R.I.P. Edgar Froese (founder of the band Tangerine Dream).

[Donofrio_QLTD]

I don't know if anyone here liked the music of Tangerine Dream or not and I'm also a bit late in sharing this with all of you (assuming anyone is reading this), but Edgar Froese, founder of the band and the only member who remained in it in all its eras, passed away on January the 20th, 2015, from a pulmonary embolism in his home in Vienna, Austria. I was a big fan of Tangerine Dream since I was like 7 (hence the "TD" in my nickname here), so it hurts me to know/write this. It's like I lost a member of my family!!

Anyway, like I said, I don't know if anyone is going to read this, but I just wanted to share this... Yes, I am sad. A genius has left this world. And after 40+ years of music (since 1967) and a bit more than 130 albums, it may be the end for TD now. Edgar was the pioneer of his own field (electronic/instrumental/space rock/ambient/progressive rock). He will always be remembered. May he rest in peace.

[feldon30]

I have been a fan of Tangerine Dream since 1996 and finally managed to catch them at a show in Zurich a few years ago. I've also been extensively involved in sharing concert recordings of theirs especially in their most dynamic and improvisational years of 1974-1983. The news hit me pretty hard and I at least got some satisfaction that his passing was covered in so many news media (Even the cover of the BBC website) especially music media. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[TVNewsCam]

Tangerine Dream was probably best known for creating the music that was used in the TV show Street Hawk.

[Donofrio_QLTD]

Originally Posted by TVNewsCam

Tangerine Dream was probably best known for creating the music that was used in the TV show Street Hawk.

Yeah, you're probably right, and what a shame, to be honest. Their music is so great and the body of work they have is so extended and varied they shouldn't just have to be dismissed as "those soundtrack guys". Of course they scored many movies, especially in the 80's and 90's and they even collaborated with some very good and well-known directors such as Ridley Scott ("Legend"), William Friedkin ("Sorcerer"), Michael Mann ("Thief", which starred James Caan) and also a Stephen King collaboration ("Firestarter", which starred Drew Barrymore as a child), but nothing will ever be compared with their studio and live albums. Those are something else!! I don't know if it's true for the rest of the world or only for those of us who are really into this stuff (as you say, it could be the TV series "Streethawk" TD is best known for), but I'm gonna take a shot here and say they're best known for their album "Phaedra" from 1974. At least with that thought in mind I'll sleep well tonight.

[Donofrio_QLTD]

Originally Posted by feldon30

I have been a fan of Tangerine Dream since 1996 and finally managed to catch them at a show in Zurich a few years ago. I've also been extensively involved in sharing concert recordings of theirs especially in their most dynamic and improvisational years of 1974-1983. The news hit me pretty hard and I at least got some satisfaction that his passing was covered in so many news media (Even the cover of the BBC website) especially music media. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Oh, that was cool. I only read it on the official website because I'm a member there. Unfortunately here in my country there were zero news about him. Perhaps only a little article or obituary on some obscure newspaper, but nothing at all on TV. The majority of people here don't even know who he was or haven't even heard anything about TD in their entire lives. It's pretty rare to find a person here who knows TD and even more rare to find someone who likes it. People here love to listen to recycled and manufactured crap all the time because apparently they're deaf, haha!! Well, anyone has the rght to like whatever they want, but I have to say it: TD is one of the few truly superior things in this world!! E. Froese's legacy will prevail forever!!!

Edit: Very nice that you at least got to see them live once!!! I could never do that and I so wanted to. In 2005 or so there was word here in Mexico that they were going to come to give a concert at a famous culture room here. They were even selling the tickets so I bought them. Me and my dad went (it was a long distance and there was a lot of traffic that night, we made at least 2 hours) and when we got to the place where TD were supposed to be doing the gig, the security guard told us "who?". "Tangerine Dream...", I said. "Never heard of such guys but tonight there won't be any event here", he said. The room was empty. It all turned out to be a scam, but TD wasn't even aware of that. It was the people who was "organizing the event" here who had turned out to be complete frauds and, if I remember correctly, they even tried to do it three times more on different dates. Many other people fell for it at the time as well. Fortunately I managed to get a full refund but I think it was after many months. Anyway, bad experience and it was my fault to some extent because I didn't do a full investigation beforehand, but I always wanted to see them live and now I know that won't ever happen.

[feldon30]

Tangerine Dream soundtracks were featured in Risky Business, The Keep, Sorcerer, Legend (US version), Thief, Firestarter, the aforementioned Streethawk, and most recently Edgar contributed almost an entire CD of music to the Grand Theft Auto V video game, so after 45 years he was still contributing to the world of music.

[jassian]

Oh wow, I have only one of their albums ( the one with the street hawk theme indeed)
Never knew much about the band. Time to catch up.
So sad to lose great artists.