Karl Bartos was, from 1975 - 1990, a member of one of the most influential pop groups to have ever existed, Kraftwerk. Born in Berchtesgaden, Germany, Bartos studied at the Rhineland State Conservatory of Music, Robert Schumann Institute, in Düsseldorf, earning an advanced performer's degree in percussion. He joined Kraftwerk as an electronic percussionist in 1975, first touring with the group in support of the album, Autobahn. He became a full-time member of the band for their 1975 album Radio-Activity, played the distinct, influential beat of "Trans-Europe Express" on the 1977 album of the same name, and composed for the group beginning with their 1978 effort The Man-Machine. He left the group in 1990, although Kraftwerk's 1991 remix album The Mix featured his work. Subsequently, he became an independent producer and writer – for his project Electric Music, as a solo artist, and also together with fellow friends and musicians – Bernard Sumner (New Order), Johnny Marr (The Smiths) and Andy McCluskey (OMD).
In 2004 he co-founded the Master of Arts course "Sound Studies – Acoustic Communication" at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK), where he was a visiting professor, teaching Auditory Media Design up until 2009.
