Conny Plank
Where do I even begin with this technical,
conceptual and visionary explorer? The
iconic German producer steered the ship
on so many of my favorite musical journeys.
His work with Neu!, Eno, Moebius, Can,
Killing Joke, Ultravox, Devo and so many
more, traverses decades, genres, styles
and technologies. For me however, it
is Michael Rother’s 1977 masterpiece
Flammende Herzen that encapsulates my
passions for his production prowess. The
vista comes into view from the title track
with a contemplative cosmos of a riffage
from Rother. It starts clean, with locomotive
power chording underlying a melancholic,
yet majestic arpeggio that swirls in 3-D as it
pans round the skull of the listener. As the
iconic motoric 4/4 beat comes into the mix,
we are set to sail the serene sea of sound
that appears before us. Rother’s searing
sustained fuzz-tones propel the melody
into the stratosphere as glacial glissandos
shimmer crystallised chords of synth that
freeze into frame and melt away with the
wiping of slide guitars. This is the power
of Conny Plank. He can set off without
destination and explore uncharted tonal
territory, while magically maintaining course
and never losing direction. Captain Conny
was a man guided by a musical compass
and much inspiration is to be found in the
territories he discovered.
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