Mintropstraße 16
If understatement was a recording studio
Just fourteen months after the celebration of mobility on “Trans Europa Express”, Kraftwerk turned their attention to robots and the neon lights of the metropolis. The album “Die Mensch-Maschine”, released in May 1978, which was a success not only in Germany, but also in England and the US, is perhaps the most important work by Kraftwerk. Like all the main sounds of the band, it was created just five minutes’ walk from Düsseldorf main station in the band’s own Kling Klang studio. Until the studio moved in 2009, it was located in a back courtyard on Mintropstrasse 16. Tucked away from the outside world, and at the same time in the heart of the big city, the band could experiment with synthesizers, Moogs sequencers and tape machines. Looking at the inconspicuous sign that still exists today advertising the electrical installation service, “Elektro Müller”, it’s hard to imagine that this is where the magical Mensch-Maschine (“Human-Machine”) sounds of “Radioaktivität”, “Computerwelt”, “Metall auf Metall” or “Nummern” were created. You can see fascinating images of the interior here. There are also interesting insights, stories and explanations in the recommended books on the band, “Electri_City” by Rüdischer Esch and the autobiography by Karl Bartos: “Der Klang der Maschine” [LINK to BIBLIOGRAPHY].
Further Information:
Mintropstraße 16, 40215 Düsseldorf
