Since Klaus Schulze turned 70 last year, a release offensive of his record company has been underway. At the end of 2017, eleven remastered records from the massive catalogue of the Berlin electronics witch were released, in February again as many. And now with "Silhouettes" he has released another studio album with new material. An exertion for a person who currently has to go to hospital regularly.
Klaus Schulze is the carnival about his person too much. This was triggered by his 70th birthday on 4 August 2017. The internationally renowned artist is not so much the centre of attention as introverted. For several months he has been suffering from health problems and has to be treated regularly on an outpatient basis. (He doesn't want the reasons for this to be published.) Despite these limitations, the musician, who has taken part in more than 200 productions, recorded another album last year. "Silhouettes" consists of four pieces between 15 and 22 minutes and carries the spirit of school treasures like "Moondawn", "Mirage" or "X". An
interview with Klaus Schulze takes a long time, because the "King Of Cosmic Music", as the British press likes to call him, is always under medical care. At some point, after consultation with his wife Elfie Schulze and his son Max Schulze, we sent him a list of questions. Weeks later we received the answers, which we print in the following.
eclipsed: "Every revolution needs a brave man to push it forward," is the opening statement of the short biography that accompanies the press copy of your new album. So, in terms of your art, are you a revolutionary?
Klaus Schulze: Not really. I "just did it" - because I felt like it and was highly motivated. But revolution? It's not that important now. And with regard to me, I think it should be more evolution.
eclipsed: They like to call you "founding father of electronic music." Do you see this as a compliment, a challenge or even a threat to your work?
Schulze: That's a compliment, because in fact I was one of the first to start working purely electronically quite early. That simply fascinated me completely, as did the technologies behind it.
eclipsed: Are you satisfied with the selection of remastered versions of the 22 albums, or would you rather have seen other records from your rich work released?
Schulze: That doesn't interest me at all. Dealing with it is very time consuming. You have to consider what you're spending your time on. When I finish an album, it's over. I'll listen to that a few more times in the next two or three weeks, and then it's usually done for me.
eclipsed: What do you prefer, vinyl or CD?
Schulze: The vinyl format is more pleasant. That starts with the cover, 30 x 30 centimeters give you a lot of space, but a CD is almost a stamp. I also like the rough, mechanical, when you put on a record. The CD, on the other hand, seems more anonymous.
