GERMANY: German Kolja Kugler has found a new way of putting scrap metal to good use: he makes robots which play music

Record ID: 401831

  • Title: GERMANY: German Kolja Kugler has found a new way of putting scrap metal to good use: he makes robots which play music
  • Date: 1st April 2012
  • Summary: ROBOT 'SPITS' WATER ONTO AUDIENCE KUGLER OPERATES ROBOT
  • Embargoed: 16th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Quirky,Science / Technology,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA71S25SBETP4IN9J9GUIOGR3LM
  • Story Text: Loud music emits from Kolja Kugler's garage. Music not to be argued with. It comes from a three-metre giant, made out of scrap metal. And for anyone questioning the sounds - it is the song "Unsung" by the alternative US metal band 'Helmet'.
    The head of the robot bobs, the eyes go wild and the delicate fingers slide over the strings. Nothing in the performance of the robot called "Freakin' Bass Player" differs from the performance of his real life model. So far his repertoire consists of two songs: "Unsung" by 'Helmet' and "Bad" by 'No means No'.
    The 39-year old tinkerer said that he wanted to build a band made out of scrap metal.
    "This is the first member of the band, the bass player. It is made out of scrap metal, 99 percent of it, old parts which I have found," Kugler told Reuters.
    He plans to also let his bass-player play mellower songs, like "Love me tender" by Elvis Presley. Kugler said that the contrast of heavy metal and soft music intrigues him.
    The scrap metal sculpture may look a little rusty when dormant but the moment Kugler brings it to life with the help of pressured air the robot unfolds itself to reach its intriguing three metres of height and starts playing.
    Well, it actually mimes because the sound originates from the keyboard Kugler is playing.
    His sculptures are meant to be a homage to nature. While building them, Kugler noticed the ingenuity of how nature made the human body work, he said. Even the movement of the little finger seems so easy but it took Kugler several days to achieve the intended movements.
    The sculptor collected more than 250 kilograms of scrap metal for his robot band. So far, he has only built the bass player. There are still some bizarrely formed pieces of scrap metal lying around in his garage that gave Kugler inspiration for his drummer and keyboard player.
    They only have to built now. Kugler hopes that they won't take as long as the 'Freakin' Bass Player'.
    On Sundays Kugler can be found in the well-known Berlin park 'Mauerpark' where he entertains onlookers with his other scrap metal robots, such as with the smaller robot 'Sir Elton Junk'.
    Onlookers clearly love the performance: "He did a very good job, in so many ways," said Sven.
    "The transformation of scrap metal into art is a good idea, and the performance - is was good. Just good," Sven said.
    Kugler is happy about the positive response of his audience and at times a fellow artist.
    Although once, he missed his chance, as he told Reuters.
    While showing his robots at the Glastonbury festival, Kugler was approached by world renowned artist Damien Hirst.
    "An old man came towards me and shook my hand and said 'good work' and I just said 'thank you very much, bye'," Kugler said.
    "Afterwards someone told me that that was Damien Hirst... And I would have loved to asked him a bit more in detail about my sculptures but I didn't recognise him at the time."
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