Manuel Gottsching

German electronic pioneer Manuel Göttsching, RIP

German electronic pioneer and leader of krautrock group Ash Ra Tempel, Manuel Göttsching, has died at age 70. No cause of death has been revealed, but a statement on his website reads:

Surrounded by his family, Manuel Göttsching passed away peacefully on December 4th, 2022.

The void he leaves behind we want to fill with his music and loving memories.

“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.”

RIP

Göttsching formed Ash Ra Tempel in 1970, released his debut solo album Inventions for Electric Guitar in 1975, and released the widely-acclaimed classic E2-E4 in 1984. When Pitchfork included the album in their best albums of the 1980s list, Andrew Gaerig wrote, “E2-E4 has become a holy grail for jam bands, amateur noodlers, and even some techno producers: a moment of unreplicable artistry with excellence that is immediately felt but difficult to articulate, much less reproduce.”

Rest in peace, Manuel.