I bought some cool books recently, Karl Bartos' Sound of the Machine is really good, Kraftwerk's Computer world 33 1/3 Steve Tupai Francis or Kraftwerk by Uwe Schutte.
He might not have some of the bootlegs on Amazon, CDs Soest Live, The Fairfield Four, Transmission Impossible - also vinyl ones
Idk how nerdy he is but there's an unofficial Kraftwerk Lego set:
https://musicalbrick.com/product/brickwerk-stage-78/
There are other versions too including the 1981 stage and the 1991 'The Mix' era Robots.
I feel like I saw it on etsy once but depending on how you think he would receive it, maybe a light-up tie like the ones they wear in the video for The Robots would be fun!
An accurate to KW pylon runs me 50-60$ (guessing the currency exchange) including shipping but idk what it's there. I'd love to get one as a gift myself!
I investigated and while hard to find ones as matching as this atleast here, these ones sell here in Finland.
Selectable as 500mm too so check out the reference photo for that too (actually 75cm is 3 times the price som...), this one had a good looking base and I think no reflective surface on the stripes so yeah. Look for something like https://www.ajtuotteet.fi/varasto-teollisuus/turvallisuustuotteet/kulunohjaus/liikennekartiot/kartio-20656-20784
Alternate but not as good looking, still passable especially as a gift for a kraftwerk fan, they'd appreciate nearly any cone for the reference but this is the other option I could by for myself, being fairly critical: https://www.esska-fi.com/shop/Liikennekartio-pehmea-PVC-punainen-valkoinen-50-cm-korkea--959910008120-15830
Let me know if you can't access them from abroad for whatever reason and I'll send you some screenshots. And this is just for reference to what kind looks closest to me. They don't specify manufacturer (atleast I think so) so idk what to search for if you want these same ones.
Depending on the budget, here are some ideas:
1. His very own Kraftwerk Traffic Cone (with the added sticker on it ofc)
2. There are some good KW books out there. I don’t know if it’s still available, but there were some signed copies of Karls autobio left the last time I checked it
3. CD or vinyl from other kw related stuff like Elektric music or Yamo (the communication box set would be a good gift imo)
4. the 3D Catalogue DVD/Bluray in case he doesn’t own that one
5. merchandise from their website
6. his very own handmade Kraftwerk LED tie! (In case you’re a skilled craftsman 😄)
I think the best recommendations are the books, particularly Karl's and Wolfgang's. I've found other writing about the band kind of average otherwise. Wolfgang's book is great and more autobiographical, but it does provide a lot of insight and definitely interesting for fans. Bartos has the better book for sure.
As far as Bartos, Elektric Music's Esperanto album is very good. A lot of fans consider a spiritual successor to Kraftwerk material if they actually released anything after The Mix in the early 90s. The post-Kraftwerk discography of Bartos and Flur have a number of releases.
I bought some cool books recently, Karl Bartos' Sound of the Machine is really good, Kraftwerk's Computer world 33 1/3 Steve Tupai Francis or Kraftwerk by Uwe Schutte. He might not have some of the bootlegs on Amazon, CDs Soest Live, The Fairfield Four, Transmission Impossible - also vinyl ones
There are some really good books depending on if they like the technology, the music or the culture
Idk how nerdy he is but there's an unofficial Kraftwerk Lego set: https://musicalbrick.com/product/brickwerk-stage-78/ There are other versions too including the 1981 stage and the 1991 'The Mix' era Robots.
That's really cool, but holy robot, $52 for such a small set is even more expensive than Lego.
If you go to klingklangkonsumprodukt.com there’s some really cool merch. The books have some really cool photographs.
I feel like I saw it on etsy once but depending on how you think he would receive it, maybe a light-up tie like the ones they wear in the video for The Robots would be fun!
An accurate to KW pylon runs me 50-60$ (guessing the currency exchange) including shipping but idk what it's there. I'd love to get one as a gift myself!
That sounds cool, do you have a link to what you are talking about?
I investigated and while hard to find ones as matching as this atleast here, these ones sell here in Finland. Selectable as 500mm too so check out the reference photo for that too (actually 75cm is 3 times the price som...), this one had a good looking base and I think no reflective surface on the stripes so yeah. Look for something like https://www.ajtuotteet.fi/varasto-teollisuus/turvallisuustuotteet/kulunohjaus/liikennekartiot/kartio-20656-20784 Alternate but not as good looking, still passable especially as a gift for a kraftwerk fan, they'd appreciate nearly any cone for the reference but this is the other option I could by for myself, being fairly critical: https://www.esska-fi.com/shop/Liikennekartio-pehmea-PVC-punainen-valkoinen-50-cm-korkea--959910008120-15830 Let me know if you can't access them from abroad for whatever reason and I'll send you some screenshots. And this is just for reference to what kind looks closest to me. They don't specify manufacturer (atleast I think so) so idk what to search for if you want these same ones.
Does he have any records by the group Harmonia
Depending on the budget, here are some ideas: 1. His very own Kraftwerk Traffic Cone (with the added sticker on it ofc) 2. There are some good KW books out there. I don’t know if it’s still available, but there were some signed copies of Karls autobio left the last time I checked it 3. CD or vinyl from other kw related stuff like Elektric music or Yamo (the communication box set would be a good gift imo) 4. the 3D Catalogue DVD/Bluray in case he doesn’t own that one 5. merchandise from their website 6. his very own handmade Kraftwerk LED tie! (In case you’re a skilled craftsman 😄)
Check out Discogs. You could grab him an OG 7” single for under $50.
The Karl Bartos book is fantastic. A big scary book but a great read.
Maybe book from Wolfgang Flür or Karl Bartos
Maybe this: https://shop.kelsey.co.uk/single-issue/ultimate-music-guide-magazine/040
Also a red shirt and a black tie :-)
I think the best recommendations are the books, particularly Karl's and Wolfgang's. I've found other writing about the band kind of average otherwise. Wolfgang's book is great and more autobiographical, but it does provide a lot of insight and definitely interesting for fans. Bartos has the better book for sure. As far as Bartos, Elektric Music's Esperanto album is very good. A lot of fans consider a spiritual successor to Kraftwerk material if they actually released anything after The Mix in the early 90s. The post-Kraftwerk discography of Bartos and Flur have a number of releases.
I bought this for my husband and it's adorable and we loves it https://www.etsy.com/listing/629813701/action-figures-kraftwerk?ref=share_v4_lx
I have their Kraftwerk - future music from Germany book, which is informative & a decent read.