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Tangerine Dream Founder Edgar Froese Dies Aged 70

Staff Writer

The pioneering outfit broke the news via Facebook

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Trailblazing German electronic musician and recent guest of Melbourne's Face The Music conference Edgar Froese, best known as the founder of 20th-century Berlin greats Tangerine Dream, has passed away "suddenly and unexpectedly" at the age of 70, it has been confirmed.

His surviving band members took to the group's communal Facebook page in the early hours of this morning (AEST) to reveal that Froese had passed away on Tuesday, 20 January, following a pulmonary embolism suffered in Vienna.

"This is a message to you we are very sorry for," the band began. "On January 20th, Tuesday afternoon, Edgar Froese suddenly and unexpectedly passed away from the effects of a pulmonary embolism in Vienna.

"The sadness in our hearts is [immense]. Edgar once said: 'There is no death, there is just a change of our cosmic address.' Edgar, this is a little comfort to us."

Froese founded Tangerine Dream in 1967 and was its only consistent member from inception to the present. Even if you think you're too young, too cool or otherwise too something to associate with Froese and the likes of Tangerine Dream, you may be surprised to find out that he was a musician so pervasive that it's likely you're a patron and don't even know it; for example, the band were responsible for crafting the original soundtrack for 2013's crazy-successful GTAV, as well as for several films, especially during the 1980s (Risky Business, Flashpoint, Legend, etc).

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In addition to their more-than-60 film soundtracks, Tangerine Dream released more than 100 works in their decades-long career, including albums, EPs, singles, compilations, live records and more.

In Froese's final year, they released two EPs, Josephine The Mouse Singer and Mala Kunia, in 2014, along with final studio LP Chandra — The Phantom Ferry Part II and live recording Phaedra Farewell Tour 2014.

Froese is survived by his son Jerome, a former member of Tangerine Dream, and his second wife, artist Bianca Acquaye. Said his son in a statement:

"Dear friends & colleagues, the Captain has left the ship ... I'm very sorry to inform you that my father Edgar Froese passed away on Tuesday afternoon (20th of January) in Vienna. And as you already know: Life plays no encores.

"Rest in peace Edgar, you will be sadly missed."