R.I.P. Klaus Schulze
Klaus Schulze, German electronic music pioneer, dies aged 74. According to his family, it was after a long disease but all of a sudden.
Multi-instrumentalist who played with Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Temple before admired solo career is hailed for his innovative spirit. He was for a short time a member of the above mentioned bands before concentrating on his solo career, where in the course of five decades he has released more than 60 albums.
A true musical maverick, Klaus Schulze has always rejected labels and genres of all kinds. Here he discusses his work outside music’s boundaries
Klaus Schulze, the German multi-instrumentalist whose work with drones, pulses and synthesizers was hugely influential on generations of electronic music makers.
Klaus Schulze is an electronic music icon. Born in 1947, the German composer has produced some of the most influential work in the genre – if indeed the term ‘genre’ could ever really be applied to the hydra-headed beast that sprang forth from the birth of the synthesiser. When Schulze started out in the 60s, however, electronic music was a decidedly niche affair. Although many rock and pop bands showed interest in the nascent technology, those solely exploring synthesisers as a way of creating music were few and far between.
Originally a drummer, Schulze emerged onto the scene first as a member of Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel, and then via a series of stark, minimalist solo albums, which subsequently gave way to lush mid- to late-70s outings such as Timewind (1975), Moondawn (1976) and Mirage (1977) – landmark releases of the so-called Berlin School, which spawned a thousand imitators.
He worked as a producer for other artists including Dead Can Dance singer Lisa Gerrard – the pair also recorded live albums together – and pop band Alphaville. He also collaborated on an 11-album series with musician Pete Namlook, based around the Moog synthesiser, using the punning title Dark Side of the Moog. In the mid-1970s, he recorded two studio albums with a super group, Go, that also featured bandleader Stomu Yamashta alongside Steve Winwood, Al Di Meola and Michael Shrieve.