Karl Bartos, founding member of the seminal German band Kraftwerk, tells his story: a life intertwined with art, music, and culture.“A full-blooded insider’s account of life inside the Kling Klang studio. This is a must read for the robots’ fans.” Prog MagazineAs a core member of Kraftwerk, some of the most beautiful, era-defining music has been co-composed by Karl Bartos. From “Computer Love” to “Autobahn,” “Tour de France” to Kr...

Some of the most beautiful, era-defining music has been co-composed by Karl Bartos. ‘The Robots’, ‘Computer Love’, ‘Neon Lights’, ‘Tour De France’ and Kraftwerk’s 1982 number one single ‘The Model’ all contain his deft musical touch. For the first time, in The Sound of the Machine, Bartos speaks candidly and with wit and humour about his life in Kraftwerk, a band widely acknowledged as being one of the most important in modern music. In The Sound of the Machine, Karl vividly recalls what i...

Whether in Kraftwerk or as an acclaimed solo artist, Karl Bartos has had an extraordinary impact on electronic music. In The Sound of the Machine, Bartos’ recollections include his childhood in postwar Germany, the early musical encounters that led him to Kraftwerk, and fascinating insights from his time with the group, such as the genesis of monumental songs like “The Robots,” “The Model,” and “Tour de France,” and candid accounts of his relationships with the other bandmembers.