Kraftwerk - The Man-Machine

 

 

Everybody is supposed to have at least one Kraftwerk record, and "The Man-Machine" is mine !

When "The Man-Machine" was released in 1978 it received a fair amount of airplay on Nicky Horne's late night show on Capital Radio, although the tracks that were played were either "Spacelab" or the first half of "Neon Lights". New Musical Express also gave the album a thumbs-up, with the reviewer saying he doubted Kraftwerk would record anything better than this in their lifetime.

The album cover received much attention when it was released, with some Russian writing, the 4 members of the band facing to the right ( which was thought to be looking to the east ), and wearing red shirts with black ties also thought to be a nod to communism. On the other hand, many others claimed the red and black colouring was the use of Nazi symbolism !

Whatever the case, it certainly had a Cold War look to it, and the wording "Produced in W Germany" seemed to carry much importance.

"The Robots" received a lot of praise from the critics, but I never heard the track on the radio. Furthermore, I had never heard "The Model" either until it it was released as a double A-side with "Computer World" late in 1981. "The Model" received all the airplay, and it reached number 1 in the UK in February 1982. I read somewhere that "The Model" was the last song to reach number 1 in the UK without a promotional video, although there is an official video on YouTube. Maybe it was made afterwards.....

I paid £5.25 in WH Smith for my copy of "The Man-Machine", with the sticker on the front informing it included the hit single, helping no doubt to its highest placing in the UK album charts in 1982, four years after it's initial release. I liked the album, and finally got to hear the brilliant "The Robots", which became a UK hit in 1991 when a remixed version was released.

I thought the song titles were very appropriate to the music for each track, which seemed to cover a few of the topical subjects of the late 1970s such as robotics, automation, space, and growing cities.

Looking at the track listing I could remember four of the tracks, with "Metropolis" and "The Man-Machine" not ringing any bells.

"The Robots" opens side One with Sci-Fi warning sounds, a simple hypnotic beat and an encoded vocal. Some Russian is spoken, namely the line also written on the back cover, which apparently translates as "I am your servant, I am your friend". I had thought the lyrics included the line "We are marching onto victory" but I was mistaken as it turns out to be "We are charging our battery" ! However, I can visualise John Cleese silly walks style dancing to the "We are the robots" refrain !

"Spacelab" come next with keyboard scales intro, synths and electronic percussion, before the dreamy main melody comes in around 1 minute 30. The encoded vocal consists of just "Spacelab" repeated a few times. For some reason hearing this again made me think of Star Trek, Space 1999, oh... and and Jean Michel Jarre !

"Metropolis" has a slow plodding beat before the pace increases and the main melody is introduced. The title is pronounced "May-tro-polis" rather than "Mer-trop-olis". It was apparently influenced by the 1920s dystopian Fritz Lang movie of the same name, which also influenced the video for Queen's "Radio Ga-Ga".

"The Model" is the only "song" on the album, with proper lyrics and sentences, and a verse/chorus structure, rather than just a few words over the music. It's almost perfect electronic pop. "She's a model and she's looking good".

"Neon Lights" lasts just over nine minutes, last 7 of which are instrumental. It shimmers, like the lights mentioned in the song.

Side Two closes with "The Man Machine" with a minimalistic, menacing, hypno trance rhythms but for me it is the least interesting track on the album but still highly listenable.

Much has been written about how Kraftwerk inspired electronic/synth music, from David Bowie, Depeche Mode, The Human League, Ultravox, Gary Numan, and later even Coldplay and Radiohead. "The Man-Machine" remains a very important album, and to these ears, it doesn't seem to have aged in the 46 years since its release. It remains a very important album in its genre.

Track Listing :

Side One :

1. The Robots
2. Spacelab
3. Metropolis

Side Two :

1. The Model
2. Neon Lights
3. The Man Machine

Released 1978
UK Chart Position : 9

Singles :

The Model ( No 1 - 1982 )
The Robots  ( remix ) ( No 20 - 1991 )

 

Kid Creole - Cre-Ole : The Best of Kid Creole And The Coconuts

 

It's Christmas 1984, and I have returned home to spend the holidays with my parents. There isn't a lot on the TV at 10pm and surprisingly my mum puts on ITV, where "There's Something Wrong In Paradise" is being broadcast. This turns out to be a made for TV musical film featuring Kid Creole And The Coconuts, with a story line of overthrowing a corrupt dictator on a Caribbean island and featuring a few Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs. Pauline Black from The Selector and The Three Degrees were also in the cast.

Prior to this, I had hardly given any notice to Kid Creole, but the film was actually quiet good, the songs were catchy and fitted in well, and I found myself liking them.

A couple of months later, ITV then broadcast a show with Kid Creole And The Coconuts in concert, which was also very enjoyable. Whereas before I thought there was arrogance, now I saw humour and self depreciation !

Shortly after, I found this "Best of" collection, so purchased it. Disappointingly, "No Fish Today" one of my favourite songs from the concert, was not included here.

Kid Creole was the zoot-suit wearing, Latin lothario alter-ego of August Darnell with a musical concoction of Latin, Caribbean, funk, R&B, jazz and disco influences in the setting of a 1930/40s style Big Band. The Coconuts were three sexy female backing singers, who also had their own recording contract, and their cheesy dance routine dressed as air stewardesses to their single "Did You Have To Love Me Like You Did" still makes me smile.

Kid Creole was probably at his peak in 1982, with three top 10 singles in the UK. Although this was a "Best of" collection, there were 5 songs on the track listing I couldn't remember, all of which were amongst the earlier material.

Side One immediately gets into the fun mood with the fantastic "Lifeboat Party" and its bold, jazz brass fanfare and lines like "Welcome to the Lifeboat Par-tah ! Invitation only for the rank and file"

"Stool Pigeon", one of the top 10 hits,  has a disco/funk beat before the brass and sax come in. There's a catchy, sing-a-long chorus, "He's an old ex-con that's been away, now he's back, no one's safe, Stool Pigeon, ha cha cha cha".

"Gina Gina" has a slow reggae beat and a soothing sax break. "Gina Gina, he is just a ski-instructor", "There's been no action here since William Tell".

Kid Creole's biggest hit"Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy" is a song where Kid tries to explain to a child that her mum liked to have a good time when she was younger and he was just one of many who took advantage. There's a disco/funk brass intro and great lines such as "If I were in your blood then you wouldn't be so ugly" and the backing vocal from The Coconuts "Break it to me gently now, don't forget I'm just a child". Plus, there is the tremendous idea to have "on a, on a, onamatopoeia" repeatedly sung as a backing vocal line. This was a year before Michael Jackson covered similar ground with "Billie Jean" !

"Me No Pop I" was released as a single in the name of Conti Mondi, the stage number of Andy Hernandez, one of August Darnell's confederates. It has a rap vocal over a funk music track and The Coconuts on backing vocals "me no pop I, you no olive oil". I actually quite liked this at the time but now it sounded awful !

"Latin Music" has a Tijuana brass feel to it. "I'm so confused, the accent is worse than cockney!" and I  love The Coconuts chorus "Uh, oh. It's Carmen and Miranda, the Coconuts got a brand new cha-cha, Oh, no, the rhumba and the samba, whatever happened to the hullabaloo".

"Off The Coast Of Me" is title track of Kid Creole's first album. Its very, very slow, with a 1930s night club crooner vocal. 

Side Two begins with another monster hit in "I'm A Wonderful Thing, Baby". It has a toe tapping disco beat, Chic style guitar and a long piano outro where Kid goes through all the girls in his address book. The live version of this was brilliant with banter between Kid and Conti Mondi, and better than the studio version.

"Don't Take My Coconuts" is up-beat with the jazz brass again to the fore. Doris can take all of Kid's possessions "but don't, don't, don't, don't take my coconuts !"

"Imitation" has some funky organ but is fairly forgettable and "Maladie d'armour" has more jazz brass, and is mostly sung by the Coconuts, but its fairly ordinary.

"Dear Addy" is a beautiful, sad ballad, with Chinese style music and it's one of my favourite Kid Creole Songs. Addy is Adriana Kaegi, Darnell's ex-wife but still a Coconut at the time.

"There's Something Wrong In Paradise" has a catchy Caribbean/Latin vibe before the album finishes with "Back In The Field Again", a really old fashioned slow, sentimental ballad, with hints of vaudeville and a doo-wop middle 8. I think it's great. "Forget the loafers and sneakers, I need my stepping out shoes"

Overall, the album remains a great way to appreciate the genius of Kid Creole without necessarily having to buy his first four albums.

Side One :

1. Lifeboat Party ( 1983 - No 49 )
2. Stool Pigeon ( 1982 - No 7 )
3. Gina Gina ( 1981 )
4. Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy ( 1982 - No 2 )
5. Me No Pop I  ( 1980 - No 32 )
6. Latin Music ( 1981 - )
7. Off The Coast Of Me ( 1980 )

Side Two :

1. I'm A Wonderful Thing, Baby ( 1982 - No 4 )
2. Don't Take My Coconuts ( 1981 - No 86 )
3. Imitation ( 1982 )
4. Maladie d'amour ( 1980 )
5. Dear Addy ( 1982 - No 29 )
6. There's Something Wrong In Paradise ( 1983 - No 35 )
7. Back In The Field Again ( 1983 )

Released 1984
UK Chart Position : 21