Dieter Moebius (16 January 1944 – 20 July 2015) was a Swiss-born German
electronic musician and composer, best known as a member of the influential
krautrock
Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock
Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments ...
bands
Cluster
may refer to:
Science and technology Astronomy
* Cluster (spacecraft), constellation of four European Space Agency spacecraft
* Asteroid cluster, a small asteroid family
* Cluster II (spacecraft), a European Space Agency mission to study t ...
and
Harmonia
In Greek mythology, Harmonia (; grc, Ἁρμονία / harmoˈnia/, "harmony", "agreement") is the immortal goddess of harmony and concord. Her Roman counterpart is Concordia. Her Greek opposite is Eris, whose Roman counterpart is Discord ...
.
Moebius was studying art at
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
's Akademie Grafik and working as a restaurant cook when he met
Conrad Schnitzler
Conrad "Conny" Schnitzler (17 March 1937 – 4 August 2011) was a prolific German experimental musician associated with West Germany's 1970s krautrock movement. A co-founder of West Berlin's Zodiak Free Arts Lab, he was an early member of Tangeri ...
, founder of the
Zodiak Free Arts Lab
The Zodiak Free Arts Lab, sometimes known as the "Zodiak Club" or "Zodiac Club", was a short-lived but highly influential experimental live music venue, founded in the then West Berlin in spring 1968 by German artists/musicians Conrad Schnitzler ( ...
with
Hans-Joachim Roedelius.
The trio founded the improv group
Kluster
Kluster was a Berlin-based German experimental musical group formed in 1969 by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Conrad Schnitzler, and Dieter Moebius. Their improvisational work presaged later industrial music. The original Kluster was short-lived, exist ...
in 1969. After the departure of Schnitzler, the duo changed their name to
Cluster
may refer to:
Science and technology Astronomy
* Cluster (spacecraft), constellation of four European Space Agency spacecraft
* Asteroid cluster, a small asteroid family
* Cluster II (spacecraft), a European Space Agency mission to study t ...
and relocated to the countryside village of
Forst
Forst may refer to:
Communities
In Germany
*, in the district of Aachen
*Forst (Baden), in Baden-Württemberg
*Forst (Lausitz), in Brandenburg
* Forst (Unterfranken), part of Schonungen, Bavaria
* Forst, Altenkirchen, in the district of Altenk ...
, releasing influential albums such as ''
Zuckerzeit'' (1974) and ''
Sowiesoso'' (1976). Moebius would also draw on his
graphic design
Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art whose activity consists in projecting visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdiscipli ...
training create the cover artwork for various Cluster albums and related collaborations.
Meanwhile, Moebius and Roedelius founded the band
Harmonia
In Greek mythology, Harmonia (; grc, Ἁρμονία / harmoˈnia/, "harmony", "agreement") is the immortal goddess of harmony and concord. Her Roman counterpart is Concordia. Her Greek opposite is Eris, whose Roman counterpart is Discord ...
with
Michael Rother
Michael Rother (born 2 September 1950) is a German experimental musician, best known for being a founding member of the influential bands Neu! and Harmonia (band), Harmonia, and an early member of the band Kraftwerk.
Early life and educatio ...
of
Neu!, releasing the albums ''
Musik von Harmonia
''Musik von Harmonia'' is the debut album from the influential German krautrock group Harmonia, released in January 1974 by Brain Records. Formed by the addition of Neu! guitarist Michael Rother to Cluster (the duo of Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Die ...
'' (1974) and ''
Deluxe'' (1975). Admirer
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
would subsequently collaborate with both groups. Moebius began recording solo works in the 1970s and was later involved in numerous side-projects with such musicians as
Conny Plank and
Mani Neumeier
Mani Neumeier (Manfred Neumeier, born 31 December 1940 in Munich) is a German rock musician, free-jazz drummer, artist, and frontman (singer and drummer) of the German Krautrock-band Guru Guru.
Probably best known for his work with Guru Guru, Neum ...
(
Guru Guru), including the influential 1983 album ''
Zero Set''.
![Michael rother and dieter moebius 2007-11-14 live](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Michael_rother_and_dieter_moebius_2007-11-14_live.jpg)
Moebius toured with Rother as ''Rother & Moebius'' in 2007. Additionally, on 27 November 2007, a
Harmonia
In Greek mythology, Harmonia (; grc, Ἁρμονία / harmoˈnia/, "harmony", "agreement") is the immortal goddess of harmony and concord. Her Roman counterpart is Concordia. Her Greek opposite is Eris, whose Roman counterpart is Discord ...
reunion concert was held in
Haus der Kulturen der Welt
The Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), in English House of the World's Cultures, in Berlin is Germany's national center for the presentation and discussion of international contemporary arts, with a special focus on non-European cultures and so ...
,
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, where the band performed together live for the first time since 1976. He died of cancer on 20 July 2015.
Discography
;Solo albums and collaborations
* 1980 ''
Rastakraut Pasta
''Rastakraut Pasta'' is the first full-length album by German electronic music duo of Dieter Moebius and Conny Plank.
''Rastakraut Pasta'' was recorded in September 1979 at Conny's Studio outside of Cologne. It was released by Sky Records in 198 ...
'' (with
Conny Plank)
* 1981 ''
Material
Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geologi ...
'' (with Conny Plank)
* 1981 ''Strange Music'' (with Gerd Beerbohm)
* 1982 ''
Zero Set'' (with Conny Plank and
Mani Neumeier
Mani Neumeier (Manfred Neumeier, born 31 December 1940 in Munich) is a German rock musician, free-jazz drummer, artist, and frontman (singer and drummer) of the German Krautrock-band Guru Guru.
Probably best known for his work with Guru Guru, Neum ...
)
* 1983 ''Tonspuren''
* 1983 ''Double Cut'' (with Gerd Beerbohm)
* 1986 ''Blue Moon'' (Original Soundtrack)
* 1990 ''Ersatz'' (with Karl Renziehausen)
* 1992 ''Ersatz II'' (with Karl Renziehausen)
* 1995 ''
En Route
''En route'' may refer to:
* ''En Route'' (novel), an 1895 novel by Joris-Karl Huysmans
* ''En Route'' (film), a 2004 German movie directed by Jan Krüger
* En-route chart, in aeronautics
* enRoute (credit card), Air Canada's credit card divisio ...
'' (with Conny Plank; recorded in 1986, additional mix in 1995)
* 1998 ''
Ludwig's Law
''Ludwig's Law'' is the one and only album released by trio of Dieter Moebius, Conny Plank, and Mayo Thompson. It was actually the fourth album recorded by the team of Moebius & Plank. In 1983 the duo recorded a series of electronic tracks usin ...
'' (with Conny Plank and
Mayo Thompson)
* 1999 ''Blotch''
* 2002 ''Live in Japan'' (with
Mani Neumeier
Mani Neumeier (Manfred Neumeier, born 31 December 1940 in Munich) is a German rock musician, free-jazz drummer, artist, and frontman (singer and drummer) of the German Krautrock-band Guru Guru.
Probably best known for his work with Guru Guru, Neum ...
)
* 2006 ''Nurton''
* 2007 ''Zero Set II'' (with
Mani Neumeier
Mani Neumeier (Manfred Neumeier, born 31 December 1940 in Munich) is a German rock musician, free-jazz drummer, artist, and frontman (singer and drummer) of the German Krautrock-band Guru Guru.
Probably best known for his work with Guru Guru, Neum ...
)
* 2009 ''Kram''
* 2011 ''Ding''
* 2012 ''Moebius & Tietchens'' (with Asmus Tietchens)
* 2014 ''Snowghost Pieces'' (Moebius, Story, Leidecker)
* 2014 ''Nidemonex''
;Posthumous albums
* 2017 ''Musik Für Metropolis''
* 2017 ''Familiar'' (Moebius, Story, Leidecker)
* 2017 ''Kunsthalle Düsseldorf (Live)'' (12") (Moebius, Schneider)
* 2019 ''Objective Objects'' (Dieter Moebius & Dwight Ashley)
;As
Kluster
Kluster was a Berlin-based German experimental musical group formed in 1969 by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Conrad Schnitzler, and Dieter Moebius. Their improvisational work presaged later industrial music. The original Kluster was short-lived, exist ...
/
Cluster
may refer to:
Science and technology Astronomy
* Cluster (spacecraft), constellation of four European Space Agency spacecraft
* Asteroid cluster, a small asteroid family
* Cluster II (spacecraft), a European Space Agency mission to study t ...
*See ''
Kluster
Kluster was a Berlin-based German experimental musical group formed in 1969 by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Conrad Schnitzler, and Dieter Moebius. Their improvisational work presaged later industrial music. The original Kluster was short-lived, exist ...
and
Cluster
may refer to:
Science and technology Astronomy
* Cluster (spacecraft), constellation of four European Space Agency spacecraft
* Asteroid cluster, a small asteroid family
* Cluster II (spacecraft), a European Space Agency mission to study t ...
''
;With
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
and
Hans-Joachim Roedelius
*1977 : ''
Cluster & Eno
''Cluster & Eno'' is a collaborative album by German electronic music group Cluster and English ambient musician Brian Eno. The style of this album is a collection of gentle melodies: a mixture of Eno's ambient sensibilities and Cluster's avant ...
''
*1978 : ''
After the Heat
''After the Heat'' is a 1978 album by Brian Eno, Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius (the latter two being the core members of Cluster), credited to "Eno Moebius Roedelius". The album represents the second collaboration by the trio, the fi ...
''
;As
Harmonia
In Greek mythology, Harmonia (; grc, Ἁρμονία / harmoˈnia/, "harmony", "agreement") is the immortal goddess of harmony and concord. Her Roman counterpart is Concordia. Her Greek opposite is Eris, whose Roman counterpart is Discord ...
, with
Michael Rother
Michael Rother (born 2 September 1950) is a German experimental musician, best known for being a founding member of the influential bands Neu! and Harmonia (band), Harmonia, and an early member of the band Kraftwerk.
Early life and educatio ...
and
Hans-Joachim Roedelius
*1973 : ''
Musik Von Harmonia
''Musik von Harmonia'' is the debut album from the influential German krautrock group Harmonia, released in January 1974 by Brain Records. Formed by the addition of Neu! guitarist Michael Rother to Cluster (the duo of Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Die ...
''
*1975 : ''
Deluxe''
*1997 : ''
Tracks and Traces
''Tracks and Traces'' is a collaborative album by German kosmische supergroup Harmonia (featuring Neu! guitarist Michael Rother and Cluster members Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius) and British musician Brian Eno, initially credited to Har ...
'' (recorded 1976 with
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
)
*2007 : ''
Live 1974
''Live 1974'' is the only live album released by the highly influential krautrock group Harmonia. It was recorded live in concert on 23 March 1974 at Penny Station in Griessem, Germany. The live album was released in 2007 by Grönland Records. I ...
''
;As Cosmic Couriers, with
Mani Neumeier
Mani Neumeier (Manfred Neumeier, born 31 December 1940 in Munich) is a German rock musician, free-jazz drummer, artist, and frontman (singer and drummer) of the German Krautrock-band Guru Guru.
Probably best known for his work with Guru Guru, Neum ...
and Jürgen Engler
*1996 : ''Other Places''
*2014 : ''Another Other Places''
;With Liliental
* 1978 ''Liliental''
''Source:
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moebius, Dieter
1944 births
2015 deaths
Deaths from cancer in Germany
Ambient musicians
Krautrock
Swiss rock musicians