inner nerd » Germany

Robot Rock du Jour: Zwischenfall – Flucht (1983)

beaker — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:18:09 +0000

Chew on this dark wave nugget for a while.

SCHEMATIC: Limited edition repress, original female vocal version and more videos…

Flucht was one of my very first blog posts. There is something about this song that works its way into your bones. Josh Cheon of Dark Entries Records in SF just did a limited, hyper-quality repress of the Heute EP including the superior German version of Flucht. For $13, you’d be nuts not to grab one while they’re still in supply. Josh also wrote up his great interview with Stephen Kraemer of Zwischenfall.

Flucht (Female Vocal Version) (1984)

The female vocal version of Flucht was actually the b-side of the Sandy Eyes single released on Belgian label Les Disques du Crépuscule and Italo champ Fuzz Dance.

Sandy Eyes (1984)

This song has a much warmer, almost pre-balearic feel to it and was NOT on the Heute EP.

Atemlos (1983)

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Robot Rock du Jour: Kraftwerk – Ruckzuck (1970)

beaker — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 05:23:18 +0000

Are you kidding me???!!! This song is ridiculous. It is shocking to me how many people who LOVE Kraftwerk have never even heard this song. Just in case there was ANY doubt in your mind as to the genius of these boys from Düsseldorf, this lead song off their 1970 eponymous debut album should clear it up.

I spent two hours combing youtube for every worthwhile version of this song including two additional live performances. One is from Germany in 1975 and the other is a pre-Kraftwerk (Organisation) performance complete with…congas!!! Each offers a unique glimpse into the inner nerd.

SCHEMATIC: V-I-D-E-O-S…

Pre-Kraftwerk (Organisation) Live, 1970

Live in Germany, 1975

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Robot Rock du Jour: Kraftwerk – Autobahn (1974)

beaker — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:54:01 +0000

An 11-minute face-melting video edit of Kraftwerk’s 23-minute opus. The real cybernetic acid trip is the five-minute breakdown that beings around 3:06. Animation by Roger Mainwood and John Halas in 1979. The video was posted in two parts, so load the rest of the post to view the second half…

SCHEMATIC: Video part two, Mainwood interview and high res vinyl rip…

The title track off Kraftwerk’s 1974 LP Autobahn was a genesis moment in nerd music, marking the completion of Kraftwerk’s robotic transformation. Without this band or track, electronic music would probably not be what it is today. It represents the seemless merging of musical genius with avant-garde technology. The entire album is available on iTunes for only $3.49!!

Mainwood discussing the history of the film:

No, I never made contact with Kraftwerk, and they had no input into the film images themselves. John Halas got the commission from Kraftwerk’s record company, and it was deliberately experimental in nature and designed to be released on one of the first ever laser discs. Unfortunately the laser disc technology never took off. The film was entered into various film festivals around the world and won a few prizes, but it never got a commercial release in cinemas but was shown on the TV a bit in the UK and I presume in Germany too. I have no idea what Kraftwerk think about it or whether they have even ever seen it.

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Party Time: Saturday Robot Party @ The Idle Hour (Baltimore, MD)

beaker — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:52:53 +0000

VIGR is in the house. 4+ hour rare vinyl set. Need I say more? Hope to see you there! I’ll try to keep track of the setlist…

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Vintage Vocoders Youtube Playlist is Live!!

beaker — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:18:07 +0000

Warm up the robot! Any one of these vintage machines presented in our youtube playlist will transform you (or a loved one) into a Cylon. To start it off, let Giorgio Moroder magically transport you to the wonderful world of vocoders in this Casablanca Records promo video…

SCHEMATIC: Want more? Check out the entire playlist…

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Robot Rock du Jour: Eberhard Schoener + The Police = Why Don’t You Answer? (1978)

beaker — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:03:42 +0000

I flipped when I found this at the record store today for CAN$8! Are you kidding me?! This incredible track is the result of a long-forgotten collaboration between the Roxanne-era Police and German composer/keyboard player Eberhard Schoener. Seriously!

Sting on vocals and bass, Steward Copland on drums/percussion and Andy Summers on guitar with Schoener laying it down heavy on the synth. Sting’s signature voice and the song’s slow build opens the door for uniquely anxious lyrics. Infectious and awesome.

SCHEMATIC: Weird Video Magic live performance video, cover art and record scans…

The song Video Magic pretty much sucks, but the video is weird enough to justify the post.

Why Don’t You Answer? first appeared in 1978 on Schoener’s album Flashback, only to return on the compilation Video-Magic in 1981.

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Robot Rock du Jour: Liaisons Dangereuses – Los Niños Del Parque (1981)

beaker — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:05:18 +0000

German EBM (Electronic Body Music) pioneers, Liaisons Dangereuses are goin’ for it full throttle on this track. This particular live version was filmed in Manchester in 1982. Acid synthlines abound, making this track a landmark Chicago/Detroit precursor. iSpy my favorite synth duo the Korg MS-20 and MS-50.

SCHEMATIC: Live in Düsseldorf, synths, famous female band member…

Synth goddess and band co-founder Beate Bartel was also one of the original members of the avant-garde band Einstürzende Neubauten. This next live version was filmed at a music festival in Düsseldorf. Check out pink hair at 1:21!!

For comparison purposes, I’ve also included a still frame video for the 12″ version.

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