Klaus Schulze
Real Name:
Klaus Schulze
Profile:
Born August 4th 1947 in Berlin, is a german electronic pioneer, composter 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 70's 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 1980's Schulze continued his hectic release schedule as well as recording several soundtracks and rebuilding his studio (he "went digital" in 1986). In summer 1983 Klaus Schulze 'sold' Innovative Communication.
In the 1990's Schulze recorded several electronic interpretations of works by classical composers (most notably Wagner) as well as collaborating 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.
In 1978 he set up the label Innovative Communication and the following year he also launched the pseudonym/project Richard Wahnfried. In the 1980's Schulze continued his hectic release schedule as well as recording several soundtracks and rebuilding his studio (he "went digital" in 1986). In summer 1983 Klaus Schulze 'sold' Innovative Communication.
In the 1990's Schulze recorded several electronic interpretations of works by classical composers (most notably Wagner) as well as collaborating 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.
Sites:
klaus-schulze.com, open.spotify.com, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, famouscomposers.net, Wikipedia, Wikipedia
Aliases:
In Groups:
Ash Ra Tempel,
Din A Testbild,
Galactic Supermarket,
Software,
Stomu Yamashta's Go,
Tangerine Dream,
The Cosmic Jokers,
The Dark Side Of The Moog
Variations:
Marketplace 17,549 For Sale
Reviews Show All 48 Reviews
aeon6th
August 16, 2019
Oh man, this is Klaus Schulze for God's sake! He is the greatest artist of our time!
zulupapa
February 10, 2019
I agree that Schulze is highly overrated. He is a percussionist and I acknowledge his influence in that regard with his electronic implementations of it. But musically, his notes are the same repetitive generic 'spooky' progressions throughout his work. I do happen to like Moondawn and Kontinuum in spite of this, and I think that Moondawn probably had an influence on Kraftwerk in terms of certain electronic sounds and rhythms, but in terms of chordal arrangements, Schulze is not even in the conversation in the German scene. He does not actually compose music in the sense that Edgar Froese, Florian Fricke and Manuel Göttsching do/did. And it is very refreshing to find someone with whom I agree on this. When you strip away the electronica and the percussion/rhythm and are left with merely the musical notes, Schulze comes up seriously wanting at best. Incidentally, one of the most ridiculous rankings I have ever seen is FACT Magazine placing Moondawn at #2 and Tangerine Dream's Phaedra at #49, not to mention all the other marvelous albums that show up in their ranking. Overrated indeed!!
Sergelenkov
June 20, 2018
edited over 3 years ago
Klaus Schulze is genius and wizard of electronic music. To explore his works is an interesting quest. As he used to say in the first 10 minutes of his composotions he creates his listener and only after that the interesting things are starting. So you have to be thoughtful listener and his music will work for you. Sometimes it works from the second or from the third, fourth listening. If it doesn't - simply try other album. Klaus Schulze recorded a lot of them. "Mirage", "Timewind", "Body Love", "Dune" (with Arthur Brown), "X", "Dig It", "Kontinuum" - long imaginary landscapes of thoughts and rhythms. "Freindship", "In Blue" are collaborations with Manuel Göttsching (Ashra). And by the way don't forget to listen to the albums by Ash Ra Tempel. And it's different music. "Farscape", "Rheingold", "Big in Europe" are albums with completely improvised singing by Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) - and it's other kind of music. Light relaxing comfortable chill-out music of "Cocooning" and "Privée" (Contemporary Works). And it's not all turns on his artistic way. Even not the half of all turns. You should be prepared for disilussions (what's to like here?) and for the openings (wow!). His works wouldn't remind you of the style of other wizards of classical electronic music from the 70's 80's - Jarre, Vangelis, Michel Huygen (Neuronium), Zanov. It's different approach. He is a kind of Columbus who tried to open way to India and China but instead of it he find the way to different interesting and strange places. And you will follow him in his expeditions. Start to listen with "Crystal Lake" from "Mirage" - this music is keeping the secret of life and death.
e-control
May 4, 2018
completely agree with "ttooyyss". Klaus Schulze = most overrated artist musicwise.
the same, uninspired chords, melodies all over.
the same, uninspired chords, melodies all over.
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Herr_Lenz
January 6, 2018
The pressing quality and the sound of the 2017 releases are good, but the reproduction of the cover artwork are bad and in the case of "irrlicht" it´s just the cover of the 2nd release from the 70´s and not the artwork from the 1st press. The pictures are blurred and pixelated. The good thing are the download card. But i think, it´s a lost chance to re-release a lot of magnificent albums from the legenday Klaus Schulze.
hawklord90
November 30, 2017
I own hundreds of synth cds and I to little Willie John find a lot of it cheesy .I listen to all sorts of music, bowie to zappa , singer song writers and em .but I always return to schulze don't know what it is but know one does what he does better and yes he has produced some tosh but so have all the others , I think a lot of people don't get schulze because he doesn't play "tunes" but I think that's the main thing people who follow him love about him . For me the down side of him is watching him play live just seems to hold down a chord and just building up to a solo .but you can't have everything
littlewilliejohn
March 17, 2016
mhiraldo, we are obviously dealing with questions of taste here. For example, I consider much of Vangelis' and Tomita's work to be quite cheesy, but Schulze' big detractor on this thread seems to think that these people are superior to Schulze in every way.
I dislike categorical pronouncements of any sort, and I think that Schulze's chief fault (aided and abetted by his manager Klaus Mueller) is his inability to edit himself. Consequently, there's a lot of Schulze material available which is extremely boring and predictable -- like (as several critics have observed) he has flipped the automatic pilot switch. But then again, I find his best work, early and recent, to be exquisitely beautiful. So for the less than serious Schulze listener, it can be a question of what he/she has been exposed to.
I dislike categorical pronouncements of any sort, and I think that Schulze's chief fault (aided and abetted by his manager Klaus Mueller) is his inability to edit himself. Consequently, there's a lot of Schulze material available which is extremely boring and predictable -- like (as several critics have observed) he has flipped the automatic pilot switch. But then again, I find his best work, early and recent, to be exquisitely beautiful. So for the less than serious Schulze listener, it can be a question of what he/she has been exposed to.
phantammeron
October 27, 2015
Thank you Klaus Schulze for your inspiring work. I am a huge fan here in the US and always discovering new and amazing things in your music. Being a Richard Wagner fan, I can feel the influence in your music in the epic qualities portrayed therein. I look forward to listening to more of your work, as it has inspired my own art and writing. Best of luck to you :)
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TheBishopde
June 16, 2015
Klaus Schulze is a phenomenon. Just listen to his debut IRRLICHT - without any Synthesizer he created everything known today as "ambient" or "drone". Long before Brian Eno even thought about such soundscapes. Schulze made his mark all along the Electronic Music timeline, call it Berlin School, Ambient, Trance or Chillout. Tell me anyone, who "invented" a "new" electronic style...I name you an even earlier Schulze album with that music already explored.
For those about to discuss KS and his magnificent music, join us on Facebook: Deutsches Klaus Schulze Forum (don't mind the "Deutsches", we are international though) ;-)
For those about to discuss KS and his magnificent music, join us on Facebook: Deutsches Klaus Schulze Forum (don't mind the "Deutsches", we are international though) ;-)
vueloquimico
November 13, 2019