Klaus Schulze

Klaus Schulze (4 August 1947, Berlin – 26 April 2022) was a German electronic music pioneer, composer and musician. Schulze initially made his mark as a drummer, first with the group Psy Free, later with Tangerine Dream (he played on their first album "Electronic Meditation" before he quit) and Ash Ra Tempel (with Manuel Göttsching). In 1971 Schulze started a solo career as an electronic musician and released a couple of heavily experimental albums, "Irrlicht" and "Cyborg". 1973's "Cyborg" was the first release where he used a "real" synthesizer, the legendary VCS 3 and later in the 1970s he would record albums such as "Moondawn", "Mirage" and "X" and embark on several tours, documented across a number of live albums.

In 1978 he set up the label Innovative Communication and the following year he also launched the pseudonym/project Richard Wahnfried. In the 1980s Schulze continued his hectic release schedule as well as recording several soundtracks and rebuilding his studio (he "went digital" in 1986). In summer 1983 Schulze sold Innovative Communication.

In the 1990s Schulze recorded several electronic interpretations of works by classical composers (most notably Wagner) and worked with opera singers and other classical music performers on his own albums. He also started collaborating with German ambient/techno artist Pete Namlook in the series "The Dark Side Of The Moog" on the latter's Fax label, and steered the Wahnfried project into a more modern techno- and trance-inspired direction.

An intensive reissue program of Schulze music began in 2005, with most releases including bonus tracks.

Schulze died on 26 April 2022 at the age of 74, following a long illness.