Died On This Date (March 21, 2008) Klaus Dinger / Kraftwerk; Neu!
themusicsover Klaus Dinger
March 30, 1946 – March 21, 2008
Klaus Dinger’s name is synonymous with Germany’s Krautrock movement of the 1970s. As a member of both Kraftwerk and Neu!, Dinger helped create a sound they called “robot pop,” which would influence countless New Wave, Hip Hop and Electronic bands for decades to come. Though fairly obscure, artists like David Bowie, Sonic Youth, Stereolab and Julian Cope consider Dinger and his band Neu! influences on their music. He was 61 when he died of heart failure on March 21, 2008.
What You Should Own
After World War II ended, the big band sound began to lose its luster and smaller boogie woogie, western swing, honky-tonk and rhythm & blues combos began taking hold across America. It was inventor Leo Fender who figured out that the electric guitar was about to gain massive popularity with musician’s and audiences alike, so he set out to create one that was easy to hold, easy to tune and easy to play. And so came the birth of the Fender Stratocaster, and the company and lifestyle that would bear his name. Fender passed away in 1991 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease, but not before giving to us the guitar-of-choice of so many legends of pop music.
To many, Dean Paul Martin was best known as Dean Martin’s son, but to music fans he was Dino of Dino, Desi and Billy. The Desi being Desi Arnaz Jr. Forming the group in their early teens, DD&B had a couple of semi hits that targeted the teenage girl crowd. As he grew older, Dino became Dean Paul and went on to make a name for himself playing tennis. He even played Wimbledon. Flying was yet another passion of Martin’s. He got his pilot’s license at just 16 and later earned his wings with the Air National Guard. Then in 1987, Martin was flying his National Guard fighter jet when a bad snowstorm caused him to crash it in the mountains for California, killing him and his Weapons System Officer on impact. He was once married to Olympic ice skater, Dorothy Hammill and actress Olivia Hussey.