Manuel Göttsching, the German guitarist and electronic music pioneer who released influential works with Ash Ra Tempel and as a solo artist, has died at age 70. A note on Göttsching’s website indicates he “passed away peacefully” on Sunday, Dec. 4:

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 was born in 1952 in Berlin. He founded Ash Ra Tempel in 1970 as he and his collaborators moved from a focus on song-based rock ‘n’ roll into free improv. The group also featured Klaus Schulze, previously of Tangerine Dream. Ash Ra Tempel released five albums from 1971-1973, helping to define the sound of the emergent krautrock scene. He released his solo debut Inventions For Electric Guitar in 1975. From then Göttsching recorded solo or as Ashra, an abbreviation of his prior band name, including 1976’s New Age Of Earth. He became one of the most influential musicians in the post-Eno ambient movement.

Göttsching’s 1984 solo album E2-E4, named for the most popular opening chess move, proved to be especially influential. The album, which consisted of one lengthy electronic track, played a key role in the evolution of house and techno music. In particular, it became a hit at Paradise Garage.