Farewell to a Man-Machine…

Florian Schneider late in 2015, almost ten years after departing the realm of Kraftwerk.

This year’s run of Bad News continues with the May 6, 2020, news of Florian Schneider’s passing. Florian was a founder of Kraftwerk, and I was able to see him create their astonishing music in venues from Washington DC to Montreal. After leaving Kraftwerk as a performing member in 2008, Florian maintained a low profile until reappearing late in 2015 in support of anti-pollution efforts. He appeared healthy, happy, and jaunty then. RIP to someone who created music that had a vast impact which will continue to resonate long into the future. of course, Florian was the subject of the David Bowie song, “V-2 Schneider,” and if anyone deserved the honor of having Bowie create music dedicated to you, it was Florian. It’s difficult to overstate the significance of Kraftwerk’s music as a hugely influencing element on the music of countless artists.