Of all the classics Karl Bartos performed with Kraftwerk, his drum pattern on Numbers from Computer World in 1981 has had the longest life. It formed the basis of Planet Rock for Afrika Bambaataa And The Soulsonic Force a year later, with Arthur Baker’s recreation of Karl’s work helping to singlehandedly invent electro.
Kraftwerk later forced Baker to pay what he admitted was “a lot of money” for his homage, but Karl is pleased at his unwitting influence on hip-hop and electro. “I truly believe Numbers isn’t the worst pattern in the world,” says Bartos with typical understatement.
“But I’ve always been interested in music as an organic whole. You can’t separate its elements: melody, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm, tone colour, dynamics, tempo.”