"Go online, look up Kraftwerk"

My idol KRS-One and Buckshot takes on the talent/autotune problem, while namedropping both Kraftwerk and Roger Troutman. Not bad at all, really.

The Catalogue

Let the rumors start, again! The Dutch EMI site lists Kraftwerk - Boxset (8CD) in their soon to be released-list. The release date is set to September 7th.

Also on that same date, according to the same EMI list, these albums will be (re)released:

• Autobahn
• Radio-Activity
• Trans-Europe Express
• The Man Machine
• Computer World
• Techno Pop
• The Mix
• Tour de France

Fingers crossed that this means that we finally get to buy The Catalogue, the box set of 8 remastered Kraftwerk albums that was initially promoted back in 2004.

And after that, time should be right for the re-release of the first three albums.

Clock DVA - still losing it

Again, I have been eagerly looking forward to the Clock DVA reissue box, to be released by Mute Records, and the possibilities of new material from both Clock DVA and T.A.G.C. But these guys are really doing their best to extrude me. On christmas eve (!), I received this message via MySpace. And today, there's another one. Again, it was sent by Jane Radion Newton, wife of Clock DVA founder Adi Newton, and currently a Clock DVA member in her own right. Here it is:

Paul Browse??? Please give myself, Adi, DVA,T.A.G.C the respect to delete our profiles if you wish to keep such "personalities" who without reason have exploited our work and caused untold personal problems by thier actions.Thankyou

We check all new friends requests before accepting to see if they have any of these EX-members profiles in your friends
Nohno/ Kibuka (Dean Dennis)
Paul.A.Browse.
(Bob Baker) Shadowranglers/Shadowranger
Andrew Mckenzie(Hafler Trio)

If you have any of these above profiles we are sorry but we cannot accept/keep profiles that consider these individuals as their friends, as they certainly are not ours and are NOT a welcome part of DVA/TAGC I have deep regrets ever inviting them into my work- oil and water do not mix.

You may feel that this is a strong response but we ask you to trust and respect that our decision is based on necessity and issues that cannot be resolved. We hope you continue your respect as their actions and activities have also affected buying fans being behind fake DVA/TAGC products taking money from innocent fans irrespective of any lie they care to invent to justify this, they were also behind a fake ClockDVA profile now deleted through our exposure of its exploitation; therefore this is not a personal issue and we hope you would empathize by reflecting back on this as if these forms of exploitation were the same abuses of your own work.

These profiles also usually follow on our heals to filch friends of DVA/TAGC after we have accepted them.

With Respect

Adi Newton – Founder/Creative director ClockDVA/TAGC 1978-onwards and Jane Radion Newton.

So, there you have it. Another attempt to keep the online community "in check", accomplishing nothing but proving their own complete comfusion regarding the purpose and meaning of online tools like MySpace. And the related issue of online "friendship".

Why does everyone have to fail eventually?

Related:
Clock DVA - losing it.

Krautrock: Cosmic Rock and Its Legacy

Coming in October, published by Black Dog Publishing - Nikolaos Kotsopoulos' 192 page book "Krautrock: Cosmic Rock and Its Legacy". And the foreword seems to be written by none other than Steven Stapleton from Nurse With Wound. And David Tibet/Current 93 is also in it. Interesting.

Here's the sales pitch:

Krautrock charts the history of this influential music genre, from its roots in free jazz, psychedelia and the music of Karlheinz Stockhausen, to the groundbreaking experiments of Faust, Kraftwerk and Can.

The late 1960s in West Germany was a period of profound breakthroughs, upheavals and reversals. Communes were spreading, protests organised throughout the entire country, the desire to begin everything anew permeating the young. Out of this climate, a music scene exploded that would forever change the face of Western rock; at times anarchic, at others mystical, and utopian, it pushed rock beyond any known limits.

From the relentless drum beating of Amon Duul I, to the eastern tinged mysticism of Popol Vuh and the sonic assaults of Conrad Schnitzler, Krautrock: Cosmic Rock and Its Legacy traces the history of this complex and eschewing definition phenomenon.

Illustrated with concert photos, posters, record cover art and other rare and previously unseen visual material, this book is the ultimate tour-de-force of a movement whose influence and impact is still being felt today. With essays by Michel Faber, David Keenan, Erik Davis, Ken Hollings, a foreword by Steven Stapleton of Nurse with Wound, and testimonials from Gavin Russom (Delia and Gavin), Ann Shenton (Add N to (x)) and David Tibet (Current 93) this is the first ever comprehensive survey of its kind.

That's it. I'm ordering a copy right away.

Kraftwerk in 3D

No new music, but there was some interesting news visually when Kraftwerk performed in Wolfsburg a few days ago. 3D glasses were handed out to the audience, and a good portion of the projected graphics were in 3D. I'm not sure what I think of this... but hey, if it is supposed to be a multimedia show then why not?

Some more images, courtesy of mókamóka and diwiesign on Flickr:

EMS-TU1

Elektronmusikstudion, Stockholm, 1974!

Kraftwerk - Kakteen, Wüste, Sonne (1971)

Old, unseen, and with a title that translates to "Cacti, Desert, Sun", "Kakteen, Wüste, Sonne" was originally recorded for the german tv show Beat Club in 1971, but as it appears it didn't make it on the air until April 19th 2009. I.e. yesterday.