Manuel Göttsching, German electronic music pioneer, has died aged 70

13 December, 2022

Manuel Göttsching

German electronic music pioneer Manuel Göttsching has died at the age of 70.

The musician and producer, who was known as the guitarist of the 70s Krautrock outfit Ash Ra Tempel, “passed away peacefully on December 4” surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted on his official website.

“The void he leaves behind we want to fill with his music and loving memories,” the statement continued. “When your fingers touched the strings of a guitar, the world stood still. May it stands still and bring you back to us whenever we hear you play.”

Göttsching founded Ash Ra Tempel with Hartmut Enke and ex-Tangerine Dream drummer Klaus Schulze in 1970 and was a core element of the growing krautrock scene.

The group released five albums between 1971 and 1973, after which Göttsching made his solo debut with 1975’s ‘Inventions for Electric Guitar’. Ashra, his second ensemble, launched in 1976 and Göttsching continued to produce music under his own name and as Ashra.

In 1981, Göttsching worked on his influential solo album ‘E2-E4’, an hour-long minimalist recording which uses a sequencer, improvised keyboards, metallic percussion and guitar. He eventually released the full improvisation on Klaus Schulze’s label in 1984, and it soon became a Paradise Garage favourite.

“The composer/producer of the seminal release E2-E4 played an essential role in developing house & techno music,” R&S Records wrote on Twitter. “The album influenced the likes of Carl Craig with Manuel being a massive inspiration on Renaat in the formation of R&S Records.”

‘E2-E4’ was reworked by Sueño Latino in 1989, remixed by Derrick May and was considered inspirational to everyone from LCD Soundsystem to Lindstrøm.

“When I found out E2-E4 was played in clubs,” Göttsching told the Guardian in 2013, “I couldn’t imagine people dancing to it. There’s not a strong bass drum and the rhythm is very subtle. I took ideas from dance music, but my composing goes more into the minimalist style of Steve Reich, Philip Glass. It could be played with an orchestra.”

See more tributes to Göttsching below.

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