Will Kraftwerk ever reissue their early albums?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by bleachershane, May 13, 2014.

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  1. noyoucmon

    noyoucmon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Yes, agreed. I was dissecting an assertion elsewhere that Ralf und Florian was as influential as any other Kraftwerk record, which I took in part to mean its influence in the public consciousness. Of course albums can be lost classics and subjectivity can enter into it.
     
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  2. JP Christian

    JP Christian Forum Resident

    I don't own a SACD player (maybe it's about time I got one!) but I can only imagine how amazing Kraftwerk would sound in surround - perhaps if they did Blu-Ray audio that's the only way at present I'd be able to hear surround mixes.
     
  3. Yes Davey - I also have the UK LP "Exceller 8" (terrible example of English pun for the title - no doubt inspired by the "Autobahn" car theme !!)

    Although a number of the tracks are Edits - this LP also has the most phenominal sound for some reason - I enjoy it a lot.
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2014
  4. ToEhrIsHuman

    ToEhrIsHuman Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego, CA, USA
    If I had $400 I could hear what "Maximum Minimum" sounds like in SACD-surround. Yikes.
     
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  5. Give them to me.
     
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  6. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    I was very lucky to get a somewhat affordable copy of the "Minimum Maximum" SACD a few years ago and I think it's fantastic and shows how well Kraftwerk works in surround. Of course the prices for that one have become insane again by now, but there's also a DVD of that concert and from what I've learned the surround mix is the same on that one (and the DTS track is supposed to sound great as well). It might well be a good alternative for the unobtainable SACD and a chance to enjoy Kraftwerk in surround. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Minimum-Max...id=1400144171&sr=8-1&keywords=Maximum+Minimum
     
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  7. Poison_Flour

    Poison_Flour Forum Resident



    "Tanzmusik" from Ralf Und Florian

    Sounding like a lot of Warp artist's but many years before

    IT IS A OUTRAGE WE DONT HAVE A PROPER REISSUE
     
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  8. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    i sprung for an original copy on vinyl and it's one of the neatest albums and sweetest sounding LPs that i own. the artwork outside and inside is also awesome.
     
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  9. Poison_Flour

    Poison_Flour Forum Resident

    I was over the moon to find Ralf Und Florian
    in excellent shape for a few dollars on a original Australia press Vinyl

    I was shocked to find the thing was released over here to be honest
     
  10. asdf35

    asdf35 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin TX
    I only heard these 4 albums this past year, but I feel like I've spent a lifetime with them.

    I had it at home playing constantly, in the car. Just perfect tone floating, meditative
    and imaginatively expansive. Along with a couple well-known perfect quality radio sessions,
    there is a nice chunk of music to enjoy.

    I can't get into the rest of their music so much - aside from Trans-Europe-Express.
    I like it, but to abandon this stuff boggles my mind. Those guys are wacky.
     
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  11. Sytze

    Sytze Senior Member

    There's one track from the pre-Autobahn days that's on an official CD (although now deleted I think): Milk Rock, from Organisation's Tone Float, on Virgin's Jazz Satellites compilation.
    A shame btw that the Kohoutek-Kometenmelodie single wasn't added as a bonus to the remastered Autobahn album (it would also fit as a bonus on the shortish R&F album, but that one will almost likely never see the light of day on CD).
     
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  12. Helmut

    Helmut Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Germany
    You all may complain about them ignoring their roots. But that's part of being "Kraftwerk".
    They never ever played to the rules of music business, they gave no interviews, they were nearly invisible and always lived hidden in a world of their own.
    Both Hütter and Schneider had a wealthy background, they never needed to make money. They always lived in a world of their own, stayed away from everyone else, they were never part of any scene.
    And probably they like the idea, that their first albums are no longer available, which drives some fans crazy. On the other hand it's not too difficult to find the original first albums in good condition.
     
  13. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    Yeah as counterfeits;) Because that is the thing today: Whoever decides to keep an album out of print is keeping the bootleggers busy. That's not being enigmatic or individual that's just plain daft:)
     
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  14. I could see maybe EMI or any other label they're signed to not wanting to release these very non-commercial (especially 1&2) albums as they wouldn't be profitably feasible, maybe a set could work as an indie release by Kling Klang themselves?
     
  15. kevintomb

    kevintomb Forum Resident

    Hopefully!!!!
     
  16. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    The first two Kraftwerk albums sold respectable numbers while they were available. I don't think "commercial" or "non commercial" is the point here. I mean... how commercial are Can? And yet Mute has just reissued their whole catalogue and... it sells;)
     
  17. Helmut

    Helmut Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Germany
    No, that's not the case, it's just few months ago, since I found a good original Vertigo vinyl album of "Ralf and Florian". Others are also still available. Sure there are lots of bootlegs around. But as I wrote before, the two founders of "Kraftwerk" think different, probably very different.....
     
  18. Bruno Republic

    Bruno Republic Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Perhaps in parts of Europe, but elsewhere it's been very difficult to obtain genuine copies at reasonable prices (in any condition) for a long time. Counterfeits are everywhere, of course.
     
  19. Helmut

    Helmut Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Germany
    Use Ebay, they are available from 4,50 Euro up to ridiculous prices. See, I do not defend their policy, I'm just trying to make you aware, that Kraftwerk are different, never cared what others expect. Which in the end also led to this music.

    http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.XKraftwerk Ralf&_nkw=Kraftwerk Ralf&_sacat=0
     
  20. Bruno Republic

    Bruno Republic Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I would, but I'm wary of getting a counterfeit copy. I've actually got the UK double LP on Vertigo of 1 and 2, plus a US copy of Ralf and Florian (affordable because the sleeve was trashed, but the record is good) so it's really just the sleeves I'd be buying them for.

    Very true. But while Hütter and Co. have always demonstrated complete indifference to the expectations of their fans or the music business, I think they (well, "he" at this point, really) have a good point. When asked about why these weren't available, he explained those albums have nothing to do with what they are doing now. It's certainly true, as the chaotic and experimental nature of these albums (especially the first two) are about as opposite as can be from the precise rhythms, melodies, and timbres of the rest of their material, and clearly the latter is what he/they feel really defines them.

    Plus, there might be people buying these with very different expectations of what they were getting. A few years ago I was on a forum where people were discussing the impact and influence of "I Feel Love", and someone chimed in and said "But hasn't Kraftwerk been making this sort of music since 1971?"
     
  21. richard a

    richard a Forum Resident

    Location:
    borley, essex, uk
    Absolutely. I think we can all agree that the pre-Autobahn albums are never going to be chart toppers, but there's more than enough of a market for this sort of stuff. Look at how albums by all sorts of obscure 70s German bands remain in print and continually sell. There's a pretty healthy demand for these Kraftwerk albums - after all, they've been officially out of print for decades.

    What I find rather baffling is Ralf's attitude to these records - there's little point in him all but denying their existence. They exist, people can easily get hold of pirated copies of this stuff if they really want, or download MP3s or whatever. It's impossible to supress it in the way that perhaps Ralf Hutter would like. OK it's very different from, say, Computer World, but so what? Bands change their style, people move on - it's called progress, and it's fascinating to see and hear how Kraftwerk has progressed.
    Frankly, there's nothing embarrassing about these early albums at all. In fact there's some thoroughly enjoyable music to be found here, so why not simply let us buy the material, in decent quality?
     
  22. Helmut

    Helmut Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Germany
    There are lots of originals out there, cause Kraftwerk didn't really sell before "Autobahn". And then the market was flooded with the overstocks and reissues, that also didn't sell even then. That's why you still find so many "cut outs" (with the cover having a hole or a cut) as they were sold very cheap in those days.
    If they would release the albums today, they also wouldn't sell in huge quantities, it's more for the collectors. Who already got the originals.
     
  23. The Good Guy

    The Good Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I managed to get hold of the 1st 3 & Tonefloat on CD. I think they are transferred of LP & guess what?? They sound like vinyl.
     
  24. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    Some great tips here;) Of course Ebay is also fantastic to get them in a digital format;)

    Agreed that the first three Kraftwerk albums are not really rare - they sold lots of copies in their day:) - or expensive but to claim they were super easily avaiable at bargain prices is wrong. Even in Germany good original copies will set you back 40 - 60 Euros each.
     
  25. Scope J

    Scope J Senior Member

    Location:
    Michigan
    Are all the Organisation
    pirate cds the same mastering ?
     
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