For many years Wolfgang Flür was one quarter of Kraftwerk, one of the most influential bands of the 20th century. Not just melodic innovators, they were also technical pioneers, engineering new bits and bobs with which to make pleasing sounds, but for a young boy whose first musical ambitions were to copy The Beatles, how did Flür end up pioneering electronic music? “Modernity, adventure, joy for experimentation. Curiosity at most!”
During the 70s, making such totemic tracks as The Model and Autobahn, was he aware of the influence these things would have on the course of music history? “I myself was not aware that these tracks would become so important to us when touring the world in 1975-77. We were just musicians in the studio and onstage and had fun with this. Later, much later, I became aware that these tracks developed into famous melodies, sonic icons, played also in entrance halls of hotels, in lifts, shopping malls, like Singing In The Rain for instance. I can only be thankful for being a member of this creative time and being involved in the recording.”
One of the keys behind great electronic music is that somewhere deep down it still sounds organic or human – for Kraftwerk and Flür, what was the secret behind obtaining that key? “It’s the artist behind the machine; their soul, their voice, their melodies. We in Kraftwerk had this special mixture of technique and romance. It’s the melodies that that made me love Kraftwerk’s music. As their drummer during the pioneering era I had no influence on them. Today I see that there is enough of it in me as well – this romance. We’re living in the Rhine area where I grew up and lived as a boy, always near to that big river with wine hills and imposing castles. Believe me, that took influence upon my soul and heart.”
Touring now as a solo artist now, what can audiences expect from Flür as he stops off in Cardiff? “I present my Musik Soldat dance music and video show to the audience. The tracks are mixed with dance versions from Kraftwerk, from my Yamo project, from current tracks and also tracks from friends. Music that touches me is what I present.” ELISHIA DAVIES
Wolfgang Flür, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Fri 12 Oct. Tickets: £12.50. Info: 029 2023 2199 / www.clwb.net