'Autobahn'

This from a group of Germans making semi-electronic music (actual flutes and violins were played) in the 1970s and doing it pretty successfully. 

The actual song “Autobahn” is a 22-minute sprawling epic recreating the sensation of driving. It was cut down to three minutes for radio release and peaked at No. 25 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Not bad for a song with no real lyrics and zero hooks. 

This from a band doing the near impossible at a time when they were relatively alone on their tier of success and have wound up doing it for 40 years. Sorta makes you want to re-think that college education. 

This from a band where only one original member still exists with the group. The same man that took up cycling in the 1980s and urged the entire group to go vegetarian and to record an entire album dedicated to cycling. He later sustained a coma after a serious accident on his bike. 

This from a band, who built its own recording studio and kept its location a secret. There, they kept the ringer off on their phone and requested that anyone seeking to get in touch with them call the phone at a specific time. There and then, lead man Ralf Hütter would answer despite the phone not ringing. 

Another anecdote from Coldplay singer Chris Martin when he sent a letter to request their use of a melody from a Kraftwerk tune through various channels of attorneys and agents. Weeks later, he receives and envelope and a slip of paper with “yes” written on it. 

All of this makes it hard to not like this album.