Tom wrote:If the poll were Kraftwerk v. Nirvana, I'd say Nirvana in a heartbeat, even though I almost never listen to them.

Do you still ride a motorcycle?

The Ramones win this one for me.

I love Kraftwerk as well, it's brilliant stuff but the Ramones blew my mind at the age of twelve or so, while watching Rock and Roll High School. I haven't been the same since.

The Ramones wrote some of the greatest rock lyrics of all time.

Oh I don't care about history, that's not where I want to be

big_dave wrote:The Ramones wrote some of the greatest rock lyrics of all time.

Oh I don't care about history, that's not where I want to be

First rule: Obey the laws of Germany
Second rule is: Be nice to mommy
Third rule is: Don't talk to commies
Fourth rule is: Eat kosher salamis


Fucking brilliant.

ubercat wrote:

Tom wrote:If the poll were Kraftwerk v. Nirvana, I'd say Nirvana in a heartbeat, even though I almost never listen to them.

Do you still ride a motorcycle?

I feel like this is a setup.

Yeah, I still ride, but I'm completely terrified every time I do.

Tom wrote:

ubercat wrote:

Tom wrote:If the poll were Kraftwerk v. Nirvana, I'd say Nirvana in a heartbeat, even though I almost never listen to them.

Do you still ride a motorcycle?

I feel like this is a setup.

Yeah, I still ride, but I'm completely terrified every time I do.

Even after the head injury? Wow, you got balls.

ubercat wrote:

Tom wrote:

ubercat wrote:

Tom wrote:If the poll were Kraftwerk v. Nirvana, I'd say Nirvana in a heartbeat, even though I almost never listen to them.

Do you still ride a motorcycle?

I feel like this is a setup.

Yeah, I still ride, but I'm completely terrified every time I do.

Even after the head injury? Wow, you got balls.

...There we go.

Nirvana inspired me when I was 14.
I just like to listen to Kraftwerk.

They were both great bands. I love each group's music a whole lot.

Someone once wrote that Kraftwerk got the idea of having matching suits from the Ramones. I don't know if that is apocryphal or not, but it makes sense.

They both made minimalistic, linear music that relied heavily on chant-like repetition. The Ramones had more personality. Their lyrics make me laugh. "Gonna take a chance on her / one bullet in the cylinder." The lyrics to "Havana Affair" are hilarious. On the other hand, Lester Bangs' interview with Kraftwerk is a great read and a good companion to the albums.

'Ma go with Kraftwerk, for an odd enough reason. You know that song "Neon Lights"? I think the keyboard playing on that song -- like a space-age John Cale playing "All Tomorrow's Parties" on a station on Neptune -- is glorious. Heavenly. The sound of stars colliding into one another, sending off drizzles of blue sparks into the ether.

Another thing I love about Kraftwerk is how they used instrumentation which would glow and pulsate, refracting lots of weird overtones. Like that great David Lee Roth solo tape we all chuckled about/worshiped a few months ago.

The only music that could compete with that skull-fuckingly great guitar sound on the debut Ramones album.

Unfair poll. Kraftwerk.

NerblyBear wrote:Unfair poll. Kraftwerk.

Aw, fuck it. I'm on the wrong side of this one.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that the Ramones' oral history sections in the Legs McNeil book are a terrific read. The way that the band got its approach together is altogether baffling.

That book is fascinating front to back. Anybody know if the one about the porno scene is good? Sounds like a pretty tedious premise, but the whole oral history genre is pretty much a genius idea.