The legacy of German technopop pioneers Kraftwerk is something that’s ingrained in the long musical path that OMD have trod over the years. Whether or not the band’s influence has had a more broader impact is something that an article in The Telegraph explores – and also quizzes Andy McCluskey on his views on the topic:
“People always go back to how the American blues was lifted by the British and turned into pop in the Sixties, but that was a long time ago, and its reign was 20 or 30 years. When you listen to pop now, do you hear the Beatles, or do you hear electronic, synthetic, computer-based grooves?”
Andy goes on to comment: “Kraftwerk were hinting at the removal of some of the more human or primitive elements in music, the sweaty drummer, strutting lead guitarist. As a result, they were viewed as cold, inhuman or frosty, but in hindsight we [can see we] have removed a lot more and the stuff from the Seventies actually seems quite human. What was often perceived as coldness was actually a kind of melancholy of emotional restriction.”
The article also features contributions from Martin Gore (Depeche Mode). Michael Rother (Neu!) and Karl Hyde (Underworld).
Meanwhile, The Guardian has a separate feature exploring the same topic (with a contribution from Peter Saville): http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate
