Image: Kraftwerk
German synthpop pioneers Kraftwerk have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Producer Pharell had the honour of welcoming the band to the institution, located in Cleveland, Ohio, by way of a video speech. Pharell emphasized the impact of the band, calling their arrival a “seismic moment for music as we know it.”
A tribute video followed the introduction, with multiple artists citing how the sound of Kraftwerk changed the direction of music and pioneered synthesisers as popular modes of instrumentation. These included Human League’s Philip Oakey, Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore and James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem.
Kraftwerk recently announced a 24 date North American tour scheduled for next year. Running through May, June and July, the tour begins in St. Louis and includes stops in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. The ‘3-D’ show will also have several dates in Europe, including shows in Paris and Milan.
Following the death of co-founder Florian Schneider last April, the band’s current lineup consists of Fritz Hilpert, Henning Schmitz, Falk Grieffenhagen and cofounder Ralf Hütter. More information about the tour is available via their website here.
