Michael Rother
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Michael Rother | ||
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Background information | ||
Born | September 2, 1950![]() |
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Genre(s) | Krautrock, Proto-punk, Art-rock | |
Occupation(s) | Guitarist | |
Instrument(s) | Guitar | |
Years active | 1971-1975 (With Neu!) 1975- (Solo) |
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Label(s) | Brain | |
Associated acts |
Neu!, Harmonia, Kraftwerk | |
Website | Offical Website |
Michael Rother (born September 2, 1950 in Hamburg) is a German rock musician and composer.
Contents |
[edit] Early life and education
Born in 1950, Rother went to school in Munich, Wilmslow (England), Karachi, and Düsseldorf. From 1965 he played in the band Spirits of Sound, from which other members would later go on to join Kraftwerk and Wunderbar.
[edit] Music career
Rother is a multi-instrumentalist (primarily guitar and keyboards) who, along with a catalog of several solo albums starting in 1977, is most known for having co-founded the German group Neu! with drummer Klaus Dinger (three albums between 1971-1975), and his collaborative efforts with Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Mobieus (aka Cluster) under the name Harmonia (two albums, one in 1973 and 1975, with later 1976 sessions recorded with Brian Eno released two decades later.) Rother and Dinger were also in a short-lived version of Kraftwerk in 1971, with Florian Schneider, during a time when founding member Ralf Hutter had temporarily left the band. (This version of the group was filmed during an appearance on the German music show Beat Club, which has been available sporadically on VHS and DVD.)
Beginning in the late 1970s, Rother began issuing LPs under his own name: Flammende Herzen (1977), Sterntaler (1978), and Katzenmusik (1979) all featured drums by Can percussionist Jaki Liebezeit. Further releases into the 80's included Fernwarme (1982), Lust (1983), Süssherz und Tiefenschaerfe (1985) and Traumreisen (1987). Rother regained the rights to these releases in the late 90's, and re-released CD versions of them, all of which contained bonus tracks, usually in the form of then-current remixes of original album tracks. Along with these reissues were a best-of compilation, Radio, and a new release, Esperanza (1996)
[edit] Discography
- "Flammende Herzen" (1977)
- "Sterntaler" (1978)
- "Katzenmusik" (1979)
- "Fernwaerme" (1982)
- "Lust" (1983)
- "Suessherz und Tiefenschaerfe" (1985)
- "Traumreisen" (1987)
- "Radio: Musik von Michael Rother - Singles, 1977-1993" (1993)
- "Esperanza" (1996)
- "Remember (The Great Adventure)" (2004)
[edit] with Neu!
[edit] with Harmonia
- "Musik von Harmonia" (1974)
- "Deluxe" (1975)
- "Tracks & Traces / Harmonia 76" (1997)