The legendary electronic musician Florian Schneider has died at age 73. Schneider was a cofounder of German band Kraftwerk.
It goes without saying that Kraftwerk is one of the most influential music groups of modern times. They paved the way for nearly every genre of electronic music, from industrial to synthpop to house.
Many of the bands I follow online are paying tribute to Schneider today, so I thought it would be nice to compile them as a testament to his legacy.
Peter Hook of Joy Division and New Order: ““I was so sad to hear of Florian Schneider’s death. My earliest memory of Kraftwerk was being given an LP by Ian Curtis. He gave me ‘Autobahn’ and then later ‘Trans Europe Express’. I was absolutely mesmerised by both. Ian suggested that every time Joy Division go on stage, we should do so to ‘Trans Europe Express’. We did that from our first show, until nearly our last.”
Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark: “We are absolutely devastated to learn that one of our heroes Florian Schneider has passed away. He changed our lives.”
Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran: “I just heard the very sad news that Florian Schneider, the co-founder of one of my favourite bands, Kraftwerk, has died. When I first heard their song Autobahn, I was struck by how radically different it sounded from everything else on the radio. It became a surprise hit in the UK and sparked my lifelong admiration for their innovation and creativity. Kraftwerk’s influence on contemporary music is deeply woven into the fabric of our pop culture. Their albums Trans-Europe Express and The Man Machine will forever remain classics of the genre they invented. Thanks for the music, dark humour and inspiration. Long live Kraftwerk!”
Covenant: “Florian Schneider is dead. The Grandmaster of the vocoder, the jester robot, the decadent worker, the elusive last remaining mystery of Kraftwerk is gone. Do not rest in peace, Florian. Please forever be the voice of energy!”
Apoptygma Berzerk: “The band above all bands, the musicians above all musicians! No band has influenced the electronic scene more than Kraftwerk! Heck, they INVENTED the electronic scene, they WERE the electronic scene.”
VNV Nation: “From that moment, back in the mid 70s, when I first heard Autobahn as a young boy, i was a convert. Forever with love for being a part of the music that shaped my life.”
Agent Side Grinder: “Impact endless. Music timeless. R.I.P. Florian Schneider, one of the absolute masters.”
cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy: “RIP Florian Schneider. a true god”
Bill Leeb of Front Line Assembly: “RIP Florian…the years, the moments ,the insparations you gave us all will always be with us, Safe travels on the AUTOBAHN to next destination”
Interface: “The influence that Kraftwerk has on Interface’s very existence can’t be overstated. Eric’s experience to their music, and his early youthful attempts to emulate their sounds and styles was a key factor in the project’s birth in the early 90’s. Jon also cites the band as an immense influence.”
Information Society: “Farewell to one of the true giants, Florian Schneider.”
Johnny Jewel of Chromatics: “As ageless as ancient Rome, Kraftwerk’s DNA is the singular thread in the architecture of all modern electronic music.”
Giorgio Moroder: “One of my heroes left us RIP”