Conrad Schnitzler

Conrad Schnitzler (1937-2011) was a “German pioneer of cold, hard, electronic sound (…) widely credited as the godfather of European Industrial music.” (The Wire, issue 267, May 2006). He studied art under Joseph Beuys, and became well known as a member of the bands Tangerine Dream (1969-1970), Kluster (1969-1971) and Eruption (1970-1972). He was a co-founder of West Berlin's Zodiak Free Arts Lab. Schnitzler has since focused on solo works and collaborations with various artists, releasing much of the material on his private label. His early solo recordings include highlights Rot (1973), Blau (1974) and Con (1978) and in the 1980s he released industrial synthpop classics such as The Russians Are Coming and Auf Dem Schwarzen Kanal. Schnitzler’s music has influenced a variety of artists, including Norwegian black metal band Mayhem, who opened their 1987 debut record Deathcrush with his composition Silvester Anfang. [1]