The Birth of Krautrock: A Definitive History
In the aftermath of World War II, Germany’s youth inherited a "country in ruins, and thus a ruined culture" (as composer Irmin Schmidt described it). The country was partitioned between the democratic West and the Soviet Union, and the global community feared all things German. In the face of such an identity crisis, how did Germany’s counterculture respond? According to the newly translated oral history "Neu Klang: The Definitive History of Krautrock," it was by starting from zero.
The Birth of a New Sound
Spoken by Peter Brötzmann, Irmin Schmidt, and Lutz Ludwig Kramer, these assertions explain the high stakes driving Germany’s counterculture in the decades following World War II. Despite Germany’s movement to de-Nazify the workforce in 1945, Schmidt was expelled for outing former Nazis in his high school. As for Holger Czukay, a Can founder who played bass, "I never really knew my father; he was definitely a Nazi."
Clearing Away the Past
In Dallach’s retelling, Can comes across as the poster child of German cooperation. The band’s drummer, Jaki Liebezeit, explains its formative instinct: "What we did then with Can had a lot to do with clearing away that past." This "new start" was about "reclaiming our own history." As the guitarist Günter Schickert recalled, "Schlager was so popular" after the war "because there was no other German music left."
The Power of Collaboration
Can would record many hours of groove-based improv, then splice the best portions together on tape. This technique allowed by Liebezeit’s astonishingly precise funk drumming and the band’s willingness to share credit for all songwriting, even for the flights of improvised language by their Japanese vocalist, Damo Suzuki.
The Isolation of German Rock
As the bands holed up in rural villages or urban islands, they created music that was isolated from American blues structures. As Michael Rother, the minimalist guitar choogler of early Kraftwerk, recalled, "In those days it turned my stomach when someone played a blue note." This was part of the stateless charm of their music, as if they were making music without boundaries.
A New Start from Zero
The mania of those years shines through harder groups like Faust, the communards who milked Polydor Records for enormous advances while recording some of the brattiest and most melodically questioning rock of the decade. As Jean-Hervé Peron in the book recalled, the group was once raided – naked – by armed border guards suspecting the morally deviant musicians of terrorism.
Conclusion
"Neu Klang: The Definitive History of Krautrock" is a revelatory book that propels readers back to these bands – to their sparkling melodies, infinite grooves, and rigorous ethics. The oral history reveals a generation of musicians wading through the legacy of fascism, fleeing Germany’s authoritarian past to create a new sound.
FAQs
Q: What is krautrock?
A: Krautrock is a genre of music that emerged in Germany in the 1970s, characterized by its unique blend of electronic experimentation, rock music, and avant-garde sounds.
Q: Who are the key figures in krautrock?
A: Some key figures in krautrock include Peter Brötzmann, Irmin Schmidt, Lutz Ludwig Kramer, Holger Czukay, Jaki Liebezeit, Günter Schickert, Michael Rother, Klaus Schultz, Dieter Moebius, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, and Brian Eno.
Q: What was the cultural context of krautrock?
A: Krautrock emerged in the 1970s, a decade marked by social and political upheaval in Germany. The country was still recovering from the trauma of World War II, and there was a sense of identity crisis among young Germans. The music of krautrock was a response to this crisis, an attempt to create a new sound that was both German and international.
Q: What impact did krautrock have on the music world?
A: Krautrock had a significant impact on the music world, influencing a wide range of genres, from rock and pop to electronic and avant-garde music. Many of the key figures in krautrock went on to work with international artists, introducing their unique sound to a global audience.
