Future Days: Krautrock and the Building Of Germany

Hi,

Edited by moshkito - February 12 2015 at 09:31

This is just me folks, so I beg your pardon... but... from January 27th, 1974 on till 2000 plus, I had the pleasure of introducing to commercial radio many artists from Germany.  NEVER in any of those broadcasts did I refer to this genre of music as Krautrock.  I found the term a cheap and demeaning way of categorizing a foreign style of music to less perceptive Western buyers. 

Guy Guden wrote: ... Otherwise PFM, Banco and Le Orme should be Woprock, Yellow Magic Orchestra and Acid Mothers Temple Niprock, all British bands Limeyrock or Limerock for 2 sylla ballet dancers, etc. etc.   :)X.

Edited by moshkito - February 13 2015 at 11:53

^If I wrote the book I would have called it Post War Teutonic Rock Groupen Music.

Edited by SteveG - February 13 2015 at 13:12

Most German musicians including the ones who were there at the very beginning have absolutely no quarrels with the name. Most fans of the style, including the native speakers, feel similarly - at least the ones I've spoken to.

^Yes indeed. Even if these groups are not prominently featured, they certainly get coverage.

That's interesting Guldbamsen, because my experience has been the exact opposite.  In the '70s up to 1982, when I was in Munich obtaining footage of German musicians for SPACE PIRATE VIDEO, everyone in the music business HATED the term.  Record label owners, producers, members of Amon Duul, they loathed the English

I do think it's a generational thing. Like I mentioned earlier, I have quite a few German friends (old and young) who are into the style, and they tend to use Krautrock much like people use the word prog. I very much doubt whether anyone in this day and age instantly thinks of WWII whenever they come across the expression. Maybe if they just caught Saving Private Ryan on the tube 

I see Birth Control is mentioned in the book, Steve. That is a bit of a surprise for me actually as I've never thought of them as being part of that scene - other than they're from Germany. Hard rock with progressive leanings sure, but there's a distinct deficit of the kosmische and unfathomable that I have come to adore and associate with Krautrock. No improvs and crazy sh*t that slings you out in the furthest part of the perimeter. Jane, Lucifer's Friend, King Ping Meh, Hölderlin and the likes often get mentioned in the same breath as ADII, Can and NEU!, but to my ears neither of these bands came close to what I'd call Krautrock. I guess what I'm trying to ask is this: is this a book on the German music scene during the 70s or does it deal with the Krautrock scene proper?

Guldbamsen wrote: I see Birth Control is mentioned in the book, Steve. That is a bit of a surprise for me actually as I've never thought of them as being part of that scene - other than they're from Germany. Hard rock with progressive leanings sure, but there's a distinct deficit of the kosmische and unfathomable that I have come to adore and associate with Krautrock. No improvs and crazy sh*t that slings you out in the furthest part of the perimeter. Jane, Lucifer's Friend, King Ping Meh, Hölderlin and the likes often get mentioned in the same breath as ADII, Can and NEU!, but to my ears neither of these bands came close to what I'd call Krautrock. I guess what I'm trying to ask is this: is this a book on the German music scene during the 70s or does it deal with the Krautrock scene proper?

Sorry, I couldn't get back to you sooner, David. The book is indeed about the development of 70's era krautrock and dotes on the bands that have had the greatest impact on the German music scene at that time. The book title is defiantly a misnomer and it was an oversight on my part not to clarify this as I had every intention of bringing that up in a later post. Unfortunately, I had gotten sidetracked with another issue ;).  My apologies.

Edited by SteveG - February 15 2015 at 15:02