I was saddened to see over at Pitchfork Media that Uwe Nettelbeck, one of the founders of the great German art rock group Faust has died.

Here’s Pitchfork:

Nettelbeck, a producer and one-time music journalist, founded Faust in Wümme, Germany in 1971. The group was one of Virgin Records’ first signings and went on to record several highly-influential albums over the next few years, including the seminal Faust and Faust IV, before disbanding in 1975. Several of the original members have since regrouped under the Faust banner to tour and record.

No further details of Nettelbeck’s death are known at this point. Fellow Faust founding member Rudolf Sosna passed away in 1996.

I’ve been a Faust fan since I was a teenager, and their fantastic blend of Kraut rock, musique concrete, and tape collage has held up and remained inspirational over the years.

And here’s from the Faust website, linked above:

“Besides being a sharp-witted but yet charming and loving husband, father and grandfather, he was an outstanding cook, a writer who always generated deep emotions and interest, and a genius, selfless music producer. Thank you Uwe for all you have done for our music. Faust is your work, no doubt ! Your work will outlast all of us. May your soul rest in peace. My sincere sympathy to his family Petra, Anouchka, Sandra, Elisha and Elsa.”