In a recent interview with the Rheinische Post, Marian Gold, the lead vocalist of the German band Alphaville, revealed that the song “Big in Japan” was inspired by the Düsseldorf-based group Kraftwerk. The 1984 hit was the second song Gold had ever written, he said, and was heavily influenced by Kraftwerk’s album “Autobahn”.
Gold praised Kraftwerk’s music, describing it as “intellektuelle und intelligente Musik” that is also “sehr einfach”. He credited the band with showing Alphaville that they too could create music of a similar caliber, and that the bassline of “Big in Japan” was undoubtedly inspired by Kraftwerk.
Alphaville, known for hits like “Forever Young” and “Sounds Like a Melody”, is currently on a best-of tour in Germany, with Gold, now 70 and born as Hartwig Schierbaum, at the helm.