Goodbye Excentrico (RIP Klaus Dinger)
And Other News
Neu! in 1974 playing an early version of Hero.
Although it happened more than a week ago (March 21), news is only reaching the internets today of the death of Klaus Dinger - early Kraftwerk drummer, core member of Neu! (shown above playing guitar, though he's best known for creating the "Motorik" beat as a drummer) and founder of La Dusseldorf. The influence of Dinger (whose brother and Neu!/Dusseldorf partner Thomas predeceased him in '02), from postpunk (see under PiL) to post-rock (Stereolab on out) to various branches of techno (minimal, ambient), would be hard to fully estimate.
In happier news, it seems that there's finally a concrete outcome for Canadians from the fact that Elvis Costello is semi-resident here (on Vancouver Island with spouse Diana Krall and baby twins Dexter and Frank): He's doing a series on CTV. It's a talk show of sorts, coproduced by Elton John (oddly enough - I'd never known the two El's, Declan and Reggie, were friendly), and seemingly partly inspired by El Cos's success guest-hosting the Letterman show in 2003. Titled "Spectacle" (subtitle: "Elvis Costello with ..."), it'll feature various guests, musical and otherwise, in actor's-studio-style indepth chat. No hints yet of who's on the guest list. From angry young man to genial chat-show host - I can think of worse fates.
As for me, the podcast of the Happy Ending Reading Series event I did in New York in January is now up on Radio Press (the promising new project of Toronto expatriate and former Anansi Books editor Martha Sharpe - to download, go up to the "your playlist" box and click download). And I can't resist mentioning that my book made #7 on Entertainment Weekly's "Must" List this week. Celine and I are sandwiched in between a Joan Crawford movie marathon and Horton Hears a Who, which somehow seems just right.
General | Posted by zoilus on Wednesday, April 02 at 1:43 PM | Linking Posts | Comments (4)
COMMENTS
Good site. Thanks:-)
Posted by free on April 28, 2008 7:53 PM
Useful site. Thank you!!
Posted by for on April 28, 2008 6:27 PM
Regarding Reggie and Declan: Elton inducted Elvis C. into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Posted by Jody on April 3, 2008 10:45 AM
As the only Canadian ex-Styluser, thanks very much for remembering; Drew did good work on that La Dusseldorf piece. Shame to hear about Klaus Dinger.
Posted by Ian Mathers on April 2, 2008 10:27 PM