Electronic music trailblazer Klaus Schulze had died at the age of 74.
The Berlin-born star passed away on Tuesday (26.04.22) after battling an undisclosed illness, according to the managing director of Schulze’s record label.
Frank Uhle – who works at the SPV label – said in a statement: “We lose and will miss a good personal friend – one of the most influential and important composers of electronic music – a man of conviction and an exceptional artist.
“Our thoughts in this hour are with his wife, sons and family. His always cheerful nature, his innovative spirit and his impressive body of work remain indelibly rooted in our memories.”
Schulze – who is widely recognised as a pioneer of electronic music – joined Tangerine Dream as a drummer in the late 1960s. He played on the band’s debut album but subsequently left to join Ash Ra Tempel, where he performed alongside guitarist Manuel Gottsching and bassist Hartmut Enke.
However, their partnership only lasted for one album, before Schulze left to launch himself as a solo artist.
He released his first solo album in 1972 and he ultimately released more than 50 albums during the course of his 50-plus years in the music industry.
Despite this, he hasn’t been on tour in recent years as he decided to prioritise his health.
Speaking in an interview in 2018, Schulze explained: “That wasn’t an easy decision, and I do miss the live concerts with the fans; that is true. But I had to learn the hard way that health comes first. And I am back to kind of a normal mode now, which took a while, but I am very happy about it.”
Schulze is survived by his wife, two sons and four grandchildren.