A few days ago I had an e-mail conversation with Wolfgang Fluer about some of the recent threads on this mailing list concerning him. As he wanted to comment on some of these mails, but didn't want to expose his private e-mail address, he asked me to forward the following message on his behalf. Klaus Zaepke ------- Weitergeleitete Nachricht / Forwarded message ------- Dear Friends, my name is wolfgang Fluer, ex-member of former Kraftwerk. Let me say hello to everyone who contributes to this mailing list, which was shown to me by Klaus Zaepke last week. Fist let me say thank you to Klaus for giving me the opportunity sending my greetings and words to this internet medium. I wish to clear some vagueness which go through this list since my book is out. I also wonder what you guys are discussing some times. Aren't there other things in your lifes instead of discussing what someone in Kraftwerk is probably drinking, for instance, or what it has to mean, when we put flowers in our hair in the middle of the seventies and took photos from us? What's so dammned gripping on that? Kraftwerk members with naked upper bodies under a garden shower, wouw! Have you never been in the swimming baths in hot summer days? And what do you see there? Everyone could see us on the beaches of St. Tropez ore elsewhere in those days. It's at least what I'm talking about in my book - Kraftwerker as humans. And that's what Ralf a. Florian obviously disliked. They wanted to reserve their myth as robotic inhuman secret and hidden. But I've changed since my departure and progress in Yamo. I wrote my book in between three years, long after having split from KW. Of course I was a real member for sixteen years - a physical AND menthal member. All these stupid dealings of a poor Dirki boy ..."if someone is mentally part of Kraftwerk, he is part of the group"...what a shit! This man just wants to create some childish philosophical sentences. He doesn't know anything of me, he was an device dealer - nothing else - especially no natural scientist or psychologist. Don't let you tell of this bullshit what this man pours over the pages. He prevents especially that it was his partner Hans Joachim Wiechers who did the elementary electronical developments for us, not Dirki! The man seems to be a lonly hearted individual and in his special age and wants to be important now with his former nearness to our band. See how badly he needs to describe his deal with Kraftwerk and how adjobtrusive he is. And what is most impertinent, he tells my a lyer. This is unfair and not true! In my book I say the truth on every page and this Dirki is completely wrong for instance when he claims that I didn't play the electronic drums on 'Autobahn'. How can he claim this, when he wasn't there that day? Besides of that I recommend everyone to read his own homepage and discover what he writes about his meeting with Conny Plank - former co-producer of Ralf & Florian - and when he first listened to our song. Make your own rhyme on it... But he's right when he says that I was a robot (after all he lends this sentense from my own book - my coming out as a human). Yes, that's true, I was a robot and I'm glad to be no longer. In my book I write exactly what at least lead to my refusal from this formerly innovative band. All the happy years in the beginning, my upcoming doubts after our Computerworld tour in 1981, up to my painful split. If it was no pain for me than I agree with old Dirki, then I would have been only a machine with no feeling for affection. Yes, I was stupid (as robots usually are) to believe in Ralf & Florian, to trust in them and their constant promises in music making, tour traveling, being properly payed and being participated in our success. Atz least (1986) there was no other chance for me to pave my own path, understand? Today I am happy that I decided so and would never go back. My nature and personality is better open now to human themes and I'm not such an inhibited person like the robots which I've left once. As you know Ralf & Florian did a legal ban on my book here because they didn't want to be shown under Florians garden shower with me. By the way, these photos were taken by ourselves with Florians and my own new Polaroid SX 70 cameras, which we bought during our first US tour in 1975, and not by any female film-makers (I wonder who developed such a rubbish).There were some other points which the both didn't like to be published. And especially that I've invented and built my first electric drum board. Can one imagine why they cannot grudge this to me? The first lawsuit is over now and finally I've won it. The judge believed in my and my lawyers evidences and now R&F filed an appeal against this first judgement. We'll see what the next step can bring... Thanks by the way to Oh Jay for his understanding / partisanship and defencing my point of view. He is right when he says that it was EXPLOITATION for the reason why I've left Kraftwerk. Oh Jay looks completely through, sorry, even if you guys don't like to heare it! Photos which I'd done in the middle of the seventies were of course not only for money, they were also for fun. You're right, Pat, when you wrote "for beauty we'll pay". That was one of our great themes, as everyone knows. That was our point of view in a city where the beauties were running in the streets like insects. I was too - no insect but beauty - and I loved to expose myself, not only on the stage with Kraftwerk. What is so dammed unnatural on it? You in U.S. seem to be especially inhibited there, aren't you? Anyway, I loved myself, my body, my talents, the people and artists around me. It was luck I had beside of my talents, nothing else. Read properly 'Kraftwerk - I Was A Robot' between the lines and discover it's honesty and my naturalness. For those, who cannot handle it, I feel sorry. And who wishes to know more about what electronic music can spread further after a Kraftwerk, should listen to Yamo Pop. 'Time-Pie' for instance (USA: Hypnotic CLP 0119). Delicious every minute! I wish everyone a pleasant time. Sincerely yours, Wolfgang. ------- Ende der weitergeleiteten Nachricht / End of forwarded message -------