Hannover/Berlin (dpa) – His trademark was meditative acoustic sphere carpets that called for mental cinematography of science fiction or just staring into a lava lamp.
German electronics pioneer Klaus Schulze worked to the end on such sprawling and hypnotic installations with titles like “Osiris” or “Breath of Life”, which actually have no beginning and no end and for that reason were so fascinating.
A few weeks before the release of the new album, Schulze passed away at the age of 74 after a career spanning nearly 50 years. The internationally influential musician’s death Tuesday night came “after a long struggle with illness, but surprisingly and unexpectedly,” his son Maximilian Schulz and Frank Ohl, director of record label SPV, announced on Wednesday. Schulz was a “man of conviction” and an “exceptional talent”. SPV has worked with him for many years, and the new album “Deus Arrakis” was announced on June 10. “This news hits us all hard,” Uhl said.
If the power plant, the new can! The main bands were at first the satirical “Krautrock”, then Klaus Schulz was probably the most important solo musician. “In the early 1970s, an electronic lone wolf in Berlin made spherical sounds from the then highly complex Moogs. Rolling Stone recently wrote a tribute to this type of electric toy.
One of the founders of the “Berlin School”
Schulze was first known as the drummer for Edgar Froese’s Tangerine Dream, which inspired David Bowie, among others, in the mid-1970s, and as a member of Ash Ra Tempel. He was one of the founders of the avant-garde “Berlin School” with its repetitive and loud vocal structures that transcend regular pop music. Schulze played live on his own keyboard and castle music, but he also loved to dedicate himself to filming music.
The Berlin native “impressively influenced all styles that emerged from electronic music,” from ocean to techno, his brand asserted. “Many of the world’s top DJs affectionately call him ‘the godfather of techno’. From his debut single ‘Ehrlicht’ (1972) to lead works ‘Timwind’ (1975) and ‘Mirage’ (1977) to more recent albums with singer Lisa Gerrard and current singer. “Deus Arrakis” spans an arc of about 50 Schulze cylinder records.
The perfect Schulz produced
In 1978 he founded Innovative Communication and produced, among other things, the successful Neue Deutsche Welle band Ideal, and in the 1980s there was a co-production with the pop group Alphaville. The unique “Joe Schulze” was also transferred to his productions under the pseudonym Richard and Infred, to the soundtrack and collaborations with artists such as Arthur Brown, Michael Sheriff and Hans Zimmer.
Oscar-winner Zimmer (“Dion”) praised in December last year, “Klaus Schulze’s music has never been more important than it is now.” “More than ever, Klaus’ work represents the perfect balance between spirit and technology. Electrons as ambassadors for romance. Master…”
Schultz was married, with two sons and four grandchildren. On Wednesday, she said the farewell should take place in the immediate family circle. He explicitly wished that – his music is important, and his person is not. About the new 70-minute work “Deus Arrakis” – again recorded at Schulze’s studio in the Lüneburg Heath – he himself said that it was based on Frank Herbert’s famous “Dune” material and was ultimately a tribute “in the broadest sense to this great work, the gift of life”.