Klaus Schulze | Interview | “German electronic music pioneer”

Klaus Schulze is a German electronic music pioneer, composer and musician.

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Schulze was a member of Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel, and the Cosmic Jokers before launching a solo career consisting of more than 60 albums released across five decades.

Thank you very much for taking your time! How are you?

Klaus Schulze: Thanks for your kind interest. Because I’m a professional musician, I do music in my studio. And I live & enjoy my daily life.

One of the first projects you were involved with was Tangerine Dream. In 1970 you released ‘Electronic Meditation’.

This is over 40 years ago, sorry, but I don’t have any memories from recording it. It’s a thing of the past. We did our thing, and a label released it. The success (interest, influence) was low to none, then.

You formed Ash Ra Tempel with Manuel Göttsching and Harmut Enke.

40 years ago, and I don’t have many memories or experiences anymore. With Ash Ra Tempel we made many concerts, and we recorded our first album.

‘Irrlicht’ was your first solo album. What influenced you back then?

I wasn’t influenced at the time by anything. ‘Irrlicht’ and all the following albums were completely me. Of course, at the time, as a young man, I listened to most of the pop and other music. Same as many others did; we all listened to Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, et cetera. – but ‘Irrlicht’ was quite different from this kind of music that I have heard. It was not my intention to copy some pop music. Later, at the time of ‘Moondawn’, or ‘Body Love’ I even liked to listen to Dire Straits, J.J. Cale, even to John Denver (!). I mostly listened to the cassettes when I was traveling in the car during our concert tours. This had no influence on my own music. I can separate these things: listening to some music of the day, from the radio or else, and on the other hand: making my own music. I don’t even have a record collection.

Later you released several more albums including ‘Cyborg’, ‘Blackdance’, ‘Picture Music’, ‘Timewind’, ‘Moondawn’, ‘Body Love’, ‘Mirage’, ‘X’ and many others including with Code III, The Cosmic Jokers and Stomu Yamashta’s Go. What are some of the albums you are most proud of?

I really enjoy ‘Moondawn’, ‘Mirage’, ‘X’, ‘Body Love’ …

The Cosmic Jokers was a joke! These carelessly made funny recordings were mostly mixed and released without the knowledge of the musicians, by a drugged producer. Some people highly regard these silly recordings. It says a lot about their musical taste and knowledge.

The work with most of the Go people was wonderful. Later I worked with Michael Shrive again: in 1979 and in 1981 he came over to Germany and visited me in my studio. A lovely man, a very good musician. He aroused again my interest in rhythm and drumming which I had lost after my first years as a drummer in Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel.

Code III I have just recorded, long ago. Musically I had and have nothing to do with it.

Your latest release is ‘Big in Japan: Live in Tokyo 2010’.

It was a concert. Simply a concert. In fact: two concerts. Released on CDs and DVD. The “funny” thing is that I also played guitar, which was the first time in a concert, after 40 years.

Do you ever miss early days of experimenting?

It’s so long ago. Hm, I don’t remember “missing” something. What do 20 years old men miss? Maybe instant success? Fame? A lot of girls? More money?

What are some future plans?

To make more music, record it and try to sell it. I would also like to do some concerts.

Thank you very much! Last word is yours.

I don’t surf the internet because my web connection is very slow. Therefore, I don’t know It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine and I don’t know the readers of it. But anyway: Hello and thanks for taking the time.

Klemen Breznikar

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Klaus Schulze Official Website