Krautrock: Cosmic Rock and It's Legacy

By: Kotsopoulos, Nikos

From the dream-like soundscapes of Popol Vuh, to the motorik beat of Kraftwerk and Neu! And the cosmic sound of Die Kosmiche Kurriere, Krautrock: Cosmic Sound From the Underground delves into the many different strands of 1970s German music. "Krautrock", a term first used by the British music press, was never a coherent movement, rather a loose definition to describe the music coming out of West Germany in the late 1960s and 70s. The book charts Krautrock's genesis in the music of the hugely influential Karlheinz Stockhausen, communal living, German politics, the student protest movement, psychedelic rock, free jazz, and The Velvet Undereground. Through essays by musicians who were influenced by Krautrock, profiles of the key record labels, discographies, insightful testimonials, and an extended timeline locating the music in the cultural climate of the era, both in Germany and abroad, Krautrock provides a thorough and engaging read. An essentially Teutonic phenomenon, Krautrock's impact spread all over the world, and influenced generations of musicians, in Britain, Japan and America. David Bowie, impressed by the music, moved to Germany and produced his infamous Berlin trilogy in the late 1970s. Brian Eno extensively collaborated with Cluster and Harmonia, while infamous radio presenter and music journalist John Peel enthusiastically received these sounds, spreading them in the English-speaking world. Krautrock's impact continues through to contemporary music today. It has been credited with being a huge influence on a diverse range of atists from Radiohead, Mark E. Smith (The Fall) and John Lydon (Sex Pistols) to Sonic Youth, Stereolab and James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem). Lavishly illustrated with previously unpublished photos, posters and other memorabilia, Krautrock: Cosmic Sound From the Underground is the essential compendium to one of the most enduring and influential music of the last decade. ILLUSTRATIONS 220 colour b/w illustrations

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1906155666
• ISBN13: 9781906155667
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Black Dog Publishing
• Length: 191 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.6" x 10.6"