For many fans, musicians, and critics alike the guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Michael Rother is a key figure of the innovative music scene which originated in Germany in the early 1970s. His music has been inspirational for generations of musicians, including David Bowie, Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, DEVO, Sonic Youth, Stereolab, U2, Autechre, Radiohead, and Primal Scream.
Rother was a member of Kraftwerk in 1971 and formed the legendary bands NEU! (with Klaus Dinger) and Harmonia (with Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius of Cluster) before releasing nine solo albums.
He also created scores for the feature films Houston and The Robbers. Houston, by German director Bastian Günther, was premiered at the legendary Sundance Film Festival and has since won several awards.
Since the official re-release of the NEU! albums in 2001 Rother has played in many countries around the world and collaborated with numerous musicians and bands: John Frusciante, Secret Machines, Benjamin Curtis (School of Seven Bells), Josh Klinghoffer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, FM Einheit (Einstürzende Neubauten), Mick Harvey, Beaches, Dieter Moebius, Boxed In, Paul Weller, and Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), to name only a few. In October 2015, Groenland Records released the career-spanning Harmonia boxset Complete Works, to which Rother contributed and edited archival recordings of the band.
Michael Rother´s current live line-up includes Hans Lampe on drums and Franz Bargmann on guitar. Bargmann is an ex-member of the Berlin-based band Camera. Hans Lampe contributed drumming on the album NEU! ´75 and was a member of La Düsseldorf.
At his concerts in Moscow and St. Petersburg (August 30), Michael Rother will present the endless fast-forward music typical of NEU!, as well as tracks by Harmonia and solo works.
