Kraftwerk and the Grammys

[Alfredo]

"8:16: Coldplay does that song with the Kraftwerk sample, and Chris Martin's voice sounds straight busted. I like them better with a crazy light show. This show could really use a host; it's been crazy disjointed thus far."

http://tinyurl.com/cgep4
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COLDPLAY frontman CHRIS MARTIN was so desperate to use a riff by German rockers KRAFTWERK - he wrote them a pleading letter in childish German.

The YELLOW singer recently admitted he was hooked on the electronic band's melodies, and that his new single TALK includes a Kraftwerk sample.

But he was only able to obtain the riff by writing to frontman RALF HUTTER and begging him to let Coldplay use it.

He admits, "The only thing I could think of was the pen pal letters I learnt in German lessons at school. I had no idea if they knew who Coldplay were so had to explain myself like a 15 year-old school-boy.

"Dear Ralf, I sing in a band called Coldplay, blah, blah. I drew a little picture. Everyone says it's extraordinary that they said yes.'

http://tinyurl.com/b8rpu
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"Sample"? Seems these guys have learned a thing or two from lazy, money-grubbing rappers. Instead of buying previous popular beats, they're just lazy plagiarizers. Some of the amazon.com reviews have called them on it. Hilarious.

[Stranger]

Coldplay are a bunch of unimaginative retards. Yeah, I know, "So what else is new"?

[Niko]

As a kraftwerk fan I must admit I'm a bit embarassed that I didn't catch on it was a riff of theirs, given that I originally thought "huh, a half-decent riff by Coldplay. Shame to have been wasted on such a shitty song"

http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/c/coldplay-xandy.shtml

It's the excellent, and much talked-about "Talk" that has the band showing tremendous creativity, delving straight into mid-'70s krautrock, and piecing together a gorgeous pop song. Built around a simple guitar lick by Buckland, copped directly from the memorable synth hook from Kraftwerk's 1981 single "Computer Love" (to the point where Kraftwerk shares songwriting credit), the song cruises at a hypnotic pace, Champion mimicking the insistent, metronomic beats of the first Neu! album. At his best, Buckland is the band's greatest asset, which he proves on this particular track, as he shifts immediately from chiming notes to more abrasive, muscular riffs during the breakdown near the end of the song.

[Alfredo]

As a kraftwerk fan I must admit I'm a bit embarassed that I didn't catch on it was a riff of theirs, given that I originally thought "huh, a half-decent riff by Coldplay. Shame to have been wasted on such a shitty song"

They "sample" from other artists as well(four that I know of, including Kraftwerk). I remember reading something about "generation remix" and increasingly short attention spans.. hmm. These guys may be starting a trend in Rock already seen in  hip-hop, as far as lazy artistry(if you don't mind me calling it that). Rehasing/borrowing melodies and riffs, I can already see it...

[death metal black metal]

Heh, I should have known this was one of the few places in the world where people would want Kraftwerk to be less of "good guy" rockers and be more assertive about overall musical quality. I think that like most Germans, they are genius children, and therefore are susceptible to emotion and helping others out. This is why they will tolerate almost anything until they realize how destructive it is, then come back with extreme reactions (witness the fallout with Fleur and later with Karl Bartos).

I dunno if the coldplay song is out yet, but I heard a song that directly copped "Computer Love" in a guitar riff. It sure was better than all the other crap that the corporate Barnes 'n' Noble was playing, so I have to say that while we all have mixed thoughts about this development, it's another stab in the face of the shallowness of rock. "Wow, this is better than anything else on the radio - and it was written in the 1970s. Our society sure is thin like a dysentery shit when we cannot even match two decades ago for musical quality."

[Skjold]

I dunno if the coldplay song is out yet, but I heard a song that directly copped "Computer Love" in a guitar riff.

Just a thought, but it seems to be that modern "musicians" think that if they have a good melody they can write a good song. Then there is also the idea that if you listen to something that is older then say, 5 years you are oh so deep.

Either way, I think it's nothing but a gimmick designed to sell a few more cds to some unsuspecting Kraftwerk fans.

[Niko]

I dunno if the coldplay song is out yet, but I heard a song that directly copped "Computer Love" in a guitar riff.

that was coldplay

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6520936990902892068&q=coldplay+talk

[Stranger]

Just a thought, but it seems to be that modern "musicians" think that if they have a good melody they can write a good song. Then there is also the idea that if you listen to something that is older then say, 5 years you are oh so deep.

Either way, I think it's nothing but a gimmick designed to sell a few more cds to some unsuspecting Kraftwerk fans.

I think they did this to appear more "underground" and "in the know" about earlier bands to show how their not just some hugely popular rock band playing very normal music (heh).

Appealing to Kraftwerk fans to make more cash doesn't seem like a great idea. As far as I know, there aren't so many Kraftwerk fans around. Better to appeal to 50 cent fans of the world, if money is the goal.

[Alfredo]

It seems to me it has more to do with lazy artistry, given that Kraftwerk are one of a handful that I'm aware they borrow melodies/riffs from, which is the entire point of this post.

I caught a portion of the Grammy telecast with Coldplay performing "the Kraftwerk song", which is how I caught wind of it. The melody was extremely apparent when performed live.

[death metal black metal]

Appealing to Kraftwerk fans to make more cash doesn't seem like a great idea.

I'm a cheerful fool, so I naively assume this will introduce Coldplay fans to Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk fans, at least the smart ones, will probably want nothing to do with Coldplay.

[Skjold]

Appealing to Kraftwerk fans to make more cash doesn't seem like a great idea. As far as I know, there aren't so many Kraftwerk fans around. Better to appeal to 50 cent fans of the world, if money is the goal.

But ripping off 50 cent lacks the "novelty factor" which is obviously the most important thing when creating music  

[Gisli]

I wonder when Der Katalog will be released.  

[Iconoclast]

I'm a cheerful fool, so I naively assume this will introduce Coldplay fans to Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk fans, at least the smart ones, will probably want nothing to do with Coldplay.

I doubt it; popular music is a social product, not an art.  Why listen to some weird and obscure band that your friends don't care about when you have COLDPLAY?!?!

[kontinual]

I doubt it; popular music is a social product, not an art.  Why listen to some weird and obscure band that your friends don't care about when you have COLDPLAY?!?!

Becausec certain people enjoy touting things they perceive as novel.

[Flight_of_Zapan]

I can't apologise enough for the UK creating such a god awful band. Melancholy tripe for the middle classes. My theory is such bands create misreable music for happy people with nothing to be miserable about except for maybe the death of the family pet.

Sample based music doesn't have to be so awful. Portishead and Depthchare being good examples if you will.