In the late 60s and early 70s a bunch of artsy German hippies grew up in a blown out industrial wasteland, contending with the fact that their parents were literal Nazis. Inspired by Hendrix, free jazz, musique concrète, and Stockhausen, and toying with new instruments like synthesizers, they created spacey, inventive, often driving music that would be dubbed Krautrock. The genre’s biggest bands are undoubtedly Kraftwerk and Can, but the most iconic Krautrock song is probably “Hallogallo” off the debut album by Neu! For ten minutes, the band simulates a steady drive down the Autobahn. It’s a pulsing beat that never slows, but never veers out of control. It’s not quite funk, but it’s not unfunky. It’s the “motornik” beat, and it’s Krautrock’s biggest contribution to the overall body of music. I think we should toy with it in our spacier jams.