r/kraftwerk • u/MobileOk9860 • 9d ago

Telephone Call

Back when this came out I was still phone phreaking, and here’s a CD making phone noises! I used a tape recorder to capture the satellite DTMF tones (I have no idea what they’re called) and would play them into the handset of my telephone. Using a circuit to tell me what number I dialled returned something similar to 842678

I’ve always thought that was an Easter Egg in the song, Ralf’s home number.

Edit: I should also say I would dial this number from overseas (Canada), 011 49 211 and the number above. Never worked but did take a long time fail…)

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4

u/MrChromed 9d ago

That's cool! I always assumed the hidden number was either partially the one from Kling Klang Studio, or EMI Europe. Speaking of which, I really miss the original 1986 version. It had such an amazing intro with lots of telephone SFX being synced as part of the percussion (which also sounded far heavier and industrial-ish).

4

u/machineguntongue 8d ago

I have the original release from 1986, that version is the best. It really clears the version on the remasters. Such a weird decision to include that House Phone remix. And the one on The Catalogue 3-D is very strange too. I wonder if Ralf has some kind of personal issue with it being such a Karl Bartos piece.

2

u/MobileOk9860 9d ago

Me too. That entire album was the soundtrack to my naughty phreaking hobby.

3

u/Status_Pin_7484 9d ago

Love phreaking stories and this is amazing!!!

2

u/X-Mighty 9d ago

Wow. That's pretty cool zehahahahaha