Klaus Schulze, a trailblazing German electronic composer popularly known for being one of the early members of Tangerine Dream, passed away at the age of 74.
His representatives confirmed the tragic news, saying he passed away after a "long illness." However, they did not exactly disclose what his medical condition was.
According to the managing director of his record label, Frank Uhle, the musician had been "ill" and his passing was "sudden."
Schulze was described as "one of the most influential and important composers of electronic music." He was also a man of conviction and had exceptional projects throughout his life.
"His always cheerful nature, his innovative spirit and his impressive body of work remain indelibly rooted in our memories," Uhle wrote in a statement. (via Pitchfork)
The electronic musician was born in Berlin in 1947. His music career began in the early-to-mid-1960s when he played guitar and drums for several local bands.
At the time, garage rock music was rampant in the music industry, and despite its popularity, Schulze decided to go the other direction and experiment with instruments.
He tried putting his guitar on the floor and playing it with odd objects like metal tubes and copper plates.
By the late 60s, he joined Psy Free to play the drums, but his time with the rock trio didn't last as he moved into Tangerine Dream to contribute percussion on the group's debut "Electronic Meditation."
After the album's release, he formed an underground band called Ash Ra Tempel with Manuel Göttsching and Hartmut Enke.
In the early 1970s, he parted ways with the band to start his solo career. He released his debut album titled "Irrlicht" in 1972.
The album was recorded using an old organ and a busted amplifier.
Schulze later experimented with the VCS 3 synthesizer on "Cyborg" which he also used in his renowned works like "Moondawn" in 1976, "Mirage" in 1977, and "X" in 1978.
Following this, he went on to release more than 50 solo LPs. Earlier this month, he announced that he would release his latest LP "Deus Arrakis" scheduled for release on June 10.
The lead single, "Osiris - Pt. 1" was released a few weeks ago.
His contribution to the music industry and use of synthesizers and samples led critics to name him the "godfather of techno."
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