Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/05/06/florian-schneider-co-founder.html
…
Well, fuck.
Man, that stings. I’ve been playing music for over 50 years. Along the way I’ve acquired and discarded influences like used underpants. Ralf and Florian have been deeply ingrained in my heart and soul since first hearing them in the middle of the night on Australian radio in 1974.
I’ve been listening to a lot of Kraftwerk these last couple of weeks. I’ll be listening to more today.
Hey Florian, thanks for all the great music, the technological advances you guys made in making that music, and imbuing it all with a healthy dose of self deprecating humor.
And of course, for all that’s “Fahn, fahn, fahn…”
Tschüss, Florian.
TdF was my jam back in the day!
https://youtu.be/Yt3p-F2x7rY
Considering how much Florian Schneider and SNL’s Will Forte look alike, I always hoped they would do a Spinal Tap-ish parody of Kraftwerk on “Documentary Now.” I guess it’s never too late. RIP
There are just a few musicians that I can unequivocally say this about, Ralf and Florian are among them. This truly is the Worst Year Ever.
Ugh, that sucks!
Guess I’ll need to enjoy this again, albeit more wistfully. sigh
I
Can’t
Take
This
Anymore
Getting to see Kraftwerk perform a few years ago was really quite a peak experience, after decades of intense interest in electronic music. Wow. Let me tell you, I was just humming during and after that show! I still have the sorta-3D specs they gave you for the video.
I got to meet and talk to Mike Banks of UR one of the years of the Detroit electronic music festival, the year it was called Fuse-In or something, at Submerge, and it was great hearing his stories about back in the day, and of course he gave Kraftwerk mad props. It was really cool hearing about how these German guys and these people of color in the States were just getting along and inspiring one another, forming bonds, all those years back.
Great bits from him about Kraftwerk in this interview:
https://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/interviews/mike-banks-interview
I spend an hour before bed yesterday just listening to Kraftwerk. I’m not even that big of a fan but as a German, especially one who listened to techno and trance in the late 90s and early 2000s they feel like they are in my DNA.
Man, Bill Bailey is just the best. And good on Kraftwerk for having a sense of humour about themselves.
Anyone doubting Bill is a good egg should hear him talk with genuine enthusiasm about Alfred Russell Wallace or tropical wildlife in general.
You forgot one of the more famous ones: . And there is already an emoji for this one:
What is that show?!
Edit: I figured it was from Detroit and after looking it up was glad to see I was right heheh! Maaaaybe years ago I saw a clip from this. Thanks I appreciate the link!