NEWS 20041026: Retouche promophotos

That Kraftwerk retouched photos in order to have them better looking is known.
Recently I was looking at the 1976 Synapse article and while looking at the photo on the last page I thought "something is different on this photo, but what?" It appeared to be the same photo used for the Autobahn CD Release, but altered slightly. Read more on this photo and others below.

Autobahn CD photo / Promophoto 1970's concert:

The 1976 Synapse Magazine article/interview (http://www.cyndustries.com/synapse/intro.cfm) revealed another retouche-ing of a photo. The same photo appeared on the cover of the Autobahn CD release (1988 Germany CDP 564-7 46153 2), apparently taken during a live gig in the 1970's. The 1976 Synapse Magazine article shows the photo (most probably) in it's original version. For the retouched version the wooden structure in front of the stage has been wiped out. But most funny is that Florian was using a carton box in order to have his synth up to the right level. The text "fragile" (upside down) has been wiped out on the later version of the photo.

Bigger versions of the photos (open in new window):
retouched version (scan of my CD 1988 Germany CDP 564-7 46153 2)
non-retouched version from Synapse article

 

 

 

 

Other photos which are retouched are the photos which were used for the T.E.E. cover but as well as for promophotos (the photo's were first used as promophotos and later in retouched version on the cover). Both photos were made during a photo session at the Maurice Seymour Photo studio in New York City during one of the first visits of Kraftwerk to the US.A.

TEE Cover / Promophoto:

The TEE cover photo (German release) is a retouched version of a earlier promophoto, which was used for promotion purposes. I have a copy of an original promophoto which was attached to a 1975 release of the Autobahn Single (1975 Germany 6003 438), which dates it therefore before the TEE LP release. The photo taken during one of their first visits to the USA, and for the purpose of the TEE cover they polished the photo to have a more 1930's look (as was indicated in the April 1998 issue 10 of the Aktivität Kraftwerk fanzine). The differences are minor, but on the haircuts of Karl and especially Wolfgang you can see the difference clearly.

Bigger versions of the photos (open in new window):
 retouched version (from release Germany CDP 564-7 46133 2)
non-retouched (from techopop site)
non-retouched (my own promophoto, slightly darker copy but with management information, Ira Blacker from Mr. I Mouse was their US agent uptill 1978)

 

 

 

 

TEE inner Cover / Promophoto:


The TEE inner cover photo shows a scene where Kraftwerk is sitting on a (empty). Later released promophotos show a radio placed on the table. The photo is known to me in two versions, a smal land a big radio. The radio resembles the cover of the cover of Radioactivity (or other way around :) ) and the photo was therefore i.m.h.o. most likely used for promotion of that LP. Emil Schultz for sure added that radio afterwards (see as well site Andreas Hagstrom).

Bigger versions of the photos (open in new window):
 non-retouched version (from release Germany CDP 564-7 46133 2) (from kraftwerk.hu)
retouched version with small radio (from technopop site)
retouched version with big radio (scan from the Albert Koch book "The Music Masters", 2002)