Kraftwerk-aktivität in the '90s

1992

June; Kraftwerk re-appear in the public eye by agreeing to support Greenpeace's campaign of opposition to the Sellafield nuclear plant in the UK by appearing along with U2, Public Enemy and BAD at the 'Stop Sellafield' concert held in Manchester on June 19 1992 . As a warm-up to this high-profile show the band also perform two low-key university shows at the University of East Anglia Union in Norwich and the Polytechnic Arena in Leicester on the two evenings prior to the Manchester concert.

The appearance at the 'Stop Sellafield' show is a shortened set, performed to a sparsely filled hall due to Kraftwerk's early appearance on stage. The songs performed are; 'The Robots', 'Numbers', 'Computer World', 'The Model', 'Tour De France', 'Autobahn', 'Radioactivity', 'Trans-Europe Express/Abzug/Metal On Metal'. Over a year later, two of the tracks are released on a video of the concert, 'Stop Sellafield'.

The bands two warm-up shows are longer. As well as the songs as listed above, they also play 'Music Non Stop', 'Home Computer', 'Computer Love' and 'Pocket Calculator'. Basically, the same set of songs as per the 1991 shows but in a re-arranged running order. The bands line-up remains stable, the same as per the late-1991 European tour, of Hütter, Schneider, Hilpert and Schmitz. You can read more and see pictures from these concerts in the 'Return of Die Mensch Maschine' article originally printed in Aktivitaet issue 2, August 1992.

As well as a continuing series of live concert recordings from 1991 shows on unofficial bootleg CD's, previously unreleased 'demo' versions of both 'Technopop' and 'Sex Object' appear on unofficial CD's, purported to be from the unreleased 'Technopop' LP sessions. Additionally, 'DJ remixes' of Kraftwerk material appear on bootleg CD in ever greater numbers

A compilation CD called 'The Model' is released in the USA by the Cleopatra label, featuring material from the bands Capitol-records era of 1975-1978. A number of the tracks are the edited 7" single versions, previously unavailable on CD format. As well as regular copies there is also a lmited edition pressing in a cloth bag with free button-badge and postcard!

At the start of the year, an unofficial convention for Kraftwerk fans is organised by a UK-based fan and held in Blackpool. The unofficial fanzine 'Aktivität' makes its first appearance to coincide with this event.

Elektric Music, having previously only been sighted on remixing duties for Afrika Bambaataa's re-release of 'Planet Rock' release their first material when they contribute their own unique cover version of The Equals' 'Baby Come Back' to the NME music magazine's 'Ruby Trax' 40th-anniversary compilation LP/CD set. By December they have released their first single, 'Crosstalk', in Germany only, on digipak-CD format commercially and ultra-rare promo 10" format. The single features the NME track and an additional version of 'Crosstalk', renamed 'Intercomix'. In time it becomes clear that Elektric Music's line-up consists of Karl Bartos and ex-Rheingold member Lothar Manteuffel. Despite earlier announcements suggesting otherwise, Wolfgang Flür is not a member of Elektric Music.

Avant-garde string quartet The Balanescu Quartet release an album called 'Possessed' in September, featuring their own unique string arrangements of five Kraftwerk tracks, amongst other original pieces too, on Mute records.

> 1993