12. Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express
Joy Division used to play Trans-Europe Express before we went on stage, to get us into the zone. It worked because it gets up a lot of momentum. Radioactivity was a bit of a downer album for me, but Trans-Europe Express just seemed to express an optimism – even if people see it as machine music. It reminds me of Cabaret , the film, with all of the 1920s singing.
For Kraftwerk, it’s proper ‘songy’. It’s the same thing as with LCD Soundsystem and Sparks; when you get that marriage between humans and machines, and you get it right, it’s fantastic. I have to say it’s my favourite Kraftwerk album.
