Karl Bartos

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Karl Bartos


Img_capt = Karl Bartos live, 2005
Img_size =
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = Birth date and age|1952|5|31|df=y
Berchtesgaden, Germany
Died =
Instrument = Keyboards, percussion
Genre = Electronic music
Synthpop
Occupation = Musician
Years_active = 1974–present
Label = AudioVision
SPV
Associated_acts = Elektric Music Kraftwerk Electronic
URL = [http://www.karlbartos.com/ www.karlbartos.com]
Notable_instruments =

Karl Bartos (born 31 May, 1952 in Berchtesgaden, Germany) was, between 1975 and 1991, along with Wolfgang Flür an electronic percussionist in the Electronic music group Kraftwerk. He was originally recruited to play on their US "Autobahn" tour. In addition to his percussion playing, Bartos was credited with songwriting on the "Man-Machine", "Computerworld" and "Electric Café" albums, and sang one lead vocal on the latter. He left the group in 1991, reportedly frustrated at the slow progress in the group's activities due to the increasingly perfectionist attitude of founding members Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider.

In 1992 Bartos founded Elektric Music, performing a style somewhat similar to Kraftwerk. This new project released "Esperanto" in 1993 and then "Electric Music" in 1998. In between the two albums, Bartos collaborated with Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr on Electronic's 1996 album "Raise the Pressure", and co-wrote material with Andy McCluskey which appeared on both "Esperanto" and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "Universal" album. In 1998, he also produced an album by former synthpop Swedish band The Mobile Homes, much in the style of his work with Electronic; guitar-pop with very slight synthetic references. It was received as a great disappointment to synthpop fans, but sold more than any of their previous albums, and was used in TV advertisements for an airline to moderate success.

In 2003 he released the synthpop album "Communication", featuring such songs as "I'm the Message", "Camera" and "Ultraviolet".

Karl Bartos announced [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=28493_0_2_0_C Karl Bartos (ex-Kraftwerk) opens audio-visual exhibition 'Crosstalk'] ] in early 2008 that he had opened the first edition of the audio-visual exhibition "Crosstalk" for public viewing at the white cube section on the official Karl Bartos website. The program holds 21 films, remixes, cover versions, mash ups from Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, USA and Japan.

Discography

With Kraftwerk
*1975: "Radio-Activity"
*1977: "Trans-Europe Express"
*1978: "The Man-Machine"
*1981: "Computer World"
*1983: Tour de France (Single)
*1986: "Electric Café"
*1991: "The Mix" (sound-data programming) ("uncredited")

With Elektric Music (now Electric Music)
*1993: " Esperanto"
*1998: "Electric Music"

With Electronic
*1996: "Raise the Pressure"

As Karl Bartos
*2000: 15 Minutes Of Fame (Single)
*2003: "Communication"
*2004: Camera Obscura (Single)

References

External links

* [http://www.karlbartos.com/ Karl Bartos official site]
* [http://www.neworderonline.com/News/News.aspx?NewsID=1345 Karl Bartos Interview (English)]
* [http://www.neworderonline.com/News/News.aspx?NewsID=1346 Karl Bartos Interview (Deutsch)]