Moebius & Plank - Biography
The now legendary German rock scene of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s started to receive a much-needed reevaluation sometime during the 1990s. Thanks in part to bands like Tortoise, Stereolab and Sonic Youth, the German art-rock bands of the past received due praise and the import of their influence was recognized on a wider scale. Groups like Can, Faust, Cluster and Neu! captured the attention of underground rock fans once again. Dieter Moebius and Conny Plank are two of Krautrock’s most crucial figures. Both are responsible for countless records of pioneering music in a multitude of collaborations during the ‘70s and ‘80s. Plank has worked as a producer for many of the most innovative German bands of the period and Moebius’ work with Hans-Joachim Roedelius as Cluster ranks as some of the most future-forward music ever made. Moebius and Plank joined forces as a collaborative duo on several albums between ’79 and ’86.
Conny Plank has produced so many important albums it’s staggering. His work with artists such as Kraftwerk, Ash Ra Tempel, Can’s Holger Czukay, Cluster, Guru Guru, Neu!, La Dusseldorf and Brian Eno remains a stunning body of work with an influence hard to truly measure. Perhaps more than any other single artist, Plank is the most responsible for the shaping of what is now known as Krautrock. His prowess in the studio is peerless and his deft blending of electronically enhanced sound with traditional instruments continues to serve as a model for today’s producers.
Dieter Moebius is one of the 20th Century’s truly visionary musicians. With Roedelius he formed Cluster in the late ‘60s. During the early and mid ‘70s the duo recorded two of the greatest art-rock albums of all time, ‘74’s Zuckerzeit and ‘76’s Sowiesoso. These records, along with the duo’s two albums with Brian Eno (‘77’s Cluster & Eno and ‘78’s After The Heat) and their work with Neu!’s Michael Rother as Harmonia, endure as one of the most inventive and uniquely produced discographies in music. The duo’s use of electronics truly has no precedent and continues to influence countless musicians from indie rock to ambient music and techno. Moebius continues this thirst for innovation in his solo releases from the late ‘70s to the current day.
Between ’79 and ’86 Moebius and Plank recorded five albums. The first record, ‘80’s reggae inspired Rastakraut Pasta, is a playful set of bouncing grooves, dubwise echo and odd synthesizer melodies. The duo employed voice, guitar, flute and various electronics to craft undulating grooves and strange atmospheres that showcase Plank’s idiosyncratic production style. Can’s Holger Czukay lends his formidable bass playing to three of the record’s strongest tracks, most notably “Feedback 66.” The melding of industrial noise, funk and reggae grooves and warped pop melody still sounds like nothing else.
The duo’s second album, ‘81’s Material, was also released on Sky Records. Boasting a more electronic sound these tracks feature faster tempos and more straight-ahead grooves with swirling electronic details zinging throughout the mix. Material remains a huge influence on progressive techno, ambient and artistic dance music.
In late 1982 the duo returned to Plank’s studio to recorded their third album. Released in ’83, Zero Set features Guru Guru’s amazing drummer Mani Neumeier. Heavily influenced by African polyrhythms these songs practically pull Krautrock’s cosmic float out onto the dancefloor. Moebius and Plank’s sequenced synthesizer patterns and glowing ambience merge with Neumeier’s propulsive drumming to create a kind of pre-techno dance music. Material and Zero Set, along with Manuel Gottsching’s timeless E2-E4 continue to exert enormous influence on today’s electronic music.
That same year the duo recorded a set of songs using early sampler technology. Creating a set of nervy, live-wire funk and Cluster-like melodic ambience, Moebius and Plank recruited Red Krayola singer Mayo Thompson to set half-sung, spoken word monologues to the music. Sky Records rejected Ludwig’s Law but it was finally released on the Drag City label in ’98. In spite of its rejection the duo decided to tour the music. Unfortunately Plank became ill on the South American section of the tour.
In ’86 the two musicians entered the studio again to work on their fourth album. During the recording of En Route Plank’s health became much worse. The sessions were stopped and sadly Plank fell victim to cancer in 1987. The album, featuring a sound similar to Zero Set but more synthetic, was completed by Moebius and finally released on the Curious Music label in ’95.
Through the use of electronics and studio techniques, the albums made by Dieter Moebius and Conny Plank boast a visionary aesthetic. Both men were absolute pioneers of electronic instruments and unique production values. The first three albums they made as a duo presage so many developments in modern electronic music and can lay claim to a wide influence on three decades of producers and musicians.