This is quite an academic, yet accessible, book about one of the most influential bands, Kraftwerk. It examines their work, influences, visual representation and legacy, in the context of German history and identity. I expect that anyone very familiar with these topics wouldn’t find much new in this book, but it was interesting for me because although I enjoy the music, my knowledge on its background wasn’t great. I especially liked the section on the history of musical instrument-playing robots! That’s the kind of niche topic I would read a book about.
I think if I’d been reading the text instead of listening to it, some of the German words and phrases would have made it a more difficult read. Sometimes there was repetition of phrases and ideas, where I felt that nothing new was being said. The perspective of the author was quite unusual, as both a fan of Kraftwerk and an academic.
In summary, this book will help you to appreciate Kraftwerk’s music and legacy. There isn’t a huge amount of detail about how the music was actually produced and the author doesn’t dwell upon the band members’ personal lives, but it’s a good read if you are interested in the art and intention behind the music.
Published by Penguin, 2018.