Farewell, Klaus Dinger

2:18 PM GMT 03/04/2008

The cosmic ür-groove faltered this week as we learned of the passing of Klaus Dinger, aged 61, of heart failure.

Officially announced yesterday by the Neu!-related record label, Grönland, Dinger in fact departed on March 21. The delay in communication was explained as a gesture of respect to his understandably devastated widow.

There are few musicians who can lay claim to a whole new rhythm, an entire system of drumming, let alone one that has spawned as many disciples as Dinger’s with Neu! Every time the adjective “motorik” is used it is testament to Dinger’s bouleversement of accepted wisdom re: rock rhythm. Not funky, organic or soulful in the trad sense of licks and tics and “in the pocket”, it’s mechanical, driving, forcefully atop the beat yet somehow endlessly suspenseful – the perfect spine for Michael Rother’s limpid guitar nuages. In 2006, Rother described the Neu! groove as “this fast forward movement, this feeling of flying over the horizon” which says it all, really. When the Neu! album’s Hallogallo is in mid-flow, the listener might be forgiven for thinking that it’s the groove that has always been and will always be.

Dinger’s recording career began with Kraftwerk, appearing with Rother on the Düsseldorf duo’s 1971 debut album. You can see an incendiary performance of Kraftwerk’s Rueckstossgondoliere (Truck Stop Gondolier) on the German Beat Club prog, showcasing the psych power of the temporarily Hütter-free line-up.

Hütter’s speedy return heralded a realignment of the ’Werk sound along more robotic/primitive lines. Meanwhile, the handsome Rother and flamboyant Dinger left to form Neu!, minting the ecstatic groove we hear on the three authentic Neu! albums – Neu!, Neu! 2, and Neu! ’75 – the first and third of those ranking comfortably with the greatest rock albums of all time.

Subsequently, as Rother continued to make solo albums and collaborate with Cluster under the Harmonia aegis, Dinger formed La Düsseldorf to indulge a more poppy take on the Neu! vibe. Those looking to investigate Dinger’s post-Neu! career should start with La Düsseldorf’s Viva album. We will pass over the rumness of Neu! 4 and La! Neu? – projects which, though not utterly devoid of merit, were perhaps somewhat beneath him.

This week, Rother eulogised his former colleague on his web site. “Together with many friends of his music I will remember Klaus for his creativity as an artist and I will think about him with gratitude for his wonderful contributions to our project Neu!.”

Amen, ad infinitum.

Danny Eccleston

Read a really good piece about the first Neu! album on Julian Cope’s drudetastic web site, Head Heritage.

Posted by Danny_Eccleston at 2:18 PM GMT 03/04/2008

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"rueckstoss" doesn't mean "truck stop" but "richochet". otherwise a fine eulogy. cheers.

Posted by at 7:24 PM GMT 03/04/2008 Report Abuse

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hi danny; "rueckstoss" doesn't mean "truck stop" but "ricochet". otherwise a fine eulogy. cheers.

Posted by nadir at 7:25 PM GMT 03/04/2008 Report Abuse

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hi danny; fine eulogy. one small detail:
"rueckstoss" doesn't mean "truck stop" but recoil/rebound/repercussion, depending on the context. cheers.

Posted by at 7:27 PM GMT 03/04/2008 Report Abuse

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How embarrassing! That’ll teach me to trust a YouTube caption. Thanks for the language lesson! Oof Widdershins. Danny

Posted by Danny E at 10:28 AM GMT 04/04/2008 Report Abuse

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A true visionary whose legacy will only grow.
His 35 year old albums sound as unique and modern today as when they first came - not many can claim that!

Für immer.

Posted by Bob Isaaks at 9:05 PM GMT 05/04/2008 Report Abuse

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Great Post! Does anyone have any tapes of his 60's band "The No"?

Posted by Reverend Marc Time at 1:05 AM GMT 06/04/2008 Report Abuse

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