The Man-Machine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Man-Machine | ||
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| Studio album by Kraftwerk | ||
| Released | May 1978 | |
| Recorded | 1977-1978 | |
| Genre | Electronic music, Krautrock | |
| Length | 36:18 | |
| Label | Kling Klang EMI Capitol |
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| Producer(s) | Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kraftwerk chronology | ||
| Trans-Europe Express (1977) |
The Man-Machine (1978) |
Computer World (1981) |
The Man-Machine is a 1978 album by Kraftwerk. It was released in German as Die Mensch-Maschine. It contains the song "The Model" which was a #1 single in the UK in 1982 and has been covered by bands such as Carter USM, Electric Six, Rammstein, Snakefinger, Yat-Kha, Spanish pioneers Aviador Dro, and the influential noise rock band Big Black.
This was the first Kraftwerk album to see Karl Bartos co-credited with song-writing along with Hütter & Schneider. Emil Schult co-wrote the lyrics for "The Model".
Musically, it builds on the already impressive Trans-Europe Express, further refining Kraftwerk's by then unique sound – the tracks are more concise, the melodies even stronger and the electronic percussion & sequencing even tighter. The initial recording had been made at Kraftwerk's own Klingklang studio, but further work was done at nearby Studio Rudas, where Detroit sound engineer Leanard Jackson of Whitfield Records, who had worked on Rose Royce's second album the previous year, was hired to work on the final sound-mix.
The album was voted #96 by Q magazine in February 2006's List of 100 Greatest Albums.
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[edit] Controversy
This album, and Karl Klefish's cover design in particular (which featured photography by Günther Fröhling), led some critics to accuse the band of experimenting with fascist or totalitarian imagery. The use of red and various Russian phrases, with a design based on the work of Soviet artist El Lissitzky, actually suggests an attempt to reference a broader spectrum of pre-war Socialist and Futurist art. Nonetheless, Kraftwerk's choice certainly struck some sour chords in cold-war Europe.
Communist imagery of the inter-war period of the twentieth century used limited production techniques (hampered by limited supply of inks and primitive printing processes) and so they ended up with a distinct, orange/red, black and white colour scheme with sharp lines and blocky shapes. This technique gave a cold, brash and brassy look to the work. Combined with the agitprop messages of socialistic eastern bloc countries, the imagery had power to it. Accordingly, some viewed Kraftwerk's choice of art as incendiary; but to a German writing music it evoked exactly the cold/hard/machine-like monotony that their very music conjurs. In this regard, there was nothing totalitarian in it to Kraftwerk – it was merely a post-modern reference to imagery that supported the music's modernist aesthetic.
[edit] Track listing
[edit] English release
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[edit] German release
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[edit] Equipment
- 2 "Synthorama" 16-step custom analogue sequencers built by Matten & Wiechers
- Farfisa electric piano
- Custom-built electronic drum pads
- Moog Minimoog
- Moog Micromoog
- Moog Polymoog
- Korg PS-3100
- ARP Odyssey
- Vako Orchestron
[edit] Credits
- Ralf Hütter – electronics, voice.
- Florian Schneider – electronics, voice.
- Karl Bartos – electronic percussion.
- Wolfgang Flür – electronic percussion.
- Leanard Jackson – sound engineer.
- Joschko Rudas – sound engineer.
- Karl Klefisch – graphic design.
- Günther Fröhling – photography.
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![The back cover design, incorporating Lissitzky's imagery.[1]](../../../upload/thumb/e/ee/DMM-D-back.jpg/250px-DMM-D-back.jpg)
[edit] Release details
The originally released formats, including the first CD reissues are shown below. These may differ from currently available versions.
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | Lyrics | |
| Germany | May 1978 | EMI-Electrola | Vinyl | 1C 058-32843 | German | Initially released pressed on red vinyl |
| May 1978 | EMI-Electrola | Cassette | 1C 258-32843 | German | ||
| March 1986 | EMI-Electrola | CD | CDP 564 7 461312 | German | ||
| France | May 1978 | Capitol Records | Vinyl | 2S 068-85444 | English | Initially released pressed on red vinyl |
| May 1978 | Capitol Records | Cassette | 2S 266-85444 | English | ||
| March 1988 | Capitol Records | CD | 746 039-2 | English | ||
| United Kingdom | May 1978 | Capitol Records | Vinyl | E-ST 11728 | English | |
| May 1978 | Capitol Records | Cassette | TC-E-ST 11728 | English | ||
| 1987 | Capitol Records | CD | CDP 7 46039 2 | English | ||
| Argentina | 1978 | Capitol Records | Vinyl | 108030 | English | |
| 1978 | Capitol Records | Cassette | ??? | English |
| Kraftwerk |
| Ralf Hütter | Florian Schneider |
| Karl Bartos | Wolfgang Flür | Fritz Hilpert | Henning Schmitz | Emil Schult |
| Discography |
| Albums: Tone Float (as Organisation) | Kraftwerk | Kraftwerk 2 | Ralf und Florian | Autobahn | Radio-Activity | Trans-Europe Express | The Man-Machine | Computer World | Electric Café | Tour de France Soundtracks |
| Live and Compilations albums Exceller 8 | The Mix | Klang Box | Minimum – Maximum | The Catalogue |
| Non-album singles: Kohoutek-Kometenmelodie | Tour de France | Expo 2000 |
| Videography |
| Minimum – Maximum (DVD) |
![[1]](http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/el/pix/pro13.jpg){kind=link}