German electronic music pioneer Klaus Schulze dies at 74

Klaus Schulze, the legendary German electronic musician and krautrock pioneer, died on April 26, 2022 at age 74 after a long illness. His son Maximiliano Schulze announced the death on social media, stating that a private family farewell would be held according to Schulze's wishes. Born in Berlin in 1947, Schulze was a multi-instrumentalist who witnessed the rise of Moog synthesizers and experimental music. He played in seminal krautrock bands including Tangerine Dream (on their 1970 debut 'Electronic Meditation'), Ash Ra Tempel (self-titled 1971 album and 1975's 'Join Inn'), and later pursued a solo career starting with 1972's 'Irrlicht'. His prolific output includes over thirty albums, some under the pseudonym Richard Wahnfried. Notable works include 'Cyborg' (1973), 'Blackdance' (1974), 'Timewind' (1975, dedicated to Richard Wagner), 'Moondawn' (1976), and soundtracks for Lasse Braun's pornographic film 'Body Love' (1977) and Gerald Kargl's 'Angst' (1983). A video recording of a 1977 performance for German broadcaster WDR was shared in his memory.