Kraftwerk's Promo Videos 1976-1999

Part 2, 1978-1984

The Robots/Die Roboter (1978)

Filmed within the Kling Klang studio premises, we are presented with the band in the red shirt/black tie/grey slacks constructivist-inspired image, a la the 'Man Machine' LP. The ties come complete with flashing LED lights, as a close-up shot shows nicely! This is also our introduction to the bands own mannequins, modelled upon themselves and in use also on the later 'Computer World' LP and tour.

Kraftwerk once again act out their movements, this time as robots. Familiar promo photos of the dummies are re-enacted by the band in the video! We see Karl and Wolfgang on keyboard and electronic percussion respectively, acting out jerky movements. Flanked on either side by Ralf and Florian, reciting the lyrics in the first verse, once again the bands rather antiquated looking microphones employed. The Russian portions of the lyrics feature a real mouth superimposed on Ralf's dummy, mouthing the songwords. There is also a memorable image earlier of Karl Bartos' dummy with a digital counter superimposed on its forehead. The graphics found on the LP and single sleeves are also used in the video. The video's closing sequence features each member in profile, turning away to reveal their dummy counterpart.

To be honest the video looks rather dated with quite basic techniques employed in terms of production. Has been redicovered from the vaults of late which has prompted better quality copies into circulation. But because so much of the video features the strong red colour that goes with the bands image of the time there tends to be a lot of colour drop-out and bleeding with copies that have been duplicated several times. Also of note, the lip-synching with the German version is slightly off.

Neon Licht (1978)

Shot in colour (not black and white as has previously been stated in an early copy of Aktivität fanzine), this video features the band doing... not a lot! It appears to be a photo session, so the band merely stand around, smile a lot, chat amongst themsleves; no instruments are in evidence, the band merely present and correct dressed in black shirts, red ties. All the while neon light signs are blended in with the footage of the band, for organisations such as Mercedes Benz, Deutsche Bank, UFA, hotels and restaurants etc. This video stands the test of time far better than 'The Robots' and it has been aired once again in Germany in recent times.

Pocket Calculator/Taschenrechner (1981)

This video features the band performing the song live on stage from 1981, so there is good footage of the band and their mini-instruments. The video is from a live show, therefore it must have come some time after the singles release in early May 1981. The video was edited together by Emil Schult and Ralf Hütter, who went heavy on the FX button with much jerky movements from the strobing effect and heavy yellow posterisation colouring in evidence. There are also black and white 'solarisation' effects used. All in all maybe a bit overboard on the FX.

Has cropped up on MTV in the past, more recently the German satellite channel 'Viva' has shown it, so good quality copies should be in circulation.

The Model (1981)

 

This video is from the time when 'The Model' went to No.1 in the UK charts. It features some great footage of the band performing live from 1981, though not necessarily from 'The Model'; at the very start of the video you can see the promo video for 'Neon Lights' displayed on the video screens on the stage. There are good close-ups of each member, Karl and Wolfgang in particular are in tandem electronic percussion mode.

The portions showing Kraftwerk are 'strobed' and there is also another video effect that this video shares with the 'Pocket Calculator' one that suggests perhaps these videos were both done at the same time possibly?

Intercut with the Kraftwerk portions are black and white archive films of glamorous models from the '50s/'60s modelling haute couture fashions from Chanel etc. This footage is retained even now when the band perform live.

Probably the most aired of Kraftwerk's videos along with 'Musique Non Stop', so in theory there should be good quality copies aplenty, though the actual image quality of the original is by no means pin-sharp.

A second video is also in existence, though whether this was an official clip or not I am uncertain. It was shown on the satelllite music TV prog 'The Box' and features excerpts from the previous videos for 'Showroom Dummies' and 'The Robots'. Something of a mish mash, with the lip synching woefully inaccurate, unsurprisingly. Not recommended.

Tour De France (1983/84)

Numerous verions exist, much like the song itself. If Kraftwerk on bikes is your thing, this is the video for you. Yes, Kraftwerk don the slinky black cycling suits and helmets and get on the saddles for the original video. Florian hams it up well, giving a cheesy grin to the camera, complete with black shades on. Kraftwerk are also seen seated in 'out for a picnic' mode too. All in all, one well worth looking out for if you can, though as it does definitely show Kraftwerk as living breathing humans actually enjoying themselves its probably been wiped already from the Kling Klang databanks. This version, with music from the 1984 remix, has been shown on the German channel 'Viva' recently so look out for good quality copies.

The more common version of the 'Tour De France' video features only the black and white archive Tour De France film footage that the band continue to use as a backdrop when performing the song live.

This latter version was the one that was included on the 1999 enhanced CD re-release from Germany of the 'Tour de France' single.

Tour De France (1984)

As the song reappeared in 1984 in the film 'Breakdance' there is another officially issued promo video from this source featuring a kid doing some dancing, accompanied by a broom as a prop.

• Introduction
• Part 1, 1976-1977: Radio-Activity, Antenna, Trans-Europe Express, Showroom Dummies
• Part 2, 1978-1984: The Robots, Neon Licht, Pocket Calculator, The Model, Tour De France
• Part 3, 1986-1999: Musique Non Stop, The Telephone Call, The Robots (1991), Radioactivity (1991), Sellafield 2, Tribal, Expo 2000, Miscellaneous