kraftwerk 1981Computer sounds are all over today's music. Kraftwerk is largely responsible for popularizing electronic music as we know it. Finding posters from this group to collect takes a bit of digging, but that's part of being a fan. What's curious about this group is their longevity. Half a century of pioneering electronic music can't be easy, but there are a few periods worth checking out.  For veteran collectors, the rare pieces are going to be tough to find; for the newbies, plenty of options abound.

 

Kraftwerk is for those with patience

If you are someone who listens to electronic music, then you know the buildup can take some time. It's almost poetic justice that popularity didn't come to this band at first; it slowly built after a number of years of growing and tweaking. From 1970 until around 1974 when their fourth album Autobahn dropped, their three initial records and live shows were tune-ups of sorts; these shows would be practices for what was to come. Things changed in the mid-70s. Charting in the US led to tours across the United States, Canada, and the UK. An early poster from their US tour reflects the no-frills image the German group had:

The group hadn't really added a visual artist during this run of shows. The simplicity of this poster reflects well on how the music came across. That's not to say Kraftwerk made simple music, but rather it became easy to follow and even an earworm at times.

As this was Kraftwerk's initial tour outside of Europe, it's also a good starting point for collecting concert posters from this group. Unfortunately a reprint, it makes it affordable to obtain at $15 on eBay. Originals of posters like this take a bit more digging and I've had no luck on this one in particular. As far as wall art goes, this would add to any collection without overshadowing surrounding images. However, if you're looking for something that reflects the group's evolution in both image and sound, the following might be more your speed.

Electronic music's flag bearers find their motif

Fast forward a few years later and Kraftwerk has become a global name. With more success came grander expectations, and the four-piece band surpasses them. After purchasing their own equipment and creating their own studio, the German quartet took it a step further. When crafting the album Computer World, the band decided to utilize calculators on the project. The language translator effect added a certain something other groups really weren't creating.

Since this period in the band's group was such an important one, it feels right to drop a rare poster from this timeframe. Rare posters aren't the easiest thing in the world to find, and this poster is no exception:

kraftwerk japan 1981

The Japanese version of the track Pocket Calculator (otherwise known as Dentaku in Japan) was allegedly crafted by longtime artist and extended band member Emil Schult. Schult joined the band in the mid-70s as a visual artist and tour manager. This piece is hard to find and even on eBay was recently pulled from sale.

The asking price for this rare original is $2,500 which seems appropriate for an international Kraftwerk poster. This piece might be better suited for the diehard fan or the individual looking to flip the poster. Rarities are nice to find, and finding more of them for me leads to an even deeper appreciation of the bands I enjoy.