“Krautrock –The Rebirth of Germany“ (2009) [English/Français/Español/Italiano/Portugués subs] BBC 4

From 1968 - 77 German bands like Neu!, Can, Faust, Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk looked beyond US/UK rock ’n roll to create some of the most original and uncompromising music ever heard. They shared one common goal. A forward-looking desire to transcend Germany’s gruesome past. But that didn’t stop the music press in war-obsessed Britain from calling them “Krautrock“. This brilliant documentary examines how a radical generation of musicians created a new German musical identity out of the cultural ruins of war – and music which inspired Bowie, Eno, Iggy Pop and countless musicians today. Members of “Can“ spotted Damo Suzuki behaving strangely in the street and hired him on the spot to be their vocalist, shoving him onstage the same evening with no rehearsals. Incredibly, actor David Niven came to hear them play, and they asked him what he thought of the music. “It was great,“ he said, “but I didn’t know it was music.“ Suzuki doesn’t remember, “because at the time I was quite stoned.“ Audio blocked from 01:47 to 02:49. It’s a Hendrix track, blocked by his moronic family estate. Fucking idiots. Just use subtitles. Music played 1. Popol Vuh — Aguirre I L’acrime de Rey 2. Jimi Hendrix — All Along the Watchtower [muted due to copyright] 3. Richard Wagner — Siegfried’s Funeral Music 4. Amon Düül II — Kannan 5. Amon Düül II — Luzifer’s Ghilom 6. Popol Vuh — Wehe Khorazin 7. Popol Vuh — Aguirre II 8. Tangerine Dream — Phaedra 9. Cluster — Fur Die Katz 10. Tangerine Dream — Fly and collision of Cosmo Sola 11. CAN — Mother Sky 12. CAN — Vitamin C 13. Kraftwerk — Autobahn 14. Neu! — Hallogallo 15. Faust — Krautrock 16. Kraftwerk — Showroom Dummies 17. Kraftwerk — Geiger Counter 18. Kraftwerk — Radioactivity 19. Harmonia — Watussi 20. David Bowie — A New Career in a New Town Video’s blocked in Denmark. Alas, poor Denmark. If you love the music, support the artists and buy their music. © BBC MMIX