K is for...

Making up for lost time, with 10Ks and two dated pix...

- Kraftwerk

- King Crimson

- Ariel Kalma

- Mick Karn

- Kiln

- Richard H Kirk

- Fela Kuti

- Killing Joke

- Salif Keita

- Kluster

Treading water for the last 30 years, it's difficult to overstate the importance of Kraftwerk's first decade. Autobahn, Trans Europe Express, Man Machine and Computer World are the ones that really matter, and seeing them in 1981 was epiphanal, although my personal fave is Ralf and Florian. Around the time of getting into Kraftwerk (1974), 'my favourite band' was briefly King Crimson. They'd just released Starless and Bible Black and were about to die a glorious (first) death with Red. 'Starless', which I remember playing to bemused 3rd year schoolchums in Music Appreciation class, remains one of the all-time essential tracks.

Kluster are in there for historical curiosity value. I rarely play those ultra-rare, abrasive first two LPs, nor the unearthed recordings since. Let's face it, Cluster were a lot easier on the ear. Ariel Kalma is a French musician whose handprinted first album, Les Temps des Moissons (1976), sounds like Terry Riley and second, Osmose (1978), with Richard Tinti, combines drones and field recordings of Borneo's rainforest. Everything since has been decidedly patchy. I came to Fela Kuti a bit late but he's definitely Top 10.

Mick Karn's solo output has always been interesting. Sad to hear that he's pretty seriously ill now, but encouraging that he's still due to collaborate with Pete Murphy again on a Dali's Car follow-up. Cabaret Voltaire's Richard H Kirk put out scores of albums in the 90s/00s, only some of which are under his own name and most of which sound rather similar. But a 'Best Of' CDR I compiled a while back is still played to death. Kiln, an American ambient trio, easily qualify. Killing Joke just about scrape in (on another day it would surely be The Kinks), as does Salif Keita.

Honourable mentions to Kelpe, Kid Loco, Krisma, Kitaro (early stuff), Dagmar Krause, Kronos Quartet, Koto Vortex, Konono No.1, Kreidler, KLF, Thomas Koner, Konntinent, Julia Kent, Jacarzek and Kruder & Dorfmeister. Better luck next time to Kool & the Gang, Kiss and Kraan.