Electri City ― The Dusseldorf School of Electronic Music

Just like Memphis and Rock'n'Roll, Dusseldorf is regarded as the Mecca for electronic music. The capital of North Rhine-Westphalia became the centre of an analog electronic movement from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s. This is the oral account of the city's most influential bands, including Kraftwerk, NEU!, DAF, Die Krupps and many more. This history uncovers the myths and reality of the bands emerging from the artistic backdrop of a wealthy German post WWII modernistic city and explores the emergence of the electronic scene in Dusseldorf and the conditions that fostered such a creative explosion and became so influential for musicians and artists all over the world. Interviews include Daniel Miller (Mute Records), Paul Humphreys and Andy McCluskey (OMD), Martyn Ware (Human League), Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), Rusty Egan (Visage) Ryuichi Sakamoto and producer Giorgio Moroder.

Rudi Esch was born in Dusseldorf in August 1966. He studied Modern German Literature and Philosophy, specializing in Aesthetics, at Heinrich-Heine-University. From 1983 he has played an active part in the Dusseldorf music scene, performing with several punk and new wave bands. In 1987 he formed a band with Klaus Dinger, formerly front man with NEU! and La Dusseldorf. Since 1988 Esch has played bass guitar for electronic rock band Die Krupps, and he works as instrumentalist, composer, lyricist and producer.