Exceller 8
Encyclopedia
Exceller 8 is the title of a 1975 compilation album of music by Kraftwerk
. It was released by the Vertigo
label in order to capitalize on both the summer chart success of the single "Autobahn" and the imminent release of the next Kraftwerk album Radio-Activity
— by this time Ralf Hütter
and Florian Schneider
had set up their own record and publishing company, Kling Klang.
The album is a sampler of material from the first four Kraftwerk albums – Kraftwerk
, Kraftwerk 2
, Ralf und Florian
, Autobahn
– and includes some versions of tracks that had been edited down for release on singles, such as "Autobahn", as well as simple excerpts from longer album tracks, such as "Kling-Klang". Only the pair of tracks from the Ralf und Florian album, "Tongebirge"' and "Kristallo", are entirely free of cuts.
Track selection was by Alan Cowderoy (later an A&R
manager at Stiff Records
) and sound engineering is credited to Steve Brown, though it is unclear if they created the edited versions of the two tracks released as singles. The brutally edited-down three minute version of "Autobahn" (from an original length of 22:30) had been a top twenty hit in the UK and had received considerable airplay in the US since its release. "Comet melody 2" failed to chart.
The album was issued on vinyl and cassette and deleted in 1980.
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
. It was released by the Vertigo
Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
label in order to capitalize on both the summer chart success of the single "Autobahn" and the imminent release of the next Kraftwerk album Radio-Activity
Radio-Activity
Radio-Activity is the fifth studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released in October 1975. Unlike Kraftwerk's later albums, which featured language-specific lyrics, only the titles differ between the English and German editions...
— by this time Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter is the lead singer, keyboardist, and reportedly leader of the electronic-music band Kraftwerk. Since the departure of Florian Schneider in 2008, he is also the group's sole remaining founding member....
and Florian Schneider
Florian Schneider
Florian Schneider-Esleben is one of the founding members of electronic music band Kraftwerk. He left the band in November 2008.-Career:...
had set up their own record and publishing company, Kling Klang.
The album is a sampler of material from the first four Kraftwerk albums – Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk (album)
Kraftwerk is the first album by German electronic band Kraftwerk. It was released in Germany in 1970, and produced by Konrad "Conny" Plank.-Background:...
, Kraftwerk 2
Kraftwerk 2
Kraftwerk 2 is the second studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released in January 1972.-Background:Kraftwerk 2 was entirely written and performed by founding Kraftwerk members Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in late 1971, with the sessions produced by the influential Konrad "Conny"...
, Ralf und Florian
Ralf und Florian
Ralf und Florian is the third studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released in October 1973...
, Autobahn
Autobahn (album)
Autobahn is the fourth studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released in November 1974. The 22-minute title track "Autobahn" was edited to about 3 minutes for single release and reached number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and performed even higher around Europe, including...
– and includes some versions of tracks that had been edited down for release on singles, such as "Autobahn", as well as simple excerpts from longer album tracks, such as "Kling-Klang". Only the pair of tracks from the Ralf und Florian album, "Tongebirge"' and "Kristallo", are entirely free of cuts.
Track selection was by Alan Cowderoy (later an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
manager at Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
) and sound engineering is credited to Steve Brown, though it is unclear if they created the edited versions of the two tracks released as singles. The brutally edited-down three minute version of "Autobahn" (from an original length of 22:30) had been a top twenty hit in the UK and had received considerable airplay in the US since its release. "Comet melody 2" failed to chart.
The album was issued on vinyl and cassette and deleted in 1980.
Track listing
- "Ruckzuck" (minus the opening flute-echo intro) – 7:30
- "AutobahnAutobahn (song)"Autobahn" is a song by German electronic band Kraftwerk, composed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider of the band, with Emil Schult collaborating on the lyrics. It is co-produced by Conny Plank, and was the band's first track to use sung lyrics...
" (heavily-edited version previously released as a UK single in May 1975) – 3:06 - "Tongebirge" – 2:50
- "Kristallo" – 6:18
- "Comet Melody 2" (version released as a single in August 1975 with middle section edited out) – 2:49
- "Kling-Klang" (excerpt beginning at 1:38 into the original track) – 9:20
- "Vom Himmel Hoch" (the opening and closing sections with a cross-fade link) – 4:00
- "Stratovarius" (excerpt of the final section) – 1:35