bookshop. My Kraftwerk background before this book: fairly big fan, saw one of the 3D gigs in 2013, have quite a lot of their product and enjoy it, know the names and a bit of the story as well as the cliches about their influence on hip-hop and electronic music, their notion of making pop music that didn't draw primarily on US pop tropes, the cycling turn, etc.
Their story, on this showing, is not rich in hitherto unfamiliar event or anecdote (they made a few records and then re-released them repeatedly in 'updated' tweaked formats, and started touring a lot when they stopped making new music).
It is, on the other hand, positively overflowing with repeated use of the word 'Gesamtkunstwerk'. Schutte (apologies for the missing umlaut - limited keyboard skills) writes English that is careful, dry and often almost correct ("my biggest gratitude", to take the final example), but it certainly never sings and has all the rhythmic suppleness of a Schwarzbrot sandwich.
In short, it's a plodder. Schutte has put in the work, but come up short in terms of worthwhile material. His editors were much too gentle with him. I note that he credits his wife Antje with copy-editing - surely not a good idea to have a spouse edit your book, even if she is a native speaker of English, which both her name and the resulting text suggest is not the case. His proofreader is called Andreas Hagstrom, again suggesting he may not be best qualified for that particular job. I'm doubtful that shortening the book by a third or so would have made it much better, but it would have been a start. In fairness, poor editing is at pandemic levels in the 21st-century publishing trade, but that's hardly an excuse.
I'm sure Schutte worked hard on this, but really the best I can say about it is it encouraged me to enliven my reading sessions with a Kraftwerk soundtrack. However, for me the soundtrack was at least as good without the accompanying text. Not recommended.
Their story, on this showing, is not rich in hitherto unfamiliar event or anecdote (they made a few records and then re-released them repeatedly in 'updated' tweaked formats, and started touring a lot when they stopped making new music).
It is, on the other hand, positively overflowing with repeated use of the word 'Gesamtkunstwerk'. Schutte (apologies for the missing umlaut - limited keyboard skills) writes English that is careful, dry and often almost correct ("my biggest gratitude", to take the final example), but it certainly never sings and has all the rhythmic suppleness of a Schwarzbrot sandwich.
In short, it's a plodder. Schutte has put in the work, but come up short in terms of worthwhile material. His editors were much too gentle with him. I note that he credits his wife Antje with copy-editing - surely not a good idea to have a spouse edit your book, even if she is a native speaker of English, which both her name and the resulting text suggest is not the case. His proofreader is called Andreas Hagstrom, again suggesting he may not be best qualified for that particular job. I'm doubtful that shortening the book by a third or so would have made it much better, but it would have been a start. In fairness, poor editing is at pandemic levels in the 21st-century publishing trade, but that's hardly an excuse.
I'm sure Schutte worked hard on this, but really the best I can say about it is it encouraged me to enliven my reading sessions with a Kraftwerk soundtrack. However, for me the soundtrack was at least as good without the accompanying text. Not recommended.
May 29, 2021
Kraftwerk is a band I've always admired more than loved, especially compared to other German bands from the 70's like Can, Faust, Neu!, Amon Düül II, Ash Ra Tempel, etc. However, they're unquestionably the most popular of the "krautrock" bands and are one of the few bands from the subgenre still operating. This summer, a 50th anniversary tour was scheduled to take place but was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. I hadn't planned to go to the concert in my city even though I've listened to and enjoyed most of their albums. After having listened to this audiobook, I pray that the tour is rescheduled so that I can buy tickets immediately.
The main aspect of the band that I had taken for granted, and the one that this book elucidates, is the conceptual unity guiding every facet of everything the band does. The music on Kraftwerk's albums is just one strand in a giant, decades long multimedia art project, a gesamtkunstwerk that incorporates music, video, graphic design, and live performance. Their pioneering use of computers and electronics is widespread in almost all genres of popular music today to such an extent that it's not unreasonable to compare their influence with that of The Beatles. The main difference, I think, is that the music of the Beatles is easily enjoyed by most people with no explanation or context needed. By comparison, Kraftwerk's music can feel be puzzling, ironic, and inaccessible. I think this is because they're actually a very weird avant-garde band, influenced by the Bauhaus movement, Joseph Beuys, Andy Warhol, and others, masquerading as a "normal" pop band. Their influence on not just electronic music but hip-hop and mainstream pop music (now made on computers) is incalculable.
Kraftwerk subverted the cliches of rock and embraced technology to engage in radical anti-normal worldbuilding. They loved their machines and knew that they were imbued with souls, like plants in a garden that need to be watered. Every detail of their album art, lyrics, and concert videos is carefully considered and adds up to a whole greater than the sum of its parts. None of this would matter, though, if their music wasn't extremely good. Uwe Schütte dissects each album in illuminating detail with track-by-track analysis. I have a new appreciation for Radioactivity as a concept album. The crushing funky beat of "Numbers" from Computer World cannot be denied. But my favorite song of Kraftwerk that I had never even considered before this book is "Metal on Metal" from Trans-Europe Express. Part of a tripartite suit, it merits attentive listening with headphones. Apparently, to imitate the sound of a track going over metal tracks on a bridge, Kraftwerk tried constructing a beat by with the sounds of different metal objects being struck. They finally achieved the perfect sound that you hear on the recording by using a hammer to strike a wheelbarrow and a cabinet made of zinc. Hell yeah.
I can now say I'm a fan of Kraftwerk. This style of book, a brief introduction to the work of a band, could be very helpful in appreciating many musical artists, and I encourage the music writers of the world to wholeheartedly embrace it. Five stars.
The main aspect of the band that I had taken for granted, and the one that this book elucidates, is the conceptual unity guiding every facet of everything the band does. The music on Kraftwerk's albums is just one strand in a giant, decades long multimedia art project, a gesamtkunstwerk that incorporates music, video, graphic design, and live performance. Their pioneering use of computers and electronics is widespread in almost all genres of popular music today to such an extent that it's not unreasonable to compare their influence with that of The Beatles. The main difference, I think, is that the music of the Beatles is easily enjoyed by most people with no explanation or context needed. By comparison, Kraftwerk's music can feel be puzzling, ironic, and inaccessible. I think this is because they're actually a very weird avant-garde band, influenced by the Bauhaus movement, Joseph Beuys, Andy Warhol, and others, masquerading as a "normal" pop band. Their influence on not just electronic music but hip-hop and mainstream pop music (now made on computers) is incalculable.
Kraftwerk subverted the cliches of rock and embraced technology to engage in radical anti-normal worldbuilding. They loved their machines and knew that they were imbued with souls, like plants in a garden that need to be watered. Every detail of their album art, lyrics, and concert videos is carefully considered and adds up to a whole greater than the sum of its parts. None of this would matter, though, if their music wasn't extremely good. Uwe Schütte dissects each album in illuminating detail with track-by-track analysis. I have a new appreciation for Radioactivity as a concept album. The crushing funky beat of "Numbers" from Computer World cannot be denied. But my favorite song of Kraftwerk that I had never even considered before this book is "Metal on Metal" from Trans-Europe Express. Part of a tripartite suit, it merits attentive listening with headphones. Apparently, to imitate the sound of a track going over metal tracks on a bridge, Kraftwerk tried constructing a beat by with the sounds of different metal objects being struck. They finally achieved the perfect sound that you hear on the recording by using a hammer to strike a wheelbarrow and a cabinet made of zinc. Hell yeah.
I can now say I'm a fan of Kraftwerk. This style of book, a brief introduction to the work of a band, could be very helpful in appreciating many musical artists, and I encourage the music writers of the world to wholeheartedly embrace it. Five stars.
March 19, 2020
Nothing particularly new in this book. A couple of daft assertions here and there.
Read
February 20, 2023De e nice
May 21, 2024
A comprehensive history of one of my favorite groups. Given Kraftwerk's secrecy and self-mythologizing, it does not shine much light on personal lives or inter-band drama like other music histories. It does, on the other hand, give superb context to how the music grew out of post-war Germany.
I was well aware of the influence of German works like Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" on Kraftwerk's music (difficult to miss with a song named "Metropolis"). Still, it hadn't occurred to me that their music serves as a bridge to and restart of Weimar-era art after it was destroyed by the Nazis. Although Trans-Europe Express was released 32 years after WWII, it feels like the first formulation of a new and self-respecting (inter)national identity for Germany.
I appreciate how Schütte laid out The Catalogue and parsed a message and aesthetic from the man-machine image. Why Hütter has disappeared the first three records is something I really wanted answered here, but if he won't speak on it, we won't know.
I was well aware of the influence of German works like Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" on Kraftwerk's music (difficult to miss with a song named "Metropolis"). Still, it hadn't occurred to me that their music serves as a bridge to and restart of Weimar-era art after it was destroyed by the Nazis. Although Trans-Europe Express was released 32 years after WWII, it feels like the first formulation of a new and self-respecting (inter)national identity for Germany.
I appreciate how Schütte laid out The Catalogue and parsed a message and aesthetic from the man-machine image. Why Hütter has disappeared the first three records is something I really wanted answered here, but if he won't speak on it, we won't know.
July 6, 2020
Great look into the inner-workings and history of one of the most influential and fascinating artistic ensembles of all-time. Although it shares plenty of behind-the-scenes stories it feels like it lacks something exclusive and works more as a compendium of the band's story. No complaints from me though: the more Kraftwerk I can have in my life, the better.
May 24, 2024
This is like a Wikipedia entry but much worse
August 14, 2022
Áhugaverð bók, hins vegar stærstur hluti bókarinnar eru frekar grunnar lýsingar á myndefni og tónlist (ekkert sem maður hefði ekki getað tekið eftir sjálfur), sem og upptalning á tónleikahaldi. Hefði frekar viljað lesa meira um hljóðfærin sjálf og tæknileg atriði í tónlistinni og meiri rökstuðning á því hvers vegna tónlist Kraftwerk var svona byltingarkennd. Vantaði einnig meira samhengi og almenna gagnrýni, Schütte talar um sögulegt samhengi í kringum upphafsár Kraftwerks og sjálfsmynd þeirra sem Þjóðverja strax eftir stríð, en það aldrei talað að nokkru marki um bakgrunn þeirra sjálfra né forréttindi. Bókin var mjög hvít, karllæg og heterónormatíf og nánast ekkert talað um stöðu kvenna, samkynhneigðra eða hinssegin fólks í þessu samhengi. Í seinasta kaflanum var rétt svo tiplað á tónlist Kraftwerks í samhengi við teknó tónlistarsköpun svartra í Detroit, og þar rökstutt að Kraftwerk hafi sýnt minnihlutahópum að kynþættir skipta ekki máli þegar kemur að tónlistarsköpun. Mér fannst þetta ansi djarft skrifað, sem og að áhrifin hafi farið í einstefnu yfir Atlandshafið, s.s. að Kraftwerk hafi eingöngu áhrif á minnihlutahópa, en ekki að þeir hafi sjálfir orðið fyrir áhrifum (eða jafnvel stundað menningarnám). Einnig er ansi langrækt að telja upp fólk sem altjént starfar undir áhrifum Kraftwerks, t.d. að platan Dirty Computer hennar Janelle Monae sé beint innblásin af ímynd Kraftwerks, fyrir það eitt að hafa orðið "computer" í titlinum.
Sem sagt, áhugaverð bók, áhugavert efni, hins vegar fannst mér höfundurinn ekki alveg gefa allri sögunni nógu góð skil.
Sem sagt, áhugaverð bók, áhugavert efni, hins vegar fannst mér höfundurinn ekki alveg gefa allri sögunni nógu góð skil.
August 25, 2024
Solid history of Kraftwerk with some questionable opinions thrown into the mix. If you’re a big Kraftwerk fan I would recommend because there is some interesting deep lore. The author uses the word “gesamtkunstwerk” (German for total work) WAY too much to the point that it significantly ruined the book. I wish it went more into detail on obscure Kraftwerk history instead of incessantly arguing the same point over and over again. Other than that, there were some solid viewpoints and perspectives offered that made me appreciate Kraftwerk even more! The history the book goes over was so interesting as well. Solid read for any Kraftwerk fan!
November 29, 2024
2.5⭐ While this book made me realize once again just how much I love Kraftwerk, this read wasn't really for me. It is primarily aimed at an English-speaking audience with little to no knowledge of German history and society from the 1950s up until now. Probably should've just picked up a German book instead. It's also repetitive and tedious to read at times, like when the author goes on a 5-page ramble on whether the album and song Radio-Activity should be understood as pro or anti nuclear energy (just stop testing my patience and discuss the 1991 version of the song already please and thanks very much!!!!!) (stop radioactivity)
December 26, 2022
The book had a lot of ups and downs. At some points I was completely sucked in to the world of kraftwerk, sometimes pretty done with the repeating of terms and accomplishments.
The book does show how influential kraftwerk actually is. They inspired a lot of my favourite artist (David Bowie, Brian Eno and obviously Gary Neuman) and single-handedly created the groundwork of all synthesised/electronic music. After all a really nice and interesting book explaining the immense impact of the Man Machines.
The book does show how influential kraftwerk actually is. They inspired a lot of my favourite artist (David Bowie, Brian Eno and obviously Gary Neuman) and single-handedly created the groundwork of all synthesised/electronic music. After all a really nice and interesting book explaining the immense impact of the Man Machines.
February 4, 2023
It is a very good summary regarding all things that entail the Gesamtkunstwerk that is Kraftwerk, however, it is also not working much with Theory except for the Gesamtkunstwerk aspect (there was an exciting hint to Mark Fisher in the beginning, but that did not go anywhere). I guess the book is good for people who are just getting started with Kraftwerk and who want to understand it more. Also a good resource to track artists who were influenced by Kraftwerk although it understates the influence on Daft Punk in my opinion.
April 10, 2023
An accessible academic study of Kraftwerk by a fan that's well worth reading if you're into electronic music. Personally I'm more into the modern minimalist end of the genre, so this book was worth reading for the context of Kraftwerk's place in the history of it. He covers the links to German cultural history going back pre 20th century, and obviously the aftermath and effect of Nazism on German cultural identity; the cross cultural effect Kraftwerk had on African American electronic music, pop music in general, and art and culture within the context of our contemporary digital age.
July 29, 2025
4.5/5
The more I read about Kraftwerk, the more I appreciate their ingenuity and genius.
This book goes into great academic detail about their concepts, image, and overall aesthetic, as well as their impact on dance, techno, and hip-hop.
I also bought this when I was in Germany so I caught some nostalgia for walking around the streets of Berlin.
The more I read about Kraftwerk, the more I appreciate their ingenuity and genius.
This book goes into great academic detail about their concepts, image, and overall aesthetic, as well as their impact on dance, techno, and hip-hop.
I also bought this when I was in Germany so I caught some nostalgia for walking around the streets of Berlin.
February 5, 2022
Fascinating account of how Kraftwerk became such a massive musical and cultural influence. Well written, and focuses on the conceptual thinking behind the their work and working methods instead of recounting mundane biographical details. Made me resistencia to their catalogue with fresh ears.
July 21, 2022
The cover art implies more emphasis on the actual technology used by Kraftwerk than the book delivers but still a satisfying read. Interesting info on their connection with art movements, the careful management of visuals and image, Kraftwerk as "music workers", and a famous sequence of concept albums - a "concept band".
May 27, 2023
pretty interesting history of Kraftwerk and its importance as "a complete audio visual package" or something like that that was said in the first chapter.
My fav parts were about Bernd & Hilla Becher (no surprise) and about Kraftwerk and Detroit
audioB00k
My fav parts were about Bernd & Hilla Becher (no surprise) and about Kraftwerk and Detroit
audioB00k
January 6, 2024
A very vibrant (if sometimes noticebly biased) account of the legendary German band. Documents not only their influence on modern electronic and popular music, but also how they successfully built a novel image for German culture post WW.
September 25, 2024
Tók mér of langan tíma að klára lmao en það er galli hjá mér frekar en bókina. Gefur góða innsýn í Kraftwerk og kynnir stærra samhengið þeirra á skýran hátt. Ég á samt smá erfitt að taka þá pælingu alvarlega að allt í kringum þá tengist þetta stærri “gesamtkunstwerk”. Ég veit ekki hvort við þurftum heilan kafla sem segir frá heimasíðu þeirra. Alvöru ástæðan samt að þessi bók fær 4 stjörnur er af því að gæjinn fílar ekki The Model
March 7, 2022
Drexicya koppeling nooit gezien dat was prachtig
March 10, 2025
Cracking history not just of Kraftwerk but of modern electronic music. A must-read for anybody interested in music.
May 9, 2025
Me gustó mucho :)
En especial la parte final, donde se analiza el impacto de Kraftwerk en la música afroamericana de los años 80. El autor presenta a ambos grupos - Kraftwerk y los músicos afroamericanos - como símbolos de dos tragedias históricas: el nazismo y la trata de esclavos.
A través de la música, ambos buscaron replantear su pasado y cambiar la perspectiva.
“Towards the future of music.”
motorik.
En especial la parte final, donde se analiza el impacto de Kraftwerk en la música afroamericana de los años 80. El autor presenta a ambos grupos - Kraftwerk y los músicos afroamericanos - como símbolos de dos tragedias históricas: el nazismo y la trata de esclavos.
A través de la música, ambos buscaron replantear su pasado y cambiar la perspectiva.
“Towards the future of music.”
motorik.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2025
Really great read about the most influential band since the Beatles. Cool as fuck. Can’t wait to go to Düsseldorf now.
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