Conrad Schnitzler


Conrad "Conny" Schnitzler 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 Tangerine Dream and a founder of the band Kluster. He left Kluster in 1971, first working with his group Eruption and then focusing on solo works. Schnitzler participated in several collaborations with other electronic musicians.

Biography

Schnitzler was born in Düsseldorf, Germany. His father was German, his mother was Italian. He had a wife and they had three children, one of whom is son Gregor Schnitzler, who was born in 1964 in Berlin and who is a film director.
Schnitzler, Dieter Moebius, and Hans-Joachim Roedelius formed Kluster in 1969 after the three had met at the Zodiak Free Arts Lab. This trio released three albums: Klopfzeichen, Zwei-Osterei and Eruption. When Schnitzler left the group, Roedelius and Moebius became Cluster. Around this time, Schnitzler also joined Tangerine Dream for their debut album Electronic Meditation.
Schnitzler provided the introductory music for Norwegian black metal band Mayhem's debut EP Deathcrush in 1987, following a meeting with teenage guitarist Euronymous in the mid-1980s. The instrumental track, entitled "Silvester Anfang", was randomly selected from Schnitzler's archive of works in progress. The piece is still played at most of the band's live shows.
For many years Schnitzler appeared in the comics of Matt Howarth as a member of the band The Bulldaggers. His 2006 work Moon Mummy is a collaboration with Matt Howarth based on an included PDF comic.
Schnitzler died from stomach cancer on 4 August 2011 in Berlin.

Discography

1970
  • Electronic Meditation
  • Klopfzeichen
1971
  • Zwei-Osterei
  • Schwarz
1973
  • Rot
  • Slowmotion
1974
1978
  • Con
1980
  • Auf Dem Schwarzen Kanal
  • Consequenz
  • Die wandelnde Klangwolke aus Berlin
1981
  • Contempora
  • Con 3
  • Conrad & Sohn
  • Conal
  • Control
  • Gelb
  • Grün
  • Context
1982
1983
  • Con 3.3.83
1984
  • Con '84
1985
  • Con '85
1986
  • Concert
  • Consequenz II
  • Micon in Italia
  • Face on Radio
  • Con '86
  • GenCon Productions
  • Conversion Day
1987
  • Congratulacion
  • Contrasts
  • Black Box 1987
  • Contra-Terrene
  • Conditions of the Gas Giant
  • Deathcrush
1988
1989
  • Constellations
  • CS 89/1 – CS 89/12: January 1989 – December 1989
  • The Cassette Concert
1990
  • Kynak
  • CS 90/1 – CS 90/12: January 1990 – December 1990
  • Confidential Tapes
  • 00/001 – 00/004: Confidential Tapes
1991
  • Contempora 00/014 – 00/031
1992
  • Tolling Toggle
  • Tonart Eins
  • Ballet Statique
  • Contempora 00/032 – 00/039
1993
  • Clock Face
  • Tonart Zwei
  • Con Brio
  • Contempora 00/040 – 00/044
1994
  • Blue Glow
  • Con Repetizione
  • Contempora 00/045 – 00/053
1995
  • Charred Machinery
  • Electronegativity
1997
1999
  • Construction
  • 00/071: Piano
  • 00/063: Piano
  • Con/Solo/1
  • 00/121: Piano
  • 00/139: Concert
  • Con/Solo/2
  • Computer Jazz
2000
2001
  • Conal2001
  • Acon
  • 00/142-8 – MHz Records. Germany
2002
  • Con '72
2003
2004
  • Con '72 Part II
2005
  • Mi.T.-Con 04
2006
  • Moon Mummy
  • Zug
  • Aquatic Vine Music
  • Conviction
  • Con 2+
  • ElectroCon
  • Klavierhelm
  • Trigger Trilogy
2007
  • Mic + Con 07
2008
  • Kluster 2007
  • rare tracks 1979–1982 Erkrankung durch Musique Records
  • 20070709
2009
  • Aquafit – Karisma. Norway
  • Kluster 2008: Three Olympic Cities Mix
  • Horror Odyssee – TIBProd. Italy
2010
2011
  • Consequenz 010B – Mirror Tapes
  • Kluster CMO 2010
  • Against The Grain
2012
  • Endtime
2015
  • GEN CON Barbarella – Psych.KG
  • GEN CON FLUX – Psych.KG
  • genconhjulachinsky – Psych.KG
2016
  • Kontraktion – Rotorelief. France
2018
  • Extruder – Rotorelief. France
2021
  • Schubkraft – Rotorelief. France